| There is a huge demand for nurses worldwide, | | | | Australia, and the Middle East, and can assist you |
| due to the fact that nursing personnel make up | | | | in finding hospitals with openings. If you want to |
| over fifty percent of the medical workforce in | | | | work elsewhere, you simply have to do some |
| most parts of the world, and as much as 80% in | | | | research to find a similar organization. They will |
| many countries in the developing world. Doctors | | | | also help you put together all your documents and |
| are simply too expensive for many hospitals in | | | | ensure that you have received the proper |
| less affluent countries, which means that the | | | | vaccinations. |
| responsibility and the workload is shifted onto the | | | | What You Need To Do |
| nurses. Hospitals are often under-staffed, and in | | | | Generally, most countries only accept nurses who |
| certain places, this lack of medical knowledge is | | | | have gone through a four-year nursing program, |
| becoming a real problem. People with your U.S. | | | | with a BSN or MSN. However, you may be able |
| nursing training are in extraordinarily high demand | | | | to make some exceptions if you have a history |
| all over the world, and with a little research, you | | | | of volunteering as a nurse overseas. There are a |
| can easily obtain a job overseas. | | | | number of volunteer programs, including Health |
| Where To Apply, What To Consider | | | | Volunteers Overseas, Project Hope, and even the |
| First off, it may be easier to apply for an | | | | Peace Corps. If you're interested in understanding |
| overseas nursing job through an international | | | | the nature of overseas nursing, these may be |
| organization, simply because they have an | | | | good places to start. These volunteer programs |
| administrative system in place to help you get all | | | | mean more if you want to be a nurse overseas |
| your documents together. Within the scope of | | | | in a developing country, where you'll have to find |
| international work, you can choose to help out | | | | creative solutions to problems involving lack of |
| wherever an overseas crisis is occurring, or | | | | medical infrastructure. |
| whether you want to stay in one place. | | | | Specifically, two types of certifications and |
| The 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the 2004 tsunami in | | | | specializations that travel well are: |
| South Asia, or even the 2005 hurricane in New | | | | * Pediatric nursing and midwifery. Neonatal care is |
| Orleans were examples of international nursing | | | | something that is always needed, whether you're |
| work that required a lot of overseas travel. | | | | going to a developed country like the UK or a |
| Doctors and nurses were flown in from all over | | | | poorer country, there are always babies that |
| the globe to help out in these crisis zones. If | | | | need to be taken care of. |
| helping out in places like these is your ideal | | | | * Orthopedic nursing. Long one of the most |
| overseas nursing career, organizations like the | | | | highly-sought-after specializations, orthopedic |
| International Red Cross can help you out | | | | nurses are in high demand everywhere. Whether |
| immensely. | | | | it's in countries in which you will be the go-to |
| There also plenty of nursing organizations that | | | | person in the medical infrastructure for care and |
| simply operate as middlemen between overseas | | | | assistance, or whether you're going to work in |
| hospitals and nurses in the United States. O'Grady | | | | developed countries, orthopedic specialists will |
| Peyton is a good example of one such group. | | | | never find themselves out of work for long. |
| They have connections with hospitals in the U.K., | | | | |