(edit title) Nurse with Europe & USA titles to work in Sweden European Nurse Options

[luisafelices]

Hello there!

My husband has got an offer from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and we are thinking to move from USA to Sweden. We are considering to take the position but we don't know yet if I can work in Sweden.

Briefly, we are Spaniards, I got my degree of Nursing in Spain and I have been working 7 years for the National Care Hospitals in there. We moved to USA. I have passed three exams to work as a Nurse in USA and I spent a year working as RN here.

I would like to know if I can work in Sweden. I have a high level of English, but I don't know any Swedish yet. I wonder if it is a big problem also to start a job in Sweden. If so, I would like to know the paperwork/courses that I should do.

Also I don't know if my husband can negotiate benefits or even my job in Sweden. He go several offers from Universities in USA, and he can negotiate everything (for salary, benefits and even for my relocation). This is not common if we were in Spain, and I wonder if there is such negotiation in Sweden.

Thanks in advance and best regards,
Luisa.

[Furu]

I got my degree of Nursing in Spain and I have been working 7 years for the National Care Hospitals in there.

Information - http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/applicationf...eforgeneralcare

[luisafelices]

Thanks Furu, I appreciate your help,
LF

[Puffin]

I would like to know if I can work in Sweden. I have a high level of English, but I don't know any Swedish yet. I wonder if it is a big problem also to start a job in Swed ... (show full quote)

I would like to know if I can work in Sweden. I have a high level of English, but I don't know any Swedish yet. I wonder if it is a big problem also to start a job in Sweden. If so, I would like to know the paperwork/courses that I should do. ... (hide full quote)

You are required to learn Swedish and familiarise yourself with Swedish medical law as well as register
http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/applicationf...eandlegislation

It is likely to be very difficult to find work without any Swedish - even though technically they cannot prevent EU citizens from registering - many jobs will be closed to you if you cannot understand the patients. It may be that you can find employment at a private clinic that markets itslef to non-Swedish speakers

Also I don't know if my husband can negotiate benefits or even my job in Sweden. He go several offers from Universities in USA, and he can negotiate everything (for salary, benefits and even for my relocation). This is not common if we were in Spain, and I wonder if there is such negotiation in Sweden.

Salary is usually negotiated unless it is a position with a firm scale (doktorand or certain post doc)

Not sure what other "benefits" academics in Sweden really get

[luisafelices]

Thanks for your help, Dalarna. This makes harder to accept the offer in Sweden.

[jostein]

You people obviously hate money. You will earn a pittence in Sweden as compared to in the US. Swedish nurses and doctors leave sweden to work abroad to earn more money. If it aint broke, dont fix it?

[Opalnera]

Well there is the cultural experience as well. My suggestion would be to bank on being out of work for about 6 months to a year. Spend that time going to SFI and learning Swedish the best you can and do a praktik (unpaid work experience). It will take a while to do what you need to do to get your qualifications recognised but in the meantime with a small amount of Swedish you should be able to get some basic nursing work in aged care or personal assistant to an elderly or disabled person.

Best of luck.

[Puffin]

If you have basc Swedish you may be able to find work with a care company that offers home-care to the sick, elderly and disabled - or in an old peoples home - many medical staff do this while they are training

If you take a job as a care assistant rather than a nurse there are often lesser language requirements

The nurse is often legally responsible for the medication which means your need to be able to find your way around the Swedish drugg "bible" FASS

A few years ago there were quite a few health authorities that used to pay medical staff to learn Swedish - although usually the rural areas - not Stockholm. However not sure that this is still the case now that many places have recruitment freezes

[Opalnera]

The pay for personal assistant jobs is really low too, about 17000kr a month.

[luisafelices]

Bye Bye Karolinska.
Welcome offers from USA!