In the US I worked as a CNA (psychiatric, Alzheimer and general) in Colorado and California - as well as having a degree in Social Science. Then I moved to England, thinking I could easily transfer my nursing skills and get a nursing/care job straight off.
Boy was I wrong.
My degree is fairly useless and found out I would have to basically start over in nursing. However, would have to wait 3 years to apply for a bursaried position at nursing school. :rolleyes:
Three years have now passed and decided to directly apply when I saw a program for a learning disability nursing course.
I received a letter last week for an interview for placement. Thursday I spent over an hour in the interview and after a bit of deliberation they offered me a preliminary position starting in September this year.
YAY!!!
Even though it means starting over with the nursing education, it will get my foot in the door. The interviewers were apparently so impressed they both offered to recommend me for the Masters in Nursing as soon as I finish.
I love nursing. It is one of the most rewarding jobs ever (tied with teaching). Even on bad days, the job satisfaction is there to make it all worth while… for me anyway
My Mom had started working as a nursing assistant at our local hospital when I was in high school. I don’t know if she was a CNA (all I can remember is that she had several months of training and worked in several different departments before settling into working at the hospital nursery), but it was the first job she had after getting married. She really enjoyed it; I remember her always talking about working with the newborn babies (you’d have thought after having five kids she’d have had enough of that).
Good luck with your “new” job; glad you’re getting to do something you like.
