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.

Are there any US citizen/US educated nurses out there who have successfully worked in South Africa? If so, I'm wondering what your experience was like. Were you able to live a comfortable lifestyle with the salary there? Where did you work and what were the working conditions like? I'd really appreciate any info you have. I absolutely loved Cape Town when I was there 7 years ago (before I decided to be come a nurse) and am trying to get back. Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in physical rehab, general med/surg.

I am new to allnurses.com as of today. Still trying to figure it out. I would like to see if there are any American nurses working in Spain that I can contact for information. I speak fairly proficient Spanish and am still taking classes, etc to become fluent. I have a BSN. I have 1.5yrs experience. 1 yr ICU experience and am in the neuro specialty. If anyone knows anyone or has recommendations for a good international nursing agency please let me know. Thanks

Up Vote Up Vote ×
slf974 said:
Are there any US citizen/US educated nurses out there who have successfully worked in South Africa? If so, I'm wondering what your experience was like. Were you able to live a comfortable lifestyle with the salary there? Where did you work and what were the working conditions like? I'd really appreciate any info you have. I absolutely loved Cape Town when I was there 7 years ago (before I decided to be come a nurse) and am trying to get back. Thanks!

You could do Doctors Without Borders.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, missions.

I trained in the US (4 year BSN) and hold 3 citizenships including US and commonwealth. I tried to get a nursing license for south africa a few years ago. No go for me. First...they did not see US training as sufficient. I would have had to undertake 6 months of unpaid supervised training in areas like E.R. and OR. After that...I would have had to sit the exams.

I have licenses in about 10 different countries and have only been knocked back by south africa and Ireland. Go figure.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, missions.

I used to live in Europe. You would have to apply for a European nursing license first. Also, you would have to have an EU passport. They are not sponsoring nurses there. Gibraltar is another place you could go. They speak English as the official language, but Spanish is spoken very widely. Agencies in the UK will send you there. Occasionally they have jobs. But...again,...you'd have to have an EU passport.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
iloveleeks said:
I used to live in Europe. You would have to apply for a European nursing license first. Also, you would have to have an EU passport. They are not sponsoring nurses there. Gibraltar is another place you could go. They speak English as the official language, but Spanish is spoken very widely. Agencies in the UK will send you there. Occasionally they have jobs. But...again,...you'd have to have an EU passport.

There is no such thing as a European nursing license. You have to meet the country's requirements to get a license and this is only good for that country. Things are easier if from within the EU but someone from Germany who wants to work in the UK still has to meet NMC requirements in the UK.

Same goes for EU passport. There isn't one yet, each EU country has their own passport and having a passport from a country within the EU makes things easier for jobs and moving

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CTICU.
iloveleeks said:
I trained in the US (4 year BSN) and hold 3 citizenships including US and commonwealth.

What on earth is "commonwealth" citizenship?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, missions.

Commonwealth citizenship is citizenship in a commonwealth country such as Australia, South Africa, Malaysia, India, New Zealand, etc. It harks back to the days when these countries were British outposts. It is often easier for a nurse (or any profession for that matter) with citizenship in a commonwealth country to obtain the necessary papers to work in another commonwealth country.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, missions.
Silverdragon102 said:
There is no such thing as a European nursing license. You have to meet the country's requirements to get a license and this is only good for that country. Things are easier if from within the EU but someone from Germany who wants to work in the UK still has to meet NMC requirements in the UK.

Same goes for EU passport. There isn't one yet, each EU country has their own passport and having a passport from a country within the EU makes things easier for jobs and moving

A European nursing license could also read as a nursing license from Europe...as I intended it to. However,there is a council in Europe that oversees the standards for nurses to be licensed in EU countries.

Ditto for EU passport. That reads as a passport from an EU participating country...not as a type of passport. However, as far as I am aware...passports of EU participating countries have 'European Union' stamped somewhere on the cover.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
iloveleeks said:
A European nursing license could also read as a nursing license from Europe...as I intended it to. However,there is a council in Europe that oversees the standards for nurses to be licensed in EU countries.

Ditto for EU passport. That reads as a passport from an EU participating country...not as a type of passport. However, as far as I am aware...passports of EU participating countries have 'European Union' stamped somewhere on the cover.

But the license is still issued from a country from within the EU not by the EU which is how your post could be read.There may be standards that have to meet the EU from within the EU but not necessary the case. If I was to move from the UK to France I would still have to provide information regarding my UK training and proof of license. Take the UK for instance their nurse training is more specialised and doesn't always meet requirements. ie If you do mental health training you may not get exposure to paediatric nursing, same if you do Paediatric training you may not get exposure to general adult. Although the first 18 months ish is core and standard you can still miss out on stuff.

Yes a passport may have European Union on it (mine does) but it is issued by the UK but by the EU just makes travel within the EU easier.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, missions.

I think we are saying the same thing!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CTICU.
iloveleeks said:
Commonwealth citizenship is citizenship in a commonwealth country such as Australia, South Africa, Malaysia, India, New Zealand, etc. It harks back to the days when these countries were British outposts. It is often easier for a nurse (or any profession for that matter) with citizenship in a commonwealth country to obtain the necessary papers to work in another commonwealth country.

I know what commonwealth countries are, I'm Australian. Just never heard someone to say "commonwealth citizen" - you are only a citizen of a particular country.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion