Season 2 Episode 10 - The One With Nurse Jessica
Christina:
Hello and welcome to another episode and the last episode of season two of licence to practise from IELTS medical. Don't forget to like and subscribe so that you never miss an episode. Today we are going to be talking with Jessica, a nurse from Canada. So let's give her a call. Hi Jessica, how are you today?
Nurse Jessica:
Hi, I'm good. How are you?
Christina:
Yes I'm fine, thank you. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast and sharing your experience. If you could just of course start with telling us just a little bit about you?
Nurse Jessica:
Yeah, so I am a registered nurse from Toronto, Canada. I've been a nurse for about five years now. I worked in a bunch of different areas and then I just decided that I kind of wanted to make a move and try nursing in a different country.
Christina:
So why did you choose the UK?
Nurse Jessica:
I feel like the UK has been kind of very similar to Canada as far as like culture and just the way of life and I've always loved it, I've visited so many times growing up, so I just figured it would be a good fit for me.
Christina:
Yeah. Yeah. And is it, do you enjoy it?
Nurse Jessica:
Yes. I love it so far, it's amazing.
Christina:
Are there any big differences between nursing in Canada and nursing in the UK?
Nurse Jessica:
I think like one, its not very different. One of the good things is that it is both public healthcare systems so I know the UK does have the option of private, but as far as the NHS, like Canadian healthcare is similar in that sense. As far as nursing, I don't find it to be that different. No, I think the roles of a nurse are basically very similar. It just takes a bit longer to get into the profession depending on what trust you get hired onto, so.
Christina:
Okay. And so you had to do obviously the exams to become registered here in the UK. How was that? How did you find that process?
Nurse Jessica:
So the process, I think when looking at it at first, it does seem like it's quite overwhelming. Just all the steps that you need to take. But I think as far as the actual, the written exam that I had to do was very, very similar to the written exam back home. So it wasn't much of a shock and especially since I had been practicing for five years, I didn't find it very difficult. And same with the OSCE, like I said, very overwhelming when you read about the process of it and even reading about it on the internet, people make it seem like it's very scary almost? But with like the OSCE prep programs, definitely helps, you kind of all your anxiety about it gets taken away because you know exactly what it is that you're going into and you kind of get fully prepared on it. So nothing's quite a shock once you actually get to the OSCE.
Christina:
So you did OSCE prep programs to prepare for the OSCE then did you?
Nurse Jessica:
Yes. Yes. So I did the three-day program. So basically you go over all the theory and kind of what the OSCE is about, what to expect, and then you do like a full skills day and then you do the mock exam and the mock exam is amazing because it really prepares you, they treat you as if it's the actual OSCE. So you go in, you go through your station and then you get your... Not like marks at the end, but basically some comments about things that you could work on and things that you did really well for.
Christina:
And did you do that in London? Did you do it at the center?
Nurse Jessica:
Yeah, so I did it at the IELTS centers. So yeah, I did the three-day program but I know that there is the four or five-day program as well. So if you felt, like students feel like they need extra practice or extra mock exams, like they do have that option, so I think it's definitely worth it, yeah.
Christina:
Yeah. Yeah. Well, it sounds like it is obviously it's worth for you, hasn't it? So, how long ago did you take your exams? The OSCE.
Nurse Jessica:
So I moved over in June of this year. And then I did my OSCE prep course at the beginning of July, and then I did my OSCE exam at the end of July and I passed on the first try, thankfully.
Christina:
Oh yeah. Well done.
Nurse Jessica:
Yeah, So that's definitely the one thing, it's hard to actually get your pin and start working as a registered nurse if you have like your OSCE still hanging over you.
Christina:
So did you, when you moved over, were you sort of sponsored by a hospital? Did you have a job that you were going to go into after you got your pin or not? Did you just, did you come over without any of that?
Nurse Jessica:
Yeah. So coming from Canada, I came over basically through an agency. So they helped me put through like my registration papers with the NMC and also my visa as well. So I did have a position lined up. I was also working as the HCA before I got my pin. So I also, which was helpful for my OSCE because I was able to see how the hospitals work as well, which was good when I went into my OSCE, I knew kind of the process already of like a day to day life right?
Christina:
Yeah, of course. Yeah. And then, the sort of, other side of that, obviously you've had the experience that helped you with your OSCE. Would you say the OSCE helped for work when you did get your pin?
Nurse Jessica:
I think it did. I mean, I find it a bit difficult because being from Canada, I think the nursing school and everything is similar. And I already spoke English, I've worked in English. So, the OSCE did almost feel a bit like kind of repetitive for me, but on the other hand, I see how it's extremely useful for people who are coming from other countries who don't necessarily speak English as their first language, so a lot of things like as skills perhaps, and the language that you would use to perform a skill would be different for some people. So I could see how the OSCE would help them before they actually start working.
Christina:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. A lot of people have said that, so it's interesting to get different perspectives, but yeah, of course, if the health system is similar.
Nurse Jessica:
Yeah. Exactly.
Christina:
Yeah. Well look, thank you so much for chatting to me. I feel like it's been really interesting to get your story. Do you have any other final words of advice for anyone that's thinking about making the move and becoming registered here in the UK?
Nurse Jessica:
I wouldn't say like words of advice, but I just think for me it's been an amazing opportunity. And even if I don't decide to stay in the UK, I just think as a nurse, it's really, really good to be able to experience your career in different countries and see kind of what skills you can get and just even new cultures and everything. So it's definitely been worth it for me.
Christina:
Yeah. And do you think you're going to stay or do you not know yet? You might go somewhere else?
Nurse Jessica:
I feel like I'll probably stay here. Yes. But you never know.
Christina:
Yeah. No, no. True. True. Right, well thank you so much.
Nurse Jessica:
No problem.
Christina:
Yeah. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Nurse Jessica:
Okay. Thank you so much.
Christina:
Bye, bye.
Nurse Jessica:
Bye.
Christina:
Thank you so much for listening to my chat with Jessica. We talked lot in the episode about the OSCE examination and the preparation for the OSCE examination. So I really hope that you found that helpful. That's it for season two of licence to practise from IELTS Medical. Don't forget to like and subscribe so that you never miss an episode and as always, to your success.
