'I'm exhausted, but I love it'

The 28-year-old nurse found a post at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead and later moved to Guy's Hospital, where she now works in research.

She earns around £1,500 a month, about the same as she was paid in America.

She said: "At first I was exhausted. Although the patients and the care were the same as back home, the workload was significantly heavier. In Washington I would be looking after, say, four to six patients on a day shift. Over here I had 12, but I just had to get on with it."

Although she has less disposable income than she did at home because of the high cost of living in the capital, she has no regrets about coming to Britain to work for the NHS.

She said: "I love my work. I have been treated really well and don't feel exploited in the NHS. I am having a great time in London, go out to parties and have made a lot of friends."