Overseas Registered Nurse Wants Advice/Friends

W · Post by W » Wed, 13 Feb 2008 8:34 am

Hi everyone

I am a New Zealand Registered Nurse living in Singapore with my hubby waiting for my dependents pass. We've been here for nearly 6 weeks and settling in well but would like to make some friends, meet new people and some advice.

I have a Bachelors Degree in nursing and have over 3 years of surgical nursing experience. I am in my 20s and am interested to hear from anybody in the same or similar boat? I have been job hunting even before and since I got here and am not having much luck, its seems that 99% of the nursing jobs here require you to already have your Singapore nursing registration and practicing certificate but to get these you need to have a job offer. Seems like a catch 22 to me!! and the other 1% of jobs require you to have PR as well. Maybe "Seven Eleven" here I come ha ha.

Anybody out there in a similar situation? Got any advice? Anybody wants to make friends with a couple from NZ or coffee during the day??

Would love to hear from anybody : )

cks · Post by **cks** » Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:28 am

Guess you are having headache finding jobs here. Anyway my girlfriend is having the same problem ,but she doesnt have any local or any recognised overseas qualifications ! That is worse. But I am local, so no problem for me.

Anyway should you two wish to meet me up during your free time just drop me an email. Cheers!

W · Post by W » Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:44 am

Hi there,

Very nice to hear from you. Is your girlfriend a nurse too?? Where is she from? I finally had a job offer but looks like it will take many weeks to process so wish me luck. I would love to meet up with your girlfriend during the day when she is free. Let me know what she thinks : )

Thanks

woloh · Post by **woloh** » Sat, 12 Apr 2008 2:19 pm

Hope u all hve got your wishes come true.
For anyone who wished to be a registered nurse in Singapore or would like to upgrade themselves to a Degree (Hons) in nursing may consider to give me a pm for more details.

kwokhua · Post by **kwokhua** » Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:35 pm

Wow! It seems that geting into nursing is getting tougher and tougher.

Well, I have always maintained that you should follow your heart.

Thou Shalt Succced!

fatalle · Post by **fatalle** » Thu, 17 Apr 2008 3:59 pm

hi woloh cld u mind tellin me more abt this degree program..coz im interested..cant pm u though..so can u email me add freedom_lover17@HOtmail.com? thanks alot.

JAWS · Post by **JAWS** » Fri, 25 Apr 2008 1:56 pm

Dear W

You sound just as enthusiastic as I was when I arrived here a year ago.
But just because you are a qualified experienced nursing professional goes for nothing here.

Sorry to be so negative but searching for a Nursing post here in Singapore is a lost cause. By all means try but I have had no luck and have completely exhausted all possibilities. I was offered a couple of jobs but at the risk of sounding ungrateful, the pay was terrible.

I was also offered a job at the beginning of the year. It took me 3 months to get registered with the Singapore Nursing Board (even although I started the process in 2006). The SNB lost my original documents. Then after being rejected by the MOM for an EP and a subsequent S Pass application the company decided they couldn't afford to employ me anymore.

So as a result of this and other factors we are now returning home - back to the real world! I can't wait!

The fact that you are married will help as you can get a letter of consent to work (based on your dependents pass).

Please bear in mind the following:

a) registration with SNB is exhausting and takes a very long time. Don't expect them to help you at all. If a large hospital employs you then you will have a better experience with them.

b) there are limited jobs available working with expat community if you don't wish to work in a hospital.

c) even although you are prepared to take a paycut to work and live here you will be shocked at what is offered. Admin, secretarial and service staff are paid more than nurses, believe me it's true!

d) and importantly Nursing is not seen as a respected profession in this country. It is considered a "dirty job".

hope this helps, it's better you know the reality now.

JAWS · Post by **JAWS** » Fri, 25 Apr 2008 2:02 pm

Dear W

I forgot to mention earlier I'd be happy to tell you what types of salaries and hours I was offered from some of the hospitals and clinics. I can also tell you what the two main clinics are offering.

I am happy to tell you about this in a private email.

W · Post by W » Wed, 30 Apr 2008 1:32 am

Dear Jaws,

Thank you very much for your advice, has been really helpful. I would PM you but I can't seem to access that yet. I am sorry you have had a bad experience so far job hunting and you're going home, what a shame and loss of skill for Singapore especially since they seem very short of nurses here!!

Yes I found out after a few job interviews what terrible pay for nurses it is here in Singapore, nearly half the hourly rate of pay compared to where I come from and much less benefits/allowances. But I guess it is still better pay than a lot of other Asia countries and I am sure higher than the average earnings here. Luckily my husband earns relatively well and has been very supportive.

I haven't had too much trouble getting my registration, only took 2 weeks but probably because the job I accepted is with a major public hospital as you mentioned, seems like a nice position if I ever get that far and no shift work. I am however still waiting for my LOC with MOM, I really hope that comes through soon. I have heard that if it is rejected first time you will pretty much not get approval even if you apply again so fingers crossed. I am scared that the hospital will withdraw their employment offer soon if it takes too much longer.

I truly would not mind doing something else while I am here but I don't want to lose my skills for when we head home.

Thanks again for all your advice, all the best moving home : )

eramie · Post by **eramie** » Sun, 01 Jun 2008 9:20 am

Is there a way to go through the nursing board on your own? I have been in contact with them and they have told me that my hiring institution would be the one to submit all of my paperwork, but the hospitals have stated that I need to be registered with the board first. I'm confused!

sleepydog · Post by **sleepydog** » Sun, 01 Jun 2008 6:56 pm

Nursing is a tough profession as the patients demand a lot in SG, the salary is not acctractive as well, if you are interested to share some nursing experiences, pls pm me!

RDAsally · Post by **RDAsally** » Tue, 03 Jun 2008 4:48 am

taxico · Post by **taxico** » Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:28 pm

nursing is not an easy profession in singapore. it's not prestigious in singapore to be a nurse either. and yes, it's a mess trying to get registered.

but let me put it this way: many foreign trained nurses from china and philippines are employed in singapore.

i don't see why nurses from UK/NZ/AU/US should have so much difficulty landing a job.

if you're willing to settle, then you will find a rewarding and enriching job. which is what good nursing should be about anyway...

if you're insistent on as good a deal as you can get, then be prepared to be resourceful, unconventional and to spend lotsa time looking for the right opening and luck.

i'm sorry this sounds harsh, but i've heard some accounts of how western well-educated nurses new to singapore expect to be treated/remunerated!

not gonna happen. when in rome... !

evergreen21 · Post by **evergreen21** » Thu, 26 Feb 2009 6:29 pm

im also currently looking around. i got my RN from Florida with a couple of years experience.

the procedure of getting registered is a lil bit confusing. I now know that i need to get an offer letter first, now does any1 with the same background as mine wud like to share whether it is better for me to go to clinics/hospitals' HR dept to look for work or sending CVs out ?

thanks

evergreen21 · Post by **evergreen21** » Thu, 26 Feb 2009 6:35 pm

btw hi W...

sorry it seems rude hijacking your thread just like that

u posted this thread a year ago, I wonder how have u been?

hows Singapore been treating you and specially have u gotten any luck with work? mind sharing the working situation etc.?

cheers!

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