Carole & Keith

Hi floss & joe,

did discuss relocation packages, but the unit said its HR that deal with that side, and mainly they are connected with sponsor visa's. they did say they would get HR to send any information that would be useful to myself such as best places to look for houses,suburbs etc.

Carole & Keith

Hi chiara,

I have only sent of my application to DIMA at the end of febuary, awaiting medicals & police checks, the hospital are aware I will not be coming over until Dec o7, to start Job in Jan 08, I would enquire now, they don't mind waiting for you.

Carole

Chiara25

Thanks for that Carole,
And congratulations again about the job!

C. x

hcmoore1

Hi, I've got a telephone interview for the mater neonatal unit next week. Any hints on questions they asked? Also any gossip about the unit?
Cheers
Helen

Mrs JFW

OMG! we are all taking over the Mater!
Helen you have to become part of the After Work Drinking Club!
I haven't got a job in neonatal, but Bellandscone (Claire) has and Carole (Carole and Keith) and some others too. They will be able to help you but they should email you the selection criteria and base their questions around that. You need to be aware of the mater mission too and how you would adhere to that.

All the best Helen, let us know how you get on!

jackie x

Carole & Keith

Hello Helen,

welcome aboard, I see you have just joined, well you won't be disapointed, you will get all your queries, questions & insecurites answered, from people who have or are going through the same life changing experience, you will make new friends and develope lasting relationships, and find tons of information from fellow expats, and all from the comfort of your own armchair.

Great news about the job interview at the Mater, especially at the neonatal unit, BellaandScone (Claire) has also got a job on the Nicu, she starts in july I think.

God I never would of thought I would be giving anyone else advise on telephone interviews, especially the way I felt when I had mine, but seriously do not worry, Angela (NUM of the NICU) & Naida (NUM of the SCU) were really friendly & Chatty and really put me at ease.

The questions they asked were:-

1) They introduced themselfs, asked me to say abit about myself, and did I know much about the Mater & the Nicu. So research alittle of the key history of the Mater & Mothers Hospital.

2) The mission/philosophy statement, ie Dignity & Care and how I would implement that into the nursing care of the baby and family, so have an answer for all the key words and then you won't go wrong.

3) Three or four sceniarios, a complaint from a mother, what would I do if I felt I wasn't happy about a situation or the care of a baby, an Audit/Research question, there was another one but for the life of me can't remember

During all these questions they were reasuring me that I was doing well, they re-iterated everything I said, when heard back didn't sound that bad, but they know you are going to be nervous, so are aware it's not going to come out word perfect.

Then they chatted about Brisbane, Education, Housing, Quality of Life, couldn't shut them up, as it was 12.40am by that time.

Don't worry you will be fine, speak slowly, not like me fast, even though I was told by another expat, but the nerves got the better of me.

Lastly I am awaiting for my visa, so will not be starting the position until Jan 08, they are fine with that.

Hope I have been of some use to you.

Carole

hcmoore1

Thankyou so much for the replies

Its so nice to hear from other peoples experiences. I've got this far with Geneva Health agency, they have been helpful but its not the same as 'real' peoples experiences.

I'm actually on nights next week and my manager has said its ok for them to ring while I'm at work so hopefully the time difference won't seem so bad.

I'm still awaiting some final forms to send of for my nursing registration , and then will have to sort out a sponsorship visa so if I get a job who knows when I'll start

If I don't get it I will try the Brisbane Royal. Brisbane just looks a lovely place, with great weather (not to hot or cold).

Fingers crossed

Helen

Mrs JFW

hi helen,

are geneva health offering you a relocation package? I got some info from them about the prince charles hospital, but it seemed a bit restricting and the woman i was dealing with didn't seem to know what she was on about. I'm afraid she didn't instill much confidence in me so I didn't persue things any further with them and got my job independently.

Jackie x

hcmoore1

Not really, they will pick me up from the airport and little things like that. They are supposed to help me find accommodation, but how much counts as helping?, the name of an estate agency?, well I'll wait and find out.

The real reason I chose an agency is that I had no clue about how to proceed. They have sent be the forms for the nursing council etc to fill in.

Other things they did, like ringing my references and passing that information onto the hospital with my CV etc, would be easily completed without agency help.

It is in the agencies best interest to get you a job as that is the only way they get the money (from the hospital, not us). When I was looking at all the agencies most offered the same incentives and help. I'd heard of Geneva before and had a good reputation. Some of them sounded a little dodgy, one (I can't remember which), said 'oh just come over and you'll get a job no trouble'.

They didn't seem ristricting at all, I was in contact with someone at the main office and when I decided I wanted to go to Brisbane they gave me the contact names of the Queensland person, who knows more about the area. I got the same responce that you get from any outside agencies as regards to neonates (basically no clue as to what we do ). Also some information I got didn't match up to others I heard (for example wether or not I needed a transcript from uni for the child branch in queensland).

Basically if I decided to go somewhere else after this trip I would probably go independently.

Helen

hcmoore1

Thanks Carole,

I've had my interview and you hints on possible questions were very helpful. I still got into a muddle and though I did terrible but the feedback I got of them at the end of the interview was very positive. I think the worst was the long gaps after each answer when they were writing their notes, this felt like it went on for ages and that you needed to fill the silence.

Just a waiting game now for 1-2 weeks to find out for sure.

Helen

hcmoore1

I'm joining you at the Mater, I got the job! YEAH!! So much for 1-2 weeks to find out after the interview (even though they gave a very positive hint), they rang back around 5 hours later to confirm the post on the neonatal unit.

See you all soon (Well whenever I get all the paperwork sorted!)

Helen

Mrs JFW

Excellent! congratulations helen.

when will you be starting?

Jackie x

Carole & Keith

CONGRATULATIONS, HELEN

WOW! can't believe we are all going to be working together, it will make it alot easier, knowing we are all strangers in a new country and are all going through the same type of emotions.

thats fantastic news, how long do you think it will be, before you can get over there? Is it a Sponsered visa you are going for or will you be considering a Permanent Visa.

Again Helen Congratulations, Keep us informed with your decisions on when you will be going over there.

Carole

hcmoore1

It does make it a lot easier knowing we will not be alone. Apparently at the Mater NNU they employ around 40 new staff each year and I would have thought a fair percentage would be from abroad, so they should know what they are doing in ways to help us settle into our new jobs.

I'm not sure yet when I will be over but thinking august/ september. I need to wait for the registration (which i'm STILL trying to get sorted to send off), apparently their getting quicker now and the last few only took around 3 months. Then give 6 weeks notice at work, a couple of weeks to sort everything out (renting so don't need to sell), a stop of holiday on the way (?China) and a few days to settle in before work. So as soon as the registration is sorted I'm thinking of 10 weeks later.

I'm going to get a sponsorship visa and hope to stay 1 year maybe 2, I will play it by ear. Who knows after that, I may fall in love with australia (or an australian surfer) and decide to stay longer. I might do more travelling after or come back to sunny England. Because I'm travelling by myself I can do what I want without worrying about partners/ children. When will you all be coming and for how long? Plus my parents and sister have all already asked when can they come over for a holiday.

Were about is are you all working now? I'm at Airedale in West Yorkshire. Its a small NNU 15 beds, 3 intensive care, so its going to be a big culture shock going to a unit as big as Mater (although I did do 6 weeks at Leed General as park of the intensive care course).

Helen

Carole & Keith

Helen,

I am currently working at Salford Royal Hospital, in Salford, Manchester. (also known as Hope Hospital). I am hoping to get over to Australia ideally at the beginning of December, so I can look for schools/colleges/ Universities before they all close for the summer holidays. But it all depends on when my PR Visa comes through, and then I have to sell the house, (don't want to put it up for sale before visa)

I am going to Australia on the basis of staying there permanently, even though I have never been before, and will not be able to afford a Reccie Trip. Many people find it unbelievable that I am going when I have never been to the country, but I am proud to say that I am not like many people, I have never been one to follow the crowd or need someone else's opinion to kick start me, everything I have done in my life, as been done with gut instinct or passion. It has never failed me yet, so I am following instinct, passion and the need to start afresh for myself and hopefully a better quality of life for my family.

Carole