Welcome to the Forum - General Aussie Chat

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Having been guilty myself of hijacking threads saying hello and just chatting to my fellow Aussies I thought it might be worthwhile for us to have a thread that is just dedicated to general Aussie chat. We can then discuss issues like the Morris - oops Davis inquiry in Queensland and what it will mean for Q health and for the rest of Australia.

We can talk cricket, sport and anything else that is just us.

Say hello to new members dropping by.

Generally find out what is happening in the rest of the country.

I will make this thread a "sticky" so that it will always be at the top of the forum.

Specializes in Med/Surg; aged care; OH&S.

I can't imagine being anything other than a nurse - even on my worst, most frustrating days, I just can't imagine it.

I think studying is definitely worth it - nurses with good skills/quals can get jobs anywhere in the world! I feel its given me a lot of choices that my friends/family in other jobs don't have.

I remember nursing home working as an AIN well - its hard work hey?

Cheers

Specializes in Med onc, med, surg, now in ICU!.

Sigh. I just had my NSW Nurses Consortium interview today.

For those of you who don't know what that is (I don't know what other states do), all NSW nursing students who want to participate in the New Graduate programs interview with the Consortium. We register up to 10 preferences for hospitals/programs. Our interviews are ranked and we are assigned our preferences based on our ranking. Complicated, but fair (I guess).

I had a paediatric rotation as my first preference. I think I bombed the interview. I don't know why. There was no specific moment or question that made me think, "Well, that's it, it's all over now", but I just didn't feel like I connected with my interviewers. There are nine places in the program I want for January, and four more in August. I am so afraid I'm going to end up with a horrible rotation. The paeds program was truly the only one I wanted to do.

Mum (being a mother) is being very reassuring, but I haven't EVER had an interview that I felt so flat about. It was just so...blah. I hate that there is so much riding on this one interview. They don't care what sort of experience I've had, or what skills I could bring to paediatric nursing in particular. Gahhhh. And most employers prefer you to have gone through a new grad program, apparently.

The worst bit is I won't find out till November the 3rd how I went! Grrrr.

And to top it all off I got the marks back for an assignment I thought I'd gone really well in - 23.5/30. Nuts.

Specializes in Critical Care, Cardiothoracics, VADs.

That must suck waiting to hear the outcome. Don't worry too much about the interview, sometimes these things work out for the best. I desperately wanted trauma/ER, but ended up getting sent to ICU and studying cardiac ICU. I can't imagine doing trauma/ER now! I'm so glad I didn't get my first choice... :)

Hi Emmalou,

I am so glad to hear your positive reply re:cant imagine being anything else other than a nurse.

Sometimes I have heard some 3rd year students feel that they aren't sure nursing is what they want to do! BUt perhaps it's mostly because they haven't really got out there & worked it yet. Just also over the study, maybe.

Yep, Aged care is hard work! So you have been there done that too? I do like looking after the ressies but often feel frustrated that we don't have more time to spend with them. It's a bit like a production line especially morning shifts with the b4 breakfast showers etc!!

Anyway, so far I love what I have done & learnt but like I said....can't wait to get out there.

I am looking forward to the opportunity to do a variety of things once I have that paper in my hand. It is gr8 to know that we don't have to stay with the one employer 5 days/week. I was thinking of doing 3-4 days in the hospital system then maybe a couple with Blue Care/community nursing. there's lots I want to do..., that's my problem!!! Gotta squeeze in what I can b4 I get too old! lol

Cheers

Specializes in Pediatrics- Adolescents.

Hi I am new to this forum, but thought I'd say hello. I am just about to finish uni as well, in Perth, and had my first preference for a grad program in paeds. I thought my interview went ok, but certainly not great, but I ended up getting the job. hopefully youll get it as well!

Specializes in Med onc, med, surg, now in ICU!.
Hi I am new to this forum, but thought I'd say hello. I am just about to finish uni as well, in Perth, and had my first preference for a grad program in paeds. I thought my interview went ok, but certainly not great, but I ended up getting the job. hopefully youll get it as well!

Thanks! I hope I do. I am preparing myself for the worst, just in case. I want to do ICU in my second year (ICUs around here don't take new grads) so I am saying to myself, "It's only a year and then you can do ICU". I've downloaded the application package and I'm already working on my application so I can blow them out of the water next year!

Specializes in Medical, Paeds, Ob gyn, NICU.

hi living my dream,

what year are you in? i am nearly through my 2nd year at the wide bay campus.

i couldn't watch the steve irwin memorial on telly, can't stop crying about him, he was my hero.

and i just wanted to add

go the brisbane broncos

Specializes in Psych.

Hello all, I am new to this forum but have posted on others. I thought I'd give this one a whirl. I am looking for real world advise from Aussie nurses. I will be moving to outside of Melbourne at the end of November and wanted to some honest answers about how traveling nurses (especially from the US) are regarded. I am very personable and friendly, but I want to fit in without obviously trying to hard. What are some do's and don'ts that I should be aware of? I am not one of those "typical" Americans and have spent a good deal traveling (as a tourist) but would enjoy some honest discussion (not PC) about how things might be. Thanks

Specializes in Medical.

I've worked (in Melbourne) with nurses from all over; this has only included a tiny handful of North Americans. My experience has been that people don't really care where you're from, but 1) how good a nurse you are, and 2) what kind of personality you have.

Reliable, responsible, take your share of the load, have no obvious antisocial personality discorder, and wait until you've been somewhere a while before you start talking about how much better your last place was? You'll be fine!

Good luck, and congratulations on your brilliant decision to come Down Under!

Specializes in Psych.
I've worked (in Melbourne) with nurses from all over; this has only included a tiny handful of North Americans. My experience has been that people don't really care where you're from, but 1) how good a nurse you are, and 2) what kind of personality you have.

Reliable, responsible, take your share of the load, have no obvious antisocial personality discorder, and wait until you've been somewhere a while before you start talking about how much better your last place was? You'll be fine!

Good luck, and congratulations on your brilliant decision to come Down Under!

Thanks for the advise. I am not all that worried but I have heard that Americans are not particularly welcomed as travel nurses in some areas. I guess it just depends on the area, and what nurse comes in.

Hi everyone,

I just joined all nurses a couple of days ago . Found this forum today and am enjoying reading your posts . I am in the US now , have been for 17 years , but am a transplant from Australia . Grew up in the Wollongong, NSW area , and did my training at ST George in Kogarah . Have been out of nursing as long as I have been here , and just started my first nursing job after all this time , a couple of weeks ago . Was scared to touch a patient the first day . Things are starting to come back to me though , and although things are a little different here , I think with time, I will survive just fine .

Specializes in ICU.

Hi!! And welcome!! Glad to hear you are returning to nursing - scary isn't it?

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