Re Registration In France

DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN · May 24, 2004

Thanks for the email David. So, the nurses role in France is very technical... IVs, venepuncture, drugs etc. I worked for 3 years as a Community Staff nurse so my blood taking skills are fine. I worked with Hickman lines/central lines too. Not peripheral IVs. That's my main experience of 'technical nursing'. Since then I have worked as a school health nurse which is more health education/promotion (mostly sex-ed due to the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Europe). I feel that may be I need to update my clinical skills? Especially if french nursing is more technical than UK. Are you working in medical/surgical area? Do you know of school nursing in France? Merci bien. Amicalement,

Salut!

Most major hospitals have their 'Ecole d'Infirmiers' attached to it just like in the good old days in the UK. So if you're planning to go to any relatively large-ish town the hospital will probably be a training centre. Here in Paris one of the biggest is the Pitié Salpretrière (famous as the place Diana died!!!) 41 - 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris; one with a very good reputation is the Hôpital Cochin, 27 boulevard St. Jacques, 75014 Paris. Frankly though, I doubt this will be necessary. the French have a very 'learn on the job' approach rather like we did in the UK 20 years ago - they don't have the British obsession for getting bits of paper signed (in this one instance!!) or proving that you've been observed 20 times performing a task. You as the professional have to say if you feel competent or not. For example, I had never canulated before I came to France. While working as an agency nurse the need to cannulate arose - another agency nurse showed me how. The need arose again that shift and that same nurse observed me do one. If you say you ' I never did this in England, please show me' the French are very willing. part of this is that they love to think their training is superior and that their nursing is the best, hence they're only too happy to show off their skills and show you 'their' way! I've come across a French trained nurse who'd never done an ECG, so I wouldn't come over here thinking they'll all be super technically skilled and you'll be able to do nothing - I'm sure it won't be like that.

I currently work in occ. health where all the ergonomics is new to me, but people are very happy to train me up. When I was doing agency I was constantly offered shifts on psychiatry - I just used to explain that in Britiain it's a separate training and I'd rather take medical/surgical shifts instead - no problem. I can honestly say I've very rarely (in fact only once) come up against this attitude of 'Oh God he couldn't do this and he didn't know that' that British nurses are so good at dishing out!

It sounds like (like me ) it's only the cannulation you're lacking? Somebody will be willing to show you. If you're OK with drugs, IV's, central lines, observations, dressings, blood taking; that's most of it covered.

DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN · May 24, 2004

Another thing that really frightens me is the roughness of French society. While I was there as a student, I observed and was straight out told by the natives that their society was very, very stringent. I am asian. I'm wondering if I would have a harder time because of that?
Y'a quelqu'un qui peut me repondre? Courage a vous tous : )

My experience is that France is no more racist than anywhere else. In Paris I've worked with nurses of all races. It's the same in most large towns. There are large Asian communities here (Indian, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Chinese) so an Asian face on the street is nothing extra-ordinary, not to mention the French people of Asian origin from the départements d'outre mer like Réunion. Obviously, if you go to a small lillywhite mountain village in Savoie with a National Front mayor, your life may be uncomfortable, but I would say in most towns and cities your race would not be an issue.

I_Love_Donuts · May 27, 2004

I like this thread! I'm moving next month to France (from Canada) and I can't wait...

For all of you guys who work in France, do you do cardiac, chest assessment??

Bisous

psycho · May 31, 2004

Why not try Belgium? A great, small, country with a shortage of nurses.

carcha · May 31, 2004

Theres an english hospital in the centre of paris that offers accomodation and will get you french classes ect. I cant remember the name of it but a friend went for an interview there a few years ago. Look it up on the internet. I dont think she had to register right then and there at all.

DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 4, 2004

I like this thread! I'm moving next month to France (from Canada) and I can't wait...
For all of you guys who work in France, do you do cardiac, chest assessment??
Bisous

My experience of hospital work here is that this is done by the doctors.

DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 4, 2004

Theres an english hospital in the centre of paris that offers accomodation and will get you french classes ect. I cant remember the name of it but a friend went for an interview there a few years ago. Look it up on the internet. I dont think she had to register right then and there at all.

Are you sure?

I work in an International organisation where we advise foreigners where to go for anglophone healthcare and none of us has heard of an anglophone hospital in central Paris. There is a Franco-British hospital (Hôpital Hertford) just outside Paris in a town called Levallois-Perret. Is this where your friend went? If so this is not in Paris and the DDASS concerned would be that covering the département of Hauts de Seine. There is also the American Hospital in Paris, which despite it's name is also outside Paris in Neuilly-sur-Seine, also in Hauts de Seine.

susanna · Jun 4, 2004

Awesome thread.

johnathan crisp · Jun 6, 2004

Just returned from France. Decision made, we're moving out permanently end of August so kids can start school. Have you heard of such a thing as a term-time only contract. In UK, due to the staffing crisis, there are many of these on offer. Obviously great for working mothers. Childcare doesn't seem to be so abundant in France as it is in UK. Am going to send my CV to local hospitals - which department do I address it to? Thanks again for all your help.

Salut!
Most major hospitals have their 'Ecole d'Infirmiers' attached to it just like in the good old days in the UK. So if you're planning to go to any relatively large-ish town the hospital will probably be a training centre. Here in Paris one of the biggest is the Pitié Salpretrière (famous as the place Diana died!!!) 41 - 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris; one with a very good reputation is the Hôpital Cochin, 27 boulevard St. Jacques, 75014 Paris. Frankly though, I doubt this will be necessary. the French have a very 'learn on the job' approach rather like we did in the UK 20 years ago - they don't have the British obsession for getting bits of paper signed (in this one instance!!) or proving that you've been observed 20 times performing a task. You as the professional have to say if you feel competent or not. For example, I had never canulated before I came to France. While working as an agency nurse the need to cannulate arose - another agency nurse showed me how. The need arose again that shift and that same nurse observed me do one. If you say you ' I never did this in England, please show me' the French are very willing. part of this is that they love to think their training is superior and that their nursing is the best, hence they're only too happy to show off their skills and show you 'their' way! I've come across a French trained nurse who'd never done an ECG, so I wouldn't come over here thinking they'll all be super technically skilled and you'll be able to do nothing - I'm sure it won't be like that.
I currently work in occ. health where all the ergonomics is new to me, but people are very happy to train me up. When I was doing agency I was constantly offered shifts on psychiatry - I just used to explain that in Britiain it's a separate training and I'd rather take medical/surgical shifts instead - no problem. I can honestly say I've very rarely (in fact only once) come up against this attitude of 'Oh God he couldn't do this and he didn't know that' that British nurses are so good at dishing out!
It sounds like (like me ) it's only the cannulation you're lacking? Somebody will be willing to show you. If you're OK with drugs, IV's, central lines, observations, dressings, blood taking; that's most of it covered.

DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 7, 2004

Just returned from France. Decision made, we're moving out permanently end of August so kids can start school. Have you heard of such a thing as a term-time only contract. In UK, due to the staffing crisis, there are many of these on offer. Obviously great for working mothers. Childcare doesn't seem to be so abundant in France as it is in UK. Am going to send my CV to local hospitals - which department do I address it to? Thanks again for all your help.

And I wish you the best of luck!

I would address the letter either to "Ressources Humains - Infirmiers" or to the Cardre Infirmier(e) Supérieur.

Don't know about term-time contracts. I suppose each hospital has it's own arrangements, but if you want flexible hours most hospitals have a system of pool nurses, usually called 'vacataires'

Bonne chance!

lagaillarde · Jul 29, 2004

hello,

my name is michelle. i am an american with duel nationality french also. i hold both passports french and american. i lived most of my life in the usa; i moved to the south of france near toulouse in December with my husband and newborn son. In the usa i worked five years as a nurse aide and then after college three years as a registered nurse. i am just beginning to understand and speak french slowly. my husband is french. i speak english with him and my son and with everyone else french. i do not write any french and reading is very basic. i know my american diploma is not the same as the french i have checked into it and i would have to take an exam then go to school for a minimum of one year maximum of three years depending on how you score on the exam. PLUS YOU MUST BE FLUENT IN THE LANGUAGE!!! i am not. i am considering going to england to work first while i learn my french; because i have been told that if i work in Engand the diploma is the same as the french and after i can work immediately in France if i know the language by then. I have another question i was wondering with my experience and diploma if i could work as a nurse aide for the moment to just get some extra cash? can anyone tell me anything about the nursing in england shift hours pay good areas to work and live and also about working in france too any good information you can give me. feel free to use my personal email because i do to visit this site often. [email protected] also for learning the french language reading writing speaking sometimes i am very frustrated i feel i will never be fluent.

any advice you can give will be of great HELP!!!!!

thank you and have enjoyed reading everyones comments

michelle

susanna · Jul 29, 2004

"any advice you can give will be of great HELP!!!!!

thank you and have enjoyed reading everyones comments"

Honey, you'll have no problem learning. Don't stress out about it because the more you stress, the harder it is to learn: I think part of the reason why children learn languages so much easily and quicker than adults is because they are allowed more social uninhibition and thus can use their intuition more and are not afraid of sounding like "they can't speak well" like adults are.

You've got your associate degree so you can probably go ahead and enroll in the nearest university majoring in French if you think you can do it: it is fun and interesting, you get to meet pther french persons, and hey, you'd get a degree.

If you want to learn french with other people who are learning french as a foreign language too, PRONTO, NOW, and fast, DON'T spend a whole lot of money with a private program that teaches french (or at least I wouldn't because I know there are other much cheaper options but since I've never been to one, I can't really bash their quality). I'd suggest enrolling in one of the nearest French french language schools, one connected to a university would probably have great resources, I beleive the name of a good one is CUEFE. I know that they are cheap and good. You learn phonetics(how to pronounce), grammer, culture, lit, politics, writing, and how french people tend to view things, they teach just about everything for you to acculturate and learn the language at the same time I think.

Courage!