AGENCY NURSING

marlyn10 · Jul 23, 2013

thanks bringonthenight

ceridwyn · Jul 24, 2013

No agencies are to sponsor anymore they can only help find you a full time job and usually that is in the shortage areas only.

marlyn10 · Jul 24, 2013

No agencies are to sponsor anymore they can only help find you a full time job and usually that is in the shortage areas only.

ok ceridwyn... thanks but i don't lose hope..

Hezbell · Jul 25, 2013

Hey,

So glad to hear about HCA!!

I'm dealing with austra health right now coz they are able to supply work in Melbourne where I want to live!!!

I have read on other threads that once your in a job in oz it seems alot easier to get another job, one on the hospitals Etc!!

GOOD LUCK everyone!! I'm moving out in October!!!

xxxx

Hezbell · Jul 25, 2013

Also.... Where is everyone working?? The girls that are with HCA??

X

ralim · Jul 27, 2013

never mind. I didn't need to do CRC myself =) Thanks for your help Bringonthenight!!!

I am now with Nursing Australia. They are very helpful and very nice. They had a shift for me the next day I got registered but I wasn't available..

Now I'm scared! I was told I just go in and take patients. Do you have any tips for my first day? Any good book for me to have or read, for medications? I heard some medications are called differently in AU?!

Bringonthenight · Jul 28, 2013

never mind. I didn't need to do CRC myself =) Thanks for your help Bringonthenight!!!
I am now with Nursing Australia. They are very helpful and very nice. They had a shift for me the next day I got registered but I wasn't available..
Now I'm scared! I was told I just go in and take patients. Do you have any tips for my first day? Any good book for me to have or read, for medications? I heard some medications are called differently in AU?!

Yes a lot of our medications have different names. Also in Australia we mix our own IV medication and antibiotics.

As an agency nurse you will go in, sign in to the bed manager and find out what ward your shift will be in.

From there you'll go to the ward, get assigned your patients and be expected to just start work. It might seem scary but just ask lots of questions and you will be fine. The culture shock should only last for your first few shifts while you adjust to the Australian nursing model.

As far as books go, there should be a MIMS book on every ward and the Australian IV medication administration yellow book as well which are useful.

A great nursing medication book is "havards drug guide" not sure how much it is.

All the best

Bringonthenight · Jul 28, 2013

Also you can also tell your agency specific areas or hospitals that you don't want to go to.

For instance you might say to them "only hospitals on the southside, prefer medical and surgical wards"

etoile88, BSN, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 28, 2013

I'm working with HCA, and live in Melbourne. I get calls every day right now for work - and often, a chance to work "doubles." It is quite a culture shock with the new medication names, how the wards run, etc. You are just expected to function right away, but I just ask a lot of questions, and generally people are quite helpful. Just can be frustrating at times not knowing anything..from where the toilet is, to where a band-aid might be. But if you go in with that attitude and expecting it, you'll be fine!

ralim · Jul 28, 2013

Thanks Bringsonthenight and etoile88!!!!

I feel little bit better =)

I'll probably find out soon but how do you communicate with the doctors? are they usually around in the ward or do you page them? text page them?

Bringonthenight · Jul 29, 2013

Thanks Bringsonthenight and etoile88!!!!
I feel little bit better =)
I'll probably find out soon but how do you communicate with the doctors? are they usually around in the ward or do you page them? text page them?

It depends if you work in a public or private hospital.

In public you have interns, registrars then your consultants. You would page your intern or simply find them on the ward if it were a day shift and ask them to review the patient. If you didn't like their response you just escalate up the chain of command and page the registrar. If your working an evening or night shift you page the "ward call/in house" dr to review a patient. Simply use SBAR you won't go wrong.

The same goes for when you want to transport a patient or have them turned in bed they'll be a paging system in the public for a wardie. But again just ask questions, they won't expect you to know all that.

In most private hospitals, you only are dealing with consultants which can be tricky at times. There's often a book of numbers or a list on the wards' computers you can access.

Some places you'll find when you need to make a call the staff nurses will do it for you, whereas many others you'll have to make the calls.

Remember in Aus most hospitals do not have CNAs to do cleaning/feeding etc as well- I don't know what it's like where your from.

One last tip (sorry I've dragged on) remember to always ask a senior nurse/ clinical nurse if you want to know about policy and procedures for that particular facility. Eg:post op ob times, blood product administration monitoring etc etc

ralim · Jul 29, 2013

I see. Thank you.

I came from a hospital that had CNA ( they took my vitals, ADL's, feeding, and walking, and emptying drains) so this will be a big change. I'll definitely ask about policy and procedures! thanks for all the tips!