i am currently trying to find a job for when i graduate in may of 2010. i do not want to work in the us. i have found a couple companies that help international nurses find jobs in other countries but they all require 2 to 3 years of experience and am currently waiting to hear back from st. vincent's in sydney. i would prefer to start out learning how to nurse in australia's health care system compared to learning the system in the us than learn the australian. does anyone know of hospitals that take new graduates as international nurses or do i just need to suck it up and work in the us for a few years. i am primarily looking in melbourne but prefer sydney because i have a friend who lives there.

I was actually a new grad from the US and went directly into nursing in Australia. My best advice, if you are sure you want to do it, is to apply to Graduate Nurse Programs in the state you are interested in. There was basically a common application, a series of questions you needed to answer, and then you ranked your choices and interviews were given from there.

As a new graduate, I found it to be very challenging at first. I was the only graduate in the program trained in a different country. Medications have different names, the role of the nurse is a bit different, an entire different health system, their training is different (I found the nurses there did A LOT more clinical hours that I did a top university in the US) etc. I moved there for my husband, but if I could do it again would have definintely gotten a years worth of experience in the US first. While the fundamentals were the same, the scope of practice varied, the hospital system was different (having to mix your own IV antibiotics, something I had never done). In addition, orientation was extremley different. Offers I had from hospitals in the US had usually a minimum of 8 weeks working with a preceptor during orientation, while I got a 5 day hospital orientation in AUS, 5 days with a preceptor, then had a full patient load.

It was definitely a huge learning curve, and if I could do it again definitely would have honed my skills and increased my confidence in the US (in hospitals and a system I was familiar with), before working in a different country. Good luck!

I have been offered a position with Melbourne Private Hospital in a 52 week new graduate program. I am vey interested in learning more about the differences in nursing you noticed in Australia. I was surprised because the nurse recruiter I talked with said most Australian nursing students only had 8 weeks of clinical in their program and I had close to 90 weeks of clinical instruction throughout my program. Also, what is the role of nursing in Australia...is it only passing meds or is it assessments and interventions like it is in the US.

wait... how is that possible? I am trying to do the same thing because I HAVE to!!! I am a year away from graduating from a local community college, two year ASN degree. I need to go to Canada, Aus, or NZ as a new grad... but it looks like I have to have experience, the requirements clearly states that I must have experience... how did you guys get the offer???? please I need this info!

Contact the hospitals directly.

Nels, "most Australian graduates only had 8 weeks of clinicals in their program"?????????? Are you kidding me? We do a 3 yr bachelor of nursing. My clinical hours at least matched those of the US as they allowed me to be licensed in the US (and they assess that stuff closely).

Likewise, you did 90 weeks of clinicals in your program? Which program is that? So in a four year degree, that'd be about 22.5 weeks per year, or approximately 6 months straight of clinical, each and every year. That is very surprising.

I would have to say, as an Australian-trained RN who has worked in the UK, NZ and US, nursing itself isn't that different. The main difference has been the health systems (esp between other countries and US system). As an experienced RN, it wasn't that hard to move across.

We have 15 weeks of clinical every semester and two semesters a year for 3 years so this is close to 90 weeks. I think total we need over 600 hours of clinical instruction in the state of Minnesota where I live.

I applied through healthscope for the new graduate program and I just googled new grad program in AU to apply for the job.

I guess I'm just wondering exactly what nurses do in Australia and if they work with licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants or if they do the job of the nursing assistants and licensed practical nurses plus all the registered nursing assessments, interventions and evaluations.

most acute wards have RNs and EENs(endoresed enrolled nurses). In most public hospitals in Australia the nurse has a pt allocation for the day usually about 4-7 pt depending on the ward (in Victoria we have laws that state that in the acute setting on either day day shift we cannot have no more than 4 pt)

Usually you will do all the care for the pt from washes, feeding to bloods, obs, and all other interventions such as passing NGT, catherters, IV canulas. Also there is something called the nurse initated medication list where a RN or RN Div 1 depending on the state can initate certain medications without the doctor prescribing then on a one off bases mainly simple analgseia - paracetomol and aprients such as lactulose. Also the RN does all the standard admission documentation and assessment.

My experiences in Sydney showed me that most wards had 1 or 2 "wardies" (wardsperson) or AIN's(assistant in nursing) who would assist you with your turns and full bed baths but they only came when you asked. They did not have a pt load as such and were expected to do other tasks as well such as ward cleaning or transfering pt to theatres, radiology etc.

Good luck

that gives me some encouragement i have had people tell me that i'm crazy to leave the us, that the economy will turn around by next year, and that i won't get a job because i am competing with australian grads. but it is good to hear that other people have accomplished what i want to do. i appreciate it.

In Victoria it's illegal for untrained staff to perform nursing work in acute care, so there aren't any AIN/CNA-like roles, though aged care would fall apart without them. The resource/in charge nurse doesn't take a patient load except at night (maximum 1 nurse:8 patients on the wards), and there are ward assistants (to clean, collect equipment) and a ward clerk 8 - 8 weekdays and 8 - 4 weekends, as well as 24/24 orderlies (transport, assists with turns etc).

There's no such thing as respiratory therapists, and as was stated, most IV meds are made up on the ward just prior to administration.

My hospital has a 6 - 8 week orientation and preceptorship program and a year long graduate nurse program (with dedicated educators and paid study days).

I agree with Maria that getting all the transferrable stuff, like time management and adjusting to shift work, down before transferring to a new system might make the transition easier, especially as you'll have already absorbed a lot of the US way of doing things through your clinicals.

Best of luck with whatever you decide :)

I have questions regarding working in australia. Iam an international student, currently on OPT working in nursing skilled facility in California. I finish my school in las vegas BSN accelerated nursing program 18 months. Can anyone tell me what is the process to migrate to australia. I have been reading threads new grad filipinos wants to work..in australia/new zealand..but i m still confused. DO i need to take IELTS exam again eventhough i graduated in united state? and also i planned to register under victoria nursing board, should i fill the application initial registration or Full - Migration Skills Assessment Application? Thanks i need clarification for the steps

I have questions regarding working in australia. Iam an international student, currently on OPT working in nursing skilled facility in California. I finish my school in las vegas BSN accelerated nursing program 18 months. Can anyone tell me what is the process to migrate to australia. I have been reading threads new grad filipinos wants to work..in australia/new zealand..but i m still confused. DO i need to take IELTS exam again eventhough i graduated in united state? and also i planned to register under victoria nursing board, should i fill the application initial registration or Full - Migration Skills Assessment Application? Thanks i need clarification for the steps

I suggest you post your questions in the thread in the International forum. IELTS has to be done regardless on where you trained.

I have questions regarding working in australia. Iam an international student, currently on OPT working in nursing skilled facility in California. I finish my school in las vegas BSN accelerated nursing program 18 months. Can anyone tell me what is the process to migrate to australia. I have been reading threads new grad filipinos wants to work..in australia/new zealand..but i m still confused. DO i need to take IELTS exam again eventhough i graduated in united state? and also i planned to register under victoria nursing board, should i fill the application initial registration or Full - Migration Skills Assessment Application? Thanks i need clarification for the steps

1. Do your own research on the web.

2. Pass IELTS.

3. Apply for a license.

4. Obtain ANMC certificate (I recommend modified assessment after obtaining a license).

5. Apply for immigration.