RN relocating from the US to Australia

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jan 28, 2012

Moved to the Australian forum

ceridwyn · Jan 29, 2012

Hi All!
I am a United States educated and trained Registered nurse with 4 years experience in Medical Surgical nursing out in NY.
I just moved to Brisbane, Australia about 2 weeks ago. I have joined a per diem agency to start working ASAP. I am concerned about the differences in working in Australia vs. the United States.
Can anyone help me out? What is Nursing like working on the surgical wards out in Brisbane? How is the charting? Similar to the United States?
Thank you in advance!
Cristina

Basically humans are humans so skills are the same, from what I gather, having never worked in the US of A, orders are written differently, for example IVs are 1/24,goes through in 1 hour - 16/24 goes through in 16 hours, 4/24, 6/24 12/24/ 16/24 and 24/24.

Most drugs are different names trade and generic, the only meds the same name are insulins and units, though blood sugars are in mmol per litre not decilitre so start looking at hypos at 3.5mmol/L and hypers at 15mmol/L.

There are no respiriatory therapists, RN's do it all, from washing to meds to technical stuff, depending on the hospital meds are still dispensed fromt the bottle or leaf from packet.

No iv therapsists, the RN is it. Wounds, there are wound specialists around, but the RN with that patient, does that dressing.

The Australian medicines handbook https://shop.amh.net.au/ will give you are start, MIMs online is another drug bible.

As for post surgical care hospitals and surgeons all have their protocols for all different surgeries.

Orientation is given to new staff at all hospitals, these vary from 2 days to a week, surely your employer knowing you are new to the country will give you at least a week to get your head around it all. good luck, you are in for a bit of a ride.

Brisbane is great though, would not mind moving there myself, again...enjoy

Bringonthenight · Jan 29, 2012

Nursing in Aus will be a bit of a shock however you'll pick it up.As an agency nurse wouldn't you be going to more then just surgical wards? Like previous poster said; RNs do everything- no "techs" to do this and that and definitely no RT. Depending on what sector you work you may have the help of wards men to help with turns but most of the time you just have to find another nurse to help you. And as previously mentioned the other difference would be the med names and the metric system.Good luck!

allnurses Guide · Feb 7, 2012

I would be careful doing agency/temp work if you aren't used to the system at all. You need to work somewhere and get orientation. I have worked in both systems and they are considerably different. The charting is a lot different from what I have seen - there is more CYA charting and electronic records here in the US. The "customer service" focus is a lot more predominant in the US > Australia. I think nursing education and professionalism is further advanced in the US as it seems expected that people go on and get masters degrees etc, whereas it's less common in Aus. We need more emphasis on evidence-based practice in Aus esp on the floors and I think it's great to get input from nurses who've worked in other countries. On the other hand, people don't like being told they're doing something wrong so I would not enter with an attitude that the place is lagging behind wherever you came from.

If you're unsure about something, ASK. Provided you are polite and not "know it all" going in, people are going to be very happy to help you get familiar with things.

cristinablueyes · Feb 7, 2012

Hey guys, thanks for the input. I have found all of that to be true. What I also noticed, every hospital is different. In doing the per diem work. it is a lot more stressful and I feel incompetent in the beginning. As the day progresses I feel better with the routine and the ward.

Some main differences I have noticed; besides the obvious medicine names and metric system

1. The patients have their own meds in their own lockers in their room. Which eliminates the medication cart that we have in the US,

2. I still need to get used to the different Intravenous pumps.

3. The carpets on the floor.

4. I have not seen a RN carry a stethoscope or even perform a physical assessment. Then again, their is no where to chart the physical assessment.

5. The concept of the team leader is prominent in AUS to give report to the full staff, where I am used to one on one detailed report.

6. The charting is less and I need to get used to the paper charting.

I have been lucky enough to meet very helpful and understanding RNs on each floor that I work on, that helped and mentored me throughout the day. I did take on a full time position which will start the end of the month. With a proper orientation I will be able to grasp the daily routine of the ward.

Oh another question, what is the role of the wards man/woman?

K+MgSO4, BSN · Feb 8, 2012

A wardsman role varies from hospital to hospital but they often will clean the beds for pts that have been discharged, take specimens to pathology, pick up blood products, collect the pt jugs in the morning, wash then and give out fresh water, escort pt to procedures etc. depends on the ward and the hospital.

carpets GROSS! are you working in a private hospital?? My public hospital ward would need to have them ripped up! EWWW!

Yeah the meds at the bedside is good. something different from Ireland as well for me.

IV pumps just take your time they are all the same concept just follow the prompts!

That is strange that nurses are not carrying stehoscopes. I found that they did here in Australia more than Ireland. I do full physical but you are right there is nowhere to document it unless you write it out yourself. I just usually document in a body systems approach and do as I am doing my end of shift notes.

The report thing at least is supposed to suggest that everyone knows what is going on on the ward

Congrats on the job. What kind of ward/hospital?