onepearlyb

Barcop, don't feel daunted about the work situation. There's soooooo much work available. I'm planning on doing agency work initially to suss out places then apply for a permanent position when I find somewhere I like.
I've worked and lived in Melbourne twice ( the last time was a 1 year contract in 2002-2003 ) so if you need help with areas to live in etc, I'll see if I can help.
Again, don't feel daunted. I've already registered with melbournenursing.com ( ?.au ) as they apparently pay the highest rates in the city.
When you hoping to get there?
Anyone know of any up to date payscales? Margaret is the SRN quoted in the payscales - senior registered nurse or state registered? If so, what's the criteria do you know?

*pearly*

Grayling

Those rates are for West Australia.

They vary from state to state.

G

Barcop

Chained to beds .....things can surely only have got better!
Thank you for the contact!

Barcop

Thank you very much, this is appreciated as a guide and can only have gone up since 2004 !

Barcop

Pearly, your posts are a tonic! I am not going to be moving until next year, but I want to be well prepared. Agency work sounds like a good way in, to get established and seek out a permanent position. Do you think that agency work could be relied upon as plentiful and regular for a few months? I must be sure of an income for the sake of my family.

PS found melbournenursing.com.au thanks

glittababe

It is very frustrating! There are a few places that acknowledge all your experience and training, but they are few and far between. I have friends who have gone back to doing very basic nursing care (equil of D grade), just so they could get into the job market. There is a lot of competition, especially in the public sector. Don't expect to be offered a managemant or clinical specialist role immediately, you may lucky and secure one, but I think you have to brace yourself in case it doesn't happen that way! Have you had a look on seek.com? Looks like 100's of jobs until you realise they're not in the area you live, or a lower grade or lower pay. Soon whittles it down!

glittababe

be VERY careful with agencies!!!! I have first hand experience of how truely awful recruitment sharks are, do a search for Oxley or Australia Recruting on here and you'll see what happened to us.

kitty4

I'm RMN and did agency work in a popular Oz destination in general/dementia nursing homes(they were mixed). Not so much 'chained' to beds but restrained in the same way by other means. Very disturbing. I did work in a private hospital on a psych ward and that was brilliant.
Beware, seriously, about where and what you take on.
I hope things have progressed since I was there.

atkinsfamily

Thanks for your link I have just gone on it and will be submitting my CV. I have my visa and hope to be there soon. Do you know if anyone has worked with this agency? if so are they good to work with?
I too am a general nurse and I am going to Adelaide.
Best of luck to all of you.
Helen

onepearlyb

Barcop,

When I first went out to Oz I registered with an agency called PRN. I think they specialise in general nursing and specialist like ITU,Theatre,SCUBU etc but you could always check them out on the net. They have a base in Melbourne and the pay rates were good. I had MORE than enough work shake a stick at. ;o)
Then when I went out 2002-2003 I was working full time for a hospital in Melbourne,again. As the Recovery CNS I was forever arranging cover due to shortages and sickness so from someone who had to book agency staff regularly I can summise there shouldn't be a problem with a more than plentiful supply of work. If you are initially flexible re areas to work in and shift times then you'll have enough work to let you find your feet and suss out where's ok and where you'd like to avoid. Sometimes the variety was quite a tonic to be honest.
My advice would be to email some of the agencies mentioned and see what work is out there that you'd be happy to do.
Hopefully that way, you'll feel reassured beforehand that financially you and yours will be safe out there until you find something more permanent than agency.

*pearly*

SenoraJo

Hi! After joining another agency and getting nowehere in 6 months (Geneva) I joined HelathStaffRecruitment and had a choice of jobs from the word go. I can't recommend this agency enough as they have been an invaluable help, not just at finding me a job, but helping with the interview, advice about nursing in OZ, keeping in contact on arrival, advice about rentals, furniture buying, anything & everything, although the non-job stuff was personal advice from my consultant. I never felt pressured and anything they didn't know they found out and were also great help with my visa, getting my employer to sponser me for a PR instead of the normal 4 year working visa.

Good luck with your plans

Jo

SenoraJo

Hi Barcop! Not sure of all the payscales but I can give you an idea. I was an F grade in the UK on £23,000 something . I was offered an RN Level 1 at $52,000 a year. From what I have learned this is standard practice to offer RN 1 then on arrival you apply for higher. For every year of full time practice you go up the scale. I worked fulltime for 7 out of 8 years qaulified and am now on RN 7 and am earning $64,000 pa (about £25,000). I don't do nights or any overtime (did too much in NHS) and take home about $2500 - $2,900 a month. After RN 8 is the CNS level. I am an RGN in a respiratory unit. To get CNS you need so many years experience in that area plus a post-grad course. The CNS role is a clinical one and they are experienced nurses who provide support, advce and act as clinical role models. Next is the NUM (no assisstant NUM where I work) who is basically the G grade and does all the managerial stuff. We have fulltime clinical educators and a full timE nurse consultant on the unit, so I guess with them and the CNS the F grade role is not required. At any rate, I am earning more for doing alot less, not taking work home, not worrying about teaching programs, staff issues etc etc and NO POLITICS OR BUDGETS - HURRAH!!!!
All that was needed was for HR in my old hospital to confirm my hours and length of employment on my previous wards and I got the raise to RN 7. No drama's, easy!

Good luck!

Jo

Barcop

Thank you, I did indeed search through the threads concerning agencies, what a horrible experience you had. Thanks for the warning.Glad to see from some of your other posts that you've got through it all and began to settle in.

Barcop

I suppose that there is good and bad everywhere, and I tend to think, probably more bad practice than good when it comes to dementia care everywhere. I have read a couple of Australian books on dementia care and found them both progressive and accessible.

I like a challenge, but I am not a martyr and it would be nice not to start off somewhere disturbing and depressing.Caution seems to be the word of the day. And the need for research obviously imperative. Thank you for passing on your experience!

David

Barcop

It's not all about the money is it! Thank you so much for your very helpful information. I have a clearer idea of structure now, and I think my expectations are getting a bit more realistic. It is good to hear both the positives and the warnings on this forum. No politics eh? sounds too good to be true!