australian nurses chat

SisterKate · Sep 21, 2008

Hi

I work in MH in Perth. Happy to chat and pass on any info you might need. :nurse:

shutthedoortwo · Sep 22, 2008

Hi I am in Melbourne, going to uni and working too .

platnm4 · Sep 23, 2008

Hello! My name is Donna. I work as an ER nurse in Chicago, in the US. I was wondering if you have some time to answer some questions I have about nursing in your country. I just wanted to check out the similarities and differences between here and there. I would appreciate any info. Thanks!

Donna

SisterKate · Sep 23, 2008

Hi Donna. happy to help. I am currently working in Mental health but until recently was part of a large metro hospital where i worked on the executive at times and was responsible for the emergency dept among others. If I can't answer your questions, I can find someone who can!

take care

SisterKate:wink2:

platnm4 · Sep 25, 2008

Thanks so much Sister Kate. What's your real name? I'm Donna. So you work in Australia? Do you have a Bachelors or Masters? I just started my Master's program. I'm going for Family Nurses Practitioner. Do you use NP in Australia?

Donna

shutthedoortwo · Sep 25, 2008

HI Donna, I am studying in an Masters of advanced practice nursing at the University of Melbourne. There are currently two streams : one qualification is to become a Nurse Practitioner and the other is Advance Practice Nurse. The NP stream is the same as the advanced practice stream but requires a two part pharmacology component. I am in mental health and there is a push towards NPs in that field as well as other medical fields. I haven't decided yet whether or not become a NP or actually continue towards a PHd.

SisterKate · Sep 25, 2008

Hi Donna. I just go by SisterKate in public forums :wink2:. I have a Bachelor degree. Started my Masters but had to put it on hold to help care for my youngest brother who was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiform - the most malignant form of brain cancer. He managed to hang on for two years; then five weeks after he died, I was thinking of getting myself together to start studying again when my eldest sister was diagnosed with the same thing. She held on for a year. Its nearly a year since she died, and I haven't actually felt like doing any major study yet.

We certainly have NP in Australia. The hospital I was working at until recently had the first 2 ED NPs in WA. They do all the fast track cases and help to keep the waiting times down significantly. I think NP is an excellent qualification and would probably do one myself if I was still working clinically. With the shortage of Doctors in all fields, NPs are the way to go. :nurse: Good luck with your course.

platnm4 · Sep 26, 2008

Hi shutthedoorone! How many years is the Master's degree there? Do the NPs have prescriptive rights there too? Thanks for responding. What types of nursing issues do you face there? We're facing a big nurse shortage. How is the relationship between MDs and RNs there?

Donna

shutthedoortwo · Sep 26, 2008

HI Donna, The masters degree is two years and NP's scope of practice includes prescribing , admitting , discharging , which are not in the scope of practice of a clinical nurse specialist. There is a shortage of nurses here, in australia . I am a recent immigrant from Canada and don't know firsthand about the relationship between the MDs and RNs. From what I have been told it is not much different than Canada.

The AMA ( Australian Medical Association) position on NP is not supportive, if that answers your question.

freosun13 · Sep 29, 2008

HI sisterkate thanks for replying to my post. I have been qualified as a RMN since September 2007, and have been working on an inpatient child and adolescent mental health unit. I am looking to come over to Perth or Melbourne, August 2009. I was wondreing what child and adolescent mental health opportunities there were for jobs within this field. I am from the UK and would love to possibly work in the community. I understand that the service is called CYMHS in Perth. I lived in Fremantle for a year in 2001, on a working visa, so have some understaniding of the Perth area. Thanks Freosun13 :)

freosun13 · Sep 29, 2008

HI siterkate thanks for replying, i tried to reply to you previously but it ndid not seem to send. I have been a qualified nurse form the UK since Sep 2007 and have been working in an inpatient chidand adolescent mental health unit. I would appreciate any advice in looking for a job within this field or possibly community post, and what opportunites there are. My understanding is that the service in Oz in called CYMHS. I lived in fremantle for a year in 2001 on a work visa so have some undesrtanding of the Perth area, and am looking to come over in August 2009. Many thanks, freosun13.