US Nurses Wishing to Work Overseas

Published

I am starting this thread as a sticky at the request of one of our members, for a place for those that wish to emigrate from the US to work as an RN.

Please feel free to post your concerns and questions about working overseas here.

lauritasol said:
Okay - so this will be my last post. These boards are for supporting and encouragement of others in our profession, however, I feel like this thread has taken on a "let's beat her down" mentality.

In my previous post I was talking about how travel agencies want more than 1 year of nursing, and I said I have more than a year. Before I learned about the UK, I applied to a travel agency in the US to work in NYC as I thought that would be the closest US city to travel to from here. I was accepted there and thus knew aobut the 1 year rule and how US travel nursing works. I was to work in L&D there, and they were going to place me in NYC without 5 years experience.

Onto the UK and nursing - I am aware that most L&Ds have some high risk, but we delivered 400+ babies a month and were the only level 1 high risk OB and NICU in the state, so we definitely saw it all. I feel I've gained a ton of experience there - more so than the typical L&D floor. We had 4 ORs and we did a variety of surgeries - not just the typical hysterectomy as you so mention. We also were trained with the general OR PACU nurses and our PACU was set up in the same fashion. We were taught to scrub for our surgeries and had to be able to do all facets of Women's Services. We weren't ever assigned to only one spot. I feel without even knowing me or my background, you are just trying to slam me in any way possible. All I've been is upbeat, positive and helpful to others - never a negative post!

Lastly, I am a RN. I want to work as a RN, not as something else in Germany. Furthermore, as I mentioned in a previous post, you cannot work here if you cannot speak German. I live on the economy (not on a military base) and I talk with my German neighbors, bakers, store owners, etc., and they all say the same thing about unemployment and foreigners working here - they can't if they can't speak the language. I've been here since May trying to figure things out... I've investigated every single option known to man. I've called every single company I can think of to work at - including US companies/governement agencies. Thus far, this seems like the best option.

I plan to call the NMC and my agency tomorrow to convey these postings and see what their take is on things. I can only go from here and hope for the best. Worst case scenario, I won't work for the time I'm here. But I'm sure I'll find something to do - like starting a family. Everything happens for a reason and as planned, so I'm just going to follow this course and see where the path takes me. I'm not going to be overrought if it doesn't work out, but if it does - it will just be the icing on the cake to be able to work while living in Europe.

Again, thanks for "trying" to help. I think your first post was helpful, but the rest was just belaboring the point. You would think being a moderator, you'd find the time to uplift other nurses not try to crush them.

So, I'll end on that. I was trying to help another poster, not receive help myself. I have my plan all sorted out, so I'm good on receiving anymore advice in regard to the UK. Thanks again!

Sorry that you feel that way, but we have seen way too many nurses get promises by agencies that they cannot keep. We did not mean to take you down as you call it, but trying to be honest with you as to what is happening in the UK, today. Not what was happening two months ago, alot has changed even in this short time, and that is what we are trying to make you aware of.

No more responses from me, we were trying to be helpful to you. That is all. And moderators are entitled their opinions, jusrt as you are yours.

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ksanda1 said:
Thank you both for all the information. Let me clarify some more...

My husband is not working in the military but a private firm in Tokyo. However, I already researched the non-military employee jobs that Laura suggested but just the location of the place was not realistic.

Before we came, it was discussed that I could look for a job. I will follow up on a working visa thru his relocation agency as they are helping me with other necessary documents to get me settled here and will post another update. Very grateful for all the information. I really wanted to make sure that my 2 years will not hurt the start of a new career. One of my nursing friends who also graduated are having twins and is not working so I do see your point that situations do arise.

Suzanne, regarding other jobs...the prinicpal of my children 's school was quite happy when I told her I just graduated and started talking about foreign doctors etc. Is this a possibility? I am also surrounded by a number of embassies.

Again, I will follow up with another post on working visas.

Sanda

If you can get a visa that will permit you to work there, then the lomit is endless for what you can do. Teaching English to nurses and nursing students for one, even doctors there. English is essentially the universal language in SE Asia, and many will benefit from learning it and especially having a native American speaker. That is the most important thing in your favor. The foreign embassies there usually have a need for English teacher's as well. And depending on how out-going that you are, there are also radio stations that want show hosts that speak English, even voice overs for advertisements.

I had a very good friend that did that in Thailand and was quite successful at it.

The nursing schools there may want you to tape some courses for them in English to use in their teaching labs. There is a great need to be able to understand English speaking patients.

Tokyo also has many possibilities over some of the other smaller areas. And if you have children, there are also parents that want their small children to learn English from an a native speaker.

So many things for you to think about. Tired right now, but these were just off the top of my head.

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A few more ideas popped into my head:

Check in with the US Embassy there, you need to register with them anyhow. They usually will have a list of the different groups of Americans that are there, and they usually will help you adapt to things over there. With members in your age group, and with certain similar likes and activities. Many times they will get together every couple of weeks or so, you can also exchange ideas with the other wives there and many of them usually have been successful with different careers that have started because of being over there and having to do something.

But something to do with nursing and teaching will be perfect for you. You can combine the two and then you are not out of healthcare at all.

Different health courses can also be taught and it does not require that you are licensed over there. Even the school that your kids attend, may with you to do some teaching there, or for the other parents.

I am sure that there are English speaking supermarkets in your area, they may want some courses offered on nutrition and healthy eating.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
lauritasol said:
Okay - so this will be my last post. These boards are for supporting and encouragement of others in our profession, however, I feel like this thread has taken on a "let's beat her down" mentality.

In my previous post I was talking about how travel agencies want more than 1 year of nursing, and I said I have more than a year. Before I learned about the UK, I applied to a travel agency in the US to work in NYC as I thought that would be the closest US city to travel to from here. I was accepted there and thus knew aobut the 1 year rule and how US travel nursing works. I was to work in L&D there, and they were going to place me in NYC without 5 years experience.

Onto the UK and nursing - I am aware that most L&Ds have some high risk, but we delivered 400+ babies a month and were the only level 1 high risk OB and NICU in the state, so we definitely saw it all. I feel I've gained a ton of experience there - more so than the typical L&D floor. We had 4 ORs and we did a variety of surgeries - not just the typical hysterectomy as you so mention. We also were trained with the general OR PACU nurses and our PACU was set up in the same fashion. We were taught to scrub for our surgeries and had to be able to do all facets of Women's Services. We weren't ever assigned to only one spot. I feel without even knowing me or my background, you are just trying to slam me in any way possible. All I've been is upbeat, positive and helpful to others - never a negative post!

Lastly, I am a RN. I want to work as a RN, not as something else in Germany. Furthermore, as I mentioned in a previous post, you cannot work here if you cannot speak German. I live on the economy (not on a military base) and I talk with my German neighbors, bakers, store owners, etc., and they all say the same thing about unemployment and foreigners working here - they can't if they can't speak the language. I've been here since May trying to figure things out... I've investigated every single option known to man. I've called every single company I can think of to work at - including US companies/governement agencies. Thus far, this seems like the best option.

I plan to call the NMC and my agency tomorrow to convey these postings and see what their take is on things. I can only go from here and hope for the best. Worst case scenario, I won't work for the time I'm here. But I'm sure I'll find something to do - like starting a family. Everything happens for a reason and as planned, so I'm just going to follow this course and see where the path takes me. I'm not going to be overrought if it doesn't work out, but if it does - it will just be the icing on the cake to be able to work while living in Europe.

Again, thanks for "trying" to help. I think your first post was helpful, but the rest was just belaboring the point. You would think being a moderator, you'd find the time to uplift other nurses not try to crush them.

So, I'll end on that. I was trying to help another poster, not receive help myself. I have my plan all sorted out, so I'm good on receiving anymore advice in regard to the UK. Thanks again!

we all have our own opinions but I would hate for you to go through so much and then find no work. I am sorry you feel that you are being picked on that is not our intention. I live in th UK and see so many tales of nurses getting jobs in supermarkets because they can not find work. Hospitals laying off nurses because they do not have the money. Units are being closed because they do not have the money (I have pesonal exerience of this as FIL has had a stroke and will manage about a month in a stroke unit before it is closed due to no money) and the recent cases of work permits not being renewed, 1 nurse I can recollect had lived in the UK nearly 8 years, she should have sorted her citizenship out but didn't. Agencies cost losts of money and the competition will be fierce between agencies and who gets caught up in the middle the staff.

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This is my first time posting on this forum, but I've spent many hours reading the postings. I know this question has been posed before and I have spent many hours reading through the posts, but I just need some clarification, if possible.

I am a RN with one year of experience working in the PICU. I received my BSN from a Second Bachelor's program in May 2006. I have been married to a Brit for the last 13 years. We have no immediate plans on moving to the UK, but talk about it now and again. I think at some point in the next 5 years or so, we might try to move there. I know that the NHS has lots of problems at the moment. We travel to the UK every year for visits, so read the papers, and his family keep me up to date on things. I also have read that the NMC will not accept a Second Bachelor's degree in nursing. I recently contacted Continental Travel Nursing, who told me that my Second Bachelor's degree would not be an issue at all and that I wouldn't have any problems finding work through them. Is this true? I specifically asked the woman at the agency several times if my degree would be an issue with the NMC, and was told no. Does anyone have any info they can share with me about this agency or going through the NMC procedure with a Second Bachelor's degree?

Thanks so much.

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HI

I am not sure what a second bachelors mean, but continental travel nurse agency seems to know what they are talking about as they are in the process of helping me. They seem to know a lot of the info that may be everyone else is not aware of, and seem to have a lot of experience with the NMC. A lot of the staff are from Australia. I am hoping to get a 13 week contract through them in the near future pending my license. As you are married to a brit then you will go through the european section of the NMC NOT the overseas section. Being married to a european this gives you the right to that section. I have already spoke to the NMC and it was Continental who told me about the difference. The european section is easy than the overseas section. Good luck.

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Thank you Suemsu for your response. A second Bachelor's degree means that prior to my BSN, I had already received a Bachelor's degree in some other field besides nursing. In my case, it was English and Art. The nursing program then uses your existing degree and supplements it with the core nursing courses (essentially the junior and senior years of a 4-year nursing degree), to then be able to award you with a BSN in an accelerated amount of time. Many universities throughout the US have these programs in addition to their traditional 4 year and RN-to-BSN programs. I attended the University of Mass at Amherst. Granted it is not as simple as deciding one day to be a RN and apply to the program. To be able to apply to the program, you need to have completed 7 prerequisites (some in my program had already done one or two in their first degree...I was lucky enough to need all 7!) and I also had to do the GRE.

While Second Bachelor's degrees are accepted in this country, it is my understanding (mainly from reading this forum), that other countries do not recognize this degree - it has to do with the number of hours of training. The woman from Continental did not seem concerned about this fact at all. I just don't want to start the process (ie spend a lot of money) if there is not a chance that I would be able to practice in the UK as a RN. I just thought since the process is quite long, I would try to get things going, even if I didn't use my license right away.

I don't think that I could apply as a European. My marriage does not automatically grant me UK or EU provisions. My understanding is that I would need to live in the UK for 6 months in order to ask for UK citizenship. Does anyone have any other info?

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
RNPICU said:
Thank you Suemsu for your response. A second Bachelor's degree means that prior to my BSN, I had already received a Bachelor's degree in some other field besides nursing. In my case, it was English and Art. The nursing program then uses your existing degree and supplements it with the core nursing courses (essentially the junior and senior years of a 4-year nursing degree), to then be able to award you with a BSN in an accelerated amount of time. Many universities throughout the US have these programs in addition to their traditional 4 year and RN-to-BSN programs. I attended the University of Mass at Amherst. Granted it is not as simple as deciding one day to be a RN and apply to the program. To be able to apply to the program, you need to have completed 7 prerequisites (some in my program had already done one or two in their first degree...I was lucky enough to need all 7!) and I also had to do the GRE.

While Second Bachelor's degrees are accepted in this country, it is my understanding (mainly from reading this forum), that other countries do not recognize this degree - it has to do with the number of hours of training. The woman from Continental did not seem concerned about this fact at all. I just don't want to start the process (ie spend a lot of money) if there is not a chance that I would be able to practice in the UK as a RN. I just thought since the process is quite long, I would try to get things going, even if I didn't use my license right away.

I don't think that I could apply as a European. My marriage does not automatically grant me UK or EU provisions. My understanding is that I would need to live in the UK for 6 months in order to ask for UK citizenship. Does anyone have any other info?

Welcome to the site

Slightly wrong information has been given, because you trained overseas you still have to meet overseas requirements for the NMC. It is all worked out on hours so the best way to see if you meet requirements is to submit your transcripts and go through the process and let them make the decision, if you need hours you may be able to make them hours up whilst still in the US. What makes it easier for you is marriage to a Brit but you will need to apply for a settlement visa before returning to the UK. There is a website for US to UK spouse will see if I can find it

Check out the UK forum, plenty of info and website to visit

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Let me quote what the NMC wrote ' if you are a nurse or midwife and you have trained in a country out side the European Union, but are applying for registration though the EU route by virtue of your marriage to an EU citizen or via your own status as a EU citizen, you are required to submit a copy of your transcript of training along with the enclosed application forms'

I agree that you still have to meet the required hours but it is still a lot simpler going through the EU route, and does not cost so much. I am a British citizen but trained outside the EU and my application is going through the EU route. I have spoke to the board many times concerning this matter.

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I don't think that going though the EU route has any thing to do with being a british citizen, you just want a RN license

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
suemsu said:
I don't think that going though the EU route has any thing to do with being a british citizen, you just want a RN license

Getting a work permit is easier because you are married to a British citizen. Getting a work permit otherwise is virtually impossible at the moment with a lot of work permits for foreign nurses not being renewed and work permit allows 4 years work but can't claim leave of stay unless here 5 years so they have to go home.

Could you please provide the link to the quote you have given from the NMC as I have looked on their website and can't find anything.

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Sorry that you could not find the quote, but I assure you it is true. The quote is in the standard letter that they send out with the applications forms when you are applying through the EU section, and again I have spoken to the board making sure that I understood the process completely prior to sending my application forms as it can take up to 3 months for them to decide if they will grant the license. I also thought that I would be classed as a overseas applicant , but the NMC clarified that I could go through the EU section, reasons being as I mentioned in the quote.

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