The Complete Guide to Nursing Abroad
Nursing abroad is a rewarding opportunity open to registered nurses of all experience levels. The travel nursing industry began more than two decades ago, and since then, information about overseas nursing has become widely available on the Internet. Use the following list of resources to jumpstart your research about nursing employment opportunities abroad. From Australia to Africa to Europe - the adventure starts here!
General Sites - Job Boards - Travel Nursing Recruitment Agencies - International Associations - Working in War Zones - Nursing in Third World Countries - Visa Requirement Essentials - Preparing for Cultural Differences - How to Fit Time Abroad Into Your Career
General Sites
1. NurseTogether.com: This website aims to empower the global community of nurses by providing information on nurse lifestyle and professional development. Articles about nursing in the Philippines, the UK, India, and many other countries offer a uniquely global perspective on the field.
2. Travel Nursing: Travel Nursing is a great site for discovering general information about working abroad as a nurse. Topics covered include travel options, pay and benefits, housing, news, and more.
3. Overseas Nurse: This is a comprehensive resource for registered nurses and nursing students. The website offers general information on an overseas career in nursing, as well as job opportunities, education, and training.
4. Ultimate Nurse: The travel nursing section of Ultimate Nurse offers direct access to travel nursing employers and a list of nursing jobs abroad. Additionally, the travel nursing forum allows online visitors to post information or read up on pressing travel nursing issues.
5. Nursing Abroad: Nursing Abroad is a great resource for general information about practicing abroad as a nurse. Topics include employment conditions, visas and work permit requirements, personal medical insurance, income tax, and more.
6. Nursing School: This website discusses the nursing examinations, degrees, and prerequisite experience required to become eligible for most overseas nursing positions. It is a great resource for those who wish to become more familiar with travel nursing requirements.
7. Nursezone.com: Nursezone.com is an online community dedicated to providing nurses with professional development information. A section of the website features general information on travel nursing.
8. Nurses Careers Abroad: This article discusses the personal and professional benefits of nursing abroad. Nurses Careers Abroad is an organization based in New Delhi, India, specializing in the placement of Indian and Asian nurses in the United States, Europe, and Australia, among other countries.
Job Boards
9. Healthcare Traveler: This website lists job opportunities for traveling nurses, therapists, and technologists. Online visitors can choose from a list of thousands of companies to receive detailed information about specific opportunities.
10. HealthInForum: HealthInForm features an annotated directory of travel nursing opportunities. In addition, the website provides nursing-related resources by category, including volunteer opportunities, education, students, and specialties.
11. GoAbroad.com: This website dedicates a job board specifically to nursing jobs abroad. There you will find a list of nursing opportunities hosted by organizations from around the world.
12. Nursing Jobs Abroad: Here you will find articles that feature information about overseas nursing opportunities and developments in the nursing field. Recent articles include 2010 International Year of the Nurse and Nursing Jobs in Middle East Available .
13. Projects Abroad: If you aspire to become a registered nurse or are a trained professional desiring unique work experience, then one of the nursing internships offered by Projects Abroad could suit you. Nursing and midwifery internships are offered in Nepal, Togo, India, Bolivia, Jamaica, and many other countries.
14. Health Jobs: This site gives information about health jobs around the world. Featured locations include Canada, the Middle East, Australia, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Lebanon, Indonesia, Iran, Korea, and more.
15. Nursing Jobs Abroad for Filipinos: Filipino nurses in search of nursing positions abroad can apply online here. The site regularly updates job listings in Canada, the UK, and the UAE.
16. NHS Scotland Recruitment: This website lists nursing employment opportunities in Scotland. If you would like to live and work as a nurse in Scotland, this is great place to start your job search.
17. Helen Ziegler & Associates: Helen Ziegler & Associates recruits healthcare staff for hospitals in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. On their site, you will find a list of nursing opportunities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
18. The Jobs Abroad Bulletin: This website posts nursing opportunities around the world. Use it to kick start your employment search.
Travel Nursing Recruitment Agencies
19. O'Grady Peyton International (OGP): This company offers long-term nursing employment, permanent placement, and more. OGP enlists qualified nurses from around the globe to complete assignments in the United States and Australia.
20. Aya Healthcare: A leading provider of healthcare staffing, Aya Healthcare recruits nurses and allied health professionals nationally and internationally and places them in travel nursing, per diem nursing, and permanent nursing positions. Aya makes career advancement possible with high salaries, a benefits package, furnished housing, and relocation assistance.
21. Nursing Agency Australia (NAA): NAA supplies general, critical care, mental health and aged care staff to hospitals and aged care facilities in metropolitan and country areas across Australia. The site offers a range of opportunities, both short and long-term, at hospitals in rural, coastal, and remote outback settings.
22. Geneva Health: This is a specialist healthcare recruitment and staffing consultancy catering exclusively to the international nursing and medical sectors. Geneva Health operates in the UK, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand.
23. GeniusHealth: GeniusHealth is a nursing recruitment agency offering jobs in London and the UK to registered nurses from all over the world. The site offers long-term, full-time, and permanent nursing and midwifery opportunities.
24. Nurse on Holidays: This program provides nurses with unique opportunities to work and travel around Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific Islands. Nurse on Holidays is sponsored by Anchor Healthcare Consultants.
25. Nursing Agencies List: This website features an easy-to-use directory of all the nursing agencies in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Users can search for agencies by region, town and city, or alphabetically. If you hope to nurse abroad in one of these countries, use this list to kick start your job search.
26. Victorian Nurse Specialists: This recruitment and nursing agency provides opportunities for traveling nurses. Call for an interview and an immediate start.
27. Nurses 2 Australia: A division of Shiv Sans Limited, Nurses 2 Australia offers placements services to overseas nurses hoping to practice in Australia.
28. Eden Brown: This company specializes in recruiting nurses from around the world to work New Zealand. Eligible candidates are guided through the application process, and receive help securing a visa and relocating to New Zealand.
International Associations
29. Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO): HVO is a network of healthcare professionals, organizations, and donors united by a common commitment to improving global health through education. Volunteer travel nurses assist HVO by teaching healthcare practices in Ababa, Peru, India, and more.
30. The Flying Doctors of America: For more than two decades, Flying Doctors of America has gathered physicians, nurses, dentists, and other health professionals to volunteer around the world. The organization's mission is to provide medical assistance to underprivileged communities around the world.
31. Nurses with Purpose: Nurses with Purpose delivers nursing services and health care where crisis and disaster exists throughout the world. Volunteers work with local authorities and healthcare workers to build sustainable healthcare services in the communities they serve.
32. Medicins sans Frontiers (MSF): MSF, or Doctors without Boarders, had its start in 1971 when doctors and journalists in France decided to create an international medical humanitarian organization. MSF recruits medical and non-medical aid workers to provide assistance in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, catastrophe, or neglect.
33. AmeriCares: AmeriCares is a nonprofit disaster relief organization that provides immediate response to emergency medical needs. The organization provides medicines, supplies, and other relief to healthcare facilities in over 40 countries. If you want to abroad for a humanitarian aid organization, visit the AmeriCares website for more information.
Working in War Zones
34. Nursing Practice in War Zones and Wisdom Acquired: This is a study sponsored by Stavanger College, Department of Nursing Education, aiming to describe nursing practice in war zones and the skills nurses acquire through their work.
35. Care and Meaning in War Zone Nursing: This article gives a historical overview of the role of nurses in war zones. It is sponsored by the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing.
Nursing in Third World Countries
36. Transcultural Nursing: This organization is dedicated to promoting cultural diversity in nursing. On this website, you will find a section that describes the challenges and benefits of working in a third world country.
37. The Challenge of Third World Nursing: Authored by Ruth Malone and published in The American Journal of Nursing , this article gives an insight into nursing in third world countries. It is accessible on the internet through JSTOR.
38. Nurse Practitioners in Developing Countries: Some Ethical Considerations: Published in Nursing Ethics , this article discusses the ethical considerations of nursing abroad in third world countries. Author Ruth Stark takes issue with the lack of preparedness of nurses being sent to work in developing countries—a fault that she attributes to nurse practitioner programs.
39. Risks to Healthcare Workers in Developing Countries: This article discusses risks to healthcare workers traveling to third world countries. If you plan to take a nursing position in a third world country, this article will help you become aware of the potential risks and how to take appropriate precautions.
Visa Requirement Essentials
40. Anywork Anywhere: This website allows you to search for information about work visas, permits, and restrictions by country. If you have secured a nursing position overseas, use Anywork Anywhere to find information on travel logistics.
41. Travel.State.Gov: A service of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Travel.State.Gov offers a whole host of valuable information for Americans planning to travel or work abroad. From passports and visas to document requirements, the breadth of topics covered on this site will help you prepare for the logistical aspects of your time overseas.
42. USA.gov: USA.gov provides general information about the entry requirements for U.S. citizens traveling to foreign countries. The site also provides official applications for visas, passports, and grants.
43. Working Holiday Info: This website provides information about working holiday visas. Securing a working holiday visa will allow you to work legally in many different countries.
44. Project Visa: This website provides embassy information for all countries, as well as visa information for passport holders. You should consult Project Visa as soon as you decide where you will pursue an overseas nursing opportunity.
45. Passports and Visas.com: Passports and Visas.com assists individuals in obtaining US Passports and travel visas on short notice. If you've lost your passport or are planning an immediate departure, tehn the services offered on this website will be extremely valuable.
Preparing for Cultural Differences
46. Overseas Job Center: The Country Index featured on Overseas Job Center provides general information about working, living, and traveling in different countries around the world. For each country, you will find information and articles about cultural differences you may encounter during your time abroad.
47. Culture Crossing: Culture Crossing is a community-built guide to cross-cultural etiquette and understanding. Here, you'll find valuable cultural information about every country.
48. Arcadia University: Culture Shock , a resource of Arcadia University's College of Global Studies, provides information on how to mentally, physically, and emotionally adjust to living in a new environment. If you plan to take a nursing job in a foreign country, consider spending time on this website to prepare for the cultural differences you will encounter.
49. Idealist.org: On Idealist.org, you will find an International Volunteerism Resource Center that provides a general guide to help you prepare for your time abroad. Among many helpful suggestions, the guide recommends learning as much as possible about the country and region you'll be working in to become familiar with the cultural differences you will encounter.
How to Fit Time Abroad Into Your Career
50. Overseas Job Center: This website offers a section called Taking a Gap Year & Volunteer Work that provides links to various sites with advice and information about taking a “gap year.” The gap year may consist of working abroad or volunteering. This website will be useful to nurses looking for a short-term employment or volunteer opportunity abroad.