Three Reasons To Become a USRN
In 1989, President George Bush signed a bill to give thousands of immigrant nurses the right to apply for permanent residence status in the United States. Previously, immigrant nurses held the H1B visa that permitted them to stay in the US for only 5 years after which they were to return home.
Ever since this policy was approved, there has been a great surge in the number of Internationally Educated Nurses relocating permanently to the United States. The US is considered the most desirable country for nurses seeking to work abroad.
Here are 3 major reasons why the United States is the ultimate destination for internationally educated nurses.
1. Better Compensation and Benefits
The United States is one of the highest-paying countries for nurses. The healthcare system is highly privatized, and healthcare workers are handsomely paid. While compensation varies from state to state, on average, nurses make at least $34 per hour. The great compensation comes with even better benefits like medical insurance, holiday pay, differential pay, and generous overtime pay.
Better pay means a better quality of life. With an economy as strong as that of the United States, nurses, and their families can enjoy better healthcare, education, social protection, and access to other basic public services.
2. Work Environment
The work environment in the healthcare system in the United States is greatly appreciated by international nurses. This is because, relative to their home countries, systems, equipment, and infrastructure in the United States are of unmatched quality.
With these advanced systems and equipment, adequate resources, and high-tech infrastructure, quality patient care is guaranteed. Adequate and highly experienced nursing and other medical staff means a manageable nurse-to-patient ratio which also guarantees quality patient care.
Most nurses working in the US hail from different parts of the world. This creates a diverse working environment that inspires creativity and strategic thinking as it allows for ideas from different people with different experiences and perspectives.
The working hours for nursing professionals ensure a great work-life balance. Nursing professionals work at most up to 40 hours a week. This creates more time to explore the beauty that is the United States.
From climbing the cascading beauty that is Mount Hood in Oregon to relaxing under the sun at the beautiful shoreline of Oak Street beach in Illinois, to hiking at the mesmerizing Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. There is plenty to do beyond just work.
3. EB3 Visa
Internationally educated nurses relocate to the United States on the EB3 visa. This visa comes with a lot of perks as compared to employment visas from other countries. Nurses can relocate with their families, which include a legally married spouse and children under 21 years of age.
The Visa allows nurses and their families to become lawful permanent residents, granting them the chance to enjoy all rights and privileges as any other US Citizen, (except for the right to vote). Nurses also have the chance to apply for US citizenship after 5 years in the US.
