Alifox

Just getting ready for a fact-finding holiday, 2 weeks to go- SO EXCITED . Have stumbled across a few nurse's comments on various forums, but am finding it difficult to get a good picture of what nursing in NZ is like. I am interested in medical admissions/ general medical wards in particular, as this is my area of expertise
Come on gang, paint a picture for me. I want to know all about working conditions; whether things are comparable with UK wards etc. Do you really have to put your watches back 30 yrs, like has been mentioned somewhere before? Don't want to offend any Kiwi nurses by that btw! *
Am planning to look around 3 hospitals on my trip, so I would like some reassurance that I'm doing the right thing.
*don't ask for much, do I?!

Paladin

Hope they don't mind me saying, but have a chat with Dannyf, Donnaf, and Boopy - I think they could be helpful for you.

Dave

Alifox

Cheers Dave, any ideas on how to get hold of them?

SirEglamore

They will decend like vultures onto your fresh meat very shortly, dont you worry
My OH has been down in Dunedin for the last 5 weeks and is loving it. she says there are things she wants to change already but is letting some time pass before she tries inputting too much.

Where are you going to look at???

donnaf

Sir Eglamore!!! Vultures!!!! Us!!!!

Re nursing - Boopy worked in Wellington hospital for 3 months and is now working as a public health nurse in a practice, I'm about to start work at the same practice so unfortunately I haven't had any hospital experience here. Danny is due to start work at Wellington Children's on Tuesday the 13th so give him a couple of days and he will let you know how he is finding it.
Sorry, not much help

PS you can PM any of us for more info by clicking on our profile and clicking on "send a private message"

Boopy

The vulture has arrived. Have sent you a PM.
Warning - it is a long one, make sure you have plenty of time to read it.

Alifox

Looking hospitals in Rotarua, Hamilton and Tauranga- would prefer to work in either of the latter two, as they are bigger cities- more to do as a family.

Alifox

thanks for the pm Dee, makes for thoughtful reading. Was aware of racism toward Asians, but I guess it comes as a bit of a culture shock on the wards. Went to an expo last November, and met a Geordie nurse who made the move 4 years ago, who did say that they may knock you down if you appear "too keen". I pride myself in the care that I give- I'm not perfect, by any means, but I get the impression that my normally quiet personality will have to get bolshy if I see any cr*p! I suppose I will observe things for a while, and try to implement a few changes on the sly! I'm a big fan of "slowly, slowly, catchy monkey", and also that respect is earned not given automatically. Really, I should be Sister by now- I regularly take charge of my unit ( medical admissions), but never really fancied the hassle. I don't mind hard work, and from what you say may find it a battle, but I'll certainly give it a go. I'm sure that, between all us Brit nurses, we'll soon have things beaten into shape Will definitely keep in touch, as for-warned is for-armed!

karonious

I did start a thread a while ago but it petered out after about 6 posts. I am a Mental health nurse and work in Hamilton but I really can't tell you much about the main hospital as The Henry Bennet Centre is separate from the main hospital and the two disciplines rarely meet.
We spent the first 2 weeks in accomodation provided by the DHB. I met a general nurse there who found the nursing archaic - the use of restraints rather than medical sedation for an elderly lady who semed to have dementia. But that is only hearsay - I don't kbnow the facts. I was offered $2000 towards flights and 2 weeks accomodation by the DHB here (for only 18 months experience): worth comparing if you are offered several jobs.

Boopy

I didn't take the package offered - so pleased, or I would have had to stay for 1 year or pay back.

Alifox

keep it coming gang, it's all good stuff I am really looking forward to coming over- we are reserving judgement on whether to go for it properly until after the holiday. It is too big a step to make without looking into the whole picture. We have done the 'looking through the glossy mags' thing, and sure, NZ looks amazing, but equally, we know that I will have to increase my hours, and still face a drop in pay . We also know that times will probably come that will make us question our decision. We want a new start, however. We are lucky to be in the position that, at 36 and 45, will be mortgage-free, and that there is no immediate hurry for my Hubby to rush to get a job. We have 2 gorgeous girls-6 & 2, who we want to give a great start in life We think that it's worth a good crack at it Obviously, we aren't asking for people to make these decisions for us, but getting views of people who have already been through it helps Thanks for the un-biased comments, BTW!

Apple12

I am not really wanting to intrude on you thread, as I don't really have any particular help to offer.

But I just wanted to say that imagine you have someone from the USA (or whereever) arrive in your ward tomorrow, and rather than watching and learning they were busy saying... "well back in the US we do it this way" or "I can't believe you guys are so backwards, that is the wrong way to do xyz" or "but noone in the rest of the world carries out such outdated practices".... how would you and your colleagues be reacting to them?
It will be no different to starting in your new job in your new town in your new country. You are the newcomer, and if you walk in believing that your way is right and that you need to educate the current staff into your way of doing things, then you will be unlikely to settle well and be happy.

Just my tuppence *backing out of thread on tippy toes hoping that noone is offended*

PaulGent

Hi Alifox. My wife runs one of the wards in Tauranga Hospital and is really enjoying it after about 8 months of working there. Obviously it is different to UK but not necessarily any worse. If you are coming over and want to visit her ward (it's a General Medical ward) then I am sure she can arrange it for you. She was a Clinical Nurse Specialist in UK and worked in Mercy Hospital in Auckland when we first arrived in NZ. I think her salary here is about the same as she was getting in the UK.
PM me and let me know if you would like me to ask her about visiting the ward and I will ask her to get in touch.

Paul

Alifox

Cheers Paul, have pm'd you.

Alifox

No offence taken, and non meant from my post. Of course, I realise that I would be the newbie once I start nursing in NZ, and I'm sure some things that may be considered old fashioned in the UK happen routinely in NZ. To be honest, sometimes it's not such a bad thing. As long as the care is acceptable, who can have any problems. I dont know whether you are a nurse Apple, but nurses in the UK have to justify that what we do is evidence- base, not just because it has always been done that way. I don't want to offend Kiwi nurses, and let's face it- work is hard enough without petty squabbles, but surely we want to find ways of improving care, if pos. I get the impression that NZ nurses may feel threatened in some way when new blood comes over. Personally, I don't want to take things over and ignor everything that they do, nor am I trying to take their jobs. I just want make a good life for myself and family, by doing the best job I can Mabe my comments were a little nieve, but were meant in the best of intentions