Register as a nurse or midwife if you trained outside the EU/EEA
Welcome to Extenseur HR – Nurse Jobs in the UK. Here we describe all the details an Overseas Nurse search in the Google or inquire with recruiters or agents and consultancies or even with friends, colleagues, and family. This page explains the most updated details about how an Overseas Nurse become a Registered Nurse in the UK.
Why become a registered nurse in the UK?
Nurse jobs in the UK are first among the shortage occupancy list of the UK. The requirement for the nurse job is on-demand and hence government and private hospitals, care homes have to recruit Overseas Nurses to fill the occupancy. Payscale in the UK for Nurses is one of the best as compared to other countries in the world. The procedures to get the pin number (UK nursing registration) is much easier in comparison with equal status countries. Hence with a high pay scale, a large number of vacancies, and easy to complete registration process make UK nursing jobs favorable to Overseas nurses.
Moreover, the amount of support for nurses and midwives from NHS and private employers are tremendous. Mostly all the employers are paying half of the initial expenses towards the NMC registration and placement as a refund in a category of a relocation package. This will be a huge benefit for the overseas applicant. Paramilitary the financial and non-financial benefits from the UK employers are much better than other countries.
There is a 5 stages process to become a registered nurse in the UK.
Stage 1 – Check if you are ready to register
Get your pre-application checklist
Stage 2 – Submit eligibility & qualification application
This is part 1 of the NMC registration process. NMC will assess your eligibility & qualification you have submitted to register.
Provide qualification and registration information
Pay the evaluation fee£140 – non-refundable
Stage 3 – Complete 2 rounds of the test of competence (CBT & OSCE Exam)
What is the test of competence?
Stage 4 – Submit a registration application
Confirm professional indemnity arrangement
Stage 5 – NMC application evaluation
NMC will contact your referees to verify the informations you have declared as part of your registration application and then take a decision on your application.
Language eligibility criteria
Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) the UK, governs nursing in the UK. To begin with the application, candidates must meet the NMC eligibility criteria;
- IELTS academic score of “7” in each module except at least 6.5 in the writing or OET “B” score in each module except at least a grade C+ in the writing.
OR
- A recent pre-registration nursing or midwifery qualification which was taught and examined in English.
OR
- Registration and practice of at least one year in a country where English is the first and native language and an English language assessment was required.
Exam requirements of an NMC applicant?
Since October 2014, nurses and midwives trained outside EU/EEA have to successfully complete a 2-part NMC application process in order to get NMC pin number. These tests measure applicants against the current UK Pre-Registration education standards. The essential professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for safe and effective nursing or midwifery practice in the UK are being assessed in these examinations.
Part one– a computer-based test (CBT) which is a multiple-choice examination and will be accessible in many countries around the world for applicants to access from their home countries.
Part two – a practical examination, objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) which will be held in the UK at 3 approved Universities (The University of Northampton, Oxford Brookes University (Oxford campus and Swindon campus), Ulster University (Northern Ireland).
Which are the Pre-registration fields in the UK?
Nursing in the UK is made up of separate and distinct fields of practice, each requiring 3 years of pre-registration undergraduate. The distinct nursing fields of practice are:
Which are the Pre-registration fields in the UK?
Midwifery Application:
- Registered Midwife
Nursing Application:
- Registered nurse (adult-general)
- Registered nurse (mental health)
- Registered nurse (learning disabilities)
- Registered nurse (children)
In the UK, midwifery is a separate and distinct profession, requiring 3 years of pre-registration undergraduate education.
What is CBT?
NMC Part 1 test of competence is a computer-based test (CBT). The CBT is multiple choice and can be taken at a Pearson VUE test center available in most countries around the world. The nursing CBT is made up of 120 multiple-choice questions. These questions must be completed in a maximum of 4 hours (240 Minutes).
50 questions will relate to generic nursing competencies found in each domain of nursing.
50 questions will be the application of generic nursing competencies to the specific field of nursing being applied for (adult, child, learning disability, or mental health nursing).
20 questions will focus solely on the specific competencies required for the field of nursing being applied for. There are 20 critical questions within the exam that focus on patient or public safety.
How to answer the CBT questions?
Maintain a reasonable pace by spending no more than two minutes on each item. Always select the answer you believe to be the ‘most’ correct from the options offered. The CBT does not use negative scoring if a question is not answered.
Passing or failing
The decision as to whether a candidate passes or fails the CBT is governed by both critical questions and an overall pass mark. A candidate must answer 90 percent of critical questions correctly and an overall score is set at 60 percent to pass the CBT.
What is OSCE?
Part 2 test of competence is a nursing or midwifery OSCE – a practical nursing or midwifery examination. The OSCE can only be sat after successfully passing Part 1 and only the NMC can authorize a candidate to take Part 2 (the OSCE). Once the applicant has received confirmation from the NMC of a successful pass in Part 1, the applicant can approach the part 2 test OSCE. The OSCE test can only be attended in the UK.
In Part 2 the Overseas Nurses will be tested on your clinical and communication skills. In other words, the applicants will demonstrate how you apply holistic patient-centered nursing or midwifery care and apply key clinical skills.
The OSCE is made up of six stations, each stages lasting 15 minutes. Four stations will be scenario-based and relate to:
1) Assessment- holistic patient-centered
2) Planning
3) Implementation
4) Evaluation
All of which are stages of nursing and midwifery care. Two stations will be testing practical clinical skills.
Typical skills which may be tested either on their own or within a nursing/midwifery scenario include:
- Vital signs
- Calculating drug dosages
- Subcutaneous & Intramuscular injections
- Basic Life Support – cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (adult, child, baby)
- Safe disposal of sharps
- Medication administration
- Peak Expiration Flow Rate (PEFR)
- Wound care
- All aspects of Urinary catheterization & care
- Hand hygiene
- Palpation (Midwifery)
- Auscultation of fetal heart (Midwifery)
- Newborn examination (Midwifery)
- Communication skills
Communication is central to nursing and midwifery practice and will continually be assessed during the OSCE’s. The full range of communication skills (verbal, nonverbal, and written) by observing the interaction between the candidate and a simulated patient (this may be an actor or a nursing manikin) and also the nursing or midwifery documentation in each station will be assessed.
What are the potential results?
Pass = Candidates who pass all six scenarios and skills stations at the first attempt
Partial Fail (APIE) = Candidates fail a single scenario but pass ALL skills stations (Fail and will require a partial Re-sit at 50% cost) Therefore you will need to sit all APIE stations at your resit. You will be required to sit an entirely new scenario, not just the specific station(s) you have failed.
Partial Fail (Skills) = Candidates pass all scenario stations but fail one or more skills station (Fail and will require a partial Re-sit at 50% cost) Therefore you will need to sit 2 skills at your resit. You will be required to sit the station you failed to show competence in, plus another from the list of skills in your handbook.
Full Fail (1st attempt) = Candidates who fail more than one scenario or skills station (Fail and will require full Re-sit at full cost) Therefore you will need to sit all APIE & 2 skills stations at your resit.
Full Fail (Re-sit) = Candidates who fail either or both APIE or skills on their resit attempt will require 6mths to elapse before sitting the OSCE again (Full cost) in its entirety by way of reapplication to the NMC.
Re-sit results are always a Pass or a Full Fail and the next OSCE attempt always requires a full re-sit.
