Difference between Australian and US/Canadian Nursing

Bringonthenight · Feb 11, 2013

There's lots of differences, ill try to mention a few big ones.

No auxiliary staff: nurses in Aus do everything. We don't have CNAs to feed, toilet, clean etc patients. Our pharmacists don't make up our IV meds. No resp therapists. No techs to do ECGs/blood draws. No monitor tech.

Yes our medications are different. Different names and sometimes we use meds for different things to the US.

No head to toe assessments: most places (excluding ICU and ED) just do focused assessments on patients. Vital signs are known as observations or "obs" for short.

No excessive over charting like the US (at least in the places I've worked).

I think US nursing is a lot more theory and focused on labs/the science of it compared to your average Aus bedside nurse. There'd be exceptions of course but that's the impression I get from posts/threads on allnurses.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Feb 11, 2013

Canadian nursing is actually different in a lot of cases to the US and the OP is in Canada.

Coming from the UK to Canada I found a lot of medications similar as well as learning new meds so I think this may be the same for the OP.

canned_bread · Feb 12, 2013

There's lots of differences, ill try to mention a few big ones.
No auxiliary staff: nurses in Aus do everything. We don't have CNAs to feed, toilet, clean etc patients. Our pharmacists don't make up our IV meds. No resp therapists. No techs to do ECGs/blood draws. No monitor tech.
Yes our medications are different. Different names and sometimes we use meds for different things to the US.
No head to toe assessments: most places (excluding ICU and ED) just do focused assessments on patients. Vital signs are known as observations or "obs" for short.
No excessive over charting like the US (at least in the places I've worked).
I think US nursing is a lot more theory and focused on labs/the science of it compared to your average Aus bedside nurse. There'd be exceptions of course but that's the impression I get from posts/threads on allnurses.

I have a few differing opinions on this post. We have AINs, if we are lucky and down on nurses, who will do the basic care, but RNs do a lot of this too. Some hospitals have techs for ECGs.

Also, I have met a few canadian nurses and they have integrated just fine. Some hospitals, especially large ones, provide "transition programs" that assist a new nurse at the start, kind of like a preceptorship.

I am actually considering going to canada to nurse for a while in a few years. :)

Bringonthenight · Feb 12, 2013

I have a few differing opinions on this post. We have AINs, if we are lucky and down on nurses, who will do the basic care, but RNs do a lot of this too. Some hospitals have techs for ECGs.
Also, I have met a few canadian nurses and they have integrated just fine. Some hospitals, especially large ones, provide "transition programs" that assist a new nurse at the start, kind of like a preceptorship.
I am actually considering going to canada to nurse for a while in a few years. :)

CNAs seem to be responsible for certain duties in a shift eg: vitals, hygiene, I+Os, feeding. At least that's how I read it in allnurses posts.

AINs (in my experience) are asked by the RN to assist the RN with their duties. Eg: RN "hey AIN, I'll feed Mrs Patient if you could shower Mr Patient for me that would be great". AINs (where I've worked) official job duties include restocking, specialing patients.

But I guess it's different everywhere...

Silverdragon102, BSN · Feb 12, 2013

Not all provinces have CNA,CCA or PCW so leaves the RN to do everything. I know where I live the hospitals only in the last couple years have used care workers to help but most still requires the RN or LPN to do everything

nikki_nurse · Feb 13, 2013

Thanks for the comments. Keep them coming.

Yes I am in Canada but I included US as well to try to get more comments.

I actually worked in a small hospital with 11 acute care beds so we had both RNs and RPNs working but we worked in a total patient care model so whoever was assigned the patient, did all the care. We also did IVs, phlebolotmy, ECGs etc.

I would love to hear more differences and thanks for the answers!

katloui2471 · Jan 14, 2015

Hi yes we do have assistants in nursing in australia; I do not know about all states, but in queensland they are primarly found in the aged care sector, espically nursing homes. You will find that on the floor of a nursing home you will find 1 RN with maybe 5 AINS (day shift) 3-4 (afternoon shifts) and 1-2 (nights). They bath, dress, shave, and feed the resident's. Ain's also toliet the residents, make beds, do ROM exercises. Depending on there qualifications and whether they work in Community, low care, dementia, hostel or highcare, some ains may be able to give out medications, do basic ob's, and basic wound dressing. Ain's report to either EN's, RN's or care managers. Some AIN's are training to become EN's or RN's, whilst for other's it is all they do.

Once again I do not know about other states, but in QLD we have some AIN's in our Acute hospitals. They do mainly showering, feeding and making of bed's, or escorting patient's to xray's or other area's of the hospital. It is hard to get an ain job in the acute sector.

In australia we also have what are known as Enrolled Nurses (QLD) or Registered Nurses' Division 2 (vic). Enrolled Nurses study for 18months and graduate with a diploma of nursing. EN's work under the direct supervision of an RN. They do all basics like bathing, ob's, feeding, and admitting patients. EN's are also able to do dressings, wound care, medications, injections, veinapuncture, basically most of what an RN does. However, they are not allowed to make decisions by themselves, they must refer to their superviing RN. They have their own patient load. They can work in many area's such as mental health, acute care, aged care and pead's to name a few. They do documenation and assist with care plans. However the majority of paper work is for the RN's. Some EN's stay as EN's, while many go on to do their bachelor of Nursing and become RN's. EN's are given credits, with recognised prior learning and start their bachelor in the 2nd year of the degree.

hope that helps.

Purple_KicksRN · Jan 27, 2016

Can anyone comment as to the differences in the ED from the US to Australia? I work in the ED of a Level I trauma center in California, mostly in the pediatric section. We have RTs, pharmacists and a Pyxis, techs to assist (CPR, EKGs, vitals, transporting pt's, stocking, etc. All of which we can do ourselves obviously) when available. We have a 4:1 assignment unless a pt is declared ICU status and then we're 2:1 until our ICU goes upstairs.

A little background: I've got almost 5 years of ED experience and a BSN. I'm hoping to work for Queensland Health and live near Gold Coast. Thanks for your time!

K+MgSO4, BSN · Jan 28, 2016

No RT anywhere in Australia. Nurses manage tubes but it would be as a 1:1 ratio in ED or ICU. Yes we have pharmacists on the wards. Pyxis would depend on the Infrastructure of the building and $$ nueses do ECGs and CPR on the ward, ED ICU have techs who do CPR. Most wards have a central store room not stock in each room, stores team or tech unpack the stock. IV trolley, blood sugar machine etc restocking is usually nurses but depends on ward culture. Can't help with the QH aspect as I am in Melbourne. Best of luck.