Nurse Mandie

Hello, I'm new to the forum and looking for information from community nurses to ascertain what the community sector offers on the Sunshine Coast and if the role is similar to a district / community nurse in the uk. I spoke to blue care agency and they advised that work for community nurses is pretty scarce. Reading posts from a few years back on the site paints a bit of a bleak picture on the role and the job front. Can anyone out there throw some light on the subject? Thanks

Pollyana

I've moved your post to its own thread in the nursing forum, as it was originally in the Job Offer forum

kitty4

Hi Nurse Mandie
Community nursing roles here are not the same as district nursing in the UK. Most community nursing is provided by non government organisations. Areas (geographical)covered can be quite large here on the Sunshine Coast. For RN's roles involve assessments and the care is geared towards help with personal care/ADL's. The pay is usually a lot less than hospital based nursing, usually based on ''The Nurses Award 2010''. Some GP's send practice nurses out to do home health assessments, again pay is generally based on the nurses award. There isn't a lot of employment around in this or other areas of nursing on the coast at the moment. Sorry can't offer any more positive info. I do have some friends who work in this community/home health care sector and enjoy it as a change from the politics of hospital work and if top pay isn't essential to your survival, it's an opportunity that pops up very occasionally in the job market.

Nurse Mandie

Thanks for your reply Kitty,
That is pretty much the picture I felt I was getting after asking around a bit so it's kind of confirmed my suspicions. A bit bleak for a UK community nurse then? Really do t fancy a hospital so may have to rethink my plans. Thanks for your help � ����

Gill and Rob

Check if you would be eligible for registration in Australia before you do much more searching.

Good luck

Gill

Nurse Mandie

Hey Gill,

Would there be any reason being UK qualified nurse that I wouldn't be eligible? I had been using a migration agent and assumed they would advise and assist. Is APHRA yet another minefield?! I am getting cold feet about spending so much money on a visa and additional costs (and migration agent) seeing as the work prospect seems bleak.

Any other advice out there?

Grayling

Do you have a degree qualification?.....AHPRA have changed the rules regarding registration.

If you do not have a degree you may need to do extra study to achieve the equivalent.

Nurse Mandie

Yes. I have a degree and two years post grad experience. Are there other hoops to jump through or is that sufficient these days?

Grayling

If you have a degree level qualification and have enough experience then it should be pretty straightforward.

However, as has been pointed out, getting a community post will not be so easy. You may also find it difficult to get a full time permanent position on the Sunshine coast.....it is a popular area and Queensland health have cut right back on recruiting
You may find work in a private hospital or get casual work but you will have to compete with lots of others for jobs in popular areas....the Sunshine coast does not have that many hospitals.

Brisbane would be a much better bet...but the restriction on recruiting will also apply there.

It should be easy enough to find some work but it may not be what you want.

Any senior jobs would have to be applied for and you would need to compete with other applicants.

kitty4

Yes, competition on the sunshine coast is pretty tough for most positions at present and to give examples of what Grayling says, I have very experienced mental health nurse friends working in aged care or general community home care (casual or part time) because they cannot get work in mental health. Other Aussies have had to move back home interstate because they could not get enough work or work in their speciality. Again, like Grayling says, you should be able to find some work, but it may not be what you want and is even less likely to be full time or permanent, or. even if it is permanent part time, funding keeps getting pulled from organisations, leaving more nurses looking for work in the market. Unfortunately, this is the reality at the moment. I am not sure if I will have my job after the end of this financial year!
Nurse Mandie, now that you know you meet the criteria for AHPRA registration, you could save money by not using a migration agent and you may want (need) to look at other areas of Australia where there are more opportunities, unless it is family reasons for wanting the sunshine coast.

genorm

I have a vacancy for a Mental Health Nurse Educator in Brisbane - PM me if you have AHPRA or LOE. PR preferred, but sponsorship may be available to a high calibre candidate.

steven9818

My understanding is that a new hospital is being built on the sunshine coast. Will there be a recruitmant drive to staff this or will staff be moved from other areas?