nyapa

Which hospital are you planning to do your graduate programme in? In the Territory, our graduate programmes are run with three intakes, but the positions are very hard to get into. There are also the ONCAP programmes which allow you to be recognised in Australia. I think you need to contact a hospital you are interested in. Maybe if you go through the Victorian Nurses Board - send them an email or ring them - they may be able to help you, because I'm not sure if you have to do a university component as well...

I started at the Northern Territory University; until they decided to change their name to Charles Darwin University...same place...different name.

We have a lot of nurses come through our hospital as tourists. I do know that many of the UK nurses cannot give IVABs; its a separate certificate? What role do NPs play in the UK ie what areas do they work in?

25 years young hey? How special!!!. Not many ppl are lucky enough, or are so blessed to reach that goal. I know it takes a lot of hard work too. Dh and I have been together for 16 years, and we thought that was good! Did you buy yourself anything silver in recognition? (Its supposed to be the silver anniversary isn't it?).

Agree totally. Actually, I like the point about GPs only seeing chronically ill ppl, whereas rural nurses see often very acute ppl. Its ridiculous that currently a nurse can't even write an MCS form to have a wound swab checked, or an MSU...

Talaxandra, I can't believe how quickly I've forgotten how much study takes over your life, already! Joannep, I am so so jealous. That was a whirl wind tour of so many places. You must be exhausted, but I bet you enjoyed every minute. Is the new job based in a hospital, a research facility, or part of Communicable Diseases?

Grace Oz, Gwenith, and everyone else?

Try ringing the various boards of nursing. They would have different processes as they are independent of each other...

Well said. As you state joannep, unis are accredited. Their qualifications to teach are recognised by the Nurses Boards of all States. Interested Party, you will always find someone out in the field saying things about different training institutions, be they positive or negative. They are not experts. And whose to say that if you went to their own university that you may be missing out on something that is offered by your own university? As you say, it is disconcerting...gossip always is. Best of luck with your studies. You are halfway through, it is all downhill from now on! Jay

please remember we are not experts. she really should be contacting authorities. 1. what is the best possible way for her to find a job once she passes the oet? she really needs to check with the immigration dept, the hospital that she wants to work at, the nurses board in that state, and find a university that may help her convert 2. are the 3 month training courses necessary to get a job in australia for foreigners? are you talking of those oncap programmes run through hospital? i think she would really have to check again with the above resources 3. what benefits are provided to nurses by the state or individual hospitals? nothing really. free uniforms in govt hospitals. penalties in govt hospitals. in some hospitals, single person accommodation, though this is becoming really rare in the cities 4. what is the average rate of pay raises in australian hospitals? difficult question as it differs from state to state. the private system and aged care usually pays less 5. what promotion opportunities are available, if any, if i work there for a long time?depends on the hospital, your qualifications, your skills 6. are their courses to improve my nursing rank as i work? such as from a lpn to rn? we do not have lpns here. we do have enrolled nurses/registered nurses level 2. it is currently a diploma course. as suzanne 4 says, only rns are able to apply, unless your friend chooses to do the en course. to upgrade to an rn you have to do another 2 years i think...depends on the university. most courses are through university and are for specialties such as renal or cancer nursing. and they will not improve your seniority, just make you accredited for that area. government nurses do have increments whereby every year where the respective nurse's pay goes up. but that does not give you seniority generally

Enrolled Nurse programmes are now a 2 yr Diploma Course. You need to contact universities/colleges to find out what is required and whether you will have any recognition of prior learning...

"MEDICARE coverage is set to be extended beyond doctors to nurses and other health professionals when the federal Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, announces the first steps in a revamp of local health services today. ...She is to announce an expert panel to work with the Government in developing a primary care strategy that would reshape the current GP-dominated local health service into one increasing the use of practice nurses and other health professionals such as physiotherapists, pharmacists, psychologists and dieticians." http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/news/national/national/general/doctors-grip-on-health-care-has-roxon-bristling-for-a-fight/786627.aspx " In an interview on Sunrise on June 13th, Rosanna Capolingua (AMA President) spoke about expanding the role of nurse practitioners and other health professionals and warned of the dangers of doing so. ...On the program, Ms Capolingua suggested that nurses are unable to provide comprehensive care to patients and that giving them a greater role would endanger patient safety and 'dumb down' health care. " http://www.anf.org.au Just interested to see what ppl think of this.

My husband is an EN, who applied for a job at a nursing home. He was under the impression he was going to be hired as an EN, but when he went to sign up, they were going to employ him as a PCA. He contacted the ANF who stated it does happen, and it seems they can't do much about it. I really wouldn't do it. As Talaxandra said, you are qualified as an EN, and should anything happen, then you are expected to act legally within the domains of your competencies, not the role you have been employed as. If you are really unsure, check with the Nurses Board in your state, and the professtional nurses union as well. As an addit: RNs cannot work as ENs. I was trained as an EN; when I went to get my registration, it was one of the saddest things I had to do...handing in my Enrolment certificate, which I had worked hard for, and had held for over 15 years. Being an EN for so long had been part of my identity. Also handing it in meant for three days until my RN registration was approved, I was not a nurse at all!!!

Check the international section on the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council website (that is becoming my favourite saying ) http://www.anmc.org.au

Not at all. I was an EN for years, and didn't even know there was a separate union. But then again, I do live in 'the sticks'.

Sorry, didn't mean to sound facetious. I could never lay out the information as well as you did.

Buying homes is becoming out of reach of most nurses. And also most of the community. Also it is getting harder to rent in Australia, though it depends where you go. But some of the country areas have really cheap accommodation. Petrol is becoming more expensive in the NT as well. Its about $1.65 / Litre. Seems like it is half the price of that in Britain. Public transport exists up here, but buses can often be an hour in between 'pickups'. We have no trains, except for the main one that goes down the centre of Australia. Case in point: I went to Sydney and nearly got run over by a train because I had no idea how to catch one!

That's very well summarized Talaxandra. The only thing is that dental care is not covered by Medicare, unfortunately. Also, those who are on pensions receive their medications on the PBS system at $4.95 per script, whereas those who are not on pensions pay is it 35$ now? Doctors who work in the public system also work in the main in the private system. I think that ppl on private cover now are there because they choose to be. Private cover is more expensive under the Coalition / current system than public health care. I'd rather pay the extra Medicare levy. So I don't think there will be any loss of ppl going from the private to public. Like you I'm pro public. Certainly here there are more nurses per patient in the public system, than in the private. But there are those who prefer the private system, and I hope they put their point of view here as well. Jay

Tina, I would love to have a PDA but life's not yet been kind to me *jealous ++*. Coupla suggestions - not sure whether you will draw a blank or not. You could try the library of the hospital where you are working; they may be able to look for you. Or else how about asking the ANF?

Congratulations!

Maybe the way to go would be to ring individual hospitals and see what programmes they offer. We have an overseas nurse programme at Royal Darwin Hospital in the Northern Territory. I've seen nurses from India, China, Indonesia, the Phillipines go through this programme. And I'm sure there is university training attached. As you are aiming for Victoria, maybe it might be an idea to check what certain hospitals may offer. I'm surprised that the ANMC were unable to help! What about checking with the Immigration department. Australia, like every other country, is desperate for nurses...

Yayyy. Isn't that great re: the other hospital. I guess by being honest you gave yourself a good name too...

depends on which university. Check with http://www.anmc.org.au We do not have a central exam like the NCLEX in the US, but I'm unsure what the process for international nurses is. Jay

Check the international section of the Australian Nurses and Midwifery Board. http://www.anmc.org.au Also check the nurses board of Victoria site. http://www.nbv.org.au/ Individual universities may also be able to help you...

1. You need to check out the international section of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council. http://www.anmc.org.au 2. Each state has its own registration/licencing authority. Victoria's is http://www.nbv.org.au/ 3. Rates of pay in the public sector can be found at http://www.health.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/168247/EBA_deed_feb_08.pdf . Page 49 has the base rates of pay; we also get penalties, which if you are really eager, you should be able to find in that document. RNs are RN division 1 in Victoria Hope this is helpful Jay