A nursing job overseas maybe for you if helping people and providing care interests you. Here are the 5 things to consider when looking into nursing jobs abroad.
Contemplating Practising Nursing Job Abroad? 5 Things You Must Consider
One of the most rewarding careers in contemporary society is nursing, which is becoming extremely popular among native medical students. In addition to a promising future, this field also provides the psychological fulfilment of helping others. As a result, more applicants desire to enter the nursing field. Excellent options abound to pursue nursing overseas as well. This field is flourishing in several countries, including the USA, the UK, Australia, and Germany. These countries are recruiting eager nursing candidates to join their nursing profession with a strong economy and a thriving health and social care sector.
Given this, there is no shortage of organizations to help applicants realize their dream of working internationally as a nurse. However, there are a few factors that individuals should consider before applying for nursing jobs abroad. We don't want to sound worried, but it can result in issues.
In light of this, we have devoted this post to outline the top 5 factors every aspiring nurse should take into account before considering working as a registered nurse abroad.
Nursing Jobs Overseas: Why
Before focusing on anything else, let’s understand why to pursue nursing jobs overseas? Or, why work abroad as a nurse?
The advantages of pursuing this career abroad are numerous. Here are the top 3 justifications for thinking about working as a certified nurse abroad.
Career Growth
Working as a registered nurse abroad could act as a boost to launch your nursing career for the sky. While gaining experience as a nurse, you can choose to study further to specialize. Specializations are open in fields like- adult nursing, orthopedic nursing, geriatric nursing, certified midwife nursing, etc.
Cultural Awareness
It is common knowledge that working overseas exposes you to and allows you to interact with individuals from other cultural backgrounds. Therefore, understanding your patients' cultural backgrounds and providing care that considers their feelings and lifestyle is essential if you want to succeed as a nurse. Additionally, accepting variety would broaden your perspective and enable you to view people favorably.
Better Pay Package
Being a nurse abroad can play very well. For instance, the NHS in the UK pays a registered nurse an average income of between £25,654 and £31,533. On the other hand, in the USA, the median pay package stands at $75,330 (2020).
5 Things to Look Forward To If You Are Thinking of Working Internationally As a Nurse
Without question, working abroad as a nurse has many advantages. However, you can only benefit from these perks if you can adapt to the surroundings and work culture of the country you are moving to.
For many people, practicing and moving overseas as a licensed nurse has been a pleasurable and meaningful experience. However, some people have also reportedly experienced regrettable experiences when their expectations were not met by reality.
You must conduct an extensive study to avoid disappointment and learn what to expect in reality. And it is absolutely fine to feel overwhelmed; after all, there are so many things one needs to study and research. But don't worry; we've outlined the top 5 factors you should consider before deciding to work as a nurse abroad.
1. Proper Registration
You would need to register correctly to practice as a registered nurse abroad. The requirements for registering vary by nation. For instance, all nurses in the UK must be registered with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC). And to get registered under the NMC, one would need to sit for a Computer Based Test (CBT). The second exam required to get registered under the NMC is the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Furthermore, to apply for the UK nursing visa, the candidate would need to show a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS). On the other hand, to work as a nurse in the USA, one would need to pass the National Council Licensing Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX – RN).
2. Diversity
DIversity is another thing that you should not overlook while applying for nursing jobs overseas. You must keep in mind that the nation to which you are moving has a variety of locals with various beliefs, traditions, customs, eating practices, and so forth. Many things would differ from what you are used to in your home country. To settle and succeed in the country you are picking, learn about the culture there and set yourself up to deal with it. Remember that different countries will have different work cultures and environments. The best way to advance in your profession is to embrace diversity and develop greater flexibility.
3. Financial Support
You must have the necessary funds in your account before moving abroad. For instance, to work as a registered nurse in the UK, you have to show proof of the required personal savings to support yourself in the UK.
Additionally, inquire about the nation’s cost of living you plan to migrate to in addition to the prospective salary that has been committed to you. It is usually preferable to thoroughly research the standard of life and cost of living in the new country to avoid surprises once you arrive.
4. The Language Barrier
It is absolutely mandatory to show proof of your English language proficiency to migrate to nations like the UK and the USA as a registered nurse. One would need to pass the English proficiency test like the IELTS, TOEFEL, etc., with the minimum passing marks to apply for the nursing visa.
Beyond this required English language skill, you should also consider the local tongue used in the country where you wish to work as a nurse. Moving to a place where the language is vastly different will make it extremely difficult to communicate with patients and provide high-quality care. In addition, your personal life may suffer due to the language barrier because you won't be able to interact with the locals. Therefore, the government occasionally mandates that nurses who want to work in their country complete specific language classes. A criterion of this kind might also be necessary to get a work permit.
IndieTalent is a wonderful place to prepare yourself for a global career. It offers cultural alignment training, language training as well other requirements to get a full-fledged global career support.
5. Personal Life
When pursuing nursing jobs overseas, plan your personal life accordingly. You may become completely out of control during the early adjustment period to the new location. However, you must have patience if you want to attain anything better. For nursing jobs abroad, hang in there.
The Takeaway
How to become a nurse abroad might be an easier question to answer than finding how to work abroad as a nurse. The answer to the second question involves several factors, the top 5 of which we have listed above. Undoubtedly, working in the health and social care sector overseas could be highly rewarding, but all your hard work can turn into nightmares if you fail to cope with your new environment. Therefore, doing your homework is crucial, and IndieTalent can help you succeed in your quest to work as a certified nurse overseas.
