Karen72

Hi, i wondered if there are any other nurses having difficulty finding work?
We arrived 5 months ago and a couple of months ago i started looking for a job, i've not worked on the wards for 5 years so didn't want to go back to that, i've worked as a nurse advisor for a private company speciaising in stoma and continence care (yes wee and poo are my chosen subjects!! ) but they don't have anything similar to that here, so i'm randomly applying for things. I have my QLD reg. but desperately don't want to go back to shift work on the wards. Any advice would be gratefully received!!! Karen.x

iPom

Hi Karen
Just wondering if you'd posted this in the Nursing forum? Might get more answers there.

soapy©

like here
http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=72
good luck

Karen72

Thanks guys, fairly new to this and didn't realise there was a nursing forum. KAren.x

soapy©

we understand that karen, remember to pop back into this section for other info and a laugh though

iPom

S'ok! Hope you get some good feedback.

annqldau

You just missed some good jobs but they are due to advertise some more asap. They do have continence nurses and stoma nurses here but no jobs up at the moment. PM me your proper email and can keep an eye out for you. Think where I work and some up and coming jobs are well with in your local area.

I am still working below grade but did initially take a 1 month level 1 to get into the QLD Health system then applied for more appropriate jobs.

annqldau

Have sent you an email.

atkinsfamily

Hi Karen
I too am in a similar situation. I am in SA and in the UK was a Diabetes Specialist Nurse in primary and secondary care. Here there seems to be no jobs or if there are they are not interested as I only have UK record. I am now looking at doing some casual or agency to get some experience and then will apply for some more appropriate jobs. Like you I feel i have alot of experience to offer and not too happy about going back onto the wards but once a nurse always a nurse. Good luck, I may even consider moving states if not sucessful in the future.

annqldau

Problem here if they do not accept your experience here is then you have to pay for every course you go on to top it up that's not just an in house refresher.

Did here they are fast tracking nurses with degrees for normal teaching if anyone is interested as don't have enough state school teachers.

Karen72

Hi, i've just read your thread and see you're no further on either , just saying hi again to offer a bit of support and let you know you're not the only one , i'm still struggling too and thinking of a career change. I know I'm quite fussy with certain requirements, but as there were jobs that met my needs in the UK I thought there's be some here too!!! There was a diabetc educator role advertsie for QLD recently if you were serious about moving?!
Anyway, good luck and let me know how you get on. Karen.x

atkinsfamily

Hi Karen
thanks for your words of encouragement. I do have a interview this week working back on the wards in renal/diabetes. Will see how it goes. Still not to happy my experience and skills are not recognisable here, but I suppose its the chance you take. I am sure once I get into a job it will help me get established and give me time to look for what I am trully good at. I have also contaced a hospital in Victoria who is looking for renal/diabetes nurses so If I dont get any luck here and victoria may be willing to take a chance I may move, but it depends on visa requirements as came in on STNI. I really dont want to move out of nursing It is all I have done for the last 25 years. I feel I deserve better. Hope you get on OK let me know how you are doing.
Helen

annqldau

A lot of the people here with kids just do bank constantly unlike the UK it is quite a normal thing here.

carolynbubble

Hiya all
Dont have any fancy pics or anything yet as quite new to this site and still trying to find way about.
Im in simmilar situation I think. Have applied to ANMC for skills assessment and WANA for registration (still waiting on both) still to apply for Skilled Independant visa 136 for me hubby and 2 kids.
My dilema is that I have not been face to face clinical since 2002. Iwas ITU nurse till 1995 then Health Visitor till 2002. Since then been NHS 24 H grade as Team Leader (still clinical but not face to face so V difficult to explain0 Also did a bit practice nursing for 6 months. Applying for practice nurse locum posts at present and also hospital bank as feel this may be required. Any thoughts on this welcomed.
Carolyn
PS looking to go to Perth but still looking at Brisbane and melbourne

Karen72

Hi I know how you feel, my situation is similar, in the UK I basically worked for an appliance contractor managing a home delivery service for medical appliances. Any patients who had problems with their appliances I dealt with as I have advanced qual's in stoma, and continence but aside from that my skills are prob out of date as I did that for 5 years. I don't want to go back to hospitals for return to nursing stuff as really don't want shift work so for me I think a career change is a definate. I got QLD registration although they did query it alot and it took 6 months, but I'm feeling i need to refresh my skills and i don't think i fancy that route! As there's lots of similar positions to my old one in the uk i thought it would be the same here so this has thrown me, been out for work nearly 7 months now, but onwards and upwards . Karen.x p.s. glad you found the site, speak to you soon.