greet n meet/cheese n wine

jax · Jan 22, 2003

hello all. I am an RN working in orthopaedics in a large hospital , I love it 90% of the time, but I only work 2 days per week - and i know if I was full time, I would be a lot more exhausted and less happy. Grace Oz, I would be very interested to hear more of your thoughts on hospital versus tertiary training.

I am hospital trained, and feel that as students we were at times used and abused, but very prepared when we finished. I feel for the new graduates - they are very stressed, and it's a matter of hanging on for dear life for the first few months while they float or flounder. I do realise that there may be inadequate support systems for them, but when the experienced nurses are doing it tough - the grads do too.

bewbew · Jan 23, 2003

Hi all!

I am a new graduate, just finished my Bachelor of Nursing at a Melbourne university, December 2002.

I was previously an enrolled nurse, have been nursing for 13 years and generally worked in age care.

I am about to start my graduate year, and will get 4 rotations around the (country) hospital.

At this stage I would like to learn, first, how to be an RN, lol, then after my grad year, would like to do a crit care, or high dependency course.

Pleased to meet you all! :)

Grace Oz · Jan 24, 2003

jax, my reasons for believing nursing training should be returned to the apprentice style system are many & varied. In a brief nutshell; I feel the new trainee nurses are disadvantaged on many fronts by studying at university. I do not beleive nurses NEED a university degree. I think nurses are far better off learning at the coalface under the mentoring of trained, experienced nurses. YES! I KNOW things are different thesedays, no staff, etc etc. It's one thing to learn something from a book, it's an entirely different matter being able to apply that knowledge in the practical setting. Yes, as young nurses training in the hospital, we were sometimes used & abused in many ways. But, I feel ultimately, we became good & capable nurses despite that. I feel part of the reason for people dropping out of the nursing profession so soon after graduating is due to the very real LACK of REAL exposure to the REAL world of nursing. And, once they are exposed to it, it's such a huge shock & they feel unable to cope, are DEFINATELY unsupported a LOT of the time, so it's easier

( read, safer!) to just drop out. Even the Royal Australian Navy now has learnt the error of it's ways & young naval officers no longer go straight to the Defence Force Academy & study for their degree. They spend the first year undergoing military training & spend time at sea in order to get a taste of REAL Navy life. Based on that, they get a "Feel" for navy life & can make a better, more informed judgement as to whether it's the life for them before committing to further study etc etc. It also saves thousands of $$$ in taxpayers money. If nursing was returned to the hospital system of training, not only would young people be able to really see what the profession is about in REAL terms, they would save themselves from accruing a HECCS debt for something that they might not ever earn a living from. I have many many other reasons for my opinion, but too many for this post.

Cheers,

Grace

Grace Oz · Jan 24, 2003

bewbew,

CONGRATULATIONS on your graduation.

All best wishes for your future in the nursing profession.

Cheers,

Grace

NurseRachy · Jan 24, 2003

Hello!!

A little bit about me. I am a 21 year old Bachelor of Nursing/ Bachelor of Public Health students about to start my 3rd year (out of a 4 year course) at LaTrobe University. I live in Melbourne Victoria and so far am really enjoying my degrees. "When I grow up" (hahah) i would like to incorporate both my nursing and PH knowledge and split my work between the two. I have always thought that i would like to do Emergency or Trauma nursing, but then again I have had no experience in any of those fields so I really wouldn't know! I am a student member of the ANF and from what i know about them believe in their causes. On the weekends i am a front end ( cash register's) supervisor at a supermarket and after particularly awful shifts feel really inspired to go back to uni!!!! ( a little bit cheeky hey!!)

I have no idea where I want to do my grad year, but that is 2 years away...plenty of time...

I too am very patriotic and love just about everything about my Australian sun/surf/ study lifestyle.

Anyways it was nice to meet you all and please keep in touch

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY for the 26th of January!!! - It's time to do a random act of kindness.

Rachel @}-->------

Tookie · Jan 24, 2003

Racheal bew bew and Jax as well as al lthe wnna bes you are so welcome - l would love to see to the NZ's included here - l think we might ask Brian if he could include them herre unless they would rather lobby for their on again Stuper glad you agitated for this - we must now get to our frineds and maybe our local state boards and anf to include the website into their information as a place to come and talk

We need to encourage all people to discuss and learn explore and laugh to just simply be great nurses in a great place.

Tookie

Aussienurse2 · Jan 24, 2003

Oh God Grace! I soo agree with you!! I trained (EN) at Concord and it was the best! We spent time at TAFE and the rest on the floor, I learnt so much more on the floor than I ever could at TAFE alone!Not to mention the time it takes to "re-train" them when they finally get to the floor " No you don't need to take half an hour drying between toes with cotton wool balls, a towel will do the same job" But... do you know that NSW still trains EN's on the floor?? In Queensland they have to pay upwards of twelve grand?!! And they want to know why we don't have enough nurses! Remember when we had trainee RN's on the floor? Never had a problem with understaffing then.

This is soo cool! An aussie forum!! YAY!!

Tookie · Jan 24, 2003

We teach our students whenthey come to use a alchol swab betwen the toes - specially for the old arthritic toes - it is less pressure and pain = the alcolhol drys and has an antispetic type of effect - not yring here to interfere - just an idea, - asy to get between the toes -

Tell you what am havinf trouble getting to hem my self these days.

Joh · Jan 27, 2003

Hi, thought I should introduce myself. I am a new member, and currently entering my 3rd and final year at University.

I had to write and say that I agree with Grace, that we are not prepared when we graduate.

The time spent on the wards, is to short, compared to the time we spend at Uni. I would support training going back into the hospitals, as I feel on the job training is the only way to learn.

As it is, I am still terrified, this year, we have preceptor relationships, and we have to "know" everything,,, and I dont.

We have had over 4 months off and have not been in a hospital during that time, and it becomes hard to remember everything you put into practice the last hospital rotation.

If, they want to keep training in the Uni's, then it should be worked out that we are working at the hospitals at the same time, say 2 days at Uni and 3 at the hospital. Anyway, thats my beef.

I live in Mackay Queensland, am 39, with 3 kids and a hubby who works away 4 days a week, and have wanted to do nursing since I was a child. I am proud that I am making that dream a reality.

bewbew · Jan 27, 2003

congratulations on your graduation. all best wishes for your future in the nursing profession.
cheers,
grace

thank you! :)

i agree with you grace(re:nurse training back to hospitals), and i'm hearing you joh!

i don't know how i would have gone in this course had i not already been an enrolled nurse......as we didn't spend too much time on basic nursing care........

Tookie · Jan 27, 2003

Great to see this thread ticking along - come along you assuie and New Zealanders - drop in a say hello

Its good we have discussion going - l am sure this will becaome a much longer thread.

tookie- The discussion about hospital Vs Tertiary training- that is

sehbear · Jan 29, 2003

Hey Everyone...

Its Sehbear!

I am a div1 in a big public melbourne hospital. I have been nursing for 8 loooong years but love it!

I am currently specialising in urological nursing, and have a research and procedural nurse role which I love too.

Trained at Uni - Deakin Burwood but would have liked to have trained in a hospital setting...

Love work, love life, love my little girl... oh yeah and I suppose I love my hubby too!!!!

Its great meeting you all....

Keep up the Aussie forum...