Any advice for working at Prince of Wales Private, moving from Scotland

joannep · Sep 18, 2009

I've worked in both private and public, nothing to be scared about working in private, don't make it a boogyman. You do need fairly good assessment skills and you'll get confident as time passes.

Can't tell you anything about Sydney, as I'm a Melbourne girl.

K+MgSO4, BSN · Sep 18, 2009

Randwick is cool I lived there for about 6 months last year.............by the end of the year it will be hot hot hot so spend your days off down on Coogee beach. Its brilliant!! Try gumtree, easyroommate.au or flatmates.au there is a high demand for places in Coogee and Randwick as it is very popular with backpackers. The noticeboards at the POW hospital are great though and cafes on Coogee Bay Road always have ads up for house shares and there are plenty of letting agents around!

Have fun and get a place with reverse air con so that it will be warm in winter cause it can get cool enough there in july august time.

have a great time!!

minifish · Sep 28, 2009

Hey,

Ive been working at prince of wales for the last four years and love it. I also came over from Scotland and although the private system does seem a wee bit daunting at first you'll soon realise you have alot more autonomy as a nurse. I know most of the staff in the hospital and they are all nice helpful people. Which ward are you starting on? 6 north, south or 5 east? Its a pretty social hospital where you find the majority of us at the royal hotel on a Friday night sharing a beer or two

As for randwick and getting a flat ect again no worries, there is a huge migrant population in the eastern suburbs so there is an abundance of rooms for rent through out the year. Good websites to check before you get here are http://www.domain.com.au and realestate.com.au and gumtree as someone else suggested.

Any more questions or info I can pass on feel free to ask,

Oh your gonna love it, in advance welcome to powp

Jill

scots · Sep 30, 2009

Hi thanks heaps for all your advice,

I've asked that agency what ward I will be working in as I prefer surgical GI. I was told surgical GI or Orthopeadics. I'm going to ask again if they can tell me which one exactly as I'm planning on being there for December. Waiting for my visa. I'm quite nervous already as its been a year since working in a hospital. Is there a good orientation programme? I've been told I get two days.

I cant wait. Everyone here have had enough of me going on and on and on about Sydney. Its seems that the whole planning of this has taking ages.

I've heard its hard getting accommodation especially in December. Ive looked at some flats, can be expensive A!

Thanks loads tho for any advice.:coollook:

rachelgeorgina · Oct 6, 2009

Renting on the eastern beaches will be expensive. It can be a bit exclusive if you're looking in the wrong spots. However, there should be plenty around as Randwick is very close to the only university in the eastern suburbs with a population of aprox 50 000! Students always need cheap places to live!

I think the Prince of Wales campus (that encompasses POW, POW Private, Sydney Children's & Royal Women's) still has the old nurses home, which has been converted to cheap (seriously cheap) accommodation for hospital staff (including nurses, overseas doctors etc.) I'm not 100%, though.

Working in the private system in Australia generally means newer bits and pieces, including the building and a bit more of a hotel-like feel like your regular white-walled hospital. Nothing to complain about!!!

scots · Oct 9, 2009

Hi thanks,

My partner will be coming with me so I wll be looking for an appartment. I've been told that it will be difficult to get a place in Randwick, but Im gona try in get a place as close to the hosp as poss.

Still abit worried about working for private hosp as ive been used to dr's always being on the ward in public hosps. Its been a year and a half since I last worked in a hosp which isnt doing my confidence any good. Hoping that after my first week all my nerves have been forgotten about.

So excited to be there for xmas and new year tho. Still cant believe its all happening in a matter of weeks.:coollook:

frellyou · Oct 13, 2009

I used to live in Randwick before rising rents pushed me out, and I think that if you want to rent a place by yourself you'll have trouble as demand is really high. However, like others have said, the population is pretty transient so there are always rooms available. Having said that, if you're working full time it shouldn't be too bad, and it's definitely worth living so close to the beach, at lease for a little while. Good luck!

scots · Oct 14, 2009

Hi,

Yeah the rents are expensive. I looked at appartments on the www.domain.au website. There was loads in Randwick but saying that there are probably going to be loads wanting them by time I get over there in December. I've been told that the agencies want to see a lot of documents. Is it just the usual, references, letter from employer,passport, anything else?

Hopefully I'll get somewhere near the beach. Everyone says Randwick is a nice area to live and close to everything. :coollook:I've had my own place for so long I think my boyfriend is the only one that just manages to live with me, don't think anyone else could! So renting a room is out of the question.

rachelgeorgina · Oct 16, 2009

The closer to the beach... the higher the cost.

frellyou · Oct 18, 2009

Yeah, bring as much documentation as you can, because there's quite a lot of competition for rental properties in Sydney. When we left our place in June last year there were at least 10 groups coming through to inspect the place, and most of them seemed interested. Having said that, as a woman living alone who has a full-time job you're quite a respectable candidate. You could also check out suburbs like Kingsford, Maroubra and Kensington, which aren't quite as nice as Randwick but still close by.