Soon to be Texas BSN Graduate moving to Australia

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2014

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JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Jan 28, 2014

Your big barrier is that you are not only inexperienced new grads but that you have no training in the Australian way of life, healthcare and nursing.

You need to look at the Australian health care practitioner registry to see if you qualify for licensing as a registered nurse. You will likely have difficulty finding work as an inexperienced new grad as AUS nurses are having difficulty obtaining new grad placements and employment v

ceridwyn · Jan 28, 2014

You need experience as an RN first as there is no shortage of nurses especially new graduates you have nothing to offer an Australian employer that they cannot source and are suppose to find locally.

If under 30 you can apply for working holiday visa and work for 6 months out of 12, herein lies first problem, locals usually have a graduate year or employed as first year nurse you will not have done neither so employer will have to invest a lot of time and have a supervision clinical nurse, and there are for the past few years hundreds of local grads needing these positions.

Agencies will not take on new graduates not as all their clients need experienced nurses.

The other visa,s are more substantial and need an employer to sponsor, and new graduates from overseas really do not qualify or apply for a skills visa or regional nomination skills visa which new graduates still do not qualify as you need 3 years or 2 years respectively, nursing experience.

It is also not respected by many nurses moving to another country as Justbeachy nurse has stated, that there is technically and culturally a different view on health and along with that a different idea of what a nurse does and fits into a different health system. Medications have totally different names, doctors write up orders differently, RN,s do everything in most hospitals, in Australia, mix IV drugs, do IV therapy, start IV therapy, do dressings, no other allied help, accept physiotherapist or occupational therapist - (see even these professions have different names here) along with personal care and help with all ADL,s, so if you are inexperienced in your own country, you are not safe to practise straight into another.

Another difference, no Australian hospital gives weeks of orientation. 3days induction usually max then your it. even if you on a graduate program!

Aged care may take you on, but even they can pick and choose applicants these days.

Unfortunately you are becoming an RN at a time when there is no nursing shortage in the western world, 5 years ago hospitals were so desperate if you had the qualification you had a job and government was pouring money into new graduate schemes such as clinical educators on every ward every shift, graduate programs that we're not often filled, but those days have gone with all cutbacks in Australia.

Australia at this time is the only destination available for experienced nurses of 2 years up experience to get permanent visa easy and move here in the world, (these are given out, even though jobs are becoming scarce, the government immigration department has not worked this out yet) not saying they have work though, it's getting tough here for all nurses with now many applicants for jobs, so a new graduate from anywhere, including locals, have a very hard time to find work.

you will be accepted by the national professionals registration board - AHPRA as a new graduate, so that's one happy piece of news!

x33nikkaayy · Jan 29, 2014

Hi Justbeachynurse and ceridwyn,

I have done research over this and I understand your concerns of the inexperience. However, I believe all nurses have to start somewhere, even being in the US. If I graduated here, not all hospitals put there new nurses through extensive training; and I do believe in myself and my fellow friend and our training we have had thus far. As far as ADL's, IV therapy, mixing drugs, and so on; we do actually do that here as well. Even in our current nursing school... even without supervision. I very much appreciate your constructive criticism but I am simply looking for the best process to get to Australia and receive a job, not how I am going to do one.

x33nikkaayy · Jan 29, 2014

P.S. I just wanted to add this is my first time reaching out to fellow nurses, I would think we would all be sisters and brothers with a understood respect for each other for what we go through and we do throughout our education and our careers. It's very disappointing to see that I am being told; that I would be coming to another country to help my hardworking fellow nurses;which I would expect all of you to be; but hear that you would not respect because me "there is technically and culturally a different view on health and along with that a different idea of what a nurse does and fits into a different health system". Which is very disappointing as well because this is one of the very reasons I became a nurse, to learn from other nurses, about their culture, values, and views.

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Jan 29, 2014

I understand, where the two Australian nurses are coming from, in the US having a new nurse is taxing on a unit, initially a new grad adds work and does not lighten a nurses job. on top of that working in a very different health care system, where basics are done in a different system, think, height, weight, and temperatures. On top of this a person from another country wants to take. A job from a native with no talk of immigrating.

If you wish a cultural exchange, do it through an educational exchange, where you will not be taking a job from a native and you will be exchanging knowledge.

Last nurses no longer put additves in IVs in the USA. and giving meds I am unfamiliar with would be scary to an old nurse like myself, I can not imagine a new nurse with no context to medication pass.

last get experience in the USA or do a semester via school, not try to take a job from a citizen.

ceridwyn · Jan 29, 2014

Yes, you are a nursing student and I respect that, but I am also an advocate for my patient, community, country. Nursing is all about 'doing' a job as it is often a matter between life and death.

I had a big long spiel written out, but I will stick to this.....experience will make you much wiser and humble of your capabilities at all stages of your nursing career and life. Number One Rule though at this time in your career: Do not work outside your scope of practice as student nurse, and as a new graduate and have the wisdom to know how far you can argue your boundaries as an advocate when you are an experienced nurse.

x33nikkaayy · Jan 30, 2014

See Y'ALL in Sydney!

steppybay · Jan 30, 2014

To the OP: it's kind of like what the others have been saying.

Like what you would say to two AU new grads with no clinical experience, unfamiliar with US charting, medical equipment usage, American measurements, drug names, etc wanting to find a nursing job in the States?

You would say there's no problem with hiring overseas nurses in the States, don't worry about having a working visa or SS# that's work authorized.

There's plenty of nursing jobs in the States that will take you without any RN experience, we have a nursing shortage in the States. US hospitals hiring preferences will put you near the top of the list.

Don't worry about the medication and drug names, it's all the same between the US and AU.

We'll teach you how to use medical machines and equipment, no prior experience needed. It's a reversal of thoughts and reality.

Mind you, I'm in the States now and from the Phillipines and if you read thru the other forum tab from those in AU and NZ, jobs are more scarce there, and they do require 2-3 years of paid nursing experience to even apply into their bridging programs and there's no guarantee even passing the expensive program to get a job with many having to go back home due to no jobs.

No sponsorships, no working visas, no chance going up against the local AU or NZ new grads or even the more experience ones from my home country.

It might be different since you're a US citizen and received your BSN here. Maybe you don't have to take the bridging and just need to apply and hope for the best.

So just be prepared in the case as the others mentioned, it's not a downer (such a word?) but just to give you a heads up and it's not an easy process.

If it doesn't work out or maybe just you or your roommate will be lucky enough to land a job to at least support the both of you, then that's all great. Good luck.