Available job opportunities in the UK for prospective overseas nurses and midwives

Apr 01, 2017
Paul Johnson

Leaving your country for the UK in furtherance of your nursing career is always a life-changing experience. Nursing is as demanding as it gets, but with outweighing rewards and benefits.

For prospective nurses and midwives overseas, there are job opportunities in the UK. If you look forward to making a practice of nursing, especially in the UK, you should read this.

You’ll need to get through with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) first. The NMC is the governing body of the Nursing profession in the UK, which ensures health professionals carry out their duties effectively following the stipulated codes of conduct.

The NMC is not responsible for giving out jobs. By fulfilling all its registration requirements, you will be at an advantage for gainful employment. The registration process is quite an activity which includes; an online computer-based test, a test of your theoretical clinical knowledge and an English Language test.

Under the nurses’ register, there are four fields of practice, from which you can practice.

  • Children Nursing
  • Adult Nursing
  • Mental Health Nursing
  • Learning Disabilities Nursing

Nursing in the UK is one of the top-shots profession that demands interpersonal skills and a high level of expertise. Each field listed above requires a certain kind of qualification.

As a prospective student or graduate, nursing gives you a range of technical and specialized skills. It also includes the ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team that provides support and advice to patients and their families.

In general, many employers in the health sector esteem these skills and qualities. Some of them include:

  • Adaptability
  • Empathy
  • Time management and organizational skills
  • Sense of leadership
  • Excellent teamwork
  • Oral and written communication skills
  • Determination and doggedness
  • Resilience
  • Ability to carry out research
  • Problem-solving and decision-making skills
  • Ability to observe, examine, and evaluate the health care you deliver
  • Ability to deal with the emotional highs and lows of patients

It is a strong recommendation that if you want to work in the healthcare sector; you should have related work experience in a clinical environment. Much more than improving your knowledge of the sector, this will allow you to establish essential relations while broadening your horizon.

Choosing to volunteer, take up internships, part-time jobs, and student projects will also go a long way in improving essential skills which employers are always on the lookout for.

As an example, working as a care worker or healthcare assistant, volunteering in a hospital, or any other health institution that involves caring for others is a good foundation. By visiting hospitals and speaking directly with nurses about the role, you’ll also be gaining more insights.

You’ll find Job opportunities can with the following employers:

  • National Health Service (NHS)
  • Charitable organizations
  • Private sector clinics and hospitals
  • Private sector healthcare providers with a license to provide services to NHS patients
  • Schools and higher education institutions
  • Local authorities (for work in nursing and residential homes)
  • Industries
  • Prisons
  • Military base
  • Private sector organizations like leisure cruise companies and private nursing homes.

You can also decide to work in a specialized field. For the sake of job flexibility, you can also choose to take your qualification higher with a Master’s degree. Getting a job is not as hard as maintaining it. If you possess the necessary skills and qualifications, a nursing job in the UK will not prove difficult.