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Nursing In King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh – An Irish Nurses Perspective

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Testimonial – Siobhan Henderson – Nursing in King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh

What is your Name & Job Title? My name is Siobhan Henderson. I am currently working as a recruitment consultant for CCM. I was previously in Saudi Arabia for almost 3 years where I worked as an ICU nurse.

Can you give us a snapshot of your nursing/allied healthcare career thus far? After completing my training I began on a neuro-medical ward in Beaumont Hospital, where I stayed for 2 years. I then began a Post Grad Diploma in Neuroscience Nursing and moved to Neuro ICU from there. After 2 years in Neuro ICU I moved to King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre Saudi Arabia on a 6 month locum contract. After completing my 6 months I returned to Ireland for 6 months and moved back out to Saudi where I completed a further 2 years in King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre.

Which country are you working in through CCM? Saudi Arabia

Why did you choose this country as your destination? The main reasons I chose Saudi Arabia were for saving and travel opportunities, both of which I did.

When you first arrived, what supports did the hospital have in place to help you adjust? The hospital were very supportive from the beginning. We were met at the airport and transported to our accommodation. There was a meet and greet organised for the following morning where we were introduced to some of the people who would be helping us with our orientation. The GHO and GNO over the coming weeks was very well organised and there was always somebody there if you needed any support with anything.

What kind of facilities do you have in your accommodation and local area? The onsite facilities in the hospital grounds are excellent. There is a pool in each complex, and also a gym. There are tennis and basketball courts, a shop, laundrette, salon, numerous cafes, restaurants and banks on the hospital grounds too. You’re never stuck for anything!

How do you spend your days/evenings/weekends off? I immediately joined the GAA football club when I moved over. We trained twice a week with them and had tournaments every so often, both inside and outside the country. I also joined a social hockey group where we played street hockey on Saturdays in the DQ. They also did frisbee on a Wednesday! Other than that there was always something social happening, whether it be a gathering in a compound or an event in the embassy, you were never short of something to do. The malls are also great for some entertainment/retail therapy!

What is nursing/allied healthcare like in your new country? (How is it different to home and how do you adapt to the differences?) Nursing in Saudi is quite different to what we’re used to in Ireland. A lot of that is because of their cultural beliefs. It does take some getting used to, but at the end of the day you’re still a nurse caring for patients as you would at home. You learn pretty quickly how to adapt and you’re always well supported by your colleagues who’ve been through the same transition to a new healthcare system!

What professional development opportunities were offered to you? I was offered the position of charge nurse after some time there. I also undertook the role of RRT (Rapid Response Team) nurse close to the end of my contract, which I really enjoyed. There is a lot of focus on CPD and you are really encouraged to actively participate in learning and developing.

What have you enjoyed most to date? For me the best part about Saudi was the friendships I made and the adventures we went on together. It really is a unique place and I am so glad I had the opportunity to experience life out there. I have made the best friends, travelled to places I never imagined, and memories I will never forget!

What advice would you give to someone thinking of travelling to your chosen destination? GO NOW!!!….. And pack for all occasions!

Siobhan Henderson worked as a nurse in Saudi Arabia from 2018-2021

If you would like to apply to work as a nurse King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh complete the application here

Nursing In Guernsey – A British Nurse’s Experience

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Nursing In Guernsey

What is your Name & Job Title? Charlene Hollingworth – Senior Staff Nurse

Can you give us a snapshot of your nursing/allied healthcare career thus far? I started nursing in 2011 in Emergency and then in 2017 I moved to the UAE to become a charge nurse in a busy trauma centre. After nearly three years in the UAE I took the leap to move to the beautiful island of Guernsey where I am a senior staff nurse in Emergency.

Which country are you working in through CCM? Guernsey

Why did you choose this country as your destination? The way of life, the beautiful island and also speaking to my manager I knew this was the place I wanted to move to.

When you first arrived, what supports did the hospital have in place to help you adjust? When I arrived I had to isolate for two weeks due to Covid-19. I was picked up at the airport and taken to a hotel. I received many emails from HR and my manager called and dropped off supplies to the hotel for me. I never felt alone due to the support. Once I started work I was allocated a buddy, this has been great, coffee catch ups and regular messages makes me feel part of the team and helps settle me in. 

What kind of facilities do you have in your accommodation and local area? The accommodation is fully equipped and there is an onsite free laundry available. Outside there is a shared bbq and seating area. Town is not far from the accommodation which has lots of coffee shops, bars and high street stores.

How do you spend your days/evenings/weekends off? There is so much to do in Guernsey! I have spent hours walking the cliffs, out in the sea paddle boarding, kayaking and also a high speed rib to see the puffins and seals. The beaches are amazing and great if you fancy a lazy day.

What is nursing/allied healthcare like in your new country? (How is it different to home and how do you adapt to the differences?) The nursing is great, they have a very supportive team who all want the same outcome. It is so laid back and the support has been fantastic.

What professional development opportunities were offered to you? I have completed my mandatory training, given dates to complete advanced courses and I will be teaching on a course in October and I would have only been here 6 months.

What have you enjoyed most to date? The friendliness of the team, so welcoming and nothing is too much bother. Also the island is beautiful, every corner I turn I smile! I have found my happy place.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of travelling to your chosen destination? Make sure that island life is what you want. Outdoors is the way of life here, sand is always in the car and the sea is just around the corner.

To Register your interest in nursing overseas, click here

Testimonial: 2020

Nursing In Saudi – UK to Australia To Saudi Arabia

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Rayna King is a British nurse who has worked in the UK, Australia and Saudi Arabia. She first travelled to Saudi Arabia in 2012 to work at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital. She then returned to Saudi in 2018 and is now working in the King Abdulaziz Medical City.

Given that I’ve worked at both the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSH&RC) and the King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) I feel I can really compare the two. Although I didn’t work in ICU at KFSH so I can’t really comment on that. however from my understanding of talking to friends at KFSH, the ICU nurses regularly have more than one patient per shift whereas at KAMC it is very rare for us to have more than one patient, even during the peak of COVID.

I currently work on a Trauma ICU however we don’t actually receive as much trauma as I was originally hoping for. My unit is actually doubling in size and therefore staff, in the next few months, we are moving to a brand new unit that has been designed for us and as staff we have had input as to what we would like in the unit and we are now going to be the Respiratory ICU.

Regards to support, I have always felt 100% supported at work from everyone I work with, the whole team and management. Since the pandemic this has been more so, and the support I have had from my manager and director has been unbelievable. Although there has been some pretty terrible days (which has been experienced globally), I have never gone into work dreading what was to come as I know that we’re well supported. This has included working as a unit to create solutions to ensure we didn’t run out of PPE. We also changed the way we looked after our patients, including moving as much equipment outside the room (eg IV infusion pumps) to reduce the amount of times we actually go into patient rooms. This also minimised direct contact with COVID patients (which was what our manager wanted to reduce our personal risks). 

We also held regular team meetings, including with our director, so we can voice our concerns. My manager even set up a “de-stress room” for us with a massage chair, relaxing music, lighting and scented air humidifier so we could take some time out during our shift to get off the unit for a while. Although work is good, you know yourself, it’s only really a small part of life in Saudi.

Now the housing. That was a massive improvement on the KFSH accommodation. It has everything that you need in the villa, but a little trip to IKEA will have it looking more homely. I live in a two bedroomed villa and I’ve been living alone for the last year as I have a colleague from home who was hoping to come out before the pandemic struck, so I was able to contact housing and have the spare room reserved for her. I have the master suite which is massive. I have a big kitchen, massive dining room and 2 living rooms. The second bedroom is also big and has a bathroom next to it. There is also what they call a maids room which has a shower room attached (this room will never be used as staff accommodation so makes great for a storage room) and another guest toilet.

I also have a really good garden, which I’ve decorated really well, so it’s great for having BBQ’s. I currently seem to be the head of hosting amongst my group of friends and had a BBQ with about 20 friends at the weekend. Also in the accommodation we can have both male and female guests visit, we do have a curfew of midnight during the week and 2am at weekends but it tends to be not too much of an issue. The rest of the compound is good, we have a basic but decent gym. It has everything that we need in it and we have 2 decent swimming pools and the kids shaded pool. There’s tennis courts and squash courts also. It’s nice to be able to live on a mixed compound I think, as sometimes when it’s all girls it can be just a bit too much!

Life in Saudi has changed so much since I was here the first time in 2012. I don’t usually wear an abaya (traditional Saudi dress) when I go places now. Obviously I know some places that are a bit more traditional and out of respect, and to avoid glares, I pop one on. There’s no issues with going out with people of the opposite sex for dinner and coffee, no one even gives you a second look these days. Pre COVID there was concerts on, sporting events etc, so hopefully we will get back to that again sometime.

One thing that certainly hasn’t changed is the crazy driving, however, I took the plunge and I actually got my driving license which was relatively easy for how things work in Saudi. Although I’m not going to buy a car, it’s nice to be able to hire one every now and then and get out of the city, or simply just do all my running around without having to use a driver. The rental prices are so cheap, from my experience it’s been 75-100SAR/day ($27AUD-$36AUD/day*) and a full tank of petrol is about 60SAR ($60AUD*). It’s just nice to have the freedom to get out and about when I want.

I can honestly say I’m having a great time here, obviously I can’t wait for international flights to resume for holidays and to see my loved ones, but life is pretty good here and I have such a great group of friends who are like a second family. With anything in life, you only get out what you put in, but the rewards can be great if you put the effort in.

*prices subject to exchange rates as of 21/09/2020

If you would like to register your interest in nursing opportunities in Saudi Arabia, please email CCM on info@ccmrecruitment.com

Nursing In Saudi Arabia – An Irish Nurse’s Experience

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Nursing here in Saudi was definitely not what I had expected. The culture and the working life, is so much better than what I had anticipated.

I personally decided on Saudi for the sunshine which is something I have grown very accustom to even though I am still white as a ghost.

When I arrived in Saudi, we were met in arrivals by a Hospital rep they were brilliant, we got a Sim card sorted before we left which meant as soon as I got into my flat I could FaceTime family and friends.

During the Orientation week I got to know many people most of which were in the same boat so it was easy to bond with them and now they are my close friends here and we do everything together including going on holidays. During Orientation is when you get everything organised like the nursing registration, bank account, and Igama.

The hospital has been hiring international nurses for so long that the process for banking, visas, nursing registration etc. is smooth sailing and any questions you have you are guaranteed an answer.

Social life here at the minute due to Covid is very limited however before Covid I felt I had a better social life here than what I had at home. Also, with the amount of shopping malls here spending a day in a shopping centre is very easy. Cinemas and bowling are now popping up in most big malls so spending the morning shopping going for food and ending the day in either the cinema or bowling alleys tends to happen a lot.  There are also endless amounts of sporting activities to try some of which I have found a secret talent I never knew I had.

Working in Saudi has been difficult at times but so supportive, the training opportunities are never ending and I have learnt a lot in my short time here already. Working in Saudi I was definitely worried about the language barrier, however having interpreters 24/7 is a great help, I have found here at KFSH a lot of patients or their relatives speak English as well. The hospital also put on classes for those wanting to learn Arabic. Working here in Emergency can be stressful at times however all staff support each other it is a proper work family here. The staff I work with have become lifelong friends even the staff that have moved on we all still keep in touch.

All in all, if I could give one piece of advice to anyone thinking about a career out in the Middle East, I would strongly recommend it. It’s the best thing I have done for my career.

Claire Sheridan travelled to Saudi Arabia, Aug 2019

Nursing In Saudi Arabia – An Irish Nurse’s Experience

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Can you give us a snapshot of your nursing career thus far? I am qualified since November 2016. I trained in the UK and worked in the NHS for 2 years. 6 months on a surgical ward, 1 year in Interventional Radiology and 6 months in Emergency Department. I have been in Saudi Arabia working in Radiology for the past 8 months.

Why did you choose Saudi Arabia as your destination? I had been looking into working in the Middle East for some time. I attended the CCM open day and learned that Saudi Arabia was the best fit for my experience level and also it was the most financially rewarding option.

What was the nurse registration/visa process like? The process is long, there is a lot of paperwork to be processed. It took 10 months before I got out to Saudi Arabia. But my recruitment agent from CCM helped me every step of the way. It was just a matter of responding to e mails and providing the necessary forms when requested and my agent took care of the rest.

When you first arrived in Saudi, how did the hospital help you adjust? Did they assist with Airport pick, mobiles, bank account, city tour etc? The hospital representative met me and the other nurses in my group at the airport arrivals hall. We were brought straight to get a sim card and data package for our phones which relieved a lot of stress. We were transported directly to the hospital accommodation and then we visited the hospital where were greeted by hospital staff and given a tour of the hospital. The hospital also organised trips to shopping malls and local restaurant which was a great way to get a feel for the culture and get to know some people. Opening a bank account can take a few weeks but I just had to be patient and I eventually got set up.

What’s the accommodation like? What facilities are there? The male accommodation is quite dated and basic, the facilities are not up to the same standard as the female accommodation. However, as I’m writing this, there are plans to relocate the male residence to an upgraded site with more spacious apartments, swimming pool and gym which is close to shops and restaurants

How did you make friends? Did you find it difficult to meet people? I was surprised how easily made friends. On arrival at the airport I met a group of people who were on the same hospital orientation as me which lasted a week. The group hit it off and we are still in contact and meet up regularly. I have attended organised social events for expats which are a great way to meet people. I joined the GAA club Naomh Alee in Riyadh which is a great way to meet people and keep fit. The club organises regular social events, club tournaments and travel to other Middle Eastern countries to compete in tournaments throughout the year.

What’s your social life like? What do you do on your days off? My social life is as busy or quiet as I want it to be. On days off I use the hospital gym or swimming pool. At the weekend there is always a social event going on. Organised trips to the desert, meeting friends for coffee, lunch or dinner. Until the restrictions imposed by Covid-19 I had A very active and busy social life. I am looking forward to when the restrictions are lifted.

Do you get to travel much? What countries have you been to so far? Yes, in the short time I have been here I attended a tournament in Bahrain with the GAA club which was a brilliant weekend. My first annual leave was a week in South Africa, which I could only dream of doing on a nurses’ wage back in Ireland. I had planned to go to Abu Dhabi in March and return home to Ireland in June for a holiday before the restrictions of Covid hit.

What is nursing like in Saudi? Can you describe your unit and your colleagues? How is it different to home and how do you adapt to the differences? Nursing in Saudi is very different to the UK and Ireland. The working culture and care pathways are very different and a lot of practice and policies are based on the USA system. Having said that, part of a nurses’ role is to adapt and apply clinical judgement. After a few months in the system I feel I have adjusted and am more settled.

I work in an Outpatients Radiology department. It is quite a specialised area but as a nurse the same principles apply regarding basic care and patient advocacy. I have been rotated to areas such as CT, MRI, PET scan, Interventional Angio, Recovery. My colleagues are generally very helpful, supportive and friendly. There is huge diversity in the nationalities and cultures of my colleagues which can present challenges with communication. But you learn a great deal about teamwork and acceptance of differences.

What professional development have you had there? I have attended various courses relating to my area of practice including ACLS, Radiation awareness and safety. Person Centred Care.

What is your most memorable moment? Getting involved in the GAA club has been very rewarding. I have met so many people and attended events. The highlight was definitely the tournament in Bahrain.

What is your overall opinion to date? What advice would you give to someone thinking of travelling to the Middle East? My overall opinion has been extremely positive. I have met so many different people and done so many things that I would never have the opportunity to do at home. My advice to anyone thinking of travelling to the Middle East is, come out and get involved. This has been an immensely challenging and rewarding experience. There are so many opportunities here: travel, social, financial. There are ups and downs, it can be hard at times, but there is always an event or holiday around the corner or someone you can call for a coffee who is in the same boat.

Gareth Moles – travelled to Saudi Arabia Sept 2019

Nursing In Ireland – An Indian Nurse’s Experience

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Q&A – Ireland

Where are you from? I’m from India (Chennai).

Can you give us a snapshot of your nursing career thus far? I gained my nursing degree from Dr. MGR medical university India in 2011, started to work as a staff nurse in MMM hospital Chennai and moved to Riyadh King Faisal hospital and research centre in 2014 and worked there till 2019 September in coronary care unit. Currently, I’m working in BlackRock clinic, Dublin in cardiac department.

When did you travel to Ireland? I came to Ireland on 4th October 2019.

When and why did you decide it was time to take your nursing career abroad? I thought to have some changes in my personal life, to develop my professional knowledge, to increase my financial stability and to make a new life style changes. I took my OET exam and started my Ireland processing from January 2019.

Why did you choose Ireland as your destination? I choose Ireland because it is a quiet country and also there is lot of opportunities for nurses especially in the workplace to built our nursing career with the support of  hospital management.

What was the registration process like? You’re undertaking adaptation to complete your registration – what is that like? The registration process has various steps like completing the overseas application pack, forms to be filled by the relevant authorities like nursing college, past and current working experience  and the nursing license , assessment  of our application from the NMBI and issuing the decision letter. The registration process is quiet hard but less procedures and frustrating compared to other European countries.

How long have you been in Ireland? And how are you settling in? Are there a lot of differences between your home country and Ireland? What are you doing in order to adapt to your new environment? I’m in Ireland for the past 6 months, I had my aptitude and OSCE exam, had my hospital orientation and ward orientation in my  first month. I completed my probationary period and well settled in my work.

There are lot of differences from my home country. The hospitals are well developed with new equipment, increased quality of care and well supportive management and colleagues.

What is your social life like? What do you do on your days off? We do have friends gathering occasionally especially on public holidays and birthday parties and also going out for shopping and dinner.

What part of your new life have you found the most surprising? I found the climatic changes are the most surprising in Ireland as there is four different climate everyday.

What are the positives of living in Ireland? Very good salary, easy to work and the kind-hearted people. The Irish people are so social and they like to talk more about us and more interested to know about our country and culture.

What is your most memorable moment so far? My memorable moment so far is the first Christmas celebration in Ireland with my new colleagues and Irish friends.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced and how have you manage them? The most challenging part is the OSCE  exam but we can achieve this with our hardworking and prayers.

You’re currently working for the Blackrock Clinic – How did the hospital help with the transition from your old life to your new life? BlackRock clinic is one of the best hospital in Dublin. The hospital management and the supervisors are so friendly and supportive which helped me a lot to adapt and manage the new life changes.

How are you finding nursing in another country in general? What differences are there & how are you adapting to the differences? Nursing is a challenging career and the nursing care is same in all the country but the people’s approach to the nurses are different in some countries but here I feel much respected and homely atmosphere so adapting to this is more easy.

How are you finding your department in particular? What support is there and what are you colleagues like? I had some difficulties in the beginning  to learn the routines work but the management and the colleagues are more supportive and helpful. The managers are so flexible and approachable, we are allowed to request duties and leaves are permitted as we wish.

What career opportunities or professional development have you found there? There are lot of speciality courses available here and we can choose from our own interest. And also the we are encouraged to attend continuous nursing education programmes in different hospitals.

How are you finding the cost of living in Dublin – is it very different to home? Yes, the cost is living in Ireland is much much expensive than home country especially the rent in Dublin is very much high. But the lifestyle, salary and working experience is much better than the home. So I feel more safe and satisfied here.

What were your goals before travelling to Ireland? Are you achieving what you set out to do or have these changed? My goals are to meet new people, see new places, career passion, personal satisfaction, financial stability and family support. I hope these things will happen in the coming days.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of travelling to Ireland? I would like to tell them that the registration process will be quiet slow but you can land within a year once you started your NMBI process. Prepare very well for the RCSI exams because it is quiet challenging for someone with minimum experience but everyone can go through this with great hard-work.

What is your overall opinion to date? I feel so happy and I’m very much thankful to Cathee and the overall CCM Recruitment team for helping and supporting me to achieve my goal. I’m also very much delighted to live and work in Ireland.

Nursing In Ireland – A Filipino Nurse’s Experience

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Q&A – Ireland

Where are you from? I came from Manila, the capital of Philippines

Can you give us a snapshot of your nursing career thus far? I started my nursing career in Makati Medical Centre from December 2010 to January 2011, then I worked in Saudi Arabia from December 2010 to December 2019 and at present in Dublin working at the Blackrock Clinic, one of the finest private hospital here in Ireland.

When did you travel to Ireland? I came to Ireland on 12 February 2020

When and why did you decide it was time to take your nursing career abroad? After almost ten years of working in Saudi Arabia, I decided to have a change of environment and expand my nursing career.

Why did you choose Ireland as your destination? I have worked with Irish colleagues before and they encouraged me to try to work in Ireland.

What was the registration process like? You’re undertaking adaptation to complete your registration – what is that like? I applied to Nursing and Midwifery Board of Nursing in Ireland and it took 3 months before I received my Decision letter. I took the RCSI exam last 16 February 2020. I was very pressured. Though I have an idea on the topics, the mere fact that it’s time pressured is really something to consider.

How long have you been in Ireland? And how are you settling in? Are there a lot of differences between your home country and Ireland? What are you doing in order to adapt to your new environment? I’m here in Ireland for 2 1/2 months now. I’m still trying to adjust with the weather and the culture that is totally different to what I got used to. There are a lot of difference between working in Philippines and Saudi Arabia compared to Ireland. People here are more independent and the way the Nurses are empowered and being treated fairly. The weather is unpredictable but I asked my colleagues on recommendations on how to adjust with the weather. But for now, heater is my “best-friend”.

What is your social life like? What do you do on your days off? There are a lot of pubs and café around the area. We like to roam around the City centre trying to familiarise with the different areas and just have a stroll. I love mostly are nature especially now it’s spring.

What part of your new life have you found the most surprising? I find it challenging at first to start in a new environment and with 10 years experienced working abroad, I was surprised that I started to feel homesick but everyone are so warm and welcoming it really means a lot to me.

What are the positives of living in Ireland? People in Ireland are very warm and easy to talk to. I find them very polite as well. The environment/nature is very uplifting.

What is your most memorable moment so far? The most memorable for the meantime was before the RCSI. It took me weeks of sleepless nights and stress and finally paid off after passing my exam.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced and how have you manage them?

  • First the RCSI exam. I studied and prayed hard.
  • Homesickness, I’m still trying to overcome it for now.
  • At work:  having a new environment, I always observe and ask if needed and I noticed in Ireland they are more than willing to answer questions.

You’re currently working for the Blackrock Clinic – How did the hospital help with the transition from your old life to your new life? The hospital and the staffs are very supportive. We always have a free ride when we had to apply for GNIB, PPS and RCSI. It’s a big help budget wise. The management always see to it that staff are well taken cared of by providing information may it be work or how to adjust in the country.

How are you finding nursing in another country in general? What differences are there & how are you adapting to the differences? I find Nursing in Ireland challenging. Starting from a new place again and it really makes me strive and learn more about the culture and protocols in my new environment.

It differs in a way that it is not the culture that I got used to. I need to adjust when it comes to asking questions to a patient or how to approach a certain situation. My colleagues are very supportive giving me tips on how adapt.

How are you finding your department in particular? What support is there and what are you colleagues like? My new department is challenging being assigned in a different specialised Intensive care. My colleagues are incredibly supportive since day 1 and giving chance for learning.

What career opportunities or professional development have you found there?  BlackRock Clinic is funding an entry class for those who are interested, and anyone can have an opportunity to take Master’s degree. New exposure to Cardio-thoracic Intensive care is highly specialised and I’m more than happy to learn about it.

How are you finding the cost of living in Dublin – is it very different to home? Cost of living is quite expensive in Dublin but it’s a good way to learn how to properly budget.

What were your goals before travelling to Ireland? Are you achieving what you set out to do or have these changed? My goal is to advance my career and travel Europe. I am starting to achieve my goal step by step starting from my new area which is Cardio-thoracic from General intensive care. Travel might be delayed for few months but it is really something I look for.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of travelling to Ireland? I would advice that an applicant must research and know what they really want before deciding to work in Ireland starting the registration to employment until the way of living and weather. One should have an open mind and ready to be flexible with the new culture.

What is your overall opinion to date? I was hired under CCM recruitment under the care of Cathee. CCM is very reputable agency. I can’t say enough how professional Cathee is. When I send an email during office hours, I can guarantee to get a response within 5 minutes once urgent, I can easily send her a message on messenger for faster response even off hours. I cannot complain where I am right now. I am more than satisfied to be deployed in BlackRock Clinic.

Nursing In Ireland – An American’s Experience

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Q&A – Ireland

Where are you from?
I am originally from Beachwood, OH, just outside of Cleveland, and recently from Chicago, IL, USA.

Can you give us a snapshot of your nursing career thus far? 
I started my Nursing Career in 2016, after having graduated from DePaul University’s Master’s Entry to Nurse Practice, and have been working exclusively in Emergency Departments in Chicago and now Dublin, ever since.

When did you travel to Ireland?
February of 2018

 

When and why did you decide it was time to take your nursing career abroad?
My wife had been admitted to a graduate program at Trinity College Dublin, so I took my career with me when we moved to Dublin!

Why did you choose Ireland as your destination?  See above.

What was the registration process like? You’re undertaking adaptation to complete your registration – what is that like?  Registration with NMBI was a bit painstaking, however after all required documents had been received by NMBI, the registration process was completed within a few months.  I never had any problem with calling or emailing NMBI with questions; I had answers from NMBI within 24 – 48 hours.  The MCQ testing and OSCE testing went fairly smoothly as well.

How long have you been in Ireland?  A year and 2 months. And how are you settling in?  We have settled in quite well!  Finding a place to live took some time, but we eventually found a flat in City Centre.  We love living in town.

Are there a lot of differences between your home country and Ireland? There are differences, but ultimately what we have found is that Dubliners, and the Irish in general, are a warm and welcoming people. What are you doing in order to adapt to your new environment? Getting to know the shops and shop keepers in our neighbourhood was key, as well as getting to know the geography of our neighbourhood.  We love to walk, and would take weekly walks around our neighbourhood and surrounding areas in Dublin.

What is your social life like? Dublin has a pub and cafe culture, so a lot of our socializing revolves around meeting with friends for a pint or for a cuppa. What do you do on your days off? Get the food shopping done, cook meals for my next few days of shift work, read, catch up on family and friends back in the US, and take long walks.  When I have long stretches of time off, or Annual Leave, we rent a car and head out of Dublin for a few days, exploring other regions of Ireland.

What part of your new life have you found the most surprising? How easy it has been to become acclimated to life in Dublin.  We really love it here.

What are the positives of living in Ireland? The people are friendly and accommodating; the pubs are great craic; the food is fantastic; the city is easily accessed and navigable; the produce, fish, meat and poultry are delicious; and we love the session music.

What is your most memorable moment so far? I don’t know that there is any one moment that I could point to, but I have had many really great experiences with my patients in the last year.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced and how have you managed them?  Ireland, we have found, runs on “Island Time,” and why wouldn’t it? It is an island! “Nothing is urgent, and yet everything is desperate.”   What I mean to say is, don’t expect answers or processes to be fast.  Just know that it will get done at some point, so sit back and try to relax while you wait for that GNIB appointment, or the paperwork, or the finalisation of your NMBI registration.

You’re currently working for the Blackrock Clinic – How did the hospital help with the transition from your old life to your new life? The hospital staff and my ED Team were as warm and welcoming as we found all the people of Dublin to be.

Blackrock Clinic Hospital (BRC) was highly instrumental in my professional transition. Blackrock assumed all my NMBI/RCSI testing fees, paid for my flight to Dublin from Chicago, and offered me 6 weeks of transitional housing (which I did not need).

In addition to BRC’s assistance, I can not mention or speak highly enough of how helpful Breda and Cathee, and the entire office at CCM and their assistance and guidance from start to finish of my transition to working and living in Dublin.

How are you finding nursing in another country in general? The nurse/patient relationship is pretty much always the same, where ever you might find yourself practising.  Every hospital, however, in fact every ward or unit, will have its own culture.  That culture will always take time to acclimate to and become a part of, no matter where you work.

What differences are there & how are you adapting to the differences? Irish ED/A&E Nursing Scope of Practice is somewhat limited to ED Nurse Practice in the United States:  Opiate medications are only administered by the consultant rather than the nurse; patient physical assessment by the nurse does not include palpation or auscultation of lung, heart or bowel sounds; conscious sedations are procedures run by an anesthetist rather than the ED consultant and ED nurse.  Those are the differences that I have noted in practice.

I must add that I have only practised at Blackrock Clinic, so I am unsure of the nurse scope of practice in other A&Es in Ireland.  The biggest difference, unfortunately, is the pay scale.  Ireland pays its nurses quite a bit less than what nurse salaries are in the States.  It was an adjustment, but I have a job for which I am grateful, a roof over my head, and a fridge full of food.  All is well.

How are you finding your department in particular? The department I work in is quite good, because of the really fabulous nursing team that works hand in hand with the consultants.

What support is there and what are you colleagues like? We are a team in the ED, and I know that I could call on any one of my colleagues for assistance at work or outside of work.

What career opportunities or professional development have you found there? During the COVID19 Pandemic, I and two of my colleagues have been deployed to the ICU at Blackrock.  It is an amazing learning experience, and an opportunity I am grateful for.  The learning curve is steep, for this dyed in the wool ED nurse, but I find it exciting and gratifying to be doing and learning something new to expand my nurse experience and knowledge.

How are you finding the cost of living in Dublin – is it very different to home? It is expensive here, but not that different from Chicago.

What were your goals before travelling to Ireland? To land a job in an A&E in Dublin and play my mandolin in a real live session at one of the pubs here. Are you achieving what you set out to do or have these changed? I have achieved one of the above, and am working on the other.  A new goal I have is to find every Round Tower, Martello Tower and High Cross in Ireland.  A lofty goal, I know, but well worth the effort:  it allows travel to all parts of Ireland and the opportunity to meet many on the way.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of travelling to Ireland? If one is thinking about traveling to Ireland for work, my advice would be, once one has landed the job:  Take your time, ask lots of questions, listen and watch and learn how your department and your new team works.  Also, have all your paperwork and down payment in hand when looking at a rental flat/apartment; the competition for living quarters is brutal.

What is your overall opinion to date?  Ireland has been a good move for us.  We love it here more and more every day.  We are hoping for the best of health for her people during this pandemic, as we are hoping for our families back in the US, and all people of the world during this unprecedented time.

Here to There A Nurse’s Journey – Lisa’s Story

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Where are you from?

Nelson, New Zealand.

Can you give us a snapshot of your nursing career prior to traveling overseas?

I gained my Bachelor of Nursing from NMIT in New Zealand in 2013, after interviewing within New Zealand and Australia I chose to complete my New Graduate Program at the Gold Coast University Hospital in Acute Paediatrics but soon moved into Emergency Nursing. I spent two years working in ED on the Gold Coast before leaving for Ireland, where I worked in adult Emergency at The Mater Private Hospital in Dublin. 

When and why did you decide it was time to take your nursing career abroad?

My husband, James, is from Dublin, with the majority of his family members living there and in New York, we wanted to locate ourselves geographically to spend time with them and see Europe and America in the process. In addition to James’s connection to the country, Ireland offered a lower cost of living compared to the UK and a more straight forward registration process.

When did you first travel to Ireland?

In June 2016 we set off on our adventure, we allocated 3 months to travel Europe before we settled in Dublin, arriving at the end of summer.

How did you find living in Ireland?

Marvellous, I learnt so much about my family history. I was invited to see my ancestors portrait hanging in Trinity College, visit the shire of Yelverton in Plymouth and truly understand the very roots of my European heritage. Something about England felt so very familiar to me, so we visited many times, and why not when flights are 9 euro! Ireland was an amazing base for the UK as well as the rest of Europe, working 12 hour shifts allowed me to have 6 days off, see two or three countries and then fly home before my next work day, it really is an amazing lifestyle.

What part of your new life did you find the most surprising?

I think I was surprised by the laid back nature of the Irish, sometimes frustrating. For example: when having to register at the Immigration Bureau, I waited for an entire day to get my visa re-approved and seeing them all just having a chat while hundreds of frustrated immigrants stand around waiting was irritating. But once they finally got to your number, it was nice to have a long-winded chat about where you’re from and their relative (almost always called Paddy or James) who once visited New Zealand and/or Australia.

What were some of the challenges you faced and how did you manage them?

We happened to move to Ireland during the peak of the housing crisis, the day university started back and the year a record number of Europeans migrated to Dublin from Eastern Europe so it was tough finding a place to live. As part of my relocation agreement, the hospital allowed as much time as was required during work hours to arrange inspections, organise government issued numbers, cards and set up back accounts etc. which really helped ease the process.

What were the positives of living in Ireland?

The Irish are incredibly sociable, it’s ridiculously easy to make friends as long as you like going to the pub, hurling, football and are able to stomach jokes about the English in the same sense that Kiwis suffer mockery from Australians. When the sun comes out, the city is an instant street party, bags of cans are being had on the canals, everyone is so friendly, even the homeless want to talk your ear off. That TV show Father Ted suddenly made so much more sense! It was great fun.  

How did you find nursing in another country?

Some drug names would trip me up, but for the most part it was like riding a bike. The patients loved me because they found my accent adorable, as mentioned before, the Irish love to chat so my patients could talk to me for hours about “why ever did I move here” and how beautiful New Zealand is (information usually based on their cousin Paddy’s or James’s recent trip to the region).

What career opportunities or professional development did you find there?

Irish nurses are highly autonomous. Much like New Zealand there are no plaster techs, so I attended complete casting workshops and spent time in the fracture clinics at The Mater Public Hospital. Emergency Trauma courses were held by Dublin tertiary hospitals in conjunction with Trinity College, and post graduate education was always encouraged. There were plenty of opportunities to progress into Senior Nursing roles within The Mater Private.

What was your social life like?

Dublin is a party town constantly drawing people from all over the continent in for their world class night life scene. Poised as the stag and hen capital of Europe, there is always something to see or do. The nurses at The Mater Private ED would organise a night out at least once a month, but anyone’s birthday, graduation, holy communion or baptism, is an excuse to celebrate!

What was your most memorable moment?

My husband and I got married in Dublin in 2017, we had a horse drawn carriage take us through the cobble stone streets of Temple Bar to our ceremony, where we and our closest friends celebrated a very nontraditional wedding. We held our reception on the rooftop of my husband’s hotel and being mid-summer the sun never went down the whole night. A beautiful friend of ours from New Zealand took our photographs throughout the city, which framed the most amazing memories of a time and place we will always have in our hearts.

Why did you decide to leave?

My father went into palliative care and I could not stand to be 26 hours away. It was heartbreaking leaving Ireland, particularly due to the circumstances surrounding our leaving. We still miss it every day, and all the amazing friends and family we have there.

What do you miss the most about your life in Ireland?

The people, my friends, my work colleagues, even my overpriced apartment. I miss the traveller kids trying to sell me illegal fireworks in the streets, the ‘trad-sesh’, the lock-in’s, the satire websites that poke fun at the health care crisis, the €1 blueberries and 75p avocados all year round. I miss the sense of community that come with living in the city as diverse as Dublin, where new faces land every day to look for a better life or just come to party.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of travelling to the Ireland?

The registration process can be slow, allow up to a year to get everything perfect, you can call NMBI and get updates over the phone which can be faster than waiting for this information in the post. This is no slower than getting registered in Australia. For me there was no exam but I know for others there might be. They need nurses and treat them well, but the private health sector can be lot kinder with more flexibility and better conditions.

Looking for accommodation can be challenging, try to be first in best dressed at the inspections, and if you can find a place that is close to a Tesco (grocery chain), you will spare yourself lugging groceries across town.

Europe in summer has an amazing vibe, if you plan to land in the warmer months it will be good for morale (and spare you a vitamin D deficiency).

I found the team at CCM very helpful and approachable throughout the two-year contract, we were always keeping in contact and it was great to have advice from someone who had worked in the same place you were going.

 

Lisa Yelverton, Ireland 2016-2018

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