US new grad moving to AUS

ceridwyn · Sep 26, 2011

Nurses must have at least 3 months fulltime work experience in 5 years to stay registered. Do not know if they register new grads, though they seem to have registered nurses from the Phillipines with zilch experience.

Where I work new grads applications are coming out our ears (local and from overseas)..(university year finishes in November, and they are applying since May)....we only have room for local new grads as they require more time to get up to speed and also we have lots of inservice with clinical nurses working with new grads, and we have a staff experience mix for safety of patients that needs to be adhered to and government also pays for study days for new local grads.

Australia really does need nurses with much experience, not new grads, I would not set my cap at working in a big hospital but maybe smaller private ones or nursing homes especially with nil experience. Other parts of Australia may be slightly different but the way new grad applications are pouring in from overseas applicants it will soon change I am from Melbourne, Victoria.

New grad nurses from India, Phillipines, Uk all have their cap tipped towards Australia and I can see the opportunities closing soon, especially for new grads and immigration having to reflect this as there will be no jobs for local new grads which is starting to be reflected now.

Agency nursing is not an option while you have no experience. My advice, get some experience, try a nursing home for a few months, you will have in charge experience as well as meds experience.

btw our meds our medical orders are all different from the US and therefore you will need to be under more supervision than a local new grad, with experience you can often transition much easier.

Just my 2cents worth, others may have different ideas.

ninx72 · Oct 28, 2011

Basically once you graduate from university you have to get into a one year graduate nurse program to gain experience. During this year you work as a normal registered nurse but you have extra support, do a few assignments, and have regular meetings to check up on your progress, etc. In queensland where I am you have to do one of these years, otherwise no one will hire you. The problem is that there are WAAAAAYYYY too many new grads and not enough jobs. At my hospital they had 170 new grads apply for next year, and only 40 jobs. Thats a lot of unemployed new nurses. Anyways, to work in a hospital, once you have one years experience you'll be able to get a job super easy. But you can always start applying sooner and see how you go. :) But if you want to work in aged care you should be able to get a job pretty easily. Good luck!

talaxandra · Oct 28, 2011

The other thing is that April's pretty much the worst time to look for nursing work - the grads start in February, March and April (we have staffered intakes, at least where I work), so we're usually not only fully staffed bt even a little over-staffed. The most experienced nurses are tied up mentoring, preceptoring and otherwise supporting the grads, so even it there were a shortfall there'd be limited support for new staff members, particularly one with not only no Australian experience but no RN experience in general

From what I've read on various AN threads there are many differences between US and Aus practices, from the absence (at least in acute care) of PCAs to different names of drugs and significantly different pharmacological practices (like no Pyxis in the public system, and lots of IV meds made up on the ward).

I think it' great that you're looking at moving to Aus, but you'll need experience under your belt first - both to meet registration requirements but also so you don't drown. Best of luck :)

Grace Oz · Oct 30, 2011

australia really does need nurses with much experience, not new grads,
:up: amen to this! and apologies offered for us "oldies" retiring a bit too soon! but ....they didn't listen to us when we tried to warn them all those years ago!
i would not set my cap at working in a big hospital but maybe smaller private ones or nursing homes especially with nil experience.
i realise you are just making a statment here, but; pts in those facilities are no less deserving of properly qualified and experienced nurses than pts in "big" hospitals. why would it be acceptable/different in that scenario to employ inexperienced staff?
other parts of australia may be slightly different but the way new grad applications are pouring in from overseas applicants it will soon change i am from melbourne, victoria.
new grad nurses from india, phillipines, uk all have their cap tipped towards australia and i can see the opportunities closing soon, especially for new grads and immigration having to reflect this as there will be no jobs for local new grads which is starting to be reflected now.
once again, they - [ the so called "experts" ]-didn't listen!
agency nursing is not an option while you have no experience.
exactly as it should be.
my advice, get some experience, try a nursing home for a few months, you will have in charge experience as well as meds experience.
i know we all had to learn and gain experience, but this kind of statement makes me cringe. that the elderly are seen as fodder for those on their "l" plates, just annoys me. older people are also no less deserving of properly qualified and experienced nurses than the younger members of society. if you don't have a genuine interest in aged care, then stay the heck away and don't use our elderly as practice dolls. jmho :) btw our meds our medical orders are all different from the us and therefore you will need to be under more supervision than a local new grad, with experience you can often transition much easier.
all new grads need to be/ should be, under supervision regardless. again: jmho. :)
just my 2cents worth, others may have different ideas*.[/quote]
* i just shared mine! :)

ceridwyn · Oct 30, 2011

''My advice, get some experience, try a nursing home for a few months, you will have in charge experience as well as meds experience.

I know we all had to learn and gain experience, but this kind of statement makes me cringe. That the elderly are seen as fodder for those on their "L" plates, just annoys me. Older people are also no less deserving of properly qualified and experienced nurses than the younger members of society. If you don't have a genuine interest in aged care, then stay the heck away and don't use our elderly as practice dolls. JMHO btw our meds our medical orders are all different from the US and therefore you will need to be under more supervision than a local new grad, with experience you can often transition much easier.

ALL new grads need to be/ should be, under supervision regardless. Again: JMHO.'''

I agree wholeheartedly, but I was advising op to stay in own country and perhaps it would be easier to get work in aged care there, before coming to Australia.

I believe our aged clients need nurses that are quite understanding of their clients culture and past life experiences with excellent communitication skills and a much experienced nursing background.........but this has not been the case due to the past chronic nursing shortage.

Aged care providers have been sponsoring RN's nurses in droves from overseas with no developed leadership skills, no nursing experience (and strong skills and experience are needed in aged care) with hardly any supervision, as there were not many local applicants.

The nursing shortage and poor money paid to aged care nurses has left the door open. Hopefully this will change in the future with Australian graduates actually considering aged care nursing a specialty (it is being promoted in many universities) and not look down on it as a ólder nurses job''maybe with better money and also, yes it is a much needed, responsible, rewarding nursing field to do.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Oct 31, 2011

I'm a Canadian educated nurse, working for a year as a Charge in LTC. I love my seniors, and it saddens me that so many people look down upon the elderly. They require a lot of support, and they deserve to have good care. I've obtained additional certification in Geriatrics, and within the next few years, I'm hoping to relocate to Oz.

I visited Oz years ago and loved it. I think it's great to want to travel as a nurse. However, given the current economy, it's unrealistic for brand new grads to think they have a shot at relocating when so many locals are struggling for work. Get some experience first at home, then move.

ceridwyn · Oct 31, 2011

The great thing about having experience and post grad, you will walk it in over others in getting the job and the residents in our aged care facilities will have best on offer and with good leadership skills, they will be nicer places to work in also.....as they can be mighty political at times without good RN's at the helm. :)

joanna73, BSN, RN · Oct 31, 2011

Thanks :) that's nice to hear. I'm working in a rural location....great for skills, but harsh winters. I figure I'll stay put for a while, then move. I'm much happier at the beach.

greyL · Oct 31, 2011

When you say get experience first, how long do you mean? 6 months? 2 years?

joanna73, BSN, RN · Oct 31, 2011

They generally require 18 months to 2 years experience to be considered now. No one needs to train new grads in a slumping economy. If you want to do travel nursing anywhere, that's the norm.