Helen46

My first thoughts are whether he WANTS to do Nursing. I learnt a very hard lesson recently - that it's a mistake to push somebody into something, as there may be good reasons for them NOT to want to do something - ones that you don't know about. Having said that, I can assure him that his is quite wrong about his age. When I was on placement last year, there was a 64 year old man who had completed his nursing when he was 60. And as there is no returing age any more, he might well have another 15 working years to go. He can be assured of a job being a male. Men tend to be promoted far quicker than women, and the study usually is not hard. It's largely just learning and practicing lots of simple skills and procedures. After Law school, I loved being able to do something that didn't give me 'brain ache, and to acquire uselful skills. I also found that during the difficult times, it was quite comforting having male nurses around.They werent scared to stay and support you. Helen

Oops - sorry - just realized that your name is Gwenith, and that you are a girl thats into footy etc. genuine apologies for the 'changing into a girl comment'. Helen

yeh - that would be nice. Im new here, a first year student, and a mum with two small children. This Australian site seems to mainly to attract foreigners asking questions about entering Australia (which is fine - a good place to get to know some Aussies if they come here), but it lacks Australians chatting to Australians (can you also change into a girl so I can chat about girly things - don't care much for sport *grin*) Helen

Hi I am a mum with two little kids, and I have had a hundred or so international students over the years come to live with me for various periods of time while they are studying. It would have been because of the sickel cell disease, not the colour of skin that determined refusal to enter Australia. Colour should not prejudice you being employed - at least in not in the public sector. However, I have had black friends who said they had experienced racism from patients who didnt like being tended by a coloured nurse. Especially with older patients - we had a 'white australia policy until the 1970s so the older generation grew up with only white people. You would feel very welcome in any University in Australia. Helen

Hi I'm from Adelaide, South Australia. I can't talk from personal experience, however, from what I know (plus I have just done a major paper on forensic Nursing in "Australia), I would suggest that you look to the US rather thatn Australia. Here, forensic nursing is not even recognised as a specialty. there is talk of trying to get it recognised. Colleges are just beginning to introduce courses in forensic nursing, but I have read that each course is geared to the needs of the local community. The term 'forensic nursing' here relates to any nurse that is involved with nursing of offenders, rape victims, victims of assault etc etc. The term is most commonly used with nurses who work in correctional institutions (jails) as I understand it - and the majority of these inmates are also mentally ill. And in reality, these nurses are considered the 'failures of the Nursing world' due to the populations they work with. These nurses are known to be pretty miserable. Life for them is trying to control threat of violence, and from the people I have known, they tend to be somewhat 'damaged people' - they develop signs of mental illness themselves - or they have nasty violent streaks like the people they nurse - maybe its just othe ones I have met. Try contacting Linda Saunders at Flinders University (south australia). She is the head of the nursing faculty there, and a specialist in forensic nursing. She also heads a forensic nursing course at this university. But from what I know, 'forensic nursing' is just a term that is bandied around in australia. Unlike the US, there is no such specialist in australia at the moment - not like a 'mental health nurse, or a midwife etc - and its all quite miserable and scummy. Helen