nick333

Hello,

Hope someone can provide answers to the millions of ??????'s i have. Have tried to find the answers on here but getting more confused.

OK so here goes.

Like many would like to work in US. - North Carolina as have family whom live there.

I qualify (hopefully) Sept 07 Adult Branch.

Do you need to complete NCLEXS exam before you look for a job or have others secure a job and then taken the exam.

What other exams do i need to take? Is one called GNECS or something.

What are the theory/placement hours criterion for each discipline when sending off copies of training transcripts

Is it possible to start a job before you take the exam and work towards it whilst working.

What visa have you gone to US on. They seem to have more e numbers than kids sweets contain!!!

How long did the whole visa process take.

What is the likely-hood of obtaining a green card in the future, again how long.

Will my husband be allowed to work under the visa conditions.

We have two kids, how does the whole schools thing work. Especially as our son has a moderate learning difficulty(this would be sufficient for Aus to refuse us a visa)

If these questions have been asked a million times before then please accept my apologies, but can anyone point me in the right direction to finding answers.

I hope to find out some answers in August when i undertake my oversees elective placement within an Oncology clinic in Wilmington.

Have posted this in the nursing forum but am spreading my net wide as i know more people view this forum(basically i'm an impatient cow LOL)

Many thanks, time for a large glass of wine me thinks.

Sarah

Nick, there is a whole separate forum on here specifically for Nurses working aboard. Post in there, and you'll get the answers you want.

Rompers

He did

Sarah

I hate double-threading

englishnurse

hi there
i hate to be the bearer of bad news but it is unlikely that your training will allow you to become licensed to practise in the usa,
you need to complete hours in both theory and practice in maternity mental health and childrens nursing
go to www.allnurses.com for some further advice, there is an english to usa forum on there which may be helpful
pm me if you like i may be able to answer some questions

Rockgurl

Hi Nick, I will try to answer at least some of your questions.

Firstly, you will definitely need at least a year's experience in the UK as a qualified staff nurse or you won't make it emotionally and professionally. You would basically be classed as a Travel Nurse in the US and you would be expected to fly, hit the ground running and already know your stuff. However, getting a visa takes about 2 years so if you applied by the time you went you'd have the experience already. If you approached an agency to sponsor you it would be unlikely that they would accept you with no prior experience, although some will. Call around and ask.

If you applied to an agency they often promise you that you can go to whichever part of the USA you want although when it comes to the crunch you don't have a lot of choices. Be prepared to go whever they want to send you although hold out for a better placement if you don't like the sound of one.

You need to have a job offer to apply for a visa, in your case a green card. Can't remember the damn e-number that goes with that...sorry! It's been a while! If you approached an agency then they would employ you officially and would be your sponsors. There are a number in the UK...look in Nursing Times.

You probably won't have enough of the right hours or areas of study to apply to take the NCLEX exam (which would have to be done before you can go on to apply for the visa). The British Gov were a bit clever there....they figured if they changed the way nurses did their study then they wouldn't be able to run off to the US, hence stopping the "brain drain" and exodus of nurses.

Yes, your husband would be allowed to work and would also receive a green card in this process. Nursing is still one of the best ways to enter the USA.

Things have changed since I came over (3 years ago) but don't be discouraged. There are ways if you really want to do it. It takes a long time though, and be prepared for the never-ending ridiculously massive amount of paperwork and red-tape that comes with this process. From the day it took me 2 and a half years to get to the USA. Now I'm here I realize how crap nursing is in the US! Go figure! As I see it, your main concern is the lack of hours of study. I have heard that some colleges allow you to make up modules but I don't really know anything about that.

Here's a basic timeline (from memory)

* Join an agency in England and start to study for your NCLEX.

* Take your NCLEX (about 6 months from starting)

* Fill in massive amounts of paperwork and apply for visa. Takes about 1 year before you hear anything.

* Pass your NCLEX and think you're leaving soon. Hear nothing from agency for 6 months and gradually start packing.

* Start doing phone interviews for jobs in the USA and planning where you're going. You're at about 1 and a half to 2 years in process.

* Finally hear something and get a date for appointment at Embassy. Get visa at Embassy and start to plan.

* Accept job and fly out a few weeks later. Total time 1 and a half to 2 and a half years.

Hope that helps!

englishnurse

i am going through that timeline at present and i think 18 months sounds about right
i joined the agency end of 2004 and took the nclex june 29th 2004
am expecting an interview for immigration in the next 8 weeks
the i140 part of my immigration was delayed so i am 6 months behind!
you are in a good postion to make up the hours as you are still training the best thing to do is enquire at your uni
good luck

nick333

Thanks for all the invaluable advice.

gardnma

nICK,

I'm a Brit, my wife who is American is a RN in VA. She suggests looking into getting hooked up a as "travelling Nurse" Contracts for 3 mo or so. She had experience in CA of there being Nurses from Ireland coming over. They are always in search of nurses - as you may know. Companies will do a lot to get the help.

Hope that may help a bit.

Rockgurl

She won't be able to do the 3 month travel nurse contract without going through the visa and NCLEX route. Usually specialist travel nurse companies that sponsor foreign nurses will guide nurses through the visa nightmare and then secure jobs for the usual 18 month contracts. Once those 18 months are up then you can do the normal 3 month travel nurse thing.

gardnma

Stand corrected. You would know more about doing this from the UK side I expect.
Ta.