Hello down under,

I'm a pre-nursing student and dream of working in the UK or Australia one day.

What is the standard of living like? I realize every other country values life, leisure and family UNLIKE America. For this is why I desperately want to leave this place once I gain some experience in the US.

What are nurses paid in Australia, not that it matters , since I 'm interested in lifestyle, not making a ton of $$.

Any feedback would be appreciated. I have so much respect for Australia, and the European countries and their beauty!!!

Pilar

Well I like it. Depends on where you want to live Australia is as big in area as mainland USA and is as varied. We do not have the population and I hate to tell you but we don't have the crime rate either. Guns are hard to obtain and no-one has a "right" to bear arms. We have a free health care system at the moment.

I enjoy life and am more than a little proud of my country and people. We are very much a multicultural society. Be prepared to meet an outspoken, irreverant people who love the undedog and look to cut down tall poppies.

We also tend to be Jack of all Trades sort of people who will do multiple roles without batting an eye. There are some differences in nursing between the two countries. We use the metric system for a start.:chuckle

There are subtle differences in language and culture.

Florida atlantic coast, here, working nights in ICU.... I went back to nursing after a ten year hiatus (the last of which was in community college taking the refresher program).

Nursing (as a job) has lost ground. I accepted 1/2 the vacation time and 65% of the pay I was getting ten years ago! Oh yuppers I get to live in my dream location, but "hospital bedside nursing" has become workstation dominated.

If I said the words "job description" to any supervisor they would become incontinent.

Nuff said.

My sister wants to take her doctorate at Queens in Ozzie in about 3 years. We are going together to tour ozzie and make new friends, leaving hubbies and pets behind! I can get a leave of absence by then for study and travel.... I have a map on the wall of places to see etc.

Hello from 2 hours south of Mickey Mouse!

If the USA is god's country then Australia is where he goes for a holiday!

my country is the best place on this planet! we are young and free. australia is the place in which others aspire to live. our isolation from the rest of the world has ensured our country is unique, beautiful, clean, affordable, and us inhabitants are not at all biased, and are very humble!! lol

we share our magnificent land with some of the most dangerous & venomous creatures known to humankind, but don't let that prevent you from coming for a visit! lol

unlike the usa, our inland is mostly desert, there's no highways/freeways cris-crossing the country between cities across australia. the population mostly inhabits the coastal fringe of australia. we have the best beaches in the world! our mountains are exquisite, and in winter, the snow is spectacular. skiers come from all over the world to ski our slopes.

the outback is rugged, beautiful & awesome. the wildlife will take your breath away. the sunsets do the same.

most of us are fair dinkum, kind hearted, compassionate people. we don't take kindly to folks who are full of bull****! we're very down to earth, no nonsense, plain speaking, tell you as it is, kind of people.

we're also classy, well educated, intelligent, interested, hard working people.

we believe in a fair go for everyone. we are world leaders in science, the arts, health research, and as for our sporting prowess...... what can i say??!!! speaks for itself!!

we area nation who has a proud & very distinguished military history. this, despite our small population. even today, our troops are in iraq at the request of the us government, supporting the war on terror & taking our place as responsible participants in the global village.

if you want to come and visit us, make sure you bring your sense of humour!!! you'll need it!!! :rotfl: we are a people who like a party:balloons:

and a parade.

our nurses and hospitals are the best in the world! no, i'm not biased, it's the absolute truth!

am i proud and patriotic??? ....... unashamedly so!!!!

i give thanks each and every day for the gift of being born & bred in this magnificent country...... australia!

so, come on down under! we will make you welcome!

cheers,

grace

Remember to bring the sunscreen, ( 30+ SPF), and the mosquito repellent!!!

Oh, and a deck chair.... coz we live a VERY laid back lifestyle!!! :chuckle

Oh! AND.... BYO too!!! That's Aussie for... Bring yer own grog!! You'll need it when attending a bbq or party. You always BYO. Unless otherwise stated, of course! :rotfl:

What can I say - Grace has said it for me!!!!

We Aussies love our country but be prepared for a very plain speaking people.

I would not drive personally - don't forget we drive on the other side of the road and it can be a long slow stretch between cities - bus and train are good and some of the trains are superb!!!

Our contry is unique in so many many ways that it is understandable that we are proud and happy to be Aussies!!

Hello down under,

What are nurses paid in Australia, not that it matters , since I 'm interested in lifestyle, not making a ton of $$.

Any feedback would be appreciated. I have so much respect for Australia, and the European countries and their beauty!!!

Pilar

Hey, I was just in Texas in Jan/Feb..great state you have there :) I think Australia is a fab place, although I am looking to leave it and go and live in the USA! Want to swap places?? :chuckle

I was only in the US a month, but the impression I got was that our standards of living aren't that greatly different. Though I'd say it was cheaper to live in Oz, but then you get paid less so.....Of course I was only in two states in America, so I wasn't able to do a very indepth analysis on these things!

I was in Texas with my (American) boyfriend for a few weeks, then we headed to San Diego so he could start his new job...now CA is expensive! Wow.

I think you'd find it laidback, friendly, and very welcoming here. You can have any kind of life here you'd like - big city frenetic stuff, sun surf and beach, tranquil country-side, or rugged outback. Have a go at working for the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service) - that'd be an experience for any nurse, and you'd sure get to see a lot of country from up in the air

As well as all the other advantages my fellow Australians have mentioned, there are a couple you might not have thought of (NB conditions vary from state to state): nurse: patient ratios (are you listening, Mr Bracks?), six weeks annual leave a year, holiday leave loading if you work shift work, a low litigation rate, paid maternity leave...

In general, there is more emphasis on patient outcomes that money (although this is changing), so it's less frustrating than some of the situations US nurses post about. Also, in addition to our lower crime rate (Melbourne gang wars notwithstanding), the food is fabulous, the weather pleasant (or, in Melbourne again, at least interesting in its unpredictability) and the people charming and intelligent. Okay, that might just be allnurses, but it sounded good!

I would like to live in Australia, New Zealand, and almost anywhere in the South Pacific such as French Polynesia, Tonga, Fiji ect. After I get out of my BSN program I plan on getting my acute care or family practice NP degree in the states. I realize that NP's are not utilized outside of the states, but think it might make me a more employable nurse in any case. Which of these areas would offer realistic employment opportunities. I would eventually like to experience most of these locations, but some might have to come as vacations rather than work and living experiences. I've also always wanted to hike from the East end to the West end of Australia, ending in that place where they swim with the dolphins if I live to see it! Are there any trails that span your country, and people there who do this sort of thing? Would crime be a big concern during such a hike? In the states I hiked from South Carolina to Maine, without too many problems except almost getting permanently lost in Maine after getting off the Appalacian trail. Where do those of you living in these type of beautiful, exotic places dream of living and experiencing? Based on everything I've read and seen there is no place as beautiful as the South Pacific. Do you agree with this or do you dream of places like Florida or maybe Brazil or, Tibet?

love767

you might not want to hike from east to west. For one thing australia has a lot of desert in fact that is why we have a low population. here is a link to show you.

http://www.eoc.csiro.au/hswww/koppen.jpg

yes it's very dry in places but we love it.

I would like to live in Australia, New Zealand, and almost anywhere in the South Pacific such as French Polynesia, Tonga, Fiji ect. After I get out of my BSN program I plan on getting my acute care or family practice NP degree in the states. I realize that NP's are not utilized outside of the states, but think it might make me a more employable nurse in any case. Which of these areas would offer realistic employment opportunities. I would eventually like to experience most of these locations, but some might have to come as vacations rather than work and living experiences. I've also always wanted to hike from the East end to the West end of Australia, ending in that place where they swim with the dolphins if I live to see it! Are there any trails that span your country, and people there who do this sort of thing? Would crime be a big concern during such a hike? In the states I hiked from South Carolina to Maine, without too many problems except almost getting permanently lost in Maine after getting off the Appalacian trail. Where do those of you living in these type of beautiful, exotic places dream of living and experiencing? Based on everything I've read and seen there is no place as beautiful as the South Pacific. Do you agree with this or do you dream of places like Florida or maybe Brazil or, Tibet?

Did you see Survivor Australia?????

There are no hiking trails across from East to West because the few who have tried it have either fried or got losted - it has been done here is a couple of links

http://www.abcproject.com/journals/oct10.html

http://www.nullarbornet.com.au/

When you think of hiking this area think of hiking across the Arizona desert but add lots and lots of sod all with extra dust and added flies and mosquitoes

Is the first thousand miles the hardest, or the third? LOL