US RN interested in moving to UK

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I am an RN in the US, with an Associate Degree. I'm interested in moving to the UK for a year or so. Have some questions, and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

- Is it true that I must have a Bachelor Degree in Nursing from the US, to be eligible to practice in the UK?

- Can I complete a Bachelor Degree (or equivalent) in nursing in the UK? And will it transfer back to the US, if I decide to return here in the future?

- Is there such a thing as a temporary practice permit in the UK for those who are licensed in the US but still need to complete coursework in the UK?

- Would it be more practical to complete a Bachelor Degree in the US, and then try to move to the UK?

I've been reading the postings here, and it seems like it's hard to find jobs at the moment. So here are more questions:

- Would it make any sense to move to the UK and work in a different field (I have experience in other areas), and eventually get back into nursing? I'm considering doing this because of the opportunity to live abroad.

- Would doing this have a negative effect on my nursing career? Such as losing out on experience, time spent in practice, etc.

Thanks for your help!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the International forum as per the red banner

ADN is generally not accepted by the NMC and there has been a couple of posters that indicate this. You may be able to boost it up but will probably find it beneficial to do your BSN in the US and then sort out registration with the NMC. There is no such thing as far as I am aware of a temp registration with the NMC whilst making courses up but you would probably do better asking them directly.

Work permit may be hard and suggest you read the UK borders website and see what you can apply for but bear in mind that the UK has a high unemployment rate the same as the US so preference should be given to UK and EU citizens first.

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Specializes in CTICU.

- Is it true that I must have a Bachelor Degree in Nursing from the US, to be eligible to practice in the UK?

Yes.

- Can I complete a Bachelor Degree (or equivalent) in nursing in the UK? And will it transfer back to the US, if I decide to return here in the future?
Yes, if you want to forever be treated in the US as a "foreign educated nurse" and have to jump through many expensive and laborious hoops.

- Is there such a thing as a temporary practice permit in the UK for those who are licensed in the US but still need to complete coursework in the UK?
No.

- Would it be more practical to complete a Bachelor Degree in the US, and then try to move to the UK?
Yes.

I've been reading the postings here, and it seems like it's hard to find jobs at the moment.
Yes. That's a worldwide issue, really.
- Would it make any sense to move to the UK and work in a different field (I have experience in other areas), and eventually get back into nursing? I'm considering doing this because of the opportunity to live abroad.
If you just want the opportunity to live abroad, you would be better to go to a country that has more open employment-based immigration, such as Australia. No recession there either, and people with US ADNs have become licensed there ;). If you want to work in the UK specifically, it would be very difficult these days regardless of your field if you're not an EU citizen.

- Would doing this have a negative effect on my nursing career? Such as losing out on experience, time spent in practice, etc.
Depends. Many US employers consider any nursing that happened outside of the US to be irrelevant or nonexistent. On the whole though, learning many ways of doing things in many different countries has only been beneficial to my nursing knowledge and practise, and as a result I have acquired very specialized knowledge and skills which have led me into several jobs, including my current US job. Only you can decide if travel is worth the risk to you.
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I am interested in the exact same thing -- if you are a ADN educated RN -- except in my case I have a previous Bachelor's in Photography..will they consider you entrance to the NMC..what if you enroll in a program like this? http://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/prospectus/pg/international_nursing_studies.html

After you complete the Msc, would they allow you into the ONP? Even though you have a ADN/RN, you are completeing a Master's in the UK?

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Doesn't say how long the course is. Other courses I have looked at in regards Masters in Nursing are 3-4 years long. Most part time meaning. Also requirements are meeting NMC requirements and that NMC provide a letter stating this and ADN will not meet requirements at the moment

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The Msc at Anglia Ruskin is a year long --

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

It appears although full time for 12 months teaching is on a Wed so not sure if that will actually meet student permit requirements and UK borders/immigration have been clamping down on universities and meeting student requirements with some students suddenly finding their permits cancelled as courses with university being cancelled by immigration

BBC News - London Metropolitan University: temporary reprieve for students

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Plus no guarantee you can stay and work permanently and with many NHS jobs going especially with nurses either not being replaced when they leave or having to reapply for jobs due to restructure or even being made redundant hard for International nurses to get jobs

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This is so discouraging my goodness! Do you know anything about acceptance with the NMC as far as an LPN, getting an ADN/RN and then a RN-BSN?

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Specializes in Critical Care/NICU.

Nursing in the uk is a bachelor degree profession now. We do not have associate degrees and the nmc will not accept them. You will need to get a degree. But at present in the uk it is really hard to find jobs. The nursing career in demand in the uk at present is neonatal nurses and midwives. I don't know if these would get you sponsorship and a visa. I also believe you need to have an English language test

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Thanks! I am talking about having an LPN, then getting a RN-BSN. I am aware of the BSN requirements. I will e-mail the NMC.

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