Chances for international students to get into grad programs

[B773ER]

I'm a second year student and just recently I have decided to become a NICU/babies unit RN in the future. I understand that the positions for grad programs for local Australian students is already competitive enough, let alone being a international student. So I'm just wondering what can I do to enhance my chances for future employment? Thx! :)

One more thing, I prefer public hospitals over privates as I believe 99% of the privates are only trying to make profit and they don't really care about people.

[Butterfly_Light]

Well, I was wondering if you were even in Oz, because that's not how things work here. I was wondering what you were basing your comments on, especially if you have no experience with either.

Edit: Sorry, I thought you were the OP. Those were my reasons for asking the OP.

Oh sorry mate! So are you from Oz? I've done some placements within a public hospital here. The supply of graduate nurses is overtaking the demand, so the job market is very competitive and it becomes worse every year. I learnt that information from many Australian forums, online news and from other nursing students around the nation. My comments were totally based on those sources.

[sunshinerainbows]

No worries, I think you're right. It was the OP's comment about private hospitals not really caring about people that prompted me to write. I've lived in Oz for many years and been in and out of both private and public hospitals for various tests, surgeries, having children, etc. and never found that the care was any less quality in private or public. Private simply meant skipping the queue for tests and elective surgeries, and a private room after having a baby (instead of a ward with four ladies). I've never heard anyone else say that either, in fact, usually people say they thought everything was better at the private hospitals because of all those little things above.

Obviously this is anecdotal, but the idea that private hospitals do not really care about people is one that doesn't really fit with how the whole system works either, and having lived in other countries where the healthcare system is really lacking, I felt the need to defend the one in Oz. I've never heard of anyone going to a private hospital unless their private insurance covered it anyway, so it's not like the patient is the one paying. Of course private hospitals are in it to make a profit, but they also care about the patients. If they didn't, even with all the little luxuries they offer, people wouldn't go.

[sunshinerainbows]

It's not like I'm the best person here to speak, I'm sure some Aussie can come along and speak up. But I've had some really rough times with healthcare in Oz, and the system, both private and public, was always there to catch me.