# Nursing in paphos region



## Jonga (Sep 15, 2009)

My husband has recently secured a job in Paphos and it looks as if we will be moving out there next month. I am an RN registered in both the UK and California. Can anyone give me any advice about nursing within the Paphos region? Is it easy to find jobs? Should I start my registration process myself or would my employer take care of that. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## Higgi (Mar 18, 2009)

Jonga said:


> My husband has recently secured a job in Paphos and it looks as if we will be moving out there next month. I am an RN registered in both the UK and California. Can anyone give me any advice about nursing within the Paphos region? Is it easy to find jobs? Should I start my registration process myself or would my employer take care of that. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.


Hi
I moved to cyprus in beginning of June and was hoping to get a nursing job fairly easily. My husband secured a job here before we came fortunately...
I am registered in the UK and sent my fully completed application for registration to the cypriot NMC 1 week after I arrived. Many phonecalls and emails later (over 3 months) i am still not registered and its 'in progress' - so my advice to you is start the process now. It takes months. And as for employment - I am still jobless. Do you speak Greek?. This is the biggest problem. You might be lucky in the big artemis hospital in paphos as I had an interview there and it seemed nice but for me it was going to be a 120km round trip every day and with the poor wages I decided not to take the job as it would all go on petrol. The wages for nurses are about 5.00 euro an hour and usually for a 6 day week. The other hospitals like you to be able to speak greek as a second language as obviously the patients are mostly cypriot. I have been very disappointed that I have been unable to get a job as I love my job and in my opinion have a lot of experience to offer having specialised in cardiology for many years. But I have written to every hospital, cosmetic surgeon and cardiologist in my area with no joy. Hope you have better luck.
Deborah


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## Higgi (Mar 18, 2009)

Jonga said:


> My husband has recently secured a job in Paphos and it looks as if we will be moving out there next month. I am an RN registered in both the UK and California. Can anyone give me any advice about nursing within the Paphos region? Is it easy to find jobs? Should I start my registration process myself or would my employer take care of that. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.


Hi
I moved to cyprus in beginning of June and was hoping to get a nursing job fairly easily. My husband secured a job here before we came fortunately...
I am registered in the UK and sent my fully completed application for registration to the cypriot NMC 1 week after I arrived. Many phonecalls and emails later (over 3 months) i am still not registered and its 'in progress' - so my advice to you is start the process now. It takes months. And as for employment - I am still jobless. Do you speak Greek?. This is the biggest problem. You might be lucky in the big artemis hospital in paphos as I had an interview there and it seemed nice but for me it was going to be a 120km round trip every day and with the poor wages I decided not to take the job as it would all go on petrol. The wages for nurses are about 5.00 euro an hour and usually for a 6 day week. The other hospitals like you to be able to speak greek as a second language as obviously the patients are mostly cypriot. I have been very disappointed that I have been unable to get a job as I love my job and in my opinion have a lot of experience to offer having specialised in cardiology for many years. But I have written to every hospital, cosmetic surgeon and cardiologist in my area with no joy. Hope you have better luck.
Deborah


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## Jonga (Sep 15, 2009)

Higgi said:


> Hi
> I moved to cyprus in beginning of June and was hoping to get a nursing job fairly easily. My husband secured a job here before we came fortunately...
> I am registered in the UK and sent my fully completed application for registration to the cypriot NMC 1 week after I arrived. Many phonecalls and emails later (over 3 months) i am still not registered and its 'in progress' - so my advice to you is start the process now. It takes months. And as for employment - I am still jobless. Do you speak Greek?. This is the biggest problem. You might be lucky in the big artemis hospital in paphos as I had an interview there and it seemed nice but for me it was going to be a 120km round trip every day and with the poor wages I decided not to take the job as it would all go on petrol. The wages for nurses are about 5.00 euro an hour and usually for a 6 day week. The other hospitals like you to be able to speak greek as a second language as obviously the patients are mostly cypriot. I have been very disappointed that I have been unable to get a job as I love my job and in my opinion have a lot of experience to offer having specialised in cardiology for many years. But I have written to every hospital, cosmetic surgeon and cardiologist in my area with no joy. Hope you have better luck.
> Deborah


Thanks so much for replying. I'd almost given up! I can't believe that you haven't got a job yet and with so much to offer. I have a med/surg background but have been working in a wound care clinic in Abu Dhabi for the past 3 months. I'm loving it and am planning to specialize in this field. My husband got made redundant and has been offered a job in Cyprus so we have to move. I was hoping to find somewhere where I could continue my wound care education and practice. I can't even speak one word of Greek! With 2 kids in uni and another in high school I really need to supplement our income but am incredulous that a professional would be paid so little. Thanks for the tips and maybe when i get over there ( within the next 2 weeks) we could hook up and commiserate!


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## Higgi (Mar 18, 2009)

That would be good. As I say I do hope that you have more luck than i am having. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. Yes, I agree the wages are not good for nurses but that is about the going rate. Wages generally here are a lot lower than the UK, and certainly lower than the emirates I am sure. Altho you do get a good tax deal being on a low wage as the threshold is 19K euros I believe. Anyway, get in touch when you come over and I'd love to meet up for a coffee or lunch. 
Deborah


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## Higgi (Mar 18, 2009)

Higgi said:


> That would be good. As I say I do hope that you have more luck than i am having. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. Yes, I agree the wages are not good for nurses but that is about the going rate. Wages generally here are a lot lower than the UK, and certainly lower than the emirates I am sure. Altho you do get a good tax deal being on a low wage as the threshold is 19K euros I believe. Anyway, get in touch when you come over and I'd love to meet up for a coffee or lunch.
> Deborah


Just thought you'd like to know the update which I have recently found out about nursing. The government have recently (july I believe) made a new law for transfer of registration that all foreigners have to be able to hold a basic conversation in Greek. I have just been approved by the registration board for 6 monthas, I heard this since writing to you last, and I have to go for an interivew in 6 mohts time and the interview is going to be in Greek.............oh God. Anyhow, I have arranged to start Greek lessons with a local tutor who is going to come to our house and teach us both so i at least will try. I have also managed to arrange a job at a hospital in Limassol, from Xmas, providing that, in the next 3 months I can hold a basic conversation with a greek patient. that is the proviso it seems now, which I guess is right and proper. Its not really safe practise to care for someone and not be able to converse, espeically in an emergency...So, fore warned is fore armed as they say and learning Greek may have to be in your plans for nursing and to be legally registered....!!
Hope to have a coffee soon
Deborah


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## Jonga (Sep 15, 2009)

Higgi said:


> Just thought you'd like to know the update which I have recently found out about nursing. The government have recently (july I believe) made a new law for transfer of registration that all foreigners have to be able to hold a basic conversation in Greek. I have just been approved by the registration board for 6 monthas, I heard this since writing to you last, and I have to go for an interivew in 6 mohts time and the interview is going to be in Greek.............oh God. Anyhow, I have arranged to start Greek lessons with a local tutor who is going to come to our house and teach us both so i at least will try. I have also managed to arrange a job at a hospital in Limassol, from Xmas, providing that, in the next 3 months I can hold a basic conversation with a greek patient. that is the proviso it seems now, which I guess is right and proper. Its not really safe practise to care for someone and not be able to converse, espeically in an emergency...So, fore warned is fore armed as they say and learning Greek may have to be in your plans for nursing and to be legally registered....!!
> Hope to have a coffee soon
> Deborah


Thanks for the update, Deborah. I'm just beginning to get my head around Arabic but at least we have translators here. I'm presuming that all the documentation is done in English and that we wouldn't have to learn how to read and write the language too. Congratulations on the job. Hope that the pay and hours are a little better. It's amazing the misinformation that is around about nursing in Cyprus though, isn't it? According to one website I researched they said that they were desperate for British nurses and that registration is easy! I'm so glad you replied to my thread. Thanks and coffee will be on me when I eventually get there! Karen


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Jonga said:


> Thanks for the update, Deborah. I'm just beginning to get my head around Arabic but at least we have translators here. I'm presuming that all the documentation is done in English and that we wouldn't have to learn how to read and write the language too. Congratulations on the job. Hope that the pay and hours are a little better. It's amazing the misinformation that is around about nursing in Cyprus though, isn't it? According to one website I researched they said that they were desperate for British nurses and that registration is easy! I'm so glad you replied to my thread. Thanks and coffee will be on me when I eventually get there! Karen


Why would you presume that in a Cypriot hospital all the documentation is done in English?
We are in Cyprus, THEY SPEAK GREEK HERE


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## Jonga (Sep 15, 2009)

Veronica said:


> Why would you presume that in a Cypriot hospital all the documentation is done in English?
> We are in Cyprus, THEY SPEAK GREEK HERE


I understand what you are saying but my presumption is actually not so ludicrous. In the medical profession a lot of the documentation is in English. I have worked in foreign hospitals in Hong Kong, Philippines and UAE and the documentation is all in English despite it not being their first language.


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## Higgi (Mar 18, 2009)

I am not sure about all of the documentation but I do know that at the Achillicon Hospital in Limassol everything medical is written in English so I also am assuming that prescriptions etc will also be in English in the other private hospitals. The interviewer didnt suggest i learn to write or read Greek - just to be able to converse with the patients. Good luck with your packing!!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Higgi said:


> I am not sure about all of the documentation but I do know that at the Achillicon Hospital in Limassol everything medical is written in English so I also am assuming that prescriptions etc will also be in English in the other private hospitals. The interviewer didnt suggest i learn to write or read Greek - just to be able to converse with the patients. Good luck with your packing!!


It would be a g odd idea to check though because everything I have had from the General hospital has been in Greek and I have had to get my neighbour to translate it for me.
So do not assume that all documention will be in English.


Veronica


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## figtree.cottage (Jun 27, 2011)

Higgi said:


> I am not sure about all of the documentation but I do know that at the Achillicon Hospital in Limassol everything medical is written in English so I also am assuming that prescriptions etc will also be in English in the other private hospitals. The interviewer didnt suggest i learn to write or read Greek - just to be able to converse with the patients. Good luck with your packing!!


Hi
I have just picked up on this thread. I am a cardiac nurse hoping to find work here. I knew about speaking Greek but I presumed it was for the State hospitals only. All notes are written in English and I thought the private clinics would except English.

Maggie


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

figtree.cottage said:


> Hi
> I have just picked up on this thread. I am a cardiac nurse hoping to find work here. I knew about speaking Greek but I presumed it was for the State hospitals only. All notes are written in English and I thought the private clinics would except English.
> 
> Maggie


Most of the private hospitals are staffed with Eastern Europeans who have very inadequate training and would never get jobs in UK hospitals. They also tend to speak very little English so heaven knows how they manage to read any notes that are written in English. Perhaps that explains some of cases I have heard of incorrect procedures by these nurses. They couldn't understand the notes

Its hight time the private hopsitals paid more attention to the quality of the nursing staff and less to the low wages Eastern European are willing to accept.


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## Higgi (Mar 18, 2009)

*Nursing*



figtree.cottage said:


> Hi
> I have just picked up on this thread. I am a cardiac nurse hoping to find work here. I knew about speaking Greek but I presumed it was for the State hospitals only. All notes are written in English and I thought the private clinics would except English.
> 
> Maggie


I have worked in a private hospital in Cyprus now for 18 months. To work in the government hospital you have to have a degree in Greek and even then, as a foreigner, you will have trouble getting through the door. I know a russian and a phillipino nurse who have reached the correct standards and have studied for 4 years here in Cyprus Uni's and still won't be accepted into the Cypriot government hospitals!. However, as Veronica says, the private sector do employ foreigners from all over the world and this is where you are more likely to find work. Initially though you do have to be registered with the Cypriot NMC which includes a 15 minute Greek speaking interview, unless you want to work as a 'practical nurse' which is the UK equivalent to a HCA. You also have to have current UK registration. This process can take anything up to 3 months. Where I work there is a mixture of languages, mostly Greek spoken and the official writings are accepted in either Greek or English. All doctors notes are in Greek. If you want anymore info email me privately and I will be able to go into more detail.


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## sachar (Aug 10, 2011)

Higgi said:


> Just thought you'd like to know the update which I have recently found out about nursing. The government have recently (july I believe) made a new law for transfer of registration that all foreigners have to be able to hold a basic conversation in Greek. I have just been approved by the registration board for 6 monthas, I heard this since writing to you last, and I have to go for an interivew in 6 mohts time and the interview is going to be in Greek.............oh God. Anyhow, I have arranged to start Greek lessons with a local tutor who is going to come to our house and teach us both so i at least will try. I have also managed to arrange a job at a hospital in Limassol, from Xmas, providing that, in the next 3 months I can hold a basic conversation with a greek patient. that is the proviso it seems now, which I guess is right and proper. Its not really safe practise to care for someone and not be able to converse, espeically in an emergency...So, fore warned is fore armed as they say and learning Greek may have to be in your plans for nursing and to be legally registered....!!
> Hope to have a coffee soon
> Deborah



Hi, I see that you have gone through the application process and, I presume, by now have had your interview to assess your Greek. I hope it went well and you're enjoying your job. 
I am in the process of getting all my documents organised so that I can apply to register my nursing qualifications in Cyprus, but I am really nervous about the Greek interview!!! When I first decided on Cyprus I had read that you don't need Greek to work in the private hospitals, but luckily I had started to learn it anyway coz I thought it was a bit rude not to, and then found out that the Cypriot NMC require you to be able to hold a basic conversation. I was hoping that you might be able to give me a bit more information about the assessment?? I feel that I cam hold a basic conversation, but it depends on what that conversation is about I guess?? If its about ordering a kilo of apples and a watermelon I'm fine, if its about someones head needing suturing I would certainly struggle!!!! ANY advice you can give me would be so helpful, I'm so nervous and don't have a clue if I'm anywhere near ready yet! But if I knew the kind of subjects they focus on I guess I could center my learning around that? 
Hope to hear from you soon,
Sacha


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