admin It’s an exciting prospect to become a registered nurse in the UK. The possibilities for improving your lifestyle are endless, with the scope of achieving better living conditions. Explore this article to learn about the career potential and procedural formalities of nurses in the UK.
What Personal Skills do You Need to be a Nurse?
The skill ranges of nursing vary by the profession mode you choose. It could be adult nursing, child nursing, mental health nursing, etc. For general nursing considerations, the recommended personal skills are as follows:
- Communication skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Listening skills
- Care and guidance
- Managing skills
- Time management
- Counselling, teaching and advising
- Judgement and intuition
- Emotional intelligence and empathy
Why do People Choose Nursing As A Career?
With something like nursing, the scope of career growth and migration opportunities is huge. The education and academic chances for nurses are present in all parts of the world. The healthcare sector always has a recurring demand for quality nurses.
By being a nurse, you get a golden chance to become an asset to humankind as a difference maker. There are both online and offline opportunities to pursue nursing, and financial aid/grants are also available.
If you have a real passion for the nursing profession, then it is an exciting job offering work satisfaction, stability and bonus benefits. Numerous special programs are available as part of the nursing job with easier transition process during the performance of their job roles.
The collaboration and coordination network is wide open and accessible for nurses when dealing with other profiles in the healthcare industry. Overall, it’s about finding joy in the service that you offer to the rest of your fellow beings.
Nurses in Demand for The UK
Requirements to Become A Registered Nurse in The UK
The primary requirements that you need to become a registered nurse in the UK are as follows:
- Hold A Valid Nursing License – This is an important step considering how you might usually need to prove your work experience to the UK authorities.
- Prove Your English Language Skills – Your English fluency matters when registering in the UK healthcare sector.
- Complete Your Interview – An efficient completion of your interview call is important to prove your suitability for the job.
- Pass The Computer Based Test (CBT) – Upon successful completion of the interview, you must clear the CBT with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
- Submit Documents for The NMC
A list of required documents should be submitted to the NMC. These include ID proof, address proof, photos, police verification certificate and the like.
- How Long Does it Take for The NMC to Process The Application?
NMC needs up to 60 days to verify your documents and successfully approve your application status. They will compile a decision letter in your name if it gets approved.
- Submit Your Personal Documents to The NHS Trust
During the registration and application process, you should submit personal documents to the NHS trust.
- What is An NHS Trust?
NHS Trust is an organizational unit that functions as part of the National Health Services in England and Wales. These units ensure the legality of your document submissions and your safety within the UK.
- How Many Trusts Are in The NHS?
As per the latest numbers, NHS possess as many as 219 trusts in the UK for ensuring adequate healthcare provisions, sufficient setup of hospital and community services and ambulance service solutions.
- Apply for Your Certificate of Sponsorship (COS)
A Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) is the precursor document that you need before the work visa application. It is valid for three years and will be successfully sponsored by the NHS Trust unit that will accommodate your professional services.
- COS for UK Visa
You should get a re-sponsor validity on your COS after three years. Once five years of professional nursing service and stay are completed, you are eligible for permanent residency (PR).
- Apply for Your Visa
For Indian nurses trying to settle in the UK, a tier 2 visa is the ultimate requirement. A part of the visa cost will be satisfied on the part of your joining NHS Trust. When CBT verification and document submissions are completed, you can proceed with the step of visa application.
- Book Your Flights
On receiving your work visa, all the steps are complete. What remains now is to book your flights, pack the bags and leave on the desired date. Your NHS Trust unit will take care of the organization induction and upcoming OSCE training.
- Pass The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
Sufficient and successful training will be provided to you to help prepare for the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). This will be based on realistic and practical healthcare scenarios that the registered nurses will undergo.
There will be two sponsored attempts to clear the OSCE exam and one self-paid choice. If you fail all three attempts, you will have to return to your home nation.
- Receive Your NMC PIN
You will successfully be registered with the NMC if you clear the OSCE exam within three attempts. You will become the proud owner of a Nursing and Midwifery Council Personal Identification Number (NMC PIN) that empowers you within the UK healthcare system.
CBT Exam
CBT exam clearance is a must before proceeding with your dream of becoming a registered nurse in the UK.
- What is CBT Exam?
CBT means Computer Based Test. In the context of nursing registration in the UK, the CBT exam is mandatory for all candidates to proceed further in the domain.
- How to Apply for The CBT Exam?
You need to apply on the NMC official channel to appear for the CBT exam. The authority’s green signal is needed to ensure a smooth and valuable participation and clearance procedure.
- Syllabus for CBT Exam
The syllabus for the CBT exam is covered under the guidelines and principles of the NMC organization. You may refer to their official website for more details regarding the same.
- Exam Pattern
CBT exam includes a total of 120 questions in multiple-choice mode. You will have 4 hours to cover the whole test. Many testing centres are available across the globe. On successful completion of the test and clearance, you can submit your application to the NMC.
- Exam Fees
The present CBT exam fee is 83 GBP which amounts to Rs. 8000.
- Score Card
For the nursing CBT exam, the passing score is 60%. But for critical questions, you must clear at least 90%.
- Number of Attempts
You will get a maximum of three tries to clear your CBT exam and proceed with the application program for nursing registration with NMC.
OSCE Exam
OSCE covers the second half of your nursing registration process with the NMC. It is mandatory to proceed with OSCE once you clear the CBT exam.
- What is The OSCE Exam UK?
Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is for accessing the candidate’s knowledge and clinical skills. It will depend on numerous scenarios that are prevalent in the healthcare domain. You will get three active chances from the NMC to clear the OSCE exam.
- OSCE Online Learning
Online learning platforms are available on a 24/7 basis where you can prepare for the OSCE test. Online skills learning is provided with the sole intention of preparation convenience and dedicated preparation times.
- What Are The 6 Stations in OSCE?
Stations are the different components within the OSCE program for the evaluation of clinical competency with a focus on validity and reliability analysis. The six stations are:
- Assessment – Holistic and patient-centred
- Planning – Writing a care plan
- Implementation – Practical administering medications
- Evaluation – Transfer of care letter
- Testing – Practical clinical skills
- Testing – Practical clinical skills (cont.)
- OSCE Passing Marks
The cut-off mark for candidates to clear the OSCE exam is 50%. The average passing rate for the OSCE exam is pretty good, at above 70% annually.
- Who Needs to Take OSCE?
OSCE exam clearance is mandatory for all candidates planning to register as professional nurses with the NMC.
- Syllabus and Exam Pattern
OSCE syllabus is divided into two parts and includes segments like client interview, case analysis, oral presentation, legal research, legal drafting and legal writing.
The OSCE exam pattern includes the candidates undertaking the assessments and exercises in 18 different sections (six in business, six in civil and criminal litigation and six in property and probate).
Requirements to Study Nursing in The UK for International Students
Some of the most popular and general requirements for international students to pursue nursing studies in the UK are as follows:
- An IELTS score of 6.5 is a necessity.
- English language skills will help you go a long way.
- For Indian students, a minimum CBSE score of 65% in English could help avoid IELTS clearance.
- M.Sc. Nursing and B.Sc. Nursing programs are the most famous in the UK.
- Potential candidates should possess all proofs and verifications that are demanded by the country and the academic institution to pursue their studies.
Parting Thought
It is highly recommended for students and professionals to partner with a reputed organization or proven agency while trying to shift to the UK as part of the nursing domain. Rest assured, the employment opportunities for nurses in the UK are huge and are rising annually.
