wanting to work in the states but dont know how to start organising self.

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Hi everyone!!

Hope you all are well! Im a RN in Australia and was wondering what nursing is like in the states? Whats the patient load?, the type of hours?, the ward politics? and do different hospitals pay you different? Im thinking of completing my masters and heading off to the states to work but Im not sure what to expect. For example, if you want to climb the ladder here you need to have a good networks of people, its not what you know but who you know, is it the same there?? I really want to make this change, its just I dont know where to start researching!

Thanks :)

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Nursing in the U.S. varies greatly by region. Some regions, such as the Southern and Southeastern states, do not welcome unionized healthcare facilities due to cultural differences. The Northern and Northeastern states, however, have plenty of unions.

Patient load also differs between facilities. In general, California is the only state with legally mandated nurse/patient ratios, but finding a job there as an outsider is harder than pulling teeth. The other 49 states do not have any legally binding nurse/patient ratios.

Please be aware that the U.S. economy has been hit hard over the past two or three years, and that the nursing job market has been affected to the point that many experienced nurses cannot find employment in many areas.

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oh wow I didnt know that it was hard to get a job there as a nurse! Thats a bummer!! I have a year until I finish my masters so maybe it wll pick up by then. I hope it does. Has anyone gone overseas with their nursing?

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Hello to you in Australia! It is good that you are asking questions about work before you move to another country. I agree with the previous writer that the nursing job market in the U.S.A. unfortunately is much tighter now due to the current national economy situation. For example, in years past there used to nearly a whole page of nursing job opening advertisements in the classified section of our local Sunday newspaper---now only a very few nursing job ads appear.

Regarding your question about "gone overseas with nursing", the closest thing to that I have done is work for a few years at the International Health Center at Meharry Medical College in the state of Tennessee. This was an educational program in Nashville for nurses from nine different countries in Africa sponsored by a grant from the Agency For International Development. During my employment I was extremely fortunate to be able to travel one time to Nairobi, Kenya for three weeks to help conduct a nursing workshop regarding maternal-child health nursing. Best wishes to you!

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Just curious...are you specializing with your Masters (e.g. NP or CNS)? That may make a difference in your marketability. Good on you for doing your research in advance. I would first decide where in the great big US of A you feel you are drawn. Then research some more...send out resumes in advance before moving. Best of luck to you!

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Hi!!!

I am an Australian nurse working over here in the USA. I got my license 2 months ago (here) and applied for 2 jobs and got offered both!

I work 40 hours a week.......they pay isnt as great as home but its decent by American standards. It has been an adjustment......different drug names.....different ways of saying things, spelling etc. What i find really weird is that i have to be very clear in things i say and make sure that the person i am saying it to understands me, there is a very clear communication gap. But the staff and i are adjusting and people are now saying things that i do........like saying "no worries" to me!!! Its been a fun challenge!

If there is anything else you want to know just pm me!!!

Good luck

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