I am looking to move to London and am in the process of applying to grad school. I am currently an RN working in Seattle, and was wondering if anyone had any advice on going to work as an RN in the UK (in case grad school doesnt happen!)
Thank you!
Heather
 |
|
|||||||||||
 |
||
search realityrn
sign up for weekly cartoons, tips, and blog posts
Register to win a pair of RX Medical Silver Fox Crocs
|
|
|
 |
May 22nd, 2009 at 1:01 am
My best friend’s dad is working in the UK as a surgical nurse, through a travel nursing company. From what he’s told us, it’s more for the love than the money! He’s said that there is a lot of training classes (they use different terminology), and compentency exams that cost a lot of money before you even get to the UK (his agency didn’t pay for it), as well as the paperwork takes a good while.
That’s not to scare you away, though! Just preparing you. 🙂 I’d love to go work there! Good luck with grad school!
May 26th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I went over to the UK (London & Camberley) for 2 years. The pay is not very good – but I worked for an agency and was paid top dollar (or rather pounds). I could pretty much set my own hours and days to work so I had the flexibility to do a lot of traveling. There are no exams or prep classes just a lot of paperwork and pay a fee. Actually when I first went over my paperwork was bogged down and I waited a month for my license. I returned to the states for a few weeks then returned with license in hand. I worked in the A&E (ER) and it is different. The nurses do a lot less over there. But as the staff and doctors got to know me – I did a lot more. Believe it or not they said I wasn’t ‘qualified’ at one hospital to work triage – even though I had worked many Level 1 Trauma Centers throughout Florida & California!! I just laughed!! Oh and by the way, they didn’t have air conditioning in ANY of the hospitals I worked in and while that isn’t a major problem – it was in the middle of summer with 90’s degree’s weather. They did pull out a small fan!! Just remember – things are different and you are NOT in the U.S. But I am glad for the experience and the cheap travel around Europe!!