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Discussion

i want to move to the US

I am about to start my first year in nursing, I am a resident in thr UK, but would like to work in the US, does anyone know if i can do this with the UK qualification? or where i could find this out?

Could you please e-mail me?

Thanks

Tim

[email protected]

PS i am doing a diploma in leicester, would i be better off doing the degree? I would like to do mental health nursing, would i be better off doing adult? any help would be appreciated!

Featured Replies

  • Expert

The US requires that you be a general nurse, not specialized in only one area for taking your American boards. This means that you must complete all of the adult areas plus pediatrics, maternal health, and psych. You are much better off going for the degree instead of the Diploma, if you have the chance, and your ultimate goal is to work in the US. You will have to wait until you actually have completed your requed coursework to begin to submit any paperwork, as a final copy of your transcripts are needed.

Hope that this helps.......................... :balloons:

I was a UK diploma RGN who went to work in California 15 years ago. At that time I had no difficulty in getting my license. I applied to the California Board of Registered Nursing and sent the appropriate paperwork and got my Nurse Interim Permitee license and than took and passed the boards a few months later. I have since completed my BSN and it has helped to further my career. You will need to have a work vis and a social security number to be able to work in the US, but because of the nurses shortage here there is probably a hospital who would be willing to sponsor you and help you with that. Good luck. I worked at LRI on Foane and then in ICU 1986-88

  • Expert

There are NO WORK PERMITS currently being offered for nurses to work in the United States. The only legal thing that is available is the GREEN CARD. Rules have also changed on what is accepted now and what isn't in terms of schooling from 15 years ago......................

There are NO WORK PERMITS currently being offered for nurses to work in the United States. The only legal thing that is available is the GREEN CARD. Rules have also changed on what is accepted now and what isn't in terms of schooling from 15 years ago......................

Thanks for the update Suzanne, I guess it's true, theres nothing constant but change. However, it does seem strangr with a nurses shotage that work permits are not available. I think I'll have to cintact my congress person.

Celia :nurse:

  • Expert
Thanks for the update Suzanne, I guess it's true, theres nothing constant but change. However, it does seem strangr with a nurses shotage that work permits are not available. I think I'll have to cintact my congress person.

Celia :nurse:

Before you do that, you need to know that the reason is that the work permits are under the same classification as highly-skilled workers, including those that are in high-tech positions, etc. This number has been cut to 65,000 to give our workers a chance. This number has been cut way done. And with the new laws going into effect this July, even if you were to be able to get a "work permit", you now have the same requirements, a Visa Screen Certificate, as well as English exam series. There has been a big problem in the past with language skills of foreign nurses, and they are trying to remedy it. Also, with the temporary work permits, many nurses had signed contracts that were almost equivalent to slave labor not knowing enough English to properly review the contract. It is actually much easier for a nurse to get a green card now, and most hospitals actually prefer it. Why spend months orienting and training a nurse to have them have to leave at the end of three years. Definitely doesn't make sense to me. The nurses that work hard enough to come over should be entitled to the same salaries as any other nurse. Their taxes would be the same, etc.

Hope that this makes things clearer for you................

Thanks Suzanne, I guess my case was a little different as I came to the US with my Royal Air Force husband on a military posting with a NATO 2 visa and English as a second language was not an issue although the California BRN wanted me to take the test despite the fact I was born in and educated in England!!! (Although you probably wouldn't guess that from all the spelling errors in my prvious post!) The issue of a 4 year degree will not be a problem for UK nurses who trained within the last few years since I believe there are only 4 year RGN progams now. Its certainly important to make sure that there are jobs for those of us in the US and to avoid the issues of "slave labor" and to ensure fluency and good understanding of English in overseas nurses.

Celia :)

I think Canadians are the only ones still allowed to get in quickly thanks to NAFTA.

  • Expert
I think Canadians are the only ones still allowed to get in quickly thanks to NAFTA.

Exactly, since you are already English speaking (in many areas). :balloons:

NAFTA VISA is only open to CITIZENS of Mexico and Canada for those of you reading this post from other countries. It is under a free trade agreement that the US has with these two countries.

regarding your query about relocating to the states, I am just about to go there to work, I have signed up with an agency called O'GRADY PEYTON, they are well known, you have to do your 3 years basic adult training and then specialise for at least a year. It has taken me 2 years to get to here, you can apply as soon as you are trained and the time that it takes to be given a visa you will have done your post registered experience. you have to go to america to sit the n-clex (american nurses exam) before you can apply to immigration to let you in. I am waiting for my interview at the american embassy, where hopefully I will be issued with my green card and then I can go there to start work with the agency. hope that this helps

I am about to start my first year in nursing, I am a resident in thr UK, but would like to work in the US, does anyone know if i can do this with the UK qualification? or where i could find this out?

Could you please e-mail me?

Thanks

Tim

[email protected]

PS i am doing a diploma in leicester, would i be better off doing the degree? I would like to do mental health nursing, would i be better off doing adult? any help would be appreciated!

regarding your query about relocating to the states, I am just about to go there to work, I have signed up with an agency called O'GRADY PEYTON, they are well known, you have to do your 3 years basic adult training and then specialise for at least a year. It has taken me 2 years to get to here, you can apply as soon as you are trained and the time that it takes to be given a visa you will have done your post registered experience. you have to go to america to sit the n-clex (american nurses exam) before you can apply to immigration to let you in. I am waiting for my interview at the american embassy, where hopefully I will be issued with my green card and then I can go there to start work with the agency. hope that this helps

Whereabouts are you heading in the usa? I am off to Florida :)

I did want to go to florida originally, but then changed my mind, I am probably going to end up in tucson arizona, that is where my profile has just been sent, basically you dont have a lot of choice for the first 18 months--thats the contract time, but after that you can go anywhere you want....re-sign with the agency or get your own job.

Whereabouts are you heading in the usa? I am off to Florida :)
  • Expert

Again, before you sign any contract, read it closely. There is a nurse on this forum that I am in contact with, who has gotten "the Royal Screw " from the agency that you have signed with and she is already in the US with them.....So all of you, please be very careful when you sign with anyone. Thinngs can change.......................and do change, and not always in your best interest.

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