working in a spanish country

Trauma Columnist · Mar 27, 2005

I lived in Spain (with the US military) from 82 to 85 (our youngest son was born in a Spanish hospital). You might be able to get employment at Torrejon Air Base in Madrid or Rota Naval Air Station in Rota, Spain. Then, language wouldn't be an issue. Good luck.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 27, 2005

Unless you are at a US Military base, you will need to be proficient in spanish, as you will have to write the nursing boards in spanish, just like they would have to do for coming here.

For the Canary Islands, you will definitely need Spanish...........especially if you are going to live there.

angelique777 · Mar 28, 2005

Unless you are at a US Military base, you will need to be proficient in spanish, as you will have to write the nursing boards in spanish, just like they would have to do for coming here.
For the Canary Islands, you will definitely need Spanish...........especially if you are going to live there.

I already speak spanish and wanted to know about nursing in these areas as well. my grandparents where from canary islands and from Castille in Spain ........always wanted to go back and see where my ancestors are from ........hence was curious about wages and how if degree is transferable or do they have any exchange programs

Thanks

Angela

zacarias, ASN, RN · Mar 28, 2005

hi, just wondered whether anybody had any information on working either in the canary islands or in spain. Where do you find out about jobs. there is absoluytely nothing coming up on the internet. Questions are the jobs in private sector or public, do you neeed to be 100%fluent in spanish.What sort of pay scales do they have etc. Any advice greatly appreciated.

Hey there. Let me just say that you would ABSOLUTELY need to be fluent in Castellano (Spanish). They also speak numerous languages in Spain such as Catalán, Basque, Galician etc.

I am not sure if they actually have a nursing shortage there but if they do not, the odds are stacked against you. The most important deciding factor may be your EU status. Are you from Europe? Do you have parents who are European Union citizens? If you have EU status, more doors would be open for you.

If you wish to work with mostly Spanish-speaking patients, then the easiest thing to do would be to work in Southern Cali, Southern Texas (Rio Grande Valley), or Florida. The weather is great in all of those spots and those positions would require you to know Spanish; You would get great opportunities for perfecting your Spanish if you're not fluent. Many people live in those spots without knowing Spanish and work in healthcare. I may get flamed, but I think non-spanish speakers there are doing a disservice to themselves and others.

Good luck and let us know if you find out anything.

nicthenurse · Mar 28, 2005

thanks everyone for your replies. Am from the UK so presume US military base out of the question. Anybody got any other thoughts on other european countries did not really want to go to France or italy but any other countries considered. Am just looking for sun and sea and a better life for me my wife and five year old daughter. thanks again Nick.

zacarias, ASN, RN · Mar 29, 2005

Nick,

What about Australia? You said sun and sea so Down Under came to mind.

alanpe · Apr 5, 2005

Interesting URLs:

enfermundi.com

inem.com

Enfermundi is the Spanish Nursing Asociation URL and inem is the Spanish Employement Oficial Centre.

But we have not specialties like anaesthesia and others, Goverment has made some promises but I have some douts. There are not a ratio law for patients/nurses or beds/nurses.

There are just two nurse specialties:

Mental health.

Obstetrics.

Thats all what I have.

I think the language is not the problem. We speak four oficials languages (I speak spanish and Gallician), moreover English and French are very talked; from 90s we have recieved people from all over the world, people who thought it is the heaven and now many of them are living on tents and other have returned.

If you think to work as football player or a killer bulls and you can do, you will be very welcome; to work as nurse is very different, it is very hard, no a ratio nurse/patient law, no a good oportunity to progress, you are just a nurse.

Many Spanish nurses go to other countries to work.

alanpe · Apr 5, 2005

I already speak spanish and wanted to know about nursing in these areas as well. my grandparents where from canary islands and from Castille in Spain ........always wanted to go back and see where my ancestors are from ........hence was curious about wages and how if degree is transferable or do they have any exchange programs
Thanks
Angela

EU citizens can travel and work in spain, they have the same rights to work as spanish by law, if you are Europen you will not need to change or get spanish identity; language it does not matter, I have had very good colleages from Germany and other countries, they learned spainsh very soon, in two or three years they spoke like me.

Transfer is authomatic beteween EU country members most of the time.

Wages: a nurse in emergency units public hospital can result about 20.000 Euros (40% Phisician salary) but working in the night and wekends.

I do not know what other nurses from diferent countries must do to work here, if you are very interested I would help you and I looked for. I have colleages from Latin America too and they worked very good too.

I like to add that many spanish nurses here are unemployed, there are contracts for two or three days; there are not posiilities to change career, even if you finish other studies you will need pass a hard paper test and three or five years working as residents.

Meanwhile we import other categories we can even not do a aspirin prescription (it is ilegal); but in any case I will give you a hands if any one need me.

Dudette · Apr 8, 2005

Hello, I am leaving in south of France, by the border, and the fact is that a lot of Spanish nurses are working in France because employment is hard in Spain. In every hospitals in my region we have Spanish nurses working. I don't think they have something special to do to come and work, it looks to be pretty easy as long as you speak the language of the country you are willing to work, and you are from another European country. It is like there is no shortage there.

But for sure, Spain is a great country, we are spending a lot of time there on week-end and hollidays... I wish you good luck!

Dudette

alanpe · Apr 8, 2005

Yes, it is a country to take a holidays, many hotels, football, bulls, sun and big parties.

It can not be worst for nurses, it is very hard today for us; I remember 20 years ago, when a nurse it was a "practicante" with a role, today nurses are lost very much; today there are nurse emigration, something that never hapened before.

Politics talk about rich and poor regions but they forget professions as nurses where there are many female workers, I would really change this distinctions, by rich and poor profesions, people rich and poor.

Hello, I am leaving in south of France, by the border, and the fact is that a lot of Spanish nurses are working in France because employment is hard in Spain. In every hospitals in my region we have Spanish nurses working. I don't think they have something special to do to come and work, it looks to be pretty easy as long as you speak the language of the country you are willing to work, and you are from another European country. It is like there is no shortage there.
But for sure, Spain is a great country, we are spending a lot of time there on week-end and hollidays... I wish you good luck!
Dudette

Voufugir · Apr 14, 2005

Does anyone know how long it takes for an american to gain EU status, work visa, etc.?