American RN jobs in Israel

TeachersNotebook

Wed, Sep 21 2016, 11:30 pm

Why don't you speak to Nefesh B'nefesh? They'll probably have some answers for you.

My husband is an American nurse who is reluctant to move to Israel. He's heard from nurses there that the Israeli nursing profession is very different. More on par with what a tech is here. Apparently doctors do everything in Israel, and nurses don't do as much skilled work as they do here.

ora_43

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 5:36 am

Someone who wants to work at a hospital would need to know Hebrew. But unless they have unusual difficulty with languages, they should be able to pick up enough Hebrew if they really focus on that for a few months. (Having so-so grammar and an accent is OK; not understanding what Hebrew-speaking patients are saying or not being able to explain a patient's symptoms wouldn't be).

Many many medical professionals in Israel are immigrants.

5*Mom

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 6:08 am

TeachersNotebook wrote:

Nefesh B'nefesh is a good resource.

I'm not sure who told you about doctors doing everything and nurses doing less skilled work here. That's not been my experience at all. I'd look into that more.

5*Mom

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 6:10 am

ora_43 wrote:

For someone with a background in Hebrew, a few months of focused learning might do it. But for someone with little to no background or who may have learned once but doesn't feel comfortable at all with Hebrew, I don't think a few months would be enough to understand and communicate with patients on a technical level. It's a high stress, high stakes environment (patients are sick, in pain, afraid, impatient and speaking faster than Israelis normally speak, which is fast) that is not really conducive to learning Hebrew on the job the way some other job situations might be.

ora_43

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 2:30 pm

5*Mom wrote:

I didn't suggest learning Hebrew on the job. I suggested taking several months to learn Hebrew *before* starting the job. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

I think even someone with little to no background can get conversational in a few months, if they really focus on it. Like, not just taking ulpan classes in the morning and then hanging out with English speaking friends and relatives, but full-time, Hebrew classes, getting a job that uses Hebrew, etc.

ETA - smilingmom said "rudimentary Hebrew" so I'm assuming someone who does have some experience, but needs a ton of practice and needs to expand their vocabulary a lot.

smilingmom

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 8:01 pm

ora_43 wrote:

ETA - smilingmom said "rudimentary Hebrew" so I'm assuming someone who does have some experience, but needs a ton of practice and needs to expand their vocabulary a lot.

Thanks, she has 12 years of yeshiva education and can carry out a basic conversation in Hebrew, as well as read and write.

She assumes that for the first few months, while transferring her credentials, she will enroll in an ulpan. However, she was concerned about competing for jobs against Israeli nurses that are obviously more fluent in Hebrew.

maliza

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 8:27 pm

nefesh b'nefesh will be a tremendous help, as mentioned previously. check the website - they have a section for nursing practice in Israel.

While your BSN is accepted, there are other prerequisites to working as a registered nurse in Israel. It is my understanding that you would have to take an ulpan in Hebrew medical terminology, a (Hebrew) course in Israeli pharmacology, and I believe an Nclex-style exam, which I think is offered in English. I know the Brunner's textbook is considered the gold standard from which to study.

Shifts may be scheduled somewhat differently and the pay is minimal compared to what U.S. nurses earn. Not working shabbosot and yomim tovim will require a new perspective since a large number of nurses will have the same issue. Nursing practice is pretty much the same - but its a different experience, and the women I know who are nurses enjoy their jobs very much.

Kol Tov!

notshanarishona

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 9:27 pm

There are a lot of American areas where the local health clinics frequently hire nurses with poor hebrew due to the large volume of English speakers I.e. I have seen that in Har Nof, Maalot Dafna, etc.
In the hospital there are many American nurses, but they all speak at least basic hebrew IME.

Tel Tzion Ima

Sat, Sep 24 2016, 3:16 pm

I know a handful of Americans who did nursing school in Israel. AFAIK they were not at a disadvantage when it came to finding work as they were able to communicate in Hebrew by the end of their training.

If you are transferring your degree, there are medical ulpans, an ulpan course just for medical professionals.

Nefesh b'Nefesh could help with all of these details. I know at least one American doctor who made aliyah a few years ago through NBN, and I know he went to a medical ulpan and then found employment at a kupat cholim as a family doctor.

Shuly

Sun, Sep 25 2016, 1:00 pm

fyi -
AFAIK, an American nursing degree is not automatically transferred, like an MD.
She would have to take another test in Israel to be certified here. I heard from friends that the test is very hard.

israeliMD

Sun, Sep 25 2016, 2:35 pm

I'm a physician in Israel and I made aliyah from the US.

As long as you have a base of hebrew (reading, writing, basic conversation) it is very doable. The people who have a tough time are the ones that come in with zero knowledge of the language. There is a medical ulpan. I was not allowed to take it because there was a requirement to take the basic ulpan first which I did not have time to do (only offered in the day while I worked). I know there is a physician's ulpan for 5-10 physicians at once and it is super intense and takes place a few times a year. It may be possible for a nurse especially in the periphery areas to participate in that.

Talk to NBN. There may be financial incentives for nurses depending on the area of the country you move to.

Also, if you are not looking to work at a hospital a lot of the clinics employ nurses and they seem to have a lot of autonomy and the work hours tend to be excellent (9-4 5 days a week).