Australia's Nursing Shortage Non-Existent Anymore

Published

Specializes in ICU.

I have come across this article and I just want to share this. This is not to dampen the spirits of nurses who want to work in Australia but just to present to you the reality and help you prepare better.

Source: http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/neil-mitchell-blog/graduate-nurse-placement-shortage-is-there-any-degree-which-guarantees-work/20121009-27amr.html?page=2

A nursing student says nurses graduating this year are staring at the prospect of being left without a job, with only approximately 500 graduate places available for over 1400 students.

Chris, 31, told Neil Mitchell he went into nursing thinking he'd be guaranteed a job at the end of his degree, and was surprised to find out job security within hospitals was no longer a reality.

"With the government harping on for such a long time about a crisis in healthcare and a dramatic shortage of nurses, a lot of students including myself thought that it would be relatively easy to get not only a job, but to get a job that we would both enjoy and really have a career out of," he said.

"Now we're at the end of our degree finding out there are actually not a lot of jobs out there because there are so many government cuts with funding towards hospitals."

Chris said Hospitals were simply unable to hire the number of required nurses, and he now faces the prospect of further study or looking for work interstate.

With the vocation of nursing long thought-of as one of the most secure industries to work, Neil Mitchell has asked: is there any degree which guarantees a job?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

As a matter of fact, Australia seems to be lacking experienced nurses and not graduate nurse with no experience. Most of my friends managed to find employment within 3 months of searching. However, most of the job they found, falls into the 'unpopular' category in term of nursing aspect. (Age care and mental health) The other issue is that the employment they found is not a new graduate position. In short, they will not be provided with as much support from the hospital and be expected to function independently on day 1, which is kinda harsh for a new graduate.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Maybe a thought for the residents in aged care and mental health, having nurses with no experience and lack of support! kinda harsh on those too. :unsure:

Are these nurses from overseas, ;) The employers should be reported to the health department and aging.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi Ceridywyn,

Australia is facing a rapidly aging population and she realized it. Hence the removal of maximum student intakes for registered nurses. However, we also need to take note that the Australia government is slashing healthcare budget in recent years to cope with the budget deficit. Health facilities need to cope with lesser funding and therefore cut down on 'non-essential' services or not expanded the program. Therefore, the training programs for new graduates did not keep pace with the grads that are fresh out of university...

As unethical as it sounds, I do not think I will report it to the authorities because I might land my friends into a 'catch-22 situation'. They are not able to get a new graduate position due to limited places and unable to get a job because of not having experience in the work settings. So the other alternative for the new grads is to quit nursing altogether and head into other fields. This means wasted youth for the graduates and destruction of their dream.

What the government is doing right now does not address the shortage of experienced nurses as new nurses are not being given an opportunity to increase their expertise and therefore cannot be experienced. This means that Australia will need to continue relying on experienced nurses from overseas while continuing to lose fresh grads with broken dreams.

It is a mixture of both locals and international graduates.

They made the decision to go for the job and I can understand the reasons behind it. Whatever the consequences may be, I wish them the best of luck...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Seems everybody who thinks they know what's best for Australians and Australia, live overseas.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Care to elaborate?

I am always open to new opinions and alternate views on the situation. :up:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've seen newly registered RN's who haven't gained GNP's go directly into agencies & land on my ward as a reliever when regular staff on sick leave. All I can say is it's scary, not only for us having to work with them but for the patients as well. Most of the time we end up doing double the workload because they haven't got a clue and are still in student mode.

I do feel bad for those who don't get a GNP but I don't believe they have the knowledge or expertise to be employed without it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Grad program's should be only admitting grad locals. that would open up quite few places for local grads. This is never discussed, as it would be seen to be politically incorrect to have strict criteria that puts Australians before the rest of the world. :roflmao:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Ceridwyn,

I'm not so sure about other states, but western australia do put citizens/prs ahead of other nationalities. (Beside Kiwis)

Graduate nursing - for graduating enrolled nurses, registered nurses, midwive

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Seems everybody who thinks they know what's best for Australians and Australia, live overseas.

Don't feel bad, it's the same in Canada. Loads of people want to come here and work and they all think they know how to do it better than the nurses educated here! Many are from nations that will not even permit overseas nurses to register there. But they know what Canadian nurses are doing wrong and how wrong our assessment system is!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Ceridwyn,

I'm not so sure about other states, but western australia do put citizens/prs ahead of other nationalities. (Beside Kiwis)

Graduate nursing - for graduating enrolled nurses, registered nurses, midwive

Yes, other health systems have the same criteria, but any places not taken straight away....internationals can apply.

The private sector, hospitals and aged care, who many do not take part in the centralised grad program organsiation of the states and supply many of the grad places, are not covered by this criteria and one I have seen advertises that they sponsor visas for new grad placements.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Yes, other health systems have the same criteria, but any places not taken straight away....internationals can apply.

The private sector, hospitals and aged care, who many do not take part in the centralised grad program organsiation of the states and supply many of the grad places, are not covered by this criteria and one I have seen advertises that they sponsor visas for new grad placements.

hi ceridwyn.. what's the difference by agency nursing and permanent nursing.. in applying for work..

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment