jmont

Thanks Silverdragon. Do you know if the courses at Deakin that I would be looking at are the Professional Development Units (PDU)? http://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/9120/1404-pg-nursing-midwifery-15-v7-dn-accessible.pdf I'm flexible about what state I would live in, so that's good I suppose. To ghillbert's point below, I'm not even sure if I would want to come back to the states or stay in Australia for awhile. I don't want the decision to travel & experience Australia to end up causing me major headaches for the rest of my life/career!!

I am currently debating whether to pursue a grad-entry MSN program in Melbourne or continue taking pre-reqs and applying for accelerated BSN programs in the states. I've been offered a spot at University of Melbourne and must decide by nov 20! I know there are many other users here who have had this same dilemma & would LOVE some feedback about which path you chose and your thoughts after the fact. I'm a US citizen, so wouldn't need to worry about a visa once I return to the US, just the shortage in clinical & theory hours - which I understand can be done at Deakin in Aus (not sure if or where else in the Us or Aus). On the flip side, I have a couple of semesters worth of pre-reqs to pass before I can start any accelerated BSNs in the USA, which I know are pretty competitive & fill up quickly. It seems like quite a gamble to apply for these when I already have an offer from Melbourne. Either way I look at it, I have additional courses to take, just a matter of now or later. A main concern I have is the cost - the programs I'm looking at in the US are in most cases more expensive than U of Melb. But, US federal student aid isn't applicable to Australian nursing programs, so I would have to take out private loans. Any tips on good ones?? After reading so many posts by users in a similar position to me, I'm curious to hear feedback about your choices! Really looking forward to some other perspectives! Thanks!

Hey down_under - I'm curious which path you chose?? I am having the exact same dilemma and it's getting down to the wire for accepting my offer from the University of Melbourne grad entry MSN. I have applied for US accelerated BSN programs, but haven't heard back (and won't until spring I imagine...) Any thoughts from any others out there? Thank you!

It's been awhile since this thread has had any activity - but I'm very curious if anyone can comment to the ease of finding work as an RN in Perth or Melbourne areas at this point? Are there still limited jobs available? I was really interested to read all the different perspectives presented in this thread... some food for thought for sure! The other burning question I have (which is related to some of the comments here) is whether the role of the RN in a big city (like perth or melbourne) is going to differ much from that of an RN in a big city here in the US? I am not a nurse and have no first-hand knowledge of how it is in either country, but have heard & read so much about it that I'm completely overwhelmed! I would LOVE some first-hand accounts!

Thanks for the feedback ghillbert and silverdragon! Like some other folks who have posted here, I'm not really sure where I will spend my nursing career... I saw that somewhere else ghillbert pointed out the relative ease of getting a US degree and working in AUS as an RN after. That's definitely an option for me. It's only that I can get in and get going with a program in Australia at the start of next year and finish by 2017, whereas I won't even be able to apply to accelerated BSN programs in the states until next fall for 2016 start! Since tuition cost is about the same here and there, it seems like a good alternative PLUS the chance to spend time abroad. I would be totally flexible about what state to get licensure in if/when I chose to come back to the US to work. Unfortunately I'm having a hard time reaching actual humans at any of the BON's I've tried to contact about this to see about what hours will be required. I get the feeling these things change often, so it may be different in 2/3 years when I would actually look to come back here. Anybody else out there have any firsthand experience with this?

Hi all - I'm new to allnurses, seems like a lot of knowledgeable and experienced people on here! I'm a US citizen looking into doing a master's nursing program in Australia. I like traveling and the programs there only require prior Bachelor's degree, as opposed to accelerated BSN programs in the US which have quite a few pre-reqs that would take awhile for me to get through (not to mention I'd earn a Master's in Australia as opposed to a second Bachelors)! My concern is that when I'm ready to come back to the states I will be overlooked for jobs because I was educated abroad (despite being a US citizen). I've read quite a few posts here and it sounds like it's tough to get hired in general, and I'm not sure if my foreign training would just create problems? I imagine I would like to work in Australia for awhile after graduating if I do end up going somewhere there... What's it like working as a nurse in Australia vs. US? Anybody have experience with this? :) Thanks in advance for your advice!