madmidwife

To all those that answered my thread on the California ad, thank you for your advice and giving me an insight. I've looked more into things and OMG it takes 12 to 18 months to get a visa. The jobs are there, the pay is comparable and apparently my skills are in demand (differs from state to state, with some offering signing on bonuses). Most agencies will do the hard work for you and I'd be eligble for the coveted Green Card. So I've revised my plan as follows - Saudi for 2 years, save like mad while applying to go to US once I get clearance. Will then hopefully have deposit for a place of my own. Any suggestions/advice would be welcome. Many thanks

Silverdragon102

Currently with retrogression you are looking at a bit longer than 2 years more like 5. Current processing time is 2002. Take it from someone who has been waiting for GC since Aug 2006 inn the UK and now looking at Canada and hoping to be there in a couple of months (hopefully because hubby temp work permit fast tracked) but will still be keeping my US application insitu. Also you need to pass NCLEX. Much is written on allnurses.com in the International and UK forum on this

madmidwife

Thanks Silverdragon. I was going to go to Saudi whilst my application is being processed. Its so frustrating - who said the world is a small place obviously never applied to emigrate!! Might just visit my pal in Ohio later this year just to ease my craving to get over there.

Thydney

It's also a shit job to do in the US. Nurses are treated like crap over here. TBH I wouldn't bother.

Ozzidoc

The obstetric nurses and midwives who I worked with in California were fabulous. (OK, I only have experience of 1 County hospital for 3 months, but that was my impression.)

madmidwife

Thydney, I've heard different. I qualified as a nurse 8 years ago and have been working as a midwife for 4 years. The pay in the UK is c**p (I know its not all about the money, but consider that I make less than a London underground train driver), we're expected to work overtime without remuneration, the Gov treat us like s**t, the managers are no better and our patients do the same. Love my work but hate my job. I look after patients, clean, answer phone, empty bins, mop up loos/showers, wheel patients on beds from one dept to another, hunt down missing notes/x-rays/scans, move furniture around wards, run around after Drs/patients/their families, put containers under leaking roof (its leaked since I started working at this hosp 4 years ago!!), have no uniform - coz budget can't stretch to that right now so wear theatre gear, have to change shifts at the drop of a hat to cover staff shortages, look after 2 or more women in labour at the same time, suffer endless verbal abuse - I could go on. My pal who's been working in USA for 8 years laughs at these conditions as she thinks we as professionals are treated like unqualified labourers - I hold a BSc and am doing my Masters. My list of complaints is endless so rather than become bitter I've decided to make a move. If I don't like the US, I'm sure there is somewhere else in the world I could go. Sorry for ranting - sometimes I just have to vent

Thydney

I don't mean they are shite I meant the way they are treated is, it's so different from the way they are in the UK. I can honestly say I haven't met any nurses from the UK who think the job is better over here and quite a few who are looking at getting out of it altogether and I mean those who have a good few years under their belts. I really do mean if they can go elsewhere then go. Sorry if thats not what they want to hear but in my experience its true

madmidwife

Did you read my description of how we are treated?

Thydney

I totally understand you won't get an argument about NHS conditions from me. What I mean is it's not all sugar and sunshine here. My wife was in ICU in the UK 1 to 1 here 1 to 3(patients).Managers and patients will treat you like shit here because they are paying you they expect you to be a servant. they will drop your shifts when census is low and expect you to come in at an hours notice when they are short. You buy your own kit here scrubs, clamps,stethoscopes etc We're in Florida, come hurricane season they expect my wife to be ready to move into the hospital if we get a threat of a direct strike she can't refuse otherwise she'll lose her licence and probably get arrested.

What I'm trying to say is the grass isn't always as green as you think on the other side. If you are in the position to flit about the world then good luck to you let your job take you you've studied enough let it work for you. If you're not then think carefully before you do.

augigi

What a lot of over-generalised rubbish. I've worked in both the UK and the US, and the US was far better in my experience. Probably depends where you work, but it's ridiculous to tell anyone wanting to work in the US to go elsewhere.

The only way you may get there quicker is if you have a masters/PhD and you're able to get a job offer for a position requiring a further degree (such as an APN position). In that case, you might be able to apply for the EB2 category, which I believe is current.

Adnams

Have you considered Dubai??? Rather more westernised than Saudi, tons of Brits out there and a fab nightlife too. I would wager the pay is pretty good too.

Before you come to the US I would watch sicko and search on this forum for all the moans, groans and bellyaches regarding health care.

Thydney

Why is it ridiculous? You're an Australian in Australia aren't you? How long have you stayed in the UK and US? Is your opinion more valid than mine? It's our experience. I'm pointing out that it's not the dream world everyone thinks it is. Of course I can't be specific my experiences are my experiences. A masters degree won't get you here quicker and I'm not sure but I thought the EB2 for nursing had stopped a few years ago or was that H? Either way masters degrees are very common here.

If you come from a shit hole then this may be paradise you have to be prepared for the real posibility it won't be. if you don't want to hear that then don't post on an open forum it is for everyone to discuss.

augigi

Given that I'm a nurse, and you're not, my opinion probably is more valid than yours in this matter, yes.

I'm not sure how my location is relevant, but no I won't be back there for another few weeks yet.

EB2 has not "stopped" for nursing.

Octang Frye

Fight! Fight! Fight!

I'm dating a nurse, so I'm really getting a kick out of these replies...

Personally, I'd like to see a return to the days when nurses wore paper hats, those fetching navy and red capes, and stockings and suspenders. Like the heydays of the Carry On films.
Oooh, Matron!

madmidwife

I didn't realise we had stopped