usa LPN(license practical nurse/license vocational nurse)looking to work in UK

Silverdragon102, BSN · Oct 17, 2007

Hi and welcome to the UK forum

Very hard to get a work permit if not from the EU and also in the UK there are a lot of issues with jobs with no jobs or staff being laid off. Also requirements are you need to be RN to be able to go through the process and be licensed to work as a nurse

vwigginslpn · Apr 24, 2009

I have been an LPN for over 20 yrs in the US. Is there a possibility to take the test for licensure without going back to school for 3 yrs? I am getting married and my fiancee' is from Northhampton in England. I want to be able to go to work as soon as possible when I get there. Going for a visit in June09, so could make some inquiries while I am there, if I can get some feedback. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

allnurses Guide · Apr 24, 2009

I am fairly sure that unless your training meets the minimal requirements for registration set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, this you would not be able to practice. Take a look at the overseas nursing section of the website for the specific criteria for registration

EDIT: I have just had a look at their requirements and it states

We will not accept your application if you are a second level nurse or the equivalent, for example an enrolled nurse, a licensed practical nurse, a vocational nurse, a state certified nurse, a nursery nurse, a nurse midwife technician, a nurse aid and so on.
Also, we do not accept medical qualifications as a basis for registration. If you have trained as a doctor or a medical technician in your home country, you will not be eligible for registration with us, even if this qualification allows you to carry out the duties of a nurse in your home country.
Your training programme must have been entirely focused on nursing. The NMC will not accept nursing qualifications that contain what it considers to be general education.

www.nmc-uk.org

vwigginslpn · Apr 24, 2009

I am fairly sure that unless your training meets the minimal requirements for registration set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, this you would not be able to practice. Take a look at the overseas nursing section of the website for the specific criteria for registration
EDIT: I have just had a look at their requirements and it states
www.nmc-uk.org

i am aware that i cannot obtain employment as a nurse immediately, but felt sure that there should be some way of challenging the board of licensure there. just looking for other possibilities. i have contacted hospitals there for sponsorship as well, if this would help at all. do you have any more positive possibilities?

allnurses Guide · Apr 24, 2009

To be honest I think that you would need to discuss that with the NMC but I would imagine that they will reject any request for registration that does not meet the requirements. The only way of gaining a RN when you are here would be to do a nursing course which would be 3 years.

The only other thing that I can think of would be to see if you could do a conversion course, these are done by our enrolled nurses when they convert to a registered nurse, I am unsure if a university would accept you and then the NMC would acknowledge this afterwards but there is no harm in asking

Here is an example of such a course

Silverdragon102, BSN · Apr 24, 2009

I seriously doubt you can challenge the NMC to allow you to work. You have to meet their requirements and they haven't trained Enrolled nurses for several years and many are/was encouraged to do conversion. I was one. As Sharrie mentioned you have to meet NMC requirements and that would be your first step

miko69 · May 30, 2009

I'm having the same problem. Make matters worse I'm already married with a baby and LVN has never been heard of the U.K. I'm back in the states to try and weigh my options in the min-time I have picked up some summer classes at a local college trying to prepare myself for an RN program somewhere. 3 years more !! no way. Not if you went to the same kind of LVN school as I did. Why don't you try to challenge the board here. However I have heard that If you pass, your License will be noted with RN without a degree. Now what the hell is that? Who is going to hire an RN without a degree? I have had some nurse friends of mine do it, but I'm not willing to take that route. Well good luck and if you come up with any ideas please let me know, I might move out of London to Northhampton.

GaGirl36 · Jan 29, 2011

Hi. I was curious what you two figured out. I'm in the same boat! US LPN that is moving to Southmapton this year. Have worked as an LPN for 14 years, completed 35 hours of core to bridge to RN. I just want to get a job there, is it possible?

allnurses Guide · Jan 30, 2011

Take a look at the educational requirements to register as a nurse in the UK, I don't think LPN with bridge to RN fits that criteria but the only way to be sure is to ask the NMC

celticqueen · Mar 25, 2011

Is an LPN/LVN like a health-care assistant? ( I note the "V" stands for vocational) Alot of health care assistants in the UK have NVQ qualifications (national vocational qualifications), is this the same? Although healthcare assistants are part of the nursing team, they are not qualified nurses. To attain RN even they with their NVQ's have to do the 3 year nurse training. Hope this helps? :)

loriangel14, RN · Mar 27, 2011

And the "N" stands for nurse. LPN/LVNs are nurses.