Australian scales

Hi could anyone give me a list of what each level that is used in Australia mean?

For example: what is a grade 1 nurse division 1 nurse equivalent to as I am a nurse in NZ and we only have level 1-5. Level 1 being new grads rns.

[dvsbec]

Hi Caramel,

Currently each state is different, however this will change with national registration. In Queensland, the grades refer to the different 'types' of nurses, like enrolled nurses, registered nurses, educators etc etc.

For Registered Nurses - we are 'grade 5', and the levels are the pay scales, so a new grad would be Grade 5, Level 1, with the highest pay level for an RN being Grade 5, Level 7. Clinical nurses (level 2 nurses back in NZ) are Grade 6 here.

Hope all that makes sense. As I say, it will all change with national registration, which will hopefully make it an easier to work out.

Bec

[sairin8]

Hi Bec

What did you mean by level 2 nurses in NZ? We have 2nd level nurses which are the Nurse Assistants and Enrolled Nurses, but it sounded like you meant Clinical Nurse Specialists and the like which, of course, is totally different

Cheers

Sarah

[dvsbec]

Sarah - oops! my mistake. they must have changed it since i left a few years back. Yes, I was meaning clinical nurse specialists - basically, the ones one level up from RN.

Sorry for the confusion!

Bec

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

your best option would be looking at the state nursing board for the state(s) that you are looking for jobs in as these would give you guidelines on what the Grades are as they are totally different in VIC than QLD.

Also the job descriptions may be a bit slower to change to the new grading that the national registration will give to all nurses in participating states and territories.