Tips to find a job in OZ/NZ?

K+MgSO4, BSN · Jul 15, 2011

Well AHPRA only registers for Australia. You can contact the HR dept of the hospitals online & talk to them or contact some nursing agencies.

ceridwyn · Jul 15, 2011

New Zealand, does have its own nursing council that you can now get reciprical? rights because of your Australian nurses registration, BUT you need to apply to New Zealand and get a New Zealand registration and practising certificate, just same as Canada and US, different countries, different rules for nurses only our countries just have the one Registration Board in each country, no more for different states/provinces.

bobby123 · Jul 16, 2011

Hello, I'm a USA nurse with one year experience of general med/surg unit.
I'm planning to move to Australia or New Zealand in this upcoming August.
I already got my RN license from AHPRA.
I hope I can get some tips to find a job in OZ and NZ. I do love to move to melbourne, but it really doesn't matter as long as I can find a job.

You can go to http://www.careerone.com.au. I think you'll be better off going to OZ than in NZ. Seems like you got an OZ licence anyway. The chances of landing a job is slightly better in OZ, depends where you look.

Do you mind if I ask where you had your nursing degree? ie did you study in the US?

Congratulations on your move and good luck.

Rachi321 · Jul 16, 2011

@neeke.. I'm a USA nurse planning to move to oz as well. Did you buy a ticket yet to move? DO you know if there is an option to buy an open ended ticket because im not sure when i will be returning. How are you finding the job search... i havent started because im still waiting on AHPRA. THey just requested a couple more documents from me. Was your registration process fairly easy? sorry i ask so many questions its nice to find someone whos going through the same thing!

neeke816 · Jul 16, 2011

K+MGS4/Ceridwyn- Thanks for your reply, but I already do have NZ RN license too. I think I will shoot for OZ first then, try NZ if I can't find any luck in OZ.

Bobby 123- I have a 4year bachelor degree. I went to Johns Hopkins University in US. Do you know which region is better to find a job in Australia? I really don't mind any area in OZ. Thanks!!!

Rachi 321- I didn't buy a ticket yet since I am waiting to get my working holiday visa. I don't know much about open ended ticket, sorry. My registraion process was fairly easy, only because I already got my NZ license before I applied to AHPRA, so I could get OZ license fairly easy under the transtazman treaty. My initial RN application to NZ was lots of papers, and I think it took about 3months. Let me know if there is anything I can help you!!

bobby123 · Jul 17, 2011

Hi neeke816,

Wow! Both an OZ and NZ licence. You do want to have all the options.

Where you go depends on what's available, where you want to work and what type of work you want to do.

There is country/rural nursing; small population...where you can experience the real 'outback'. If you are in too that they can likely get you a job. And of course there's always Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane - the trendy busy cities. If you want to work in public hospitals, it will be difficult to get a work visa - there is a surplus of RN graduates (at least here in Adelaide). Private hospitals is another option.

Anyway, I live in Adelaide. One of the small cities in Australia. It's more like a 'country town' I was told but I don't mind (getting to old...hehehe). Let me know what you fancy and I'll see what I can find.

neeke816 · Jul 17, 2011

Thank you so much, bobby123!!! I do love to move to a big city, but I don't mind a small city as long as I can find a fulltime med/surg job and get a greencard. I really do appreciate your help and support!!!

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2011

hi, i don't think we have greencards here, or is that usa slang for something else?

anyways, just google all the major hospitals, or go thru the major nursing agencies. i made up a list a while ago that might help:

nursing agencies, australia

hendercare - http://www.hendercare.com.au/

mediserve – http://mediserve.com.au/

drake, australia - http://www.drakeintl.com/au/home.aspx

ramsay health care – http://www.ramsayhealth.com.au/default.aspx. they operate many hospitals all around australia, employment info is on their website.

st john of god (for perth, wa) - http://www.sjog.org.au/. sjog also has hospitals in other states and territories as well.

** ** ** ** ** **

hmns (health management - www.hmns.net.au/[color=#0e774a] (for south australia and country regions).

nursewest (control all the public hospitals and recruitment through nursing agencies for all of western australia) - www.nursing.health.wa.gov.au/nursewest/index.cfm

[color=#0e774a]nasa, nursing agency of south australia - http://nasansb.com.au/[color=#0e774a]. on this site, there is a site for international nurses to visit. also down the bottom, it lists all the other main nursing agencies for other states and territories. you can click on them for more info.

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Mcadamia · Jul 22, 2011

Hi neeke816,
Wow! Both an OZ and NZ licence. You do want to have all the options.
Where you go depends on what's available, where you want to work and what type of work you want to do.
There is country/rural nursing; small population...where you can experience the real 'outback'. If you are in too that they can likely get you a job. And of course there's always Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane - the trendy busy cities. If you want to work in public hospitals, it will be difficult to get a work visa - there is a surplus of RN graduates (at least here in Adelaide). Private hospitals is another option.
Anyway, I live in Adelaide. One of the small cities in Australia. It's more like a 'country town' I was told but I don't mind (getting to old...hehehe). Let me know what you fancy and I'll see what I can find.

Sorry but do NOT repeat DO NOT accept ANY position at any hospital less than 20 beds because you have NO idea how remote some of our rural hospitals are - and now you are often required to have added competencies such as immunisation and RIPERN for Queensland rural and remote sites. The smaller country hospitals will often just have one RN and an EN or EEN on duty - which leaves you unsupported with issues such as legislation relating to pharmacy and dispensing of medications. This might give you insight

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/cunninghamcentre/html/n-ulinks.asp

However if you are wanting the challenge of rural and remote look to some of the districts like Cairns or Townsville or Rockhampton and Mackay - they all have "Base" hospitals where you can get acclimatised to Queensland health before being thrown in the deep end.