Life as An International Nurse

Being an international nurse was one of the best choices I ever made. If you are considering an experience abroad, I would strongly recommend it. However, you may want to consider a few points before embarking on this undertaking to ensure it is the right choice for you.

When you work in a different country, you will learn new and different systems which you will automatically compare with the ones you came from. This learning opens up your mind, and you are able to pick the best from both systems and improve your skills as well.

Although full of personal development and growth, life as an international nurse is not an easy journey; it takes a great deal of courage and mental preparedness. When you move to another country, one of the first hurdles you may encounter is the language barrier, compounded by local accents, slang and dialects.

Due to the challenges of being an international nurse, many do not stay for the long haul. In no way do I aim to discourage people; I simply wish I had been warned of the pitfalls before I moved to UK, so that I would have had more realistic expectations and would have been better prepared.

As should be apparent, nursing is not a regular job, and our textbook education is just half of what we are expected to perform. Nursing involves a lot of interpersonal skills that you learn along the way. I have worked with diverse cultures and personalities, and each of them has taught me how to accept diversity—a soft skill that I am proud to have developed.

Working with colleagues from all over the world makes your experience abroad richer, but you will be confronted with different opinions, perspectives and working styles. Flexibility is key and being able to communicate despite the differences is important. Acceptance and understanding flourishes with time and effort.

As nurses, we put the needs of our patients above anything else. Sometimes you can encounter patients who display prejudices and preconceptions. You may feel discouraged, but in nursing it is imperative to maintain a high level of professionalism. You must try and deliver the best care possible, regardless of their attitude. Thankfully, this is rare. Most of the time, you will find lovely people, full of gratitude for your hard work, who will share with you their amazing life stories (I have heard so many over the years).

There are many support networks and programmes available to help international nurses acclimatise to their new environment. Many nurse entrepreneurs, including myself, aim to facilitate healthcare professionals’ international experience. With Rohme, I offer as much knowledge and information as possible. You can contact me at fabio@rohme.uk or Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabio-trovato-monastra-78922b171/).

If you are considering becoming an international nurse, you will most certainly learn new skills and improve existing ones. Overcoming the challenges will be the biggest reward and achievement.

Fabio Trovato Monastra is currently the CEO of Rohme (www.rohme.uk). He has five years experience as Deputy Theatre Manager and Nurse, having worked at Highgate Private Hospital and NHS. He initially began his nursing career in Italy, attaining a nursing degree with distinction from University La Sapienza of Rome.