US RN planning moving to NZ, what's it like?

GeriRNfromNZ · Feb 28, 2010

Sorry, I don't know the answers to all your questions as I'm an aged care RN -

but I can tell you that nursing in NZ seems a heck of a lot less stressful than in the US. We don't have such a massive emphasis on "customer service" the way you guys seem to, and of course, you can't be sued here, although you can have complaints made to the Health and disability commission against you if something serious happens, etc.

If you don't want to join the rat race here, don't live in Auckland!! From the nursing specialty you have described, I imagine you will be snapped up in NZ once you have your BN and a few years of experience.

I went to the US on holiday in November and loved it; I wish I could go and work there for a year or so!

SmithH75 · Mar 2, 2010

Come and visit NZ - you will fall in love with this place; it's a fantastic place to live and work. The pace of life is slow and relaxed, and the people are very friendly. I have never felt stressed at work. Each hospital is very different; both islands are very different. If you love walking, the outdoors, skiing, beaches, and lakes, come here.

On the other hand - if you have a close family and lots of friends, think very seriously. New Zealand is very expensive to leave once you are here, it is an island, and you can't drive anywhere!

I am saying this because I come from the UK; NZ was my dream; I did my nursing diploma purely to get me here, we've lived here for five years, and I really really miss my family. My Dad had cancer last year, and I couldn't afford to fly home to be with him (luckily, he's OK now). All my friends I grew up with and have a history with are all still going out together, celebrating birthdays, and getting together with their kids - and although having Skype and cellphone helps, some days it would just be good to go and meet up with my Mum for a coffee in town!

I have had the best experiences of my life here, and when I talk to nursing friends back home, they are so very stressed out with work. Work isn't everything, it is a huge part of your day, but for me, I need support and family.

You have to weigh everything up. Come and visit, don't just sell up and move out like I did.

I have had a fantastic time here; I've traveled the whole country, my two boys are born here, and I love working here; we've got some good friends, but for me, my family is my everything, and now I am planning on leaving.

But also the flights to the USA aren't as far as the UK. (I guess it depends on where you're from)

Good luck with your plans. I hope I haven't made you feel down - as my Dad always says, 'the grass isn't always greener!'

For me, it was for a while!

uswoman · Mar 3, 2010

Cara, I am an American nurse, age 54, who has lived in New Zealand for the past year and a half with my Kiwi partner. I've worked in two hospitals in two different district health boards. Yes, we do work 8 and 12 hours shifts. It just depends on where you go. I worked in a 555-bed hospital where they did NOT do 12 hours shifts. I work in a small hospital now, and some people work 12-hour shifts, but I think they want to get away from them and back to everyone working 8 hours. While I haven't seen the pressure from management here as you have in the US, it does still exist. You think they can't possibly come up with more paperwork, and they do. Right now, we have to do hourly rounds on the patients, which is documented on the bedside chart. You will find some modicum of backstabbing in every organization, anywhere in the world. Here, maybe not so bad, but I do see a lot of nurses really discouraging new nurses or not helping them get used to the real world of nursing. ("Eating their young" is how I put it to someone.)

Pagers? Cell phones? I hope you don't mean actually IN the hospital! Patients have this thing called a "call light" They push a button, a light comes on over the door, and the nurse goes in to see what the patient wants. Nurses do A LOT of running here. Even though they speak English here, you will be the one with the accent, and you will be a minority. You can be misunderstood, and you very well may run into Kiwis you can't understand! Sometimes Americans have the idea that the rest of the world is just the same as the States; only people have funny accents. Hospitals and nursing are vastly different here as compared to the US. There are a lot of adjustments you have to make to live here - driving a right-hand drive vehicle on the left side of the road, as well as navigating roundabouts, is just one thing. It does take time for your brain to be retrained, and it can be dangerous and even deadly. I still have to consciously "think" about what I'm doing when I'm driving. Make a right turn here without thinking, and you could just be smashed.

The media tends to show New Zealand as friendly, green, diversified, laid back, and practically the perfect place in the world. Read the New Zealand Herald online. I was blown away at the gang "tagging" everywhere. (There was even a problem with tagging in one of the hospitals where I worked.) Look at www.trademe.co.nz for prices on houses, cars, etc. Rent is typically listed and paid as PER WEEK and not per month. You can look at www.woolworths.co.nz to get an idea of food prices. It is EXPENSIVE to live here. Those lovely salaries you see - remember those are New Zealand dollars, and currently, one NZD is worth about $0.70 USD. In other words, $1000 NZD will spend like $700 would in the States. Sort of. For example - gasoline is $1.72 per liter. It takes 3.78 liters to equal about 1 US gallon, making a gallon of gas about $6.50. Go to Burger King and have a regular burger, small fries, and a drink, and it will cost about $8.50. I honestly don't know how people with families manage. When you go shopping, a pair of Levis jeans (different lengths not usually available) will cost about $100NZD. Shoes are horrendously expensive, not to mention ugly. A good pair of Nike or Adidas shoes will run $150 -$250NZD. (I came back to the States in November, and you better believe I bought shoes for work while I was there!) The cost of living here is high, selection is not good. Most things you can buy here are made in China and are poor in Medicare quality. New Zealand is "captive" - we only get what gets imported. Shipping things in is also expensive. When I was home, I ordered two pendant watches online, and to have them sent to my home in the States, the total cost with shipping was about $ 63.00 US. Just for fun, I thought I would see what it would cost to have those same watches sent to my address in New Zealand. Would you believe $115.00US? Honestly, having looked at things from the outside in, Americans have to be the biggest whiners on the planet. You have no idea how good you have it in the States. I can't recall seeing a drive-through window at a bank in New Zealand. (While not a huge Walmartian, there are times I would love to see a store with a great selection of good quality merchandise at reasonable prices.)

I remember going to the mall near where I lived in the States and just being in awe. I honestly felt like I had just stepped off the boat. I was just amazed at all the things available to buy and such low prices!

But I live 15 minutes from the beach. I wash my clothes in rainwater and dry them in the sun and fresh air. (Nothing better than snuggling into bed with soft sheets that smell like sunshine!) But watch the sun exposure here, too -we are under a hole in the ozone, and skin cancer is a serious problem. I love it here, and I'm still in the process of adapting. I met an American man who married a Kiwi woman, and I asked him how long it took him to become comfortable here, and he said, "I gave myself two years to adjust. I guess that was about right because I'm still here."

If you come here for a visit, see if you can arrange ahead of time to see a couple of hospitals (public and private). Here in New Zealand, we have four and 6-bed patient rooms. Usually, they are the same sex, but occasionally they may be mixed. There are no TVs, radios, or telephones in patients' rooms. There is usually a lounge where patients can watch TV. Also, hospitals are not even the same as hospitals in the states - rest homes have "hospital" services in them. Sounds flash, but it just means they might be providing a bit higher level of care, and it's not a real hospital in the sense that Americans think of it.

To be a nurse in New Zealand, you don't have to have a bachelor's degree; you must be registered in your country of residence. Here, that is the standard, and it's a three-year program. Most all nurses who work in hospitals after graduation enter a NETP program - which is usually a year-long program to acclimate them to working in various areas of the hospital. Not anything like internships in US hospitals. I graduated from a diploma program in the US, worked in a hospital for 16 years (13 of them on cardiovascular and thoracic surgery step down, about eight years in home care, discharge planning, and management, and eight years as a nurse case manager for a private health insurance provider.) In order to work in New Zealand, you must first have a valid work permit (through the NZ Department of Immigration.) You also have to have registration by the New Zealand Nursing Council. Look at their website to see the application (it was $485 when I applied)and what they are looking for. If they have any doubts about your education and/or experience, you might have to take a Nursing Competency Assessment Programme (which I, with 30+ years as a nurse, had to do - but remember, Americans are a teeny tiny minority here. The number of US nurses registered by the Council from March 2007 to March 2008 was - 0 (zero). ) It was a 6-week course that cost me about $3600. I did get a job offer before it ended, which was pretty cool. My partner was totally stunned that I had to take that course. He couldn't believe they wouldn't welcome an American nurse with 30+ years of experience with open arms! Many of the foreign nurses coming here are from England, India, South Africa, the Netherlands, etc., and they seem to be more familiar with the credentials from those countries. Once you have registered here, you can then apply for a practicing certificate (which you renew every year), and then you can work as a nurse. (Oh, and I'm waiting for permanent residence - $400 to do the online expression of interest, $1400 to apply for PR, and last, a $300 payment of the Migrant Levy. Not to mention the cost of the medical, chest x-ray, labs, and miscellaneous stuff I had to pay out of pocket).

I hope this helps!

AniRN · Jun 22, 2010

Thank you so much, woman, for all the great info. I have been looking and pondering a move to NZ from Colorado for over a year now, and nowhere have I found a straight answer about whether or not I need a bachelor's degree to work there. And if you say I don't, then I am applying for my license right away. I have my associate's degree and have a nursing home and hospice experience, so the competency course may actually be good for me (aside from the cost).

Would you be willing to share a bit more about the application process to get your license in NZ? I know I need a police certificate and letters galore, but for some things, like the police certificate, I have no idea how to go about getting it. How long did the whole process take? How much money would you recommend having saved up before beginning the whole process (licensing, immigration, visas, pets, cars, moving, etc)? I can only imagine that it becomes pretty insane after a while.

I really appreciate any additional information, and I thank you greatly for your time. Please feel free to private message me!

-Ani

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 22, 2010

And you should be able to find everything that you need here on this website from the New Zealand government, and if you look under forms and guides will tell you about police certificates.

Immigration New Zealand

uswoman · Jun 22, 2010

Here is the idea for getting registered in New Zealand. (First, you have to have New Zealand nursing registration, and then you can apply for a practicing certificate). You can go to the New Zealand Nursing Counsel website and have a look around. On there, you will find the application, which you can print out. You will need to fill that out and submit the fee (when I did it, it was $485 NZD - and you will need to figure out how to submit the fee as they don't accept US dollars.) You will need a police report, which you can get from the FBI, and that requires about 4-6 weeks to get, and about a $16 money order (from the post office). Let me warn you ahead of time: the sources will tell you to visit your local police station to get your fingerprints done. I did exactly that and was told they don't do them anymore; you have to go to a place to have your fingerprints scanned in. Well, being from a country that is right up there with technology, it made sense to me, so that's what I did. They won't accept the report. You MUST have inked fingerprints and send those in, and have them returned with the official FBI stamp. I was lucky, and the security people where I worked were happy to help out. (And have several sets made - if one is smudged in the least, they can't check it, so send three sets to be safe (They will return the unused sets, unstamped.) If they can't read the prints, you will have to do the process all over. Your police report is good for six months. So, while you are waiting for the police report, you can get the other documents together. I'm assuming you have a valid passport.

I had copies of my passport, driver's license, nursing license, nursing school diploma, and anything else I could think of made- quality color copies - and had all copies notarized. I brought the unused copies with me, and they have come in handy. Most importantly, I had notarized color copies of my work permit.

But, above all, start the process with the nursing registration well ahead of time. Don't worry so much about the work permit at first. Once you have all the material together for the application (which really isn't all that complicated, no letters, just documents), get that sent in, and be sure you send it so it is tracked and someone signs for it when it gets there. Then be prepared to wait and wait and wait. You may have to provide further documents for the nursing council - but be sure to ask why they are requesting such documents.

You may eventually get to the point they tell you you need to do the nursing competence assessment program. You MUST have that letter before you can apply for the course. Then, you have to decide where in New Zealand you plan to be when you take this course. If you are applying from outside the country, be prepared to pay foreign student tuition, which is pretty hefty. Then, you might have to wait anywhere from 6 months to 18 months to get into a program. You have to decide if you have the funds to live on if you come to New Zealand and cannot work as a nurse, or if it's better to wait months and months to be sure you have a spot in a program, then come here. Nurses from the UK may disagree with my assessment of things, but there are far more UK nurses coming to NZ than from the US, so our credentials are "suspect" - they are more familiar here with UK schools and "know" the nurses from those programs are generally competent, according to NZ standards. What I am saying is, be prepared for a long, tough road to be registered as a nurse from the US in New Zealand, as US nurses are a teeny, tiny minority here. Once you have the okay to do the course, then start working on your work permit.

Now, there is also the possibility they will grant you registration based on the information you submit. If, by some miracle, that happens, you can start looking for NZ nursing jobs. If you get a job offer, you can then apply for NZ residence before you come over. Otherwise, you will have to have a work permit. There are a lot of unknowns along the way, and the only way to know is to start the process. As far as being a skilled migrant and applying for permanent residence that way, you have to do an Expression of Interest online on the New Zealand Department of Immigration, which will cost $400. If you have enough points, they will send you an Invitation to Apply - and that you will have to submit with the medical (which you pay for, so the cost varies there) and, of course, a valid police report, so you might have to get that again (hence, the need for several copies of fingerprints, which will save you time at this point!). Once you have all that together, you submit it with $1400 to the NZ Department of Immigration. By the way, the medical information is good for three months from the date your doctor signs it. The Department of Immigration reviews everything and may request other documents. This whole process can take several months. If you have any medical problems, your case will go to medical review. Then, when you are granted permanent residence, you will be required to pay a $300 Migrant Levy fee.

Once all this is done, and you have a job waiting, book your ticket to come over and find a place to live. (not cheap, either.) The process can be very frustrating, especially when you think they are really short of nurses in this country. Plus, being from the US, you just won't be used to waiting and waiting with little to no communication. This is something you are really, really going to want to do. I came over here to be with my Kiwi partner and got into a competency assessment program because I knew someone who knew the person that ran the program where I happened to be living. I also was lucky that I got a job in the hospital as a health care assistant. (This was a great opportunity to learn how things work before having the responsibility of being a registered nurse on my shoulders in a foreign country.)

I hope this doesn't sound terribly discouraging. I've come across nurses working here from other countries that didn't have the problems I had getting through the process and some that are quite surprised at what I had to go through. You have to give it a try and see what happens. I hope you do because New Zealand really needs nurses! I love it here!

AniRN · Jun 30, 2010

I cannot thank you enough for all the valuable information you just gave me! I understand this is going to be a very long and very expensive process, but I can be patient (maybe :)).

Just one more question, because I am trying to figure out how much money I need to save up before planning to immigrate there, how much do you think it will cost you once it is all said and done? I mean, are we talking tens of thousands of dollars (nursing registration, competency course, living expenses while taking course, work permit, and immigration fees)? I imagine so. Plus, I have dogs, which I already know will cost a fortune to immunize and quarantine.

I am sort of at a juncture right now between deciding to get my BSN and therefore going further into debt or just working and paying off as much of the debt as I can before moving. And, of course, it all depends on whether or not the nursing council of NZ deems me an acceptable nurse.

Oh, and I am sorry, one more question. Would you recommend working with a recruiting agency to try to find a job, or is just looking on the web good enough? I don't remember how long you've been out of the US, but right now, it is impossible to find a job as an RN here, experienced or not; most hospitals are on hiring freezes now, so I hope that NZ actually does need nurses and I won't find myself having to work at Walmart (wait, they don't have that there do they?). Although, at this point, I'd do whatever it takes to get out of this country.

Again, thank you so much for the information. It has helped shape my process, or at least the idea of it, more than you know.

-Ani

uswoman · Jun 30, 2010

Hi, Ani -

First, on the recruiting agency - you don't need them if you know where you want to work in New Zealand. I had an agency recommended to me, and I maintained contact with their representative, who was really enthusiastic about my coming to New Zealand, but really offered no direction. Once I was in New Zealand and contacted them, it was kind of like, "Great! Glad you are here! Be sure and let us know when you get the registration taken care of!" New Zealand does need nurses badly, but they make it so difficult to get registered! You won't have any trouble getting a job offer, but again, NO ONE wants to talk to you unless you have registered. Look at www.trademe.co.nz or www.seek.co.nz for nursing jobs. Also, look at Trade Me for places to live, and remember rent is listed (and is paid) PER WEEK. And look at places that will rent to you if you have pets. Good luck, and if you find a place, it will be expensive. Also, check www.woolworths.co.nz for food prices.

Sadly, there is no Walmart here. I would LOVE to find a store like a Walmart with reasonable prices and good quality merchandise, not to mention a selection. We have The Warehouse, which is nowhere near the same.

And before you go knocking where you live, be aware that things are not all that rosy here. My partner has been looking for a job for a year now. Granted, we live up north, which is economically depressed. Pay here is reasonable for a nurse, but for other professions - not so great. In fact, New Zealand is often used as a stepping stone to get to Australia. My partner and I may wind up there if things here don't improve. (He is trying to start a business and running into bureaucratic brick walls, but we're not giving up yet.) One thing New Zealand is good at doing is marketing itself. It is one beautiful country, that's for sure, but not without its problems. It's a very tiny country, prices are very high, and there is crime and poverty here. (Just to let you know, I have never, ever had a positive TB test - until this past May, so obviously, I've been exposed since I've been here.) I would encourage you to look at www.expatexposed.com. You will find quite a lot of negative feelings about New Zealand expressed here. Many people don't like that site, but I think it's good to know there are those here who are very unhappy in this country, having come here thinking it would be some utopia.

A visit here before making a huge move would be a good idea. Having lived outside of the US for nearly two years, I'm now of the opinion that Americans are some of the biggest whiners there are and have no real idea of how good they really have things, even as bad as they are. If you can adjust yourself to a much simpler lifestyle and learn to live without little conveniences, then this will work for you. Just because this is an English-speaking country doesn't mean it won't be hard to adjust to. I'm just now feeling comfortable with being here. I remember when I first got here, after a couple of months, I really felt like I had "adventure overload" and just wanted something familiar! (They do have McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, Subway, and Domino here!) But, you will find portions are much smaller and prices much higher. (A filet of fish, small fries, and Coke will cost about $7.00). No such thing as a dollar menu here! LOL! You will also have to get used to differences in the language, and driving a car will be extremely scary (and dangerous) as we drive right-hand drive cars on the left side of the road. And then there are roundabouts! And above all, read about Maori culture and the Treaty of Waitangi.

There are so many things I love about this place - I love working in a little hospital, love the nurses and doctors I work with. I have awesome neighbors -where else could you be welcomed to the neighborhood with a fresh head of cauliflower and a dozen fresh eggs from one neighbor, and some fresh caught flounder from another? Right now, it's Winter, and the lemons on my tree in the backyard are almost ready for picking. The dairy farmer across the road has 34 new baby calves in the paddock, and they are so cute! Today was sunny, and I was out in a tee shirt and shorts, washing the car. Not too bad for mid-Winter. And at night - well, I never saw the Milky Way until I came here. One person here told me, "There is a picture around every corner," and that is a totally true statement. It's about a 15-minute drive to get to the beach from our house.

But, the reality is, you will need enough money to live here and pay your expenses for several months, and with all the fees and waiting - you will need tens of thousands of dollars. You can't have too much when you come here. I did work for an agency doing temp work when I came here, and it didn't pay much and wasn't regular. I also will say that I applied for probably close to a hundred jobs and got nothing. It is a fact that if you and a Kiwi are up for a job, the Kiwi will get it over an immigrant. But, again, if you can have things sorted to the point of coming over and starting the Nursing Competency Assessment Programme or having PR and registration, you will be fine financially. All the best, whatever you decide to do!

Sue

ILEANRN · Jul 1, 2010

Ani and Uswoman: Thank you both so much for all the information shared between the two of you. I have the same questions as Ani, but thanks to Uswoman, I changed my mind about moving there. Perhaps a visit would suffice. I, too, am an RN with 15 years of experience, mostly in DOU, step-down, telemetry, ambulatory care, etc. I am currently in a program to finish my BSN and thinking of going straight to an NP Program. I am bored and want to move. I live in CA, where the standard of living is high. I truly appreciate your thoughts Uswoman, and yes, I do agree; people here don't know how good they have it until someone like you gives an honest report of what it is like living abroad. Thanks again, and God bless you both!

uswoman · Jul 1, 2010

You know, all that being said, it can't hurt to check with a couple of international agencies and see if they have some deals where they might provide lodging and cover some expenses. The other thing, if you are bored, is to look at being a traveling nurse. Some international as well as national companies do this. I worked for a short time in Alaska, and they paid quite well and were happy to have me! At least if you are a traveler and wind up somewhere awful, you know you won't be there long!

ILEANRN · Jul 2, 2010

Hello! Thanks for the response.

I thought of becoming a traveling nurse, but the economy tanked in 2008 and was very bad in 2009. Now it has picked up a bit, but I cannot leave anymore. I bought a house, and with it came a huge mortgage. I am hesitant to leave my employment. It pays well (not well, mind you), and the benefits are competitive. I don't want to leave and lose everything, to end up being unhappy. I will wait for what God has in store for me.

Anyway, thanks again for your insight, your patience, and the time you spent answering all our questions.

EG