Nursing shortage??

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Nov 14, 2011

There may be a shortage in the smaller, outback & rural towns but not in the cities. Many of our own grads can't get GNPs or work.

But I will warn you now: rural nursing is very hard - you have to do everything - and I mean everything - when u work in smaller hospitals. If there's no linen, u have to go get it. You have to do all the IV & drug re-stocking. You have to go get the meals as there may only be one person on for a whole facility to do that. You also may be asked to do a lot of overtime, and never get out on time either. And believe me, you will get sick of staying back & asking to do extra time. I know people who will not work in the outback again for these reasons alone.

Some outback communities you are it: the RN, midwife - there may be no doctor there either. Lots of times there's no hospital, might just be a room where people are seen. It's very, very hot too - places are not always air conditioned, there may just be ceiling fans. You also have to deal with a lot of drunkenness & drug addiction in smaller communities, as that's a big problem, especially in the NT. I knew a RN years ago who used to travel round in a landrover (4 wheel drive), and just see people on the road! She had no consulting room & many outbackers live in the bush in those days - this nurse had all her supplies in the back of her l/rover.

Also prolly better if u have 2-3 years ED experience as well. You will have to deal with every kind of accident/situation in the outback with no or little support (though there is the Royal Flying Doctor Service to help out).

ceridwyn · Nov 14, 2011

Oh but Carol, overseas nurses with experience next to zilch are reporting they are getting full-time sponsored visas, in one big city and state and yet new grads without grad years are not getting work.

ps to poster, it is not as easy as it was, you know the economics downtown, coming from the states, you would know all about it.

Nurses from all parts of the globe are applying to work in Australia (hundreds every day), as Australia seems to be still holding up, though our health system is cracking up, due to federalism and the massive changes that are happening to funding etc. Thankyou pollies, should have left the states alone. Those on sponsorship visa's may be put in difficult positions if cut backs occur if not working in a shortage specialty.

In all we have no way knowing what will happen in the future, not alone, near future, as it stands, nurses from overseas are still getting work here at the moment, though sponsorship visas are now hard to get in a few states, without experience, nursing is still on the SOL list....and excuse me from being a little protective of our own.......

If you were here now, depending on you specialisation and experience, no probs, but in a few months, who knows and also depends where you are. If you are in a shortage specialty, you will be most welcomed.

As for remote area nursing.....you need to know your stuff, one NP I know that worked in a city ED for years, is finding it a real challenge in a remote area, just as Carol has discussed.

Hagabel · Nov 18, 2011

Why not move to NZ, as long as you are not looking to make money. I am loving it so far.

kiwinarz · Nov 18, 2011

YES!!! Come to NZ. :)

neonstone · Jan 12, 2012

is it easy to register as a nurse at NZ?

Geani · Jan 13, 2012

is it easy to register as a nurse at NZ?

It depends what country you are coming from. If you need english exam, it is a bit more difficult.

Lorodz · Feb 10, 2012

In my opinion, there is a nursing shortage in Australia, just do a simple google search. Ü. Have you tried emailing the hospitals and the agencies in Australia? Most of them will be more than happy to sponsor you a working visa if A. You have an Australian registration (meaning you have done the 3-month bridging course)b. You have at least 2 years experienceAnd when you go here in Australia, you don't take away Australian jobs, LOLZ, your employer (who will petition you) will prove to the government that they cannot find locals to fill the position you are applying. These are measures placed by the government to protect their citizens. Since Australia can't produce enough nurses (thanks to the greying work force and the aging of the baby boomers) Australia is in dire need of nurses, especially nurses who have an experience in geriatrics.I'm here in Australia, still doing the bridging course, believe me the job prospects here are very positive. I emailed a hospital in melbourne and they are wlling to sponsor me a visa until I get my registration. (which is a month from now)So if I were you, join us and let's help Australia fill the the need for nurses.

Lorodz · Feb 10, 2012

Yes, of all English speaking countries, the u.k., Australia and new zealand requires you to have at least a 7 of each subtest in the IELTS exam. But if you took your nursing degree in the USA, you don't need to take that exam. Ü

ceridwyn · Feb 11, 2012

'since australia can't produce enough nurses (thanks to the greying work force and the aging of the baby boomers)'

since when are the older nurses 'greyling workforce' 'aging baby boomers'??? responsible for 'can't produce enough nurses'!!

i find this statement very insulting to nurses that have been working for 1-20 plus years, worked extra shifts, questioned management, fought long and hard for parity with other health professions for autonomy, lost pay, took insults from management/politicians and fought for better pay for the local and foreign nurses here in australia.... and made nursing conditions,a much better prospect for the younger nurses and foreign nurses that are coming here/through and have patient ratios for best patient care that 37,000 thousand foreign patients come here without insurance, to partake of our health system victoria,(and this is just been announced in victoria) because of best patient outcomes! thanks to those ' grey, ageing baby boomer' nurses.

maybe nurses in countries that on purpose,oversupply nurses, and now have not got the same opportunities in their own country, should think long and hard about this so that they do not refer to australian nurses this way,when receiving their pay here in australia with a career pathway and respect from the australian community.

...and btw those 'greying/ aging/boomer' nurses still have 10-20 good working years left in them.

is this what the teachers at bridging courses are telling you?:flamesonb

are they not teaching cultural sensitivity? or how the nursing profession here in australia is referred to in posters country. :down:

ceridwyn · Feb 11, 2012

'1:38 am by

lorodzyes, of all english speaking countries, the u.k., australia and new zealand requires you to have at least a 7 of each subtest in the ielts exam. but if you took your nursing degree in the usa, you don't need to take that exam. ü'

this is incorrect.......how come the nurses from the usa are so honoured!

the ahpra guidelines for english requirement is that most countries where english is considered first and foremost english language no ielts test is required that includes the uk (we do not need to take ielts if you are educated/born in australia), nz, canada, ireland, south africa.

unless you have experience in a needed specialty......jobs are now far more difficult to obtain.

and australalia is educating enough new nurses, though now that there are many international nurses with no experience have been excepted into our health system, this has had some effect in many areas that there is not the availability for our own new graduates that were not excepted into a graduate program to find work for an rn with little experience,in many places.

australia is seen as this never ending place of employment for nurses with all scopes of inexperience/experience and it has to end as seen in the usa, canada and uk. australia has much less population so this will happen soon, very soon as there are even more nurses applying here and as quickly as bridging programs can keep increasing their student numbers for the sake of the dollar, where they find clinical placements will take the students for sponsorship visas, it has to end.

btw employers can put down on sponsorship applications anything that suits requirements. its much cheaper to pay for a visa for a foreign nurse, that will work any shifts,accept any lower grade, does not know the pay, will not question their management, than pay the advertising/recruitment people for an australian nurse that does know their grading system and pay rates and will question management if they think their patients/residents are not getting the best care available.

ceridwyn · Feb 11, 2012

:hrnsmlys: Google is a web crawler and will find one position as advertised 10-20 times the same position from different advertising companies and if one looks closer at requirements...an ability to already have work rights in Australia is required often a requirement. If you do not have a working holiday visa, pr or citizenship you will not have this requirement.