Originally Posted by lisamct

Have to say so far I've found it to be a really positive work culture where I am. I think it's very similar to what I'm used to working as a midwife in the UK.
If anything the team is friendlier, more accepting of the difficulties new staff might have and very sociable and 'bonded' with lots of activities and social events going on pretty regularly. The computer systems at work are a bit dated but no worse than the unit I worked in in the UK 4 years ago and much better than the paperless system (disaster) I left most recently.
Management seem excellent and approachable and have all been keen to insure I'm settling in and have what I need to 'learn' the differences in the job here.

Our team are encouraged to stand up and take initiative in developing new policies/procedures etc and to share innorvations in practice with the rest of the team as well as to strive to improve and enhance our education and practice. I've been encouraged to point out any issues within the unit that I see as a new 'recruit' that could be improved upon and to suggest anything that I've seen work in the past in the UK that might be of use to the unit Im in now.

Sounds idealistic and 'rose tinted' specs I know but that is really the way it is as far as I can see it.

Originally Posted by tiri

Yeah it does! what sort of reaction have you got when you've suggested doing something in NZ that worked in the UK? that sort of behaviour usually gets poms shunned very quickly. It's early days yet sounds like you're still firmly in the honeymoon stage.

Originally Posted by gocebe

N.Z. is like a big Amish community in some respects.

everyone is related.

they wear old fashioned clothes.

they insist on using outdated work methods when a more modern example is available.

Originally Posted by simonsi

That would be pretty much a Californians view of Europe

Originally Posted by gocebe

not the ones i met in orange county.

Originally Posted by tiri

Dead right, you should see the daggers flashing when you talk about how things are done in the UK.

Originally Posted by tiri

Yeah it does! what sort of reaction have you got when you've suggested doing something in NZ that worked in the UK? that sort of behaviour usually gets poms shunned very quickly. It's early days yet sounds like you're still firmly in the honeymoon stage.

Originally Posted by mancaucks

I dont think there is anything worse to kiwis than the "this is how we did it in the uk". Actually.

Originally Posted by tiri

Dead right, you should see the daggers flashing when you talk about how things are done in the UK.

Originally Posted by Assanah

Well, you think that is different when Americans working in Europe tell Europeans how it is done in the US? How much better the American way is and how much money they could save? Such things have to be presented in a very subtle and gentle way. You have to be diplomatic.

Originally Posted by tiri

Yeah it does! what sort of reaction have you got when you've suggested doing something in NZ that worked in the UK? that sort of behaviour usually gets poms shunned very quickly. It's early days yet sounds like you're still firmly in the honeymoon stage.

Originally Posted by lisamct

Honeymoon stage it may well be but I've actually been asked by my bosses and colleagues to point out anything that I see that I might have ideas of a better way of managing from my UK experiences.
Might help that my managers are from the UK and Australia and the team is very mixed with kiwis, brits, ozzies, africans, fijians etc...

Or maybe its just because we're midwives and not known for matching the 'norm' in most circumstances!