aord92

Hi all
I'm currently a student midwife in my second year of studying and it's a dream of mine to work in Australia for 6 months or maybe more when I am a qualified midwife and have a bit of experience behind me.
The problem is I have absolutely no idea how to go about this or if it is even plausible to do so. I was wondering if there are any midwives that can help me.
Where is the best place to work in Australia? I would prefer somewhere where I could still be an autonomous midwife and where the maternity care is similar to that of Britian. Also how much experience would be needed before applying for jobs in Australia.
Where would I start.. visa, jobs etc?
Any information or advice would be amazing!
Thanks
Amanda

Bermudashorts

Seriously, I would just look into this nearer the time, sounds like you are a good two years off and things, including the visa process might have changed substantially by then.

You are in an occupation where you have a good chance of moving in the future, but there is nothing you can do right now.

aord92

Yeah I'm aware it is still far ahead in the future but I am still interested to understand where in Australia is best for midwifery and maternity care so I can do some more research into those areas in particular.

Bermudashorts

What do you mean by "where is best"? Best in what respect? You might need to be a bit clearer, the idea that there is somewhere in Australia that is "best for midwifery" is faintly ridiculous to be honest, but it is still a waste of your time as things change.

asher

Go to the working abroad by profession section of this site there is one for nurses and midwives there will be the best place to ask

aord92

I'm sorry but I find your comments slightly rude, I have come to ask for information and advice and if all you can think of doing is tell me how 'ridiculous' I am then I would really appreciate if you didn't comment. In my initial comment I asked where in Australia a midwife can still remain autonomous.

Thank you Asher for your reply

Dorothy

Really nowhere. And your asking "where is the best place for a midwife to work in Australia" is like me asking where in Europe is the best place for a midwife to work. Australia is a very big country with lots of diversity. You really have to narrow down what you want first.

As a new grad you're going to find it difficult to find anyone to sponsor you for a visa. There are lots of graduating midwives in Australia who would be offered jobs before hospitals would sponsor you.

First you have to do some homework on where you want to live. If we told you that Fitzroy Crossing was the best place for a new midwife to work autonomously that doesn't mean that Fitzroy Crossing is the best place for a young woman to move from UK to.

Reaver

Your response lacks any given thought.

BermudaSHorts wasnt being rude, simply stating the your question was akin to asking "What are the best clothes to wear while I pick my lottery numbers...?" or "Where's the best place to get a job...?"

You need to figure out what you want to do, and then lay those out in clear concise terms. The clearer you are and the more information you give people, the more they will be able to help. However telling a forum regular (a very established and helpful one i might add) that they are being rude because they have given you an answer you neither like or understand is not the way to go about things.

People on this forum don't join to be rude to others, they are here to help people and sometimes they give the cold hard facts. Essentially if someone gives you an answer you don't like, don't take it the wrong way, read through what YOU have written and check it makes sense.....

And to be fair, as a student midwife you may be best seeing if you qualify, if you still want to be a midwife when you qualify and possibly getting some UK experience before even thinking about travelling such a long way, only to find you dont like something about the job.....

Hope that helps.

LondonNurse

I wouldn't say Amanda's question lacks thought. She's asked a very pertinent question and has identified that she wants to work in a MLU upon qualification. Quite explicit criteria really.

Amanda, Aus midwifery is a bit like midwifery in the UK in the 80s with a bit of Americanisation thrown in (routine episiotomy is not uncommon, continuous CTG, huge LSCS rates in some hospitals ). The care structure tends to be split between public/private with MLU's gradually becoming more popular in larger cities. Team midwifery is also growing (Melbourne/Brissie), homebirth is rare On the plus, breastfeeding rates are considerably higher than the UK I've worked in Brissie and Melbourne so far, prefer Melbourne to work in and have worked with a lot of DE trained UK midwives. Direct entry is still relatively new in Aus.

I was an RN first before doing my midders in the UK and I initially sent the feelers out online to a few heads of midwifery and got positive responses in rural queensland about 3 months before I qualified, then got registered before I came out on a working holiday visa.

I'm now doing agency in rural Darwin which is an er, eye opener Lots of social inequalities and aboriginal mothers with high risk pregnancies due to a variety of issues which I'm sure you can imagine. I've even had a stint on SCBU here Yes, it's not my ideal midwifery led experience, but its never dull, the teams I've worked with in Aus are generally far more supportive (both medics and midwives ) than the UK and I'm actually saving a lot of money at the moment working in rural Aus and have developed some transferable skills. I cannulate/suture which is like a revelation to some mws here, so that's a bonus.

Feel free to PM me for further information. I could write all day about Aus midwifery. As long as you don't come out looking for an Ina May Gaskin experience I think you'll enjoy it. If you are after true MLU maybe head to NZ instead.

Hope this has helped.x

Hino

What a nice helpful post

As someone who has lived and worked in 'The Territory', I can only say that your skills, insight and willingness to help others must be sorely missed.....good on ya

LondonNurse

Thanks Hino. I believe no question is a stupid question so try to help out where I can.

Amanda, I forgot to add. As you are still a student I'd suggest it would be prudent for you to gather hard copies of your course handbook (3 year), all individual module handbooks, the eu directives for your course and your PAD/clinical assessment document as registering as a nurse/midwife if a pain in the arse without these and its a whole lot easier if you have the copies yourself as my school of nursing didnt bother to keep mine, so i wasted 3 months tooing and froing with the NMC and previous course colleagues who had kept thrir course handbooks before i could get fully assessed/registered.
I've never come across such innane bureaucracy in all my life. Even the way you write your CV has to be exact to Aussie protocol for you to obtain entry to the equivalent of the NMC. So that's my top tip, get your handbooks in order.

Perhaps a mod could move this thread to the nursing area of the site?

samadison

incredibly helpful advice, many thanks.

Reaver

And neither did I.

I said her response to Bermudas reply lacked thought.