Nursing in Australia, What's it like?
 

Hi folks,

I was wondering if anyone could give me some information about working in Oz. I'm particularly interested in Adelaide and Brsibane. I'm currently in neonates and my hubby is renal, mainly haemodialysis.

Any info about hospitals, shifts, working etc would be really useful.

Thanks in advance

Ginny

Re: Nursing in Australia, What's it like?
 

Work much the same as UK under staffed etc, also they are about 10 years behind what is going on in Britian, in terms of systems and still use SENs .
Wages less than UK , holidays less and next to no sick pay, big numbers leaving nursing thats why they need you , its just the crap you put up with now.
Look at ANF site very good , good links too, as a British nurse you will get a job easy your training is on a higher level than here .



http://www.anf.org.au/index_00.html


And because politicians were running for cover behind the global 'nursing shortage', nurses believed it wasn't going to get any better. Faced with higher patient workloads and lower job satisfaction for inadequate remuneration, leaving the profession seemed the most attractive option.

The State Government's own figures revealed that there were approximately 20 000 registered nurses who could be working in the public system but who were choosing not to.

At the same time, hospitals and other health facilities were spending hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to get enough agency (casual) staff to fill their vacancies.

The Australian Nursing Federation today congratulated the NHMRC on the release of their manual When it's right in front of you: Assisting health care workers to manage the effects of violence in rural and remote Australia. The manual recognises the problem of violence towards health workers in remote and rural areas of Australia, and suggests some useful strategies to deal with it.

Despite spending measures announced in the Federal Budget in the areas of health and aged care, the sector actually lost around $900 million, at a time when both the health and aged care sectors are really struggling to make ends meet.


In its submission, the ANF says that one of the major difficulties for the nursing workforce is the absence of timely and nationally consistent workforce data. This impacts on any meaningful workforce analysis, planning and projection of workforce need. Strategies also need to be developed to address anticipated shortages with 30% of the nursing workforce expected to retire over the next 10-15 years.

"If we had a clear national picture of the nursing workforce in Australia this would go a long way in helping to find solutions," ANF Federal Secretary Jill Iliffe said.

"Nurses are suffering because poor staffing levels do not allow them to provide quality care. This means that patients suffer too.








:D :cool:

Re: Nursing in Australia, What's it like?
 

Thanks PB,

So things are much the same there as it is here. Good to know the crap is flowing in Oz too!!

Thanks for the info.

Ginny

Hi Ginny,

Mrs Houdini here (Lizzy). I'm also a nurse looking to live/work in Brisbane, specialising in A&E, and I'm struggling to find useful sources of information. From what I can tell, work conditions are very similar to here, but policies on manual handling are quite behind, that probably won't affect you too much on Neonates though! Pay is apparently comparable at middle level if you take into account cost of living etc.

Please share any information you receive as you get it and I'll do the same.

If you want to e-mail me: [email protected]

Lizzy

:)

Just a small point do not get carried away with the cost of living its in line with what you get paid , as for pay being on the same level as UK dream on my wife last wage in UK was far better than first pay packet here .
Here level of service denotes where you sit on pay scale ,my wife went down in grades and position .
Nurses take action here a lot more than British nurses they do not have a no striike agreement do not be surprised if you get told to take the odd day off in support of some claim.


This hard to read but look at this site http://www.dir.nsw.gov.au/awards/pat...award_code=510






Awards Online Search:
NURSES, (STATE) AWARD
Award Code: 510 SERIAL B9514

Contents | Current pay rates | Gazetted pay rates | Area Incidence and Duration | Choose Another Award? | Help | Disclaimer

Rates Summary




State Wage Case 2002
Effective from the first pay period to commence on or after 12 July 2002





Classification
Weekly
$
Part-time
Per hour
$
Casual Per hour $

Casual Hol. Pay per hour $

Assistant in Nursing
1st year of service
2nd year of service
3rd Year of service
Thereafter

454.20
463.30
476.50
488.00

11.95
12.24
12.54
12.84

13.15
13.47
13.79
14.13

1.10
1.12
1.15
1.17

Enrolled Nurse
First year of service
Second year of service
Third year of service
Fourth year of service
Thereafter

496.00
510.00
531.40
549.10
561.40

13.05
13.42
13.98
14.45
14.77

14.36
14.76
15.38
15.90
16.25

1.20
1.23
1.28
1.32
1.35

Registered Nurse
First year of service
Second year of service
Third year of service575.70
Fourth year of experience
Fifth year of service
Sixth year of service
Seventh year of service
Eighth year of service
UGI Qualification

575.70
590.40
616.90
643.20
671.40
699.40
727.40
759.50
784.30

15.15
15.54
16.23
16.93
17.67
18.40
19.14
19.99
20.64

16.66
17.09
17.86
18.62
19.43
20.25
21.06
21.98
22.70

1.39
1.42
1.49
1.55
1.62
1.69
1.75
1.83
1.89

Supervisory Nurse
797.20
20.98
23.08
1.92



Provided that the commencing rate of salary payable to a registered nurse who has obtained an appropriate degree in Nursing or Applied Science (Nursing) or Health Studies (Nursing) (referred to for the purposes of this award as "U.G.1. qualification") shall be paid at the rate prescribed for the second year of service; and provided further that a registered nurse who has obtained the said qualification shall, on completion of the incremental scale denoted above, be entitled to proceed in the next year of service to the rate prescribed for such qualification in this award.









Shift Allowances - Brief Description
Allowance

Afternoon Shift



Start at 10.00am & before 1.00pm
10%

Start at 1.00pm & before 4.00pm
12.5%

Night Shift



Start at 4.00pm & before 4.00am
15%

Start at 4.00pm & before 6.00am
10%






Notes: -The above information should be read in conjunction with the appropriate award.
-Section 15 of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 provides that an award comes into force on the date specified by the Commission. However, legal proceedings relating to its enforcement cannot be commenced until 7 days after publication in the New South Wales Industrial Gazette.
-The information contained in this Award Update/Rate Summary is provided for convenience of reference only. It is not an authorised text. It is not intended to take the place of the New South Wales Industrial Gazette, nor your independent enquiries.













© NSW Department of Industrial Relations
1 Oxford St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Postal Address:PO Box 847, Darlinghurst NSW 1300 AUSTRALIA
Phone:(02)9243 8888 | Fax: (02) 92438771
Award Enquiry Service: 131 628 (anywhere within NSW)

URL: http://www.dir.nsw.gov.au

Thanks again PB,

This information is what the people want. The UK nurses also, as far as I am aware, are allowed to strike, it's just that they whinge and don't do it. I am not expecting the earth from nursing hence why I am retraining in other areas but at least it's a living. Is your wife in a specialised area and do you get paid for your specialty or just for length of service?

Thanks for your help so far

Regards

Ginny

My wife is working for Health Direct better money than wards and conditions, but has just applied to join a new call centre here run by a bank same money better hours and no weekends .
The Royal College of Nursing signed away its right to strike years ago to the Tories for a bull deal , most silly of them then again they lean to the right.
Nursing is okay higher up the scale but most have to except crap pay and conditions , I think you will find that nursing is not even as good as UK here more limited and things move a lot slower .
But as I keep repeating there are better jobs that you or any nurse could get , just look around theres more to life than the awful shifts and low pay that you get.Best Wishes PB:D :cool: :beer:

You are right PB. My wife has no real qualifications but she earns more than a nurse ($55k) working as a purchasing assistant. She works 8.30am to 4.30pm and never a minute more for that, with no stress and chatting and gossiping all day - a true Aussie office job!

nursing in adelaide
 

Ginny, why don't you get in touch with Flinders Hospital in Adelaide, they want nurses so much that they are now running a tv ad campaign to attract people to work for them. They've probably got a website, and you would be getting the information you need straight from the source. regards adelaidegirl

Re: nursing in adelaide
 

Same thing happening in WA , apart from the fact a lot are getting out of nursing .Some one worked out if all the nurse managers did 100 hours a month doing what they are trained for ie nursing on the wards,the staffing levels would be okay.
The nurses are voting with their feet , there are better paid jobs with beter conditions on offer else where.:D :cool: :beer:

Re: nursing in adelaide
 

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I'm still checking out the hospitals to see what they're saying. Just thought it'd be nice to hear from actual nurses if they have the same crap in Oz as we do in the UK. At the end of the day at least it's a job and pays the bills.

Any other information please let me know.

Thanks again.

Ginny

Re: nursing in adelaide
 

Regardless of the move aus => UK => aus arguments etc, of nurses and all the surrounding monetary/lifestyle issues. I for one think all nurses in their profession are stars. I thank you Ginny. And the last thing I think you do is a 'job'.

regards

Re: nursing in adelaide
 

These Aussies are tough are you a good street fighter?


Royal College of Nursing, Australia (RCNA) has joined calls for action to stop the increasing rate of violence in our community and our workplaces including against nurses.

'Nurses and other health workers are amongst the most vulnerable professions when it comes to encountering violence in their daily work', said Rosemary Bryant, Executive Director of RCNA.

'This is an under-reported epidemic which is increasing for Australian nurses in hospitals and other health care settings. Many of the assaults come from patients with dementia, or those suffering from drug addiction. Remote area nurses are also particularly likely to encounter violence', she said.

Ms Bryant was speaking in support of a campaign against violence that has been launched by nurses around the world to mark International Nurses' Day on May 12, Florence Nightingale's birthday.

RCNA is Australia's key nursing organisation for the professional career development and education of nurses. 'Australian research indicates that at least 85% of Australian nurses have been the victims of physical or verbal abuse', Ms Bryant said.





:D :cool: :beer:

Re: nursing in adelaide
 

Hi Sandra,

Thanks for your comments. It's not often that people say thanks. Usually it's a mouthful of abuse and s**** nappies!

Regards Ginny

Also PB, your last post sounds familiar so there's nothing new there.
Ginny