New grad in Melbourne

[victoriaplum]

Hi Guys i will be a NZRN in Nov and have applied and interviewed for jobs in Melbourne

I am confused as to how the nurses award works as i cannot find in the appendix what the new grad RN

is classed as. Would it be RN level one pay point 1? also do you progress through the points on a years

experience basis? Also i understand that now there is a federal registration as opposed to a VIC one?

So much to learn just about the politics of nursing! Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks

[talaxandra]

Hi Victoria - welcome to allnurses :)

Except for WA, we do now have federal registration, but states differ in pay grades and other conditions. Newly registered nurses start as grade 2, year 1 in Victoria, and automatically go up a grade for every full-time year they work; I think full-time is classified as more than 24 hours a week but I'm not positive. The current base rate is $907.60/week, with a 3% increase due in October. What you actually earn will depend on the shifts you work - PM, ND, weekends and public holidays attract penalty rates.

Hope that helps :)

[ceridwyn]

NZ RN registration will not allow you to work in Australia, you must apply for AHPRA registration.

[victoriaplum]

Thank you very much for replying, things happen very quickly on this site!

So it sounds like new grads have a lot sweeter deal in Oz as opposed to NZ, sorry to be a pain another question is the $907.6 before tax? I have found a copy of the nurses award 2010 (April 3 2009) online so i think it may be outdated going by your figure. As a new grad here i would be starting on about $45k without penals so i'm glad i've applied in Melb, and its also a very nice place. I have been told by my clinical referee that the grad coordinator will be calling me this week to offer a job so i'm ever hopeful.

Your help is appreciated, thanks:)

[victoriaplum]

Thanks ceridwyn, the jobs i have applied for gave me warning of that :)

[talaxandra]

Yes, that's before tax. You can decrease the amount of tax you pay by salary packaging, which allows you to use pre-tax income to pay for allowable items (including rent/mortgage, personal loans, meals), which reduces the portion of your income that's taxed. Your employer also puts 9% of what you earn into a superannuation account, but that's in addition to your pay. So the hospital really pays $109 for every $100 you get before tax.

I don't know what the pay and conditions are like in NZ, but half of our grads last year and this year were Kiwis, so I'm guessing it's less good there.

[victoriaplum]

I got the job i wanted in Melbourne! i will be able to get all the questions in the world answered now

[ceridwyn]

Congratulations, hope AHPRA consider your application quickly....I got a new job too which it is all rather exciting.......hope you enjoy Melbourne the best city in the world.

[glam1]

Congratulationa