How Can American Nurses work in Finland?

The current shortage of nurses in Finland created an opportunity for  nurses, both from Finland and abroad.

Due to this shortage, Finland has seen an  influx in the nursing profession. This shortage, however, has not removed the requirements necessary for foreigners to work in Finland. Hence, there are requirements to be met and criteria to meet.

This article addresses the statistics of demand, average pay, how American nurses can work in Finland and many other pieces of information. 

Statistics of Demand for Nurses in Finland.

With the acute shortage of qualified workforce in the nursing industry, Finland is expected to employ about 30,000 nurses. This is to meet up with the government’s directive to have seven nurses for ten elderly patients.

This has already led to some movements to meet the directive. A private company named Attendo has plans to hire a thousand nurses to attend over 400 nursing homes.

Working conditions and nurses doing more than their nursing duties require have been one of the major reasons for the shortage of nurses in Finland. While the government has made plans to scale up, it also plans to make the nursing field attractive.

This creates an exciting prospect for foreign nurses and even locals who either quit or didn’t finish their training, especially with projected industry growth of 16% in the next 5 years.

The Average Pay of Nurses in Finland

Registered nurses in Finland earn between €28,000 – €68,000. This can be broken down to an average of €4,530 monthly.

This average may vary for different nursing roles though. Some are more lucrative than others. Here are some examples of some nursing roles and their average salaries.

  Keep in mind these figures are average. They all depend on the employer’s discretion and your qualifications.

How Can American Nurses Work in Finland?

Working as an American nurse in Finland might be a bit difficult. There are requirements one needs to meet. Some of these requirements are:

• Getting a Finland license for practicing. This can be gotten from Valvira, an organization In charge of health care professionals in Finland.
• Pass a language test. Valvira tests your fluency in Finnish and Swedish. These are the native dialects.
• Pass any other test as given to you by the organization. At some point, there are fees to be paid.

Finnish is not an easy language to learn, but once you’ve learned it, your nursing experience should be smooth. Nursing in Finland is not very different from nursing in America aside from the rigors to get your certification.

What Other Countries Can An American Registered Nurse Work In?

As an American registered nurse, there are numerous countries you can work in with your qualifications. Let’s look at some of them.

1. New Zealand: 

Their healthcare system is split adequately between state-funded and private care. A well-funded system, with 10% of the state GDP going into healthcare. New Zealand also affords state-of-the-art technology for its nurses with favorable working conditions. Being a specialist nurse helps as well, as specialists are well compensated and more sought after. Working as a nurse here also comes with a 4 week annual paid leave. 

2. Denmark: 

The Nordic countries have a fantastic healthcare system and it’s no surprise that Denmark makes this list. An incredibly organized system with a modernized working environment makes it a very attractive place to work. However, you will be required to get authorizations from the government and healthcare bodies before you practice. You would also be required to take a language test because learning the local language is pertinent. With an average salary of about $58,000, Denmark is arguably the best place in Europe to be a nurse.

3. Australia: 

Just like New Zealand, Australia has a healthy mix of state-funded and private healthcare systems. Australia’s healthcare is also well funded and with the demand for nurses being high, there is a proactive recruitment process. The government and private healthcare organizations actively scout and recruit nurses. Being an American nurse means that your training and degree comes from America. Therefore, an American nurse can work in Australia without having to get added certifications. However, an international English Language test is required to qualify for their nursing registration.

4. Canada: 

The similarities in Canadian healthcare and American healthcare make Canada a great destination for American nurses. While its healthcare is majorly funded by the state, it is regulated at a regional level. In some parts of the country like Quebec for instance, you’d need proficiency in French and would be required to take a test. The salary average is $60,000 yearly which is pretty decent.

5. Norway: 

Another Scandinavian country, with great healthcare. Just as Finland and Denmark require a certain level of proficiency in the local languages, so does Norway. Asides from that, a yearly salary average of $50,000 with its high quality of life makes it another favorite destination for American nurses.

How Can An American Nurse Move To Finland?

With the new European regulations, US citizens would be required to have a visa waiver to enter Finland. If you get the ETIAS approval, you can go to Finland Visa-free. The ETIAS approval lasts as long as your regular US visa.

Asides from the ETIAS approval, there are other documents that you would require in your immigration process. They include:

1. A valid passport

2. Recognised travel document 

Benefits Of Being A Nurse In Finland

1. Less competition, due to the shortage of nurses 

2. Meeting and mingling with people from different cultures living in Finland

3. Healthy standard of living

How To Register With Finland Nursing Council

Joining the Finland Nursing Council comes with a lot of advantages, which include the following;

1. Insurance benefits, which include free-time accidents insurance and legal expenses insurance.
2. Training and events
3. Network of professionals 
4. Discounts on free-time activities

The eligibility criteria for joining the council are:

1. Be a registered nurse
2. Hold a bachelors or Master’s degree
3. If you hold a managerial position as an expert in social and healthcare
4. Have a Master’s degree in healthcare

Conclusions

One of the best countries to work as a nurse in as an American is still America, but countries like Finland present an opportunity of a lifetime. As a country, Finland is a great place to be and for nurses, soon it would be a haven for them as well.

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