Nursing wages? Need to pay off student loans!

gwenith, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2004

For Qld wages go to thinknursing.com warning though - start your applications for immigration/work visa NOW. Just talked to a colleague recently arrived from the USA and she said it took 6 months of bureaucracy.

The link to the immigration website is in the "sticky" thread at the top of this forum.

RN_Amy, RN · Sep 1, 2004

I will be graduating with BscN from canada in the spring and want to get rid of my debt quickly. I was wondering if starting wages were similar to that of canada- $25-26 an hour to start - 3 weeks vacation first year. If it is similar I would prefer to work in oz over any other country for family reasons (spouse and I would qualify for skilled immigration -teacher&nurse.) I know its a blunt question but its very important right now! If you have a web sight that has collective bargaining agreements that would be great too. Thank you in advance to anyone willing to help point the way.
Cheers

I am in the opposite position... and want to travel to Canada in the near future!

I don't know whether this will help much... but I completed my graduate year last year in Melbourne and started on $18 an hour base... (8 hr x 5 shifts a week) which included 6 weeks annual leave (what you call vacation) a year, an extra $2/hr for each afternoon shift and an extra $50 (total) for a night shift. Since I moved interstate nurses in Victoria have had a pay rise!

Each state has a different award which dictates nursing salaries for public and private hospitals.

Good luck..... :)

pmchap · Feb 11, 2005

Nurses in NSW have base rates of pay set by NSW health check their website for details on scales...http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/jobs/empcond/classifications.html that link gets you into employment conditions - have a search around... Generally first year out is about 20 per hour (6 weeks vacation) salary increments aprox $1/hr/year shift penalties add a big allowance (10% afternoons, 15% nights, 50% saturdays, 75% sundays). Cost of living is relatively cheap if you pick the right location - plus - there is limited chance of heating costs and if you don't mind the heat no cooling costs either...

Cheers

Peter

simona · Feb 11, 2005

....started on $18 an hour base...

:angryfire :angryfire :crying2: are you serious??????????

I do night fill at Bi-Lo for this money :uhoh21:

pmchap · Feb 28, 2005

Don't forget simona a huge part of a nurses pay packet is the ability to load penalties and overtime. As a second year I was earning more then the NUM due to the fact that I was doing 10hr night shifts and consistently doing an extra shift per fortnight. Last year my overtime and penalties amounted to between 20-25,000 (that is about 35% of my gross pay for the year) but that sort of work only works while you don't have huge family commitments.

Cheers & Goodluck

Peter