Which country is better to work in U.S. or U.K?

BedsideNurse · Apr 21, 2017

The process of getting licensure in the UK is a nightmare, but foreign nurses coming to the U.S. have to jump through hoops of fire too. Seems nursing bureaucracy everywhere pretty much sucks, but some suck a little more than others.

ANYWAY; not sure at this moment because of the Brexit, but as of last year foreign born nurses had to get a sponsor (from a hospital or whatever) to get a work VISA to work as a nurse in the UK. It isn't because Trump or the U.S. or the UK is anti-foreigner, it's because they want to make sure they aren't giving away jobs that would put British nurses out of work. Obviously, they want to make sure their own citizens are working before they bring in nurses from other countries. In years past there was a big problem with a surplus of British nurse graduates and they couldn't get a job and hospitals were still filling vacancies with scores of foreign workers, so they changed how they do things to try to prevent that. I think that's very reasonable; putting your own capable, qualified unemployed citizens to work before non citizens. What isn't reasonable is how difficult they make the whole process for foreign nurses to try to get licensure. And here's an unfortunate pearl: they could not care less if you pass, don't pass, can get a VISA, can't get a VISA: they make money off of licensure applicants. It's quite the racket. So, you yourself need to go over all the rules, regs, requirements and possible outcomes. And be aware that you can do everything they say to do but at the end of the day they can turn you down or fail you and it can be pretty subjective and it's expensive to retest/reapply. Lot's of money, and tremendous time and hassle; it's not their problem. Also, remember it is another country, if you are a non citizen they don't owe you anything just because you are a nurse and "want to go there." You probably know this, but I've heard more than a handful of nurses talk about how they'd love to travel Europe and then declare they are moving to England. You can't just move to England, unless you have British citizenship, you marry a Brit, or you have a job that makes you eligible for a work VISA (which is not permanent; it has to be renewed and there is a process, and if you lose your job you can't stay). Finally, if you aren't familiar, know that the pay for nurses (and NP's and doctors) in the UK is abhorrent compared to the pay in the U.S. It's socialized medicine so you are generally not going to live well on nurses pay there. You'll barely be able to rent a crappy flat. Some agency nurses in London or bigger cities might make the equivalent of 20-25 dollars an hour, but most nurses make between 11-15 bucks an hour, and generally housing is more expensive than here. England is awesome; a lot of great things about it, good people....don't get me wrong, but over the years that I lived there I knew a lot more nurses who worked doing jobs other than nursing than I knew nurses working in health care. There are reasons for that.

Tippyrn · Apr 21, 2017

Stay in the US, best place on earth.

chantash · Apr 24, 2017

Hi, if you are wanting to work in the UK, first you will need to get registration via the NMC, see Trained outside the EU/EEA. This doesn't give you an automatic visa, but once you have your registration (or even before) contact some health authorities and agencies as there is plenty out there still giving visas to foreign nurses (and speaking English will help massively).

With regards to the person who said nurses were on 11-15 dollars an hour. I am looking at the same and agencies in the area I want to work are paying a minimum of 15 pounds per hour which it significantly more than you are claiming. Plus if you work in another country you need to stop converting the pay into your own currency - it isn't helpful. Look at what you can buy per hour in your own country/pay v's the new country/pay.

I'm a British Citizen living in Australia, did my nurse training in Australia and will still need to jump through hoops to get UK registration, including an English language test, even though I was born in England and speak no other language!! But it is time and I prefer the progression routes in the UK to here.

Anyway, good luck.

SouthpawRN · Apr 25, 2017

I do have a question, I have dual citizenship with USA and UK (by birth) I'm working on my BSN Degree now. Would would be required for me to go back to the UK and work as a nurse? Do I need some years of experience before doing so?

chantash · Apr 25, 2017

Hi Soutthpaw, see my link above for nurses trained outside the EU. You are in the same boat as me, you will need to pass the IELTS then sit the NMC test before being granted registration. At least you don't have visas to worry about. The NMC site says at least one year's experience would probably be needed to pass the test. I think this isn't mandatory but that they think newly qualified nurses won't have enough assessment experience to pass. Else, you could possibly contact UK universities regarding topping up your current BSN to a UK degree.

phoebe2020, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2017

Don't do it. I'm British, but studied and worked in the USA. I tried to come back to my home country and I was subjected to English tests and expensive application fees. They've now just changed the system and you need about Â£4,000-5,000 to pay for the exams you need to take to qualify for a license. That's outside of visa fees, travel expenses, and other things you'll need to get set up in the UK.

I'm actually planning on coming back to the USA next year because my own country doesn't even care about my nursing degree that much. And I'm British. I miss nursing in the States so much, and I'm so excited to coming to the USA on a green card sponsorship next year!

If you want to find out what becoming a nurse in the UK involves, go to the NMC website. The pass rates for the new exams are low, because it seems to me they don't really know what they're doing at the moment...

Someone mentioned Brexit, and while that is true, it will take YEARS to establish new laws when it comes to nursing and foreign trained nurses and other various aspects of this one topic. I wouldn't count on Brexit making changes too soon.

I'm actually working in Australia as a nurse at the moment until I get my green card priority date. But anyway, I strongly recommend its not worth the grief and time and energy. It will most likely take over a year to get your license and it will even involve flying to the UK for a practical exam because they only do it one facility at the moment.

That's just my opinion.

SouthpawRN · Apr 25, 2017

Don't do it. I'm British, but studied and worked in the USA. I tried to come back to my home country and I was subjected to English tests and expensive application fees. They've now just changed the system and you need about Â£4,000-5,000 to pay for the exams you need to take to qualify for a license. That's outside of visa fees, travel expenses, and other things you'll need to get set up in the UK.
I'm actually planning on coming back to the USA next year because my own country doesn't even care about my nursing degree that much. And I'm British. I miss nursing in the States so much, and I'm so excited to coming to the USA on a green card sponsorship next year!
If you want to find out what becoming a nurse in the UK involves, go to the NMC website. The pass rates for the new exams are low, because it seems to me they don't really know what they're doing at the moment...
Someone mentioned Brexit, and while that is true, it will take YEARS to establish new laws when it comes to nursing and foreign trained nurses and other various aspects of this one topic. I wouldn't count on Brexit making changes too soon.
I'm actually working in Australia as a nurse at the moment until I get my green card priority date. But anyway, I strongly recommend its not worth the grief and time and energy. It will most likely take over a year to get your license and it will even involve flying to the UK for a practical exam because they only do it one facility at the moment.
That's just my opinion.

Thanks for the info, As you are down under, What is it like working there as a nurse? how is the process to get licensed with USA nursing degree. The only reason I am considering UK or maybe Australia or some other English speaking country, is that my kids have expressed interest in going to College outside of the USA. 8 & 10 years from now.

jnurse816 · Apr 25, 2017

Everyone's feed back has been really great. Thank you all.

As for me, since I have originally posted, I have taken the CBT and passed. As of now, I am in the process of doing the actual application for the NMC to take the OSCE.

Background info on me, I'm a US nurse with two years experience. I first took the IELTS ($300). After passing that I was given authorization to the CBT ($180 USD. theory exam of 120 questions based of nursing in the U.K. And their rules and regulations which are found in the "code" and "blue print" provided by the NMC). The study tools given for this test were unorganized and hard to follow. The "E" in the blueprint means it's is essential and means that if there is a question about this topic, it must be passed. The "y" in the blue print means, yes it will be on the exam" the blue print and code will be for the CBT and OSCE exam.

After taking the CBT, the NMC sent me an email saying that I can now finish with my application for my license (about $200 USD) filling out this application is entirely tricky. I am doing all of this through continental nurse travel agency.

I have heard old horror stories about this company but I have had a great experience so far. My nurse recruited is named **** ***** and she sincerely cares about how I am doing. Besides having a recruiter, they have a person who's specific role is to help you through the application it's self (seriously was just on the phone with him for an hour and half and wrote three pages worth of notes. The application is no joke). I was advised to not start it until he called me and game me direction. After the application is done, the agency will work on my visa (they are going to be my sponsor). It is going to take 2-4 weeks for the NMC to put together my file, it will take another 4-10 weeks to give me the okay to take the OSCE.

The OSCE is the second part of the exam process. This is the clinical portion. It will be at north Hampton university. There is not much information to study from for this test (there is nothing that I have found that shows me how it is set up or what machines or supplies I will be using). The specialized guy who helped me with the application is the same person who will go over everything thing you need to know to study for the OSCE (1.5-2 hour phone convo)and will also set you up with an education day once you arrive in England for the OSCE (it's through an outside company that you pay for and will be 240 British pounds) doing the education day is optional but I'm going to do it because I heard they fail you for petty things and I want to be familiar with the objects I will be working with as Europe nursing is still foreign to me. Before taking the OSCE, you can get study help from the university website but that's only after the NMC says you can take the test.

A good book to study from is the Royal marsden student 9th edition. I had the seventh and it was way out of date. I heard the 8edition was no good.

Hope this was helpful.

phoebe2020, BSN, RN · Apr 26, 2017

Hi Southpaw,

Well, I've literally just started working, but my nursing friends who have been here a bit longer say its a bit different than USA nursing. Things are a bit more laid back, I guess. For example, I can do IV's, but if I want to do it in Australian hospitals I have to spend a couple hundred bucks on a training corse just to prove something I can already do. Seems a bit redundant. But I believe its because nurses don't learn it in school over there.

The UK is the same - its specialised, not general nursing.

To get your license in Australia, its a bit of an arduous process and can take about 6-12 months, and they get really finicky about the information that you send to them. But they accepted my degree and my current license in Florida, and I got license a couple weeks ago.

phoebe2020, BSN, RN · Apr 26, 2017

Actually, I've just checked the NMC website and the fees are lower than last time I checked about a year ago.

Application for nursing/midwifery Â£140

Part 1 test of competence (CBT) Â£130

Part 2 test of competence (OSCE) Â£992

Admission onto our register Â£153

Total Â£1415

That's based on if you pass first time. I'm not a great test taker, so for me I can expect to double those fees. Also, the OSCE I think they still only offer in the UK. And its not including English tests.