UK nurses need to realise something, the US is NOTHING like the UK. The pay is not great, US nurses think everyone comes from the Philipines, the pay is similar to the US, ONLY the taxes ARE MUCH HIGHER! Try 35% Federal and 12% State tax in some states, e.g. California, that is 47% compared to 25% in the UK. Health care here is very expensive and not free, you get a bill for everything. And the staffing here is HORRIBLE, 1 ICU patient in the UK, 3 or even 4 ICU patients in the US, you will be run ragged. Everyone gets 2 weeks vacation, and if you are sick, they is no sick pay, you have to use your vacation or not get paid.
The managers talk to you like you are crap, the doctors talk to you like crap and the patients and families just sue you. This is like going back in time 20 years, the surgeries, the procedures, being a doctor's hand maiden is archaic. Doctors write orders in the patients chart like Nurse will ambulate pt 3 times a day (the pt was 850 lbs), or pt may not have bathroom priviliges, you are held accountable, and sueable, for everything. The secretary writes the wrong thing, your fault, pharmacy sends wrong drug, your fault, lab draws wrong blood, your fault, your fault, your fault.
I wish someone would have told me this before I came here, after 8 years of 5 States, I give up, glad to come home. They had slavery for 300 years in the US, officially, unofficially, it still exists, few unions, few rights and limited protection.
The UK isn't so bad, not hot as hell and humid, no earthquakes, forest fires, tornadoes, landslides AND NO GUNS, I have never seen poverty like the US, you will die for the sake of cheap meds, or you will get shot in car for your radio. The US is a vicious and violent, more people get shot here peacetime than in the rest of the world put together. See you back in UK SOON!
Everyone gets 2 weeks vacation, and if you are sick, they is no sick pay, you have to use your vacation or not get paid
The US is a vicious and violent, more people get shot here peacetime than in the rest of the world put together.
70% of Europeans go back to Europe,
Now perhaps if you could take the time to back up those outlandish claims by credible, citable sources, maybe some of us will take you a little more seriously.
Here is one for you (with source)...1-in-10 of all British Citizens DO NOT live in Britian.
look at Florida or New York, low pay and high patients.
I wouldn't call the $75,000 per year I earn (to start) for a three-day week, low pay. Especially considering the starting pay for NYPD, and FDNY are $35,881 and $36,400 respectively (source: NYPD / FDNY official WebPages). High patient ratio? I won't argue with that. I get about 8 at a time in my ED. Multitasking and prioritisation are part of being an RN, though there should be limits.
The managers talk to you like you are crap, the doctors talk to you like crap and the patients and families just sue you.
Is that all managers? I find the ones who get spoken down to are usually the incompetant ones, or those with an attitude.
Scot was factual in most part, I had 9 weeks paid vacation before I left the UK, so why should I comment on him telling the truth
As many picked up, I was in fact being sarcastic.
I suspect you are one of two things.
1.A forum Troll
2.Someone who has become unhealthily embittered, because they could not succeed over here. You have been a forum member for 5 years, and for some reason has decided to come out now all aggers and daggers. Little strange wouldn't you think. Read some of Cariad's posts; someone else who has had a hard time of things since moving to the US, tougher than you have had it, but chose to soldier on.
Many people believe the US is a soft option, perhaps due to the stereotype that everything is handed to you on a plate, or the media-driven spin that the streets are pathed with gold. It is not. Far from it. Those of us who have worked on both sides of the Atlantic know full well that the work ethic in the US is very different than that in the UK. I have never worked so hard in my life to get to where I am now, but I know in doing so, I am seeing a fair return for my efforts. I dispair for my RN / student friend in the UK who wioll put all that effort in, for an uncertain future.
There are many things wrong with the US, as with the UK, but you are putting across a very one-sided argument that does not bear any resemblance to the country many of the rest of the forum know.
One thing I have noticed though, is that there is far more resentment towards the US by those who have tried and failed to assimilate here, than from those back in the UK, who just think it is fashionable to dislike all things American. Bit like those hypocritical ex-smokers who feel the need to preach to everyone they meet, just how bad it is (like the non-smokers never knew).
I think you should go back to the UK (and quickly before you get shot, robbed, ran over by a DWI, shot, killed by a landslide / earthquake / hurricane, or shot) believe me, if I shared the same discontent you do; I would be doing the same, and not after waiting for 8 years. I would also love for you to let everyone here know of your progress.
do you know any other lifestyle though, , but just how far have you travelled, , that you have a better lifestyle how!
you don't know what a good life style is, not everyone comes from a third world country and europe is bigger,
how do you have the audacity to direct that statement towards me?
i was born in scotland and lived in several different areas of the uk. i was a grown up when i decided to do something different and move to the us.
since when is where i come from a third world country, just exactly where did you think that i came from........
not that its any of your business, but the lifestyle that i have experienced cannot even be compared to yours. my family have supported the uk, my father was involved with the prince of wales trust, and was given an mbe by the queen, for other services to our country,
i have always worked for what i have acheived which is what i am still doing only in a different place, and i am enjoying it. the american health care system is not the best but then tell me where is, everywhere has its problems.
and a quote from a Grauniad article from 2007 (from the above link) that states 'there have been more than 3,500 gun incidents in London over the past 12 months; thousands of guns are said to be on the streets; the capital has more than 200 gangs; the average age of black Londoners murdered by a gun is 19; the average age of black Londoners charged with murder using a gun is also 19'
Whilst statistically gun crime has reduced in 2008, it is still there. There are guns. Lots of them. And lots of people feeling comfortable with their use - unless one person did the 3,500 incidents on their own. So, in short, wake up.
There is so much hatred coming from TravelCa, I wonder why?? TSuch a snob too! I feel sorry for the nurses you will be working with if you are coming back to UK.
It is sad you had a bad experience,but to bad mouth all Americans is not right.
Believe me U.K. is not what it was when you left it....we have problems here too...London for instance stabbing almost 2-3 a week among teenagers,gun culture,yes gun....people get killed by guns here too, gang culture,immigration with no control,high council tax,food and petrol are very expensive,overcrowded trains and bus,expensive travelcard or train tickets and so on....I am sure I have missed some.....
i had 2 patients from england... and from what they said things were not so hot over across the pond either. they told me the nurses were overworked, pay poor and hospitals being cleaned by "people from 3rd world countries, and the hospital here was much cleaner" they were happy to have had the care here.... and the pt who told me knows about hospitals.. she was a nurse over there... she and her husband are vactioning here..
we are all entitiled to our opinions and it's okay if you don't like it here... go where you are happy and stay where you are happy. USA is my home and i am grateful to live here. i am a RN and know we have our problems .. and so does the UK , it's not so perfect over there ... and it's not perfect here.. thats how life is....
I guess that maybe travelca has got the message. We have not had any recent comments, shame I would have liked to heard what the thoughts are now considering we have heard so strongly from both sides of the pond.
Specializes in Neonatal nursing (paediatric trained).
All that winding people up definitely seems like something a forum troll would do. As an American living in the UK (and I've worked in healthcare in the US, by the way), I can say with experience that both places have their own positive and negative points. No place is perfect. But the sweeping generalisations the original poster made are not only grossly inaccurate but also offensive.
It's a sad thing if someone's had such a troublesome time - but eight years?! You had to have liked some of it, and judging by my own past experience and that of a mother and four aunts that are all nurses all over the US, I know those criticisms are so over the top! I also take offense to comments made about American women - docile is hardly the word. If you want to go generalising, I think you've got your geographically specific personality traits a bit backwards, as Americans are known for being very outspoken.
Scott33, BSN, EMT-P
31 Posts
So, just to recap.
Now perhaps if you could take the time to back up those outlandish claims by credible, citable sources, maybe some of us will take you a little more seriously.
Here is one for you (with source)...1-in-10 of all British Citizens DO NOT live in Britian.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/brits_abroad/html/default.stm
Perhaps it's you who are doing something wrong.
I wouldn't call the $75,000 per year I earn (to start) for a three-day week, low pay. Especially considering the starting pay for NYPD, and FDNY are $35,881 and $36,400 respectively (source: NYPD / FDNY official WebPages). High patient ratio? I won't argue with that. I get about 8 at a time in my ED. Multitasking and prioritisation are part of being an RN, though there should be limits.
Is that all managers? I find the ones who get spoken down to are usually the incompetant ones, or those with an attitude.
As many picked up, I was in fact being sarcastic.
I suspect you are one of two things.
1.A forum Troll
2.Someone who has become unhealthily embittered, because they could not succeed over here. You have been a forum member for 5 years, and for some reason has decided to come out now all aggers and daggers. Little strange wouldn't you think. Read some of Cariad's posts; someone else who has had a hard time of things since moving to the US, tougher than you have had it, but chose to soldier on.
Many people believe the US is a soft option, perhaps due to the stereotype that everything is handed to you on a plate, or the media-driven spin that the streets are pathed with gold. It is not. Far from it. Those of us who have worked on both sides of the Atlantic know full well that the work ethic in the US is very different than that in the UK. I have never worked so hard in my life to get to where I am now, but I know in doing so, I am seeing a fair return for my efforts. I dispair for my RN / student friend in the UK who wioll put all that effort in, for an uncertain future.
There are many things wrong with the US, as with the UK, but you are putting across a very one-sided argument that does not bear any resemblance to the country many of the rest of the forum know.
One thing I have noticed though, is that there is far more resentment towards the US by those who have tried and failed to assimilate here, than from those back in the UK, who just think it is fashionable to dislike all things American. Bit like those hypocritical ex-smokers who feel the need to preach to everyone they meet, just how bad it is (like the non-smokers never knew).
I think you should go back to the UK (and quickly before you get shot, robbed, ran over by a DWI, shot, killed by a landslide / earthquake / hurricane, or shot) believe me, if I shared the same discontent you do; I would be doing the same, and not after waiting for 8 years. I would also love for you to let everyone here know of your progress.
As they say over here...
"Have a nice day"