American Nurse Seeking to Work in Australia

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Hey there! Sorry if this a repeat of several other topics..I've been reading through many threads, and there is so much information, I'm getting overloaded.

I'm an RN currently working as a traveler in the US. I have almost 2 years of experience. I would really love to work in Australia though. I have spoken to one travel agency - Worldwide Travel Staffing, but haven't talked to them much more than a couple phone calls. All I've really gotten out of them is it's usually a year-long commitment, and lots of paperwork?

I've seen some people say work with an agency, don't work with an agency..and the whole process just seems very confusing. Any tips, hints? Do I need to do one of the bridging programs..take an exam? I'm very tentative to do this by myself without an agency there to help me out.

Thanks!!

Tips for the interviews: think of your personal and professional skills that you bring to the role. Remember infection control, oh & s. with your answers state what you would do and how you would follow it up. They were tips given to me when I was going through my interviews this year.

Re: Bringonthenight

Things are getting better! :) Thank you! I'm still interested in moving up to Brisbane. I've been checking the Queensland health website but from that I found out there are not many job openings in Brisbane's public hospitals. I will keep looking. :) I got a job interview next Wednesday in one of the public hospitals in Sydney. any advice on Rn job interviews in Australia??

I will keep you posted. Even if I don't end up moving to Brisbane, I will still go visit. I heard it's really nice during summer in Brisbane:)

Great work keep it up. Queensland health is hard to get into at the moment. Keep me updated!

Tips would be to really let them know how good you are at infection control and patient safety.

Specializes in PCU / telemetry.

hey britgirl,

the agency that has been most helpful for me is HCA (heathcare australia), they are nation wide so if you plan on traveling within the country, they can easily transfer your status and competencies over. (or at least that's what they tell me, i'm still in los angeles, but leaving in 3 weeks!!) they have also been very helpful in providing info for making the move, bank info, rental websites, tax information, etc...

it was very hard to find any short term contracts in the big cities, ex. mebourne, sydney, and this means no accommodations either. from my research, it seems that the travel assignments with housing (more typical of US travel assignments) are more for the really rural areas like in the outback. so i am signed on with 2 agencies for work in melbourne, and hopefully that should cover my shifts.

hope this helps!

hey britgirl,

the agency that has been most helpful for me is HCA (heathcare australia), they are nation wide so if you plan on traveling within the country, they can easily transfer your status and competencies over. (or at least that's what they tell me, i'm still in los angeles, but leaving in 3 weeks!!) they have also been very helpful in providing info for making the move, bank info, rental websites, tax information, etc...

it was very hard to find any short term contracts in the big cities, ex. mebourne, sydney, and this means no accommodations either. from my research, it seems that the travel assignments with housing (more typical of US travel assignments) are more for the really rural areas like in the outback. so i am signed on with 2 agencies for work in melbourne, and hopefully that should cover my shifts.

hope this helps!

How exciting! Hope you make the transition to Aussie nursing ok. I've worked with a lot of nurses who choose HCA and they all seem to like it.

I'm with HCA (healthcare Australia)! They are really good and very helpful. I signed with 2 nurse agencies when I first came here, but I didn't have a very good experience with Nursing Australia, So now I'm only with HCA.

Hey etoile88

This may be a very late response to your query but I can confirm that generally US nurses are not required to do the bridging program. Having said that it also depends on your individual experience. From my personal experience I can confirm that a lot of the US nurses apply for a working holiday visa (which is not very complicated to apply for) and then sign up with an agency because of the flexible work opportunities available. You get the option to work when you want and take time off for leisure and sightseeing when you want. I can provide you with more details and info. I have previously worked with the immigration department and have an understanding of the process. Feel free to write to me.

cheers

jazw

Hi, I am a US nurse just starting the AHPRA and visa process to got to Australia in the Fall and I have found this thread very helpful! I have worked as a nurse for two years now in public health and in mental health for a year before that. Most of my experience has been in a clinic and not a hospital setting. Can anyone tell me what it is like or public health nurses in Australia and what opportunities might be available? It seem to me that most nurses that have posted on this thread have been hospital focused, but any insight would be great.

hi i'm also graduate of usa nursing bsn and worked for a year and is now wanting to transfer to australia. I haven't started any process but still gettin to know. I need help!!! do i neee to be in AUstralia to do the process? because it's asking the address and etc..

Specializes in PCU / telemetry.

Hey murphy5001!

I'm currently working in Melbourne now as an acute care nurse. However, there did seem to be a need for mental health. At least I know there were a couple mental health nurses that work for my agency. You should contact an agency to get an idea of the need or realistic work availabilty. Plus there is the option of working for more than one agency if that's what you are planning on doing. And agency is like our registry nursing at home. The don't really have short term contracts available in the cities. As far as public health nursing...I have no idea :(

I am signed up with Healthcare Australia and they were extremely helpful answering my thousands of questions during my transition, but there are other big ones, I know of Mediserve too. I think somewhere on this thread or another was posted a good list of big agencies in Australia.

Hope this helps :)

Specializes in PCU / telemetry.

Hey ajoo,

No you don't need to be in Aus to start the process. It's ok if you don't have an address in Aus yet. It does help if you have an idea of which State or City you would like to work in so you can put the City down and mail any correspondence to the appropriate AHPRA branch.

Good luck!

I know it's lengthy, but if you have a chance you should go back and read the thread...it should be pretty helpful albeit in a random sequence of information. :)

does anybody know how long the process takes based on the experience? and about how much money in us dollar did you have to pay?

Specializes in PACU.

Hi Yee213! I am in the final stages of completing the application process to AHPRA. I was curious if you sent the application to Australia before or after you sent for written verification from your states board of nursing? I wasn't sure what to send first! Also, with all the paperwork and application did you just put it all in a folder or do you recommend organizing it with tabs/dividers?! Thank you so much for your time! :)

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