NSW nurses... public or private (your thoughts)

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I'm a Vic nurse, newly registered and I'm moving to NSW (Newcastle) and have the option of working in public or private. Now I'm not doing a grad year, I'm starting a whole new degree so I need flexibility. The no grad year part doesn't bother me too much, I'm already working agency in Vic and I'm coping ok but I'm not sure about where to work in NSW.

In Vic I'd choose public, the number 1 reason being our ratios (5 nurses to 20 patients on AM,PM). These don't apply in private so while public patients tend to be sicker... you only get 4 generally while private can give you more. But in NSW there are no ratios, and I get the feeling the publics are struggling for nurses, for resources... (they were over keen to employ me and I'm inexperienced). I'm trying to get a feel for what the publics are like whether you feel overworked and stressed all the time (relatively of course, I know nursing is in general busy and stressful).

The private I'm looking has pay rates which match the public rates, so $$ do not really play a part in the decision. I'm more wondering what NSW nurses see as advantages and disadvantages for working in the public or private sector. Anyone with NSW experience, Newcastle or elsewhere. I'm looking at a Healthscope run private by the way.

Thanks for any input.

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Specializes in General Nursing.

Hello scarah

Hmmm...I thought nurses in Vic have lesser patient to nurse ratio which would means less stressful??

I am in NSW and from my experience as a student nurse, most of the public hospitals where I did my placements usually have 10 or more patients per Rnurse + 1 EN in the medsurge floor, so if there were 30 patients in a unit then 3 RNs 3 ENs. Same in the private hospitals where I did placements. It is usually up to the RNs to equally share the patient load among themselves. I have not seen any med surg floor that has less than 10 patient load per RN in all shift. It was always more than that.

My friends work in the public hospital and they sometimes tell me that they have 12 patient to look afte, but they are experienced nurses and the numbers do not really count. They :heartbeat what they are doing.

Why do u want NSW for grad year?:heartbeat

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That's right in Vic public hospitals we have ratios so for every 20 patients on the ward you have to have 5 nurses (RN or EN so you could have 8 between you if you are team nursing with an EN) this generally works out to 4 patients per nurse. This doesn't apply to privates tho - so in Vic there's an advantage to working in the public

But I'm moving to NSW (don't get me wrong, I'd much prefer nursing in Vic but I'm moving to NSW to study medicine) so I need to choose between NSW public and NSW private. If they are both going to give me 5-6 patients then I'm trying to work out what the other disadvantages/advantages of the two.

Thanks for your response, tho.

I also have another question I just read the award and it seems that casual bank staff only get 10% on top of base rate to compensate for no sick leave or annual leave? Is this right? In Vic casual get 25% on top of base to compensate for the lack of sick leave and annual leave and this is always in addition to shift allowances or weekend penalty rates.

Seems like NSW doesn't treat their casual nurses very well :cry: you don't even get that extra 10% on a weekend or public holiday because you get the shift penalty instead... surely that isn't right. That means that a casual and a permanent member of staff would get exactly the same hourly rate on a weekend although one is accruing leave and the other isn't?

If there are any NSW nurses out there that can shed light on this it would be great.

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Hey Scarah,

Small world ;) ...so how are you liking the private??

See ya!!

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