Welcome to the Forum - General Aussie Chat

Hi Milky oz

I am glad to hear how well you've done but don't be devastated if you don't get into an acute setting right away. I tried for ages for a post grad program in Med or surg but couldn't get it because I could only do limited hours. I am an RN. I now work for a boys college as a casual RN. It's part time and while I miss the ward routine, I like my workmates, we get the school holidays off and the students are great. I am learning to have more faith in my diagnostic abilities. I guess the job just picked me as I didn't choose it and was actually asked to apply for it. No showers, toileting or feeds but on the downside,no injections or IV therapy and rare obs. I am only scared I'll lose the skills I had. I hope you get the placement:monkeydance: you want but some things do take time.

Hi emjcat just saw your post about coming to Aus ...What area of nursing are you working in ? Public hospitals here pay more than private ones usually. Aged care is heavy often with a ratio of about 30 residents to 1 RN and a couple of ain's and not the best wage wise either. There is an award wage which is the minimum wage you can be paid. I live in Queensland which is a lovely place though a bit hot at times. Folk are friendly here I have found. Each state of Australia has its own nursing registration board which means if you travel interstate you need to pay for another registration certificate for each state you want to work in....the link below is the link to the public hospital award wages.

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/industrial_relations/wage_rates_nursing.asp

Also this link gives you award wages in differant areas of nursing

http://www.qirc.qld.gov.au/agreement_award/statewage05/pdf/nurses.pdf

Good luck and e mail me if i can help in any way :-)

Wages also vary from state to state.

Thanx Bith that is helpful. Still don't know where to go many things have to be considered. I think the appeal of nursing in australia is that it is less stressful than here in the UK. I feel that I just want out of this country and experience different healthcare environments. I have acute respiratory experience and currently I'm working in an acute community hosp with A & E etc. Do you know whether there are any of these hosp in Queensland that are Gp and nurse led rather than in-house docs?

thanks hassled.....but being in a small city they are always looking for En's so once my registration comes through i can get part time work at the hospital here.....just have to wait for permanent part time later on

hi...south austalia's wages for En's are about $8.000 less that queenslands....doesnt seem fair but thats the way its is

emjcat try this link and go to search health services bulletins, it will take you to another page. You can then see the sorts of places which are available. Hope it helps

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/HealthBulletins/Bulletin/Apr27_Bull795.pdf

Hello and :welcome: to Allnurses Milkyoz

and the wage thing is cause Queensland is the better state

I have an issue I think we all need to get fired up about!

You have probably read threads from our US counterparts about Advanced Practice Nursing and Nurse Practitioners. They've had them since the 60s.

Our Nurse Practitioner (NP) legislation came into effect almost 10 years ago, but we are nowhere near the level of the US for NPs and other APNs.

One thing holding us back is the fact that while our NPs can prescribe from a limited formulary, they don't have access to the PBS. That means that a patient who fronts up to the chemist with a prescription from a nurse practitioner has to pay the full price for the drug. Would you go to a NP, knowing that your $4.50 prescription from the doctor will cost you $30 from the NP? You might get 'better', more holistic care from the NP, but money talks.

Also, a hospital has to pay the full price for drugs that NPs prescribe. That means that hospitals funding NPs have to pay more - which may mean fewer hospitals are able to support a NP.

I only found out about this through post-grad study, and even then it was accidental that I came across the information. It's not a secret, but it's not well known. A very highly educated and experienced nurse (M. Nurs (Adv Prac), CNE, ICU nurse for 20 years, Air Force nursing experience) was also unaware of this, despite wanting to pursue NP registration.

I'm going to write to the NSWNA, but I think more of us need to be aware of this. It may be near impossible to take on the AMA and the PBS, but we need to try!

Hey Bethem.. Yeah you're right.. we do need to get fired up about that. It's as if they (Male-led authorities) gave us the right to be an NP and prescribe, but kept the loop-hole of non PBS scripting so that we still "know our place". It's pretty discriminatory..

Just wanted to drop in and say Hi. I'm currently working towards making a career change to nursing and hope to start studying next year.

:welcome: Bassandtea.... i hope you enjoy your career change....heres an update...i left aged care to work at the local hospital as an on call casual...getting plenty of work and experience which is good...loving every minute of it....

Go the Hawks, what a team premiers in 2007