Preparing international nurses for life in the UK

Before a nurse arrives in the UK and embarks on their employer induction programme, including achieving their OSCE pass to obtain registration, they will need support to enable a smooth journey to the UK and to make their experience of arriving here for the first time a good one. This is where the Pre-departure Orientation Programme comes in.

Pre-departure Orientation Programmes

Pre-departure Orientation Programmes are sessions designed to prepare individuals for their new life in a foreign country and an insight into the do’s and don’ts of that country. The aim is to make sure the inbound nurses feel comfortable in the UK and help to avoid ‘culture shock’ a reaction defined by the Oxford English dictionary as “the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone when they are suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes.”

Common challenges an international nurse coming to the UK may face include:

Inadequate personal support
Language barriers
Worries about finances
Developing relationships
Adjusting to the different culture
Making new friends

An effective pre-departure orientation programme can help to manage the nurses’ expectations concerning UK culture and their upcoming role. It will typically cover areas such as:

Hand luggage checklist
Clearing airport immigration
Medical treatment
Finding a place to live
Driving a car in the UK
Childcare and education (if applicable)
Subtleties regarding culture

Measuring the success

The recent research commissioned by NHS England concerning the short fall in UK nurses said: “Overseas recruitment, while not the only lever, will have to play a major role if these shortfalls are to be addressed and the ambitions of an additional 50,000 nurses by 2025 be met.” With increased numbers of nurses coming to the UK from overseas it is more important than ever to support their expectations of life here in the UK.

At NursingJobsUK we host regular pre-departure orientation programmes for our nurses, who are preparing to come over to NHS Trusts and other healthcare settings across the UK. Being able to measure the success of our pre-departure programme and knowing how the nurses are settling in is important to us. One way we do this is via our Alumni network. We use social media apps such as WhatsApp to provide our nurses with a way of reaching out to other nurses we have placed and we have also held a number of social occasions. In addition, our recruitment teams in India and the UK are available to address any problems new nurses may experience, whether personal or practical.

We are a CPP Frame Work Approved Supplier, with over 18 years of expertise in hiring over 5000 nurses across NHS Hospitals, Private Hospitals, Private Nursing Homes and other private healthcare organizations, we are one of the leading enterprises in providing staffing solutions to healthcare sectors across the UK.NursingjobsUKis a trading name for Ealoor Consultancy UK Ltd, leaders in Education and Recruitment of International nurses and students.