Assignment for MSN degree

I'm in Australia, what do you want to ask?

I just need to know what level of education you have. Are there differences in education in Australia than in the US? Are you encouraged to pursue higher levels of education, i.e MSN, PhD, DNP? What is your view on lifelong learning? What are your options to continue lifelong learning? What is is like to be a nurse in Australia? What type of nursing are you involved in? How many years have you been a nurse? Are there any cultural considerations that impact your nursing care?

I appreciate you replying. I have to post an interview containing this information from a nurse that is from outside the U.S.. This is for my MSN with emphasis on nursing education. I would appreciate any help!

I hold a Bachelor's of Nursing Science. This is the requirement for registration. The degree stream is slightly different in that in the USA where one does the core subject plus electives from other areas of study. In Australia you do just subjects for the relevant discipline. (I have also previously attended college in the USA holding a liberal arts degree) The Course is 3 years long then you do a 1 year "post grad" clinical. Nursing itself is pretty much the same, however there are no techs, PA's etc. There are Enrolled Nurses also who are LVN equivs. Any ongoing education is generally at your own cost. There are Continuing education requirements for Registration, but this was only introduced last year. To be considered for a management position, you need a Masters. Patient load can be higher than most US hospitals. Public hospitals usually give you better nurse-patient ratios and pay better than private hospitals. On average, working full time you'll make 70-100K a year, but the cost of living is a bit higher than in the US.I have been a Nurse for 11 years. I work in Emergency, which is usually full on with the same problems as the USA, such as non urgent patients waiting hours and hours, the ER getting full because there are no beds on wards to move them out to, patients using the ER as a doctors office. Australia has national health care, and public hospitals offer free care, but your local Doctor is not free and charges through the nose, so ER's get many patients who are there because they can't afford to go to the Doctor. There are some cultural considerations. Pretty much the same as in the US. However, Australia is NOT very multi cultural, something like 90% of the population is Caucasian of European decent. The biggest cultural difference is with the indigenous aborignal population. They live in some appalling poverty, worse than anything Ive seen in the USA, and have numerous chronic conditions form a very young age, along with malnourishment and often substance abuse issues. This group would present the biggest challenge. If you need any more elaboration, please ask!

Thanks so much for the help!! Is it too much info to get your first name..so I can quote you in my paper?

I appreciate you very much! It is very interesting to learn about other countries. I also have worked in the ER in the past. Seems like by what you say there are the same concerns for you that I had while working there. I have been in Public Health for the last almost 2 years...different side of things but still same old same old! Can you give me an example of nurse/patient ratios? Are there Nurse Practioners as well?

Thanks again!

Sure, first name is Mark. In ER it depends where you are working for number of patients, In RESUS you would typically have 2 beds, in acute 4, in an area where low acuity patients are being observed usually 6. On med /surg wards 6 patients is the norm. I did do an agency shift once at a private hospital and once had 14!!! A Nurse had called in sick and they didn't replace them. There are Nurse Practitioners here, but the Doctors here are fighting like crazy to discredit them and eliminate any potential competition, but numbers are slowly growing. I am beginning a Nurse Practitioner's course in September. there are no PA's although the military here is trying to get them introduced as they have a doctor shortage. Happy to answer any more questions you may have!!

RESUS? Wow 14 patients would not be fun at all.

There has been controversary here on NP's as well. This is what led to the creation of the DNP program.

Again, thanks for all your help and answers!