Barcop

Hello, I wonder if anyone can point me in the direction of any information about grades and levels of nurse in Australia. What is the grading system and are the grades and levels of pay at all comparable with the grading structure in the UK?

I have been G grade for 8 years and am qualified RGN and RMN (I qualified pre-diploma/degree in 1988),specialising in dementia leading a small community based team. I wonder what the chances are of being able to enter Australia at a similar level professionally. I am very flexible and not stuck on the idea of staying in the same speciality. Moving to Victoria by Oct. 07. Does anyone have any experience they could share?

Thank you for any advice given! and apologies if I am covering old ground, I am new at this discussion forum thing!

Lyttle

Hi Barcop
In Australia, nurses are graded according to experience. For example, the grading of an RN increases each year, from grade 1 to grade 8. The grading also indicates level of pay. I do not know the levels of pay though or how the grades equate to those in the UK.

onepearlyb

As a G grade in a hospital you'd be looking at taking on an ANUM or NUM position ( asistant nurse unit manager and nurse unit manager respectively )
Below the ANUM I think would be a CNS which is a Clincal Nurse Specialist. I got that position when I was last out in Oz and was asked to take on the ANUM role but declined it.
So, basically your looking at managment roles if you still want to do a G grade type role out there.

*pearly*

Barcop

Thank you very much, thats really interesting. I am far more inclined towards a Clinical Nurse Specialist role than a management role initialy. I do not think I would have the confidence to take on management in a new and unfamiliar environment, and I would expect home grown talent to be more suited to management where they can build upon invaluable local knowledge. I expect a drop in grade, at the same time I would not want to go back to a D grade equivalent for the sake of getting a job immediately.

I would actually quite like a community role say as a specialist CPN, but in my experience in the UK these jobs are in high demand and short supply, so I might have to bide my time! It is good to get to know some of the different terminology too, cheers

Grayling

Don't assume you will get any particular grade.

If you want a reasonable job you will have to apply for it and compete against locals.

If you don't then you are only likely to be offered level 1 jobs.

The grade you are on in the UK will count for nothing unless you can demonstrate why you should be given anything other than a basic grade.

I was an 'I' grade nurse specialist in CBT and a nurse lecturer but was still only offered level 1 in some places.

You need to apply for a specific job before you go or you may well be disappointed.

G

Barcop

A sobering thought, thank you. I will be taking my time looking for and applying for jobs before I go. Though putting forward a case before moving might not be very effective, and I suppose I might have to look at something basic and hope that it is only temporary and I can prove worthy enough to compete and step back up. Sounds like you have a very impressive CV! Did you get a decent offer eventually, and did it take long?

David

Grayling

I have got an impressive CV plus degrees up to masters level.

Basically meant jackshit.

I was told I was 'too qualified' in a couple of places or they did not want anyone 'rocking the boat'

I was eventually offered a very senior post after a telephone interview but turned it down as I could only get a temporary visa (due to my age) and the job was basically to 'sort out' a service that no one else had managed to do :scared:

The only way to get a reasonable hearing was to approach senior mangers directly by email. The biggest problem is getting past service managers...OK if you are fairly junior but very difficult is you are experienced

I have now retired from the NHS and have a parent (PR) visa but am still in the UK.

Be aware that the mental health services are VERY different to the UK as many on here have learnt, to their cost.

Be very careful what you get into as standards vary widely.

Good luck

G

onepearlyb

I see your from Orkney!!! I'm from Hamilton!
Something I'd like to mention as well is that I was offered an ANUM position before I'd even done a shift at the place I was contracted to! They were in allsorts of sh*t with some very rough characters which they couldn't control themselves so they were basically looking for someone/anyone to go in "blind" and work wonders where they couldn't.
Not saying that that's the norm in Oz, but I'd be wary of anyone offering you an ANUM or NUM job before you had time to settle into the place - for obvious reasons.
To get a CNS role you have to be in the job for a certain ammount of time. I forced the issue a bit as I'd been a practicing Recovery nurse for 7 years at the time, and got my CNS after 3 months. The pay is marginally better ( prob about $5/hour more than your regular nurse! )and your expected to be ulrtra profficient your area like any Sister/Charge nurse would. So, I guess for your Uk level you'd be totally fine doing it.
If I remember, there's something about community nurses in Oz. I'm not sure if they even have them or if there's problems getting the jobs or something. Whatever it is, I recall hearing something about community nurses out there being very different to what we know them as in the UK. Sorry, that sounds a bit non specific I know. My memory is not so great it would seem.

If there's anything else I can help you with, just gimme a shout.( providing I can remember! );o)

*pearly*

Barcop

I can only thank you for passing on the benefit of your experience, pointing out pitfalls, and proffering your advice. It all seems like I am about to jump onto a roulette wheel! Consider myself fore-warned...

Still, I believe that I am good at my job, I work hard, and am going to research and make plans to try and tip the wheel in my favour. I'm off to trawl through some of the archives of this forum amongst other places and dig up as much info as I can. I aim to have at least some idea of what I step into!

Barcop

Hamilton to Isle of Man to Oz eh, it can be a small world. Thanks again for the info about CNS etc, and do not worry about the memory I'm employed as a dementia specialist nurse , and I shall indeed be very wary of an job offer I get. Getting a job and moving is something I (and my family) are determined to do but it all seems overwhelmingly daunting at the moment :scared:

So I must try and find out more about about community nursing in Oz, I've never seen a community post advertised or indeed mentioned by any of the recruitment agencies.

And thanks, I may well be in touch!
David

Grayling

Which area of the country are you planning to go to David?

G

Barcop

Victoria is first choice at the moment, nowhere too remote, perhaps areas around Melbourne, but we have not excluded other areas.

David

Grayling

Don't know too much about Victoria but I have a few links for community jobs in other areas.

There was a bit of a scandal in Victoria MH service a couple of years ago with newspaper reports of mental patients being chained to beds in a Melbourne hospital :scared:

It is a big city though.

CasG worked in Dementia services in the UK and went on a temporary visa to Melbourne and was placed in a residential home or something similar
She was not happy and her posts will be on here as Caroline Gorka.

Do a search for her posts or send her a PM. She may reply herself if she reads this.

She may be able to give you more information....she is no longer a nurse.

G

Margaret2

Public Sector Rates of Pay
Registered Nurses, Registered Midwives and Enrolled Nurses
All levels – from 2nd May 2004
Weekly
EMHN
Pay Point 1 $641.81
Pay Point 2 $655.46
Pay Point 3 $669.11
Pay Point 4 $682.75
Pay Point 5 $696.19
Pay Point 6 $707.37
EN (30/11/2004)
Pay Point 1 $668.00
Pay Point 2 $680.00
Pay Point 3 $692.00
Pay Point 4 $720.10
ASEN $768.00
RN
Level 1.1 $737.56
Level 1.2 $771.47
Level 1.3 $805.69
Level 1.4 $839.60
Level 1.5 $873.74
Level 1.6 $907.75
Level 1.7 $941.66
Level 1.8 $958.53
Level 1.9 $974.65
Level 2.1 $1,008.77
Level 2.2 $1,031.31
Level 2.3 $1,054.07
Level 2.4 $1,076.80
SRN 1 $1,217.10
SRN 2 $1,255.86
SRN 3 $1,294.66
SRN 4 $1,337.73
SRN 5 $1,380.83
SRN 6 $1,466.99
SRN 7 $1,563.93
SRN 8 $1,660.85
SRN 9 $1,757.79
SRN 10 $1,854.71
ANF Australian Nursing Federation
WA Branch
260 Pier St Perth WA 6000
Tel 9218 9444 Fax 9218 9455
Toll Free 1800 199 145
Email: [email protected]
Information Bulletin
Authorised by Mark Olson ANF WA State Secretary

This is about the best i could get hold of , but it is 2004

Margaret2

David, i've had a couple of decent offers and they haven't met me yet :scared: I sent my c.v to a recruiting agence and they have offered me a couple of jobs, one i am hoping to take , if i ever get a bloody visa Don't know what your situation is on the visa front , but i've applied for skilled immigration, and 7 months in still waiting for a visa (just realised its now around 7 1/2 months)

I am Melbourne bound.

The recruiting agency ishttp://www.healthstaffrecruitment.com.au/index.php


But i am a general nurse, not mental health