Nursing Elective Placements Abroad
in Africa and Asia
Boost your career with a nursing placement abroad
Go on a once-in-a-lifetime nursing elective abroad with Work the World, and you’ll get career-boosting clinical experience in an overseas hospital. Then, you’ll have life-changing travel experiences with new friends in your free time.
These are not ‘off the shelf’ overseas nursing placements — you can tailor your experience to your interests.
You choose everything from the destination to the individual departments you want to get experience in.
You’ll find the experience to be life-changing. And that’s true whether you want to undertake your placement as a nursing student or a graduate.
Why go on an overseas nursing placement?
- Unique experience that puts you ahead of your peers
- Stand out to employers
- Strengthen your academic profile
- Build a network to tap into during your career
- Gain perspective that reframes your view of the NHS
- Build confidence by stepping out of your comfort zone
- Get inspiration around where you might specialise
Eye-opening Clinical Placement
This is your chance to hone your clinical skills as a nursing student or graduate alongside English-speaking clinical supervisors in a low-resource hospital in Africa and Asia.
Our nursing elective placements abroad are designed to help you develop yourself and gain a different perspective on healthcare back at home. You’ll come to realise that being able to practise the 6Cs is a luxury of a wealthier healthcare system.
Some things you will observe on your nursing elective placement include:
- Different cultural attitudes towards care
- Religious beliefs affecting practice
- Extremely late presentations and advanced conditions
On your nursing placement abroad, you'll also see significant differences in the fundamentals of nursing practice. For example, in many of Work the World's destinations, families take responsibility for many tasks that would (in the UK) fall to a nurse, like personal care.
Branches for nursing electives abroad
Looking for nursing experience abroad? Choose a branch for your nursing placement below and see what you can expect from an overseas elective. Or you can stay on the page for more general information about a nursing placement abroad as a student or recent graduate.
Remember — you can customise your overseas placement. So if you want to combine branches for your elective placement, or try a branch different from the one you're studying, you're welcome to do so.
Once-in-a-lifetime travel
As a nursing student or graduate, your clinical placement is the focus of your trip. But your free time in the afternoons and weekends will be packed full of experiences like:
- Relaxing on palm-lined, white-sand beaches
- Getting close to elephants, lions and giraffes on safari
- Swimming with curious sea turtles on warm tropical reefs
- Hiking (or paragliding!) through the Himalayas
- Spending a weekend hopping between paradise islands
Explore your destination options below to get a real sense of opportunity for adventure.
Stay in an exclusive private property
While you’re with us, you’ll stay in one of our private, catered houses, reserved exclusively for healthcare students and graduates on a Work the World programme. You’ll share the experience with like-minded peers, creating a supportive home-from-home throughout your overseas placement.
- Fun, social atmosphere
- Chill-out areas
- Make friends for life
- 24/7 in-country support team based in the house
- Security team for peace of mind
Think BBQ nights, karaoke, swimming pools, and a home-from-home to return to after a day on placement.
What's included?
The service you get with us is end-to-end. That means we will support you before, during and even after your trip.
You'll get:
- Pre-departure preparation with our UK team
- Structured, supervised nursing elective placement
- Private, catered accommodation
- 24/7 in-country team
- Airport pick up and drop off
- + more
Arrivals are every Sunday, 52 weeks of the year — travel when it suits you. Nursing elective placement durations start from one week. Speak with one of our consultants today to explore your options and check availability.
Nursing elective placement destinations
Ghana Takoradi
Sri Lanka Kandy
The Philippines - Iloilo
Vietnam Hue
Tanzania Dar es Salaam
Nepal Kathmandu
From our Blog
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What do our nursing electives abroad offer?
A Work the World nursing elective abroad gives you the chance to undertake a clinical placement in the developing world. You will spend time in a low-resource hospital and see unfamiliar practices and advanced conditions. You can even choose the departments you want to rotate through. We cater to all nursing branches including: Adult Nursing, Child Nursing, Mental Health Nursing and Learning Disability Nursing.
What are the benefits of a Work the World nursing elective?
The benefits of our nursing elective placements abroad include:
- Getting invaluable clinical experience in the field
- Making yourself more attractive to employers
- Building your professional network
- Doing some proper travelling
how long is a work the world nursing elective?
A nursing elective is as long as you want it to be. Our minimum placement duration is one week, but students typically travel on their nursing electives abroad for 4-6 weeks. There is no upper limit to how long you can travel for.
What is a nursing elective placement?
A nursing elective placement is your opportunity to get some real-world experience in a clinical setting. Undertaking your nursing elective placement overseas massively expands the scope of what you'll be able to achieve. It also looks great to employers as it shows your passion for your vocation. If you want to undertake your nursing elective abroad, get in touch with Work the World today.
What can student nurses do on placement?
The activities that student nurses can undertake in their chosen hospitals vary depending on which hospital and nursing speciality they choose. A typical nursing placement abroad includes witnessing uncommon conditions and hospital practices in the UK. They can also gain insight into how social and cultural issues impact care provision and explore the destination in which they’re undertaking their elective.
Can you choose your nursing placements?
Nursing students and recent graduates can choose where they go for their nursing placement. You can choose between various nursing specialities and elective destinations. Work the World’s dedicated placement consultant will also contact you to discuss your clinical interests and help you decide which departments to rotate through to meet your goals. Each nursing placement is tailored to help you make the most of your time abroad.
How can I be a good student nurse on placement?
A nursing placement abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime travel and learning opportunity. Work the World have strong bonds with hospital staff, so you can genuinely learn local practices. To make the most of your nursing elective abroad, ensure you show up on time, take notes, and do not be afraid to ask questions! Evenings and weekends are yours so that you can also explore the rich culture outside of the hospital.
Which departments are good for nursing placements?
Work the World offers nursing electives in several different departments. These include adult nursing, child nursing, mental health nursing, and learning disability nursing. We can help you tailor your nursing placement to your liking, meaning you are free to combine different branches or try a department that is different from the one you're studying.
Is there an application process?
If you’re wondering how to apply for a nursing elective, we’ve got you covered. If you are studying for or have recently completed a healthcare degree, you automatically qualify for one of Work the World's tailored healthcare elective placements abroad. Contact the Work the World team, and we will handle all the logistics to secure your spot at a trusted partner hospital in one of our fascinating nursing elective destinations abroad. We will help you navigate the pre-departure logistics of your nursing placement and provide local expert support once you have arrived in your chosen destination.