Nurse Assistants, Enrolled Nurses and Community Health Nurses from Ghana can register as nursing associates and work in the UK as junior nurses.
Community nurses, nursing assistants and all those with at least 2-year certificates in their respective fields of nursing studies can now revive their hope of traveling to work in the UK as associate nurses. Just like that of the registered general nurses, the process involves providing evidence of English language proficiency. IELTS Band 7.0 overall, with at least 7.0 in Speaking, Listening and Reading and 6.5 in Writing, is required. The alternative is an OET score of B in the Listening, Reading and Speaking sub-tests and C+ in the Writing sub-test.
Dreams Consult has an enviable track record; we provide effective and results-driven tuition for both IELTS and OET, and also register candidates to sit the tests.
The second requirement is the test of competency delivered on a computer as an objective test, hence known properly as CBT that needs to be taken and passed. The CBT for nursing associates is different from that for general nursing, mental health nursing and midwifery.
After those two tests are cleared, an interview is scheduled with available employers/vacancies, ranging from NHS to private hospitals as well as care and nursing homes. Subsequently, after the employee (the associate nurse) has successfully gone through the interview stage, the employer takes steps to obtain the appropriate migration documents to sponsor them to obtain the visa to travel to the UK. Employees are entitled to accommodation for three months. Additionally, some employers may provide a relocation package and assist the employee until they settle in smoothly.
The second part of the test of competency, the third and the final exams to take, is the OSCE which is taken after settling in the UK. Passing this exam qualifies the candidate for the final registration as a member of the UK NMC and as a registered associate nurse in the UK.
In summary, to work as a nursing associate in the UK, you need to obtain IELTS or OET and CBT, after which you can be scheduled for an interview. After a successful interview, the employer sponsors the nurse to the UK by providing visa fees, paying insurance, buying a plane ticket and making accommodation available for about three months.
Source: UK NMC
181 Comments