Didn't get into new grad program - what next?

[canned_bread]

So I didn't get into my new graduate program (no surprise, I KNEW I stuffed the interview up!) and so now I am looking at nursing jobs... and they all require experience.

The only places that seem to not mention experience is medical centres, but I don't know if I could provide safe care to my patients being a sole RN, especially if any patients come in acutely unwell.

Can anyone please provide some guidance as to any paths I can take to find a job, or enable me to get some experience? Anyone been in this situation before? I know right now there are thousands who ARE in this situation, which will potentially make competition fierce!

I live in Sydney, NSW, and am ultimately looking for jobs in the western sector. Ie. Westmead, Parramatta and surrounding suburbs. Bit of a dilemma, and I don't want my skills to filter out of my head!

[ceridwyn]

Flashback, 1928, The Australian nursing ......thats what is being suggested here.

To state that ask a Registered Nurse, new graduate or not working in Australia, overseas or local to pay an employer to do a graduate program or to work for free is very cultural insensitive.

Our nurse colleagues in the past have sacrificed so much to get the nursing profession to were it is today with respect and our benefits? Thats why so many overseas nurses want to come and work in Australia.

On top of that it is part of AHPRA requirements to have insurance, cannot have that if you are not paid award wage, thats part of an RN, s professional responsibility.

It must be frustrating not getting work, but any Australian born nursing graduate would never in there wildest mind think of working for free in a hospital nor paying for it, knowing our nursing history and the history of Eureka fighting for equal pay for an equal days job and also knowing there responsiblities as a REgistered nurse.

Just on another note, would physiotherapy, occupational therapy, medical doctors accept this type of graduate training, anywhere? no then why should nurses?

[red_caviar]

800 hours clinical placements of paid by students is okay, why not for graduate program. So all graduates would have equal opportunity.

[ceridwyn]

We are discussing Registered Nurses not students and as Australian graduates have student debts, no Australian would even consider it understanding our culture, it seems to be an idea for overseas new grads who are not getting work and believe they should, against AHPRA responsibilities and against Australian values and history, be allowed to work for nothing or pay for the priviledge.

[red_caviar]

"Adelaide University law professor Andrew Stewart told ABC Local Radio 720 that unpaid internships occurred in "pretty much every area where you find an oversupply of graduates and a lot of competition for jobs. He said unpaid work experience as part of an organised educational training program was perfectly legal".

[ceridwyn]

And I state, yet again, a Registered nurse cannot work as an RN in an Australian health facility without being paid award wages, not only is it culturally insensitive to even keep insisting this should happen to Australuan nurses but the RN will not be insured and not forfilling professional responsibilities as a nurse with AHPRA.

And he is not correct, interns are supposed to be paid.

.

[ceridwyn]

I will state, yet again, a Registered nurse cannot work as an RN in an Australian health facility without being paid award wages, not only is it culturally insensitive to even keep insisting this should happen to Australuan nursing, but the RN will not be insured and not forfilling professional responsibilities as a nurse with AHPRA.

The word intern is not used in nursing for a graduate, is not often used for any graduates in Australia, it is used only in the business world and for law graduates were there is a massive oversupply, but as a law intern they would still expect to be paid, funny how everybody gets one snippet of information and and become experts.

[red_caviar]

fair enough