Nursing in Australia

[danni87]

Hello,

I am currently working in London as a paediatric band 5 staff nurse, after qualifying september 2009 with a BSc Hons in Child Health nursing. I am travelling next year to south east asia in july and then onto Australia for beginning of december. Working and travelling with a working holiday visa. I have many questions that i need to ask and hope someone can help to answer them?

- Firstly I am hoping I will be able to find sponsership whilst in australia so I will be able to stay and nurse.

- If I am unable to do this how easy it is to gain rural work for 3 months to extend visa?

-How easy it is to get shifts if working for an agency

- Also currently the ward I work runs 30 patients to 5 nurses, I was wondering what the nurse:patient ratio is?

- If theres any other differences in the nursing profession in australia .i.e. shift patterns etc..

Lots of questions I know I have many more....

Thank you

[Aussie girl]

Hello, hopefully I can asist with some of your questions. I would strongly suggest first up that you contact some of the large pediatric hospitals as they will most certainly offer you sponsorship. They all have managers in charge of overseas recruitment. They can also assist you with the information regarding visa requirements and your national registrations. My experience has been that you will be employed fulltime and accumulate sick leave and annual leave. My experience is that if you are a child health nurse you have previously only been able to gain ped registration which limits your rural placements. Big hospitals in Alice Springs and Mt Isa have ped wards. Our staffing ratios are much better than that depending on patient acuity etc. Usually 1 nurse to 4 patients. Our conditions are good as well. Most shifts are 8 hr with and increasing fondness for 12 hr shifts in PICU etc.

Hope this helps

[Nicky30, BSN, RN]

I am a rural nurse but our tiny (48 bed) hospital has sponsored nurses before as well. We have no paediatric department as such and our really sick kids are transferred to a tertiary centre.

With your qualifications you would get a job anywhere - but I guess what I am saying is dont immediately dismiss the rural and or remote experience because what you get to see and do will probably astound you.

Have fun travelling around - wish I could do the same.

Nicky.