coxdebra

Hi, hope anyone can help

Just had a positive skills assessment, applying for main 136 visa.

Can any nurses working in Aus give advice? How does hospital work compare with community? I am a specialist school nurse in the UK (G) grade.

What about private vs public.

Anyone had and bad experiences, or good experiences re jobs. All advice welcomed. Thanx Debs

lynnlovessun

Hi I am an E grade community staff nurse in Glasgow and like you also want info on this. Ad4oz another poster is a G grade District nurse. Like you we have both asked this question but had very few replies so we are both worried as to how easy it is to get a community job in Brisbane - seems to be plenty of community jobs advertised at staff nurse level (level 1 oz equivelant) but not seen so many specialist roles (ok news for me though! ). As for a school nurse I haven't saw anything advertised - keep an eye on www.careerone.com.au for jobs - the weekly paper one's seem to go on here.

Congrats on the skills assessment, when do you plan to submit your visa application and where do you hope to move to?

My 136 application has been with DIMIA since 3rd Feb 2005 and I'm hoping to move to the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane November this year.

Best of luck to you and hope someone can answer our questions!

Lynn

ad4ozz

These are the sorts of things that are around.

To get to their site and request 2 weekly email of jobs go to:

http://www.ncah.com/

Job Opportunities

Alice Springs Hospital, Dept of Health & Community Services, Alice Springs Northern Territory Australia
CLINICAL NURSE EDUCATOR - THEATRE & DAY PROCEDURE

Auckland District Health Board, Maori Mental Health, Auckland New Zealand
NURSES & ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
CONSULTANT PSYCHIATRIST
PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR

Austra Health International, Agency, Melbourne Victoria Australia
NURSING IN MELBOURNE
NURSING IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Australian Nursing Agency, Agency, Melbourne Victoria Australia
NURSING POSITIONS AUSTRALIA WIDE

Australian Nursing Solutions, Agency, East Melbourne Victoria Australia
THEATRE NURSING IN AUSTRALIA

BMG Associates, Agency, Melbourne Victoria Australia
UK POSITIONS FOR NURSES, ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, DOCTORS & SOCIAL WORKERS

Broome Health Services, WA Country Health Services, Broome Western Australia Australia
HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGER

CCM Recruitment International, Agency, Edgecliff New South Wales Australia
NURSING IN IRELAND, CHANNEL ISLANDS, THE UK, AND THE ARABIAN GULF

CQ Nurse, Agency, Brisbane Queensland Australia
CONTRACTS AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA

Cairns Nursing Agency, Agency, Cairns Queensland Australia
QUEENSLAND NURSING POSITIONS

ChoiceOne Meditemp, Agency, Perth Western Australia Australia
REGISTERED NURSES FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

Continental Travelnurse, Agency, London United Kingdom
REGISTERED NURSES FOR THE UK

Eye & Ear Hospital, Melbourne Victoria Australia
CLINICAL CARE COORDINATOR - DAY SURGERY FACILITY

Firstpoint Healthcare, Agency, Sydney New South Wales Australia
NURSING IN THE UK

Fitzroy Valley & Halls Creek Health Services, Dept of Health, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek Western Australia Australia
REGISTERED NURSES

Flex Health Services, Agency, Perth Western Australia Australia
POSITIONS THROUGHT OUT WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Geneva Health International, Agency, Auckland New Zealand
POSITIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Geneva Health International, Agency, Auckland New Zealand
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE UK

Geo Group Australia, Sale Victoria Australia
STATE MANAGER HEALTHCARE

Geo Group Australia, Fulham Correctional Centre, Sale Victoria Australia
COUNSELLORS - OFFENDER DEVELOPMENT

Goulburn Valley Health, Shepparton Victoria Australia
NURSE UNIT MANAGER - SURGICAL
MIDWIVES
REGISTERED NURSES - SPECIAL CARE NURSERY

Healthstaff Recruitment, Agency, Melbourne Victoria Australia
NURSING & ALLIED HEALTH OPPORTUNITIES IN THE UK, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND & CANADA

Hunter New England Health, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle New South Wales Australia
CLINICAL NURSE CONSULTANT - CARDIOLOGY

InterStaff, Agency, London United Kingdom
NURSING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE USA & THE UK

Jane Lewis International Medical Recruitment, Agency, Birmingham United Kingdom
UK POSITIONS FOR:
- THEATRE NURSES
- MENTAL HEALTH NURSE POSITIONS
- CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST
- SOCIAL WORKERS

John James Memorial Hospital, Deakin West Australian Capital Territory Australia
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT / RISK MANAGEMENT CO-ORDINATOR

Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, WA Country Health Service, Kalgoorlie Western Australia Australia
REGISTERED NURSES
CLINICAL NURSES

Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, WA Country Health Service, Kalgoorlie Western Australia Australia
CLINICAL CO-ORDINATOR
DIRECTOR OF NURSING / HEALTH SERVICE MANAGER

Kstar Nursing Agency, Agency, Perth Western Australia Australia
RURAL & EMERGENCY TRAINED NURSES REQUIRED

Latrobe Regional Hospital, Traralgon Victoria Australia
REGISTERED NURSES
ASSOCIATE UNIT MANAGER

Launceston General Hospital, Dept of Health & Human Services, Launceston Tasmania Australia
REGISTERED NURSE - SURGERY, OPERATING SUITE

MC - IR, Agency, London United Kingdom
SPECIALISED & GENERAL NURSES FOR LONDON POSITIONS

MMA Recruitment, Agency, London United Kingdom
PLACEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE UK

Mater Health Services, South Brisbane Queensland Australia
REGISTERED NURSES & MIDWIVES

Mater Health Services, Mater Adult Hospital, Mater Children's Hospital, Brisbane Queensland Australia
CLINICAL NURSES - DAY CARE ONCOLOGY
REGISTERED NURSES - PAEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

Medacs International, Agency, London United Kingdom
EMERGENCY EXPERIENCE POSITIONS IN THE UK

Medicall Placements, Agency, Sydney New South Wales Australia
POSITIONS IN CRITICAL CARE AREAS

Mediserve Nursing Agency, Agency, East Perth Western Australia Australia
AUSTRALIA WIDE NURSING OPPORTUNITIES

Medstaff, McArthur Management Services, Agency, Adelaide South Australia Australia
REGISTERED & ENROLLED NURSES

Mercure Resort, Great Keppel Island, Great Keppel Island Queensland Australia
REGISTERED NURSE

NT Medic, Agency, Darwin Northern Territory Australia
REMOTE COMMUNITY & HOSPITAL PLACEMENTS AUSTRALIA WIDE

Nursing Excellence, Agency, Adelaide South Australia Australia
MANAGEMENT POSITIONS AUSTRALIA WIDE

O'Grady Peyton International, Agency, Worldwide
USA NURSING POSITIONS

Oxford Aunts Care, Agency, Oxford United Kingdom
WORKING IN THE UK

Pacific Shores Healthcare, Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, Melbourne Victoria Australia
REGISTERED NURSE

Parkside Community Mental Health Team, Oldaker Street Clinic, Dept of Health & Human Services, Burnie, Devonport Tasmania Australia
TEAM LEADERS x2

Promesse, Agency, Sydney New South Wales Australia
NURSING IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Quality Locums, Pulse, Agency, Sydney New South Wales Australia
NURSES & ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS FOR THE UK

Queensland Health, Barcaldine Hospital & Multipurpose Health Service, Toowoomba Health Service, Bundaberg Base Hospital, Emerald Hospital, Thursday Island Hospital, Longreach Hospital, Barcaldine, Toowoomba, Bundaberg, Thursday Island, Longreach Queensland Australia
DIRECTOR OIF NURSING
NURSE UNIT MANAGERS
CLINICAL NURSE (ENDORSED MIDWIFE)
ENROLLED NURSE ADVANCED PRACTICE

Ramsay Health Care, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Greenslopes Queensland Australia
CLINICAL SERVICES MANAGER - GENERAL SURGERY
ONCOLOGY EDUCATOR
CLINICAL NURSES
REGISTERED NURSES
EEN'S

Recruitment Solutions Group, Agency, London United Kingdom
NURSES FOR THE UK

Risdon Prison Hospital, Dept of Health & Human Services, Hobart Tasmania Australia
REGISTERED NURSE

Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville Victoria Australia
REGISTERED NURSES - NEONATAL UNIT

Royal Flying Doctor Service - Central Operations, Alice Springs, Port Augusta Northern Territory, South Australia Australia
FLIGHT NURSES

Royal North Shore & Ryde Health Service, Royal North Shore Hospital, Ryde Hospital, Sydney New South Wales Australia
REGISTERED NURSES
ENROLLED NURSES
U/G NURSES
AIN's

Rural Northwest Health, Warracknabeal Victoria Australia
REGISTERED NURSES
COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSE
CLINICAL SUPPORT NURSE
CAMPUS MANAGER
QUALITY & SAFETY MANAGER
POLICY REVIEW & DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

SWIIS, Agency, Sydney New South Wales Australia
REGISTERED NURSES & HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS FOR THE UK

Staffing Synergy, Agency, Melbourne Victoria Australia
NURSES FOR AUSTRALIA, UK, USA & CANADA

Stawell Regional Health, Stawell Victoria Australia
REGISTERED NURSES / MIDWIVES

Strand Nurses Bureau, Agency, London United Kingdom
NURSES & HEALTH CARE ASSISTANTS IN LONDON & UK WIDE

Taranaki District Health Board, Taranaki Base Hospital, New Plymouth New Zealand
CHARGE CARDIAC TECHNOLOGIST
AUDIOLOGY CO-ORDINATOR

The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead New South Wales Australia
PAEDIATRIC NURSING INFORMATION SESSION

The Menzies Foundation, East Melbourne Victoria Australia
MENZIES RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP IN THE ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES

Tradewind Recruitment, 1st Contact Medical, Agency, London United Kingdom
UK POSITIONS FOR NURSES & ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

Waitemata District Health Board, Waitakere Hospital, Auckland New Zealand
REGISTERED NURSES

West Australian Nursing Agency, Agency, West Leederville Western Australia Australia
POSITIONS AUSTRALIA WIDE

Worldwide Healthcare Exchange, Agency, Worldwide
NURSING POSITIONS IN THE UK

Courses

National Institute of Health Sciences, Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
BACHELOR OF NATUROPATHY

The Menzies Foundation, East Melbourne Victoria Australia
MENZIES RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP IN THE ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES

Conferences

The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead New South Wales Australia
PAEDIATRIC NURSING INFORMATION SESSION

ad4ozz

PS...

Lynn you said you couldn't get their emails so if you go to

http://www.ncah.com/

CLICK career index
CLICK job opportunities

it brings up all their jobs available and you can go into them in more depth.

Not so many community this week but has had quite a few in past plus flight nurse for flying doctors...that sounds cool... .

kentcoast

Hi

I had always fancied working in the community in the UK so I jumped at the chance here. If you are looking at full time work in South australia with the Royal District Nursing service (RDNS) you will probably have like I do a 8am - 4.30 pm mon-fri job, part time means weekends. An added bonus or not is just working one bank holiday per year.

Unlike the UK though this is a paid for service and not free so you have to get your client to sign contracts and agree to pay if not you say goodbye.

Culture shock you bet. Care plans, paper work like you have never seen before but litigation is finding its way in here to. Poor trees. I should say I have only been working here for seven weeks and probably average three good days per week. Its over half so things are improving. Should you change the area of your work, who knows, whatever you choose will be different from what you are used to. My plan at the moment is try this for a year and see how I feel. I miss ward work but I have no idea if I would like it over here. Am I confused at the moment yes but I think it is probably normal (well I hope so anyway). The patients expect different things of the nurse and have a different way of looking at things to what I experienced in the UK.

I do however have problems with friday afternoons nibbles and drinks for the last hour of the day and then you drive home (hick). For a job that requires its staff to have a driving license I find this strange.

Sarah

ad4ozz

So is the paperwork much different from UK care plans etc???

And when you say patients expect different thing from UK what do they expect???....do they bed bath etc. on community over there?


Could handle the after work drink... and nibbles as long as with in the drink driving laws which I haven't a clue what Oz's are... .

In UK found community much less stressfull than wards and people much nicer when in their own homes...does take a bit of getting used to though.

kentcoast

I have found the paperwork very different to what I am used to. Lots of forward projections as to how long a wound will take to heal, how you will maintain pressure areas to prevent breakdown this causes me a problem as I then don't go to see the client until the next week. Lots of duplications of paper work. The company I work for are terrified of litigation. Partly due to having a possible three cases going through at the moment. The choice of dressings is different to but I am getting used to that now. On the plus side gloves are not worn so much over here.

Yes you would have bedbaths, hot towel baths, showers and hairwashing to do.

Ward work was less streeful in the UK. But I am sure you wouldn't find the change so hard having come from a community background.

Sarah

lesley street

Hi Sarah

Sounds as though you are settling into the Aussie way of nursing. Sounds a bit worrying that they have 3 litigation cases going through- do you know what they are about.

Hope you don't mind a few more questions. Do you tend to have your own patients that only you see, or do other nurses also visit. I like the sound of giving patients their social as well as nursing care. I never felt it was right to give this part of basic nursing care to social services. Do you find you get enough time in the day to get round all your patients, or is it a mad rush as here in the UK. (forgotten what a lunch break is- haven't had one for so long. Not to mention the hour or so extra we work at he beginning and end of the day and don't get paid for or time back). Do you have access to equipment, such as pressure relieving cushions, mattresses, commodes etc. Do you also do things like flu jabs and take bloods.

Sorry to ask so many questions , its just good to find out what we're letting ourselves in for!

Big thank you


Lesley

lynnlovessun

Hi Sarah - do you work as a community nurse then? I was hoping to get a job with Bluecare or the St Lukes Nursing service - it does sound very different over there - I don't mind doing the odd bath or shower but don't fancy my morning being made up of that - sorry!

My main interest lies in wound management/ leg ulcer care and palliative care - agree social work services not up to much but also don't believe its the DN's job to do all personal care - I though we had moved on from that and were getting recognised for our specialised skills.

I am an E grade District Nurse support in Glasgow - absolutely love my job and am hoping for something similar in Brisbane - maybe I'm wrong though!

Realise that dressings will be totally different and paperwork, but its like any new job you get used to it.

Would be great to hear some more from you about community nursing.
Lynn

kentcoast

Hi Lesley

I do not know what the litigation is about. Litigation seems to be a new concept for the company whether they have been lucky until now or it is just taking off in a big way I don't know.

Yes you would have your own caseload from the start of week three and shared with someone from day two to the end of week two. You may or maynot have an EN who wil see some of your clients but you have to over see that careplans & drug charts are up todate and relevent. The EN role is a bit of a mystery to me at the moment as the HCA's I used to work with were able to do more. For example week before last I had a client that needed some sutures taken out so I had to see the client as the EN can't do that. I still haven't found out why and four months ago the same nurse would have been taking sutures out in her previous job. The EN can't admit or discharge clients and can not change any form of care for a client with out your approval.

The job seems very task orientated but I understand it doesn't to be that way so maybe I just need to see my probation out and then sort things out a bit more. On saying that I supposedly carry an 80% caseload and it is rather difficult to fit in on some days others arn't so bad. Personal care is mainly for palliative clients. As for the provision of pressure releiving aids I am still struggling with this. As you know district nursing here is a paid for service and it would appear that the same applies for some pressure releiving aids, the client has to buy them but I have not yet discovered at what point they get help, but it does seem that if they don't buy the smaller items they don't have them. Asking collegues I know seems to be the answer I have tried and I am either told they don't know either or I don't need to know that. It is so frustrating.

There is no blood taking, no immunisations, the last time I asked a Dr if he wanted a swab taken he came out to do it !! Well that supprised me I can tell you.

Yes you will end up working late as there is no time allowed for paperwork that is not done in the home very few staff leave on time.

Sarah

kentcoast

Hi Lynn

I work in Adelaide so DN in Queensland will be different as each state works differently.

Personal care is for Palliative Clients. I don't mind that it is nice to spend sometime talking to them. Would care, I have mentioned on another thread that the choices of dressings where I work is different to what I had been used to compression bandaging is still there but otherwise the main dressing choice is Kaltostat, Inodine, melolin and mesorb. Sorry I forgot Jelonet.

You are right you do get used to it but I still do not feel comfortable with what I do at times because I know there is an alternative but the alternative is not recognised practise here. It does not always go down well because I ask 'why', 'what is the rational' and the answer is often 'you just have to trust me on this'. Prehaps I should do as Iam told and not worry. But I am not like that.

Sarah

ad4ozz

So is it easy enough to get a community job over there???

How long did it take you girls already in Oz?

lynnlovessun

Yup don't mind at all - bathing/ bed baths etc. for terminally ill patients - just don't want to return to caseloads full of run of the mill baths. Like you I think that 'total' care is vital in palliative care.

The dressings sound absolutely awful - I work with a sister here who puts Inadine on everything and i'm only just starting to change her!!!!

As for Jelonet - another awful dressing - it sticks to wounds and is only used by crusty old plasic surgeons.

What about Aquacell, Acticoat, mepilex, allevyn - do they not exist? How on earth do wounds heal?

What level are you at - are you a staff nurse equivelant or more senior? If i'm an E grade in the UK what level of job in community should I be applying for?

It is so good to talk to someone actually in community in Oz (allowing for differences between nursing states)

Do they tend to provide you with a car - if so can you use it for personal use too?

Sorry for all the questions - hope you don't mind answering them all!!!!

Lynn

kentcoast

Hi Lynn

Yes they do provide a car but only for work use. I have a toyota corrolla with a boot not a hatch. The cars are changed when they reach 38,000km so you are never driving a car that is over a year old. It is maintained regularly but this does sometimes mean it is you taking it for its checks.

I am working as the eqivelent of a staff nurse. I would not move to a new country and look at a higher post just personal pref I suppose. The biggest problem I find is the lack of knowledge I have regarding services I know I have mentioned this before but I don't like not knowing the answer to a clients question. Plus it is different going out to a client and having to set up a contract with them. I have had two clients terminate their contracts last week on purely finacial grounds one lady has even cancelled her meals on wheels as well. Yes she saves $100 but her leg ulcer is now untreated and who knows about her eating. As for applying for a job you would need to look at RN level 1. I found it really easy saw an ad in the paper rang up about it interview the following and job offer then you just have to wait for three work refs.

Sorry yes Allyven is available I am supprised I forgot to mention that one as I was in trouble for my use of the product last week. Acticoat and aquacell are kept under lock and key by the clinical nurses, now this may just a querk of where I am working the clients in SA do not pay for the products just a flat fee the sister company in Victoria (Melbourne) charge for dressings used. There is a product I like though again difficult to get but it is intrasite gel impregnated gauze it works really well. I haven't seen it in the UK.

I had to have a good hard think about the dressings here and looked back to when I started in nursing some 25 yrs ago and wounds did heal. So I desided on the approach of it is not wrong just different (providing I know my practice is safe). Have had a conversation about that to.

I am happy to answer questions.

Answers may suffer a little from the evening glass or two of wine though.

Sarah

lynnlovessun

The Intrasite impregnated gauze is called Intrasie conformable - I love it too and I am using it on severe radiotherapy burns a lady has (so its readily available in the UK) - it dosen't stick and it less messy than intrasite gel. Its good to know those dressings still exist even if they are hard to get to!!!! Surely if you can justify using one of them they would give you it? I only have to request a prescription from the G grade I work with here to get as many dressings as I want and most of the patients don't pay for their prescriptions, on my caseload.

Hoping to get a level 1 community nurse job in Brisbane area easily - is it like the UK - is there more competition for community posts or is it easier to get a job?

What prospects are there for promotion in community - are there level 2 community jobs? (i'm like you would want to find my feet 1st at level 1) Do you have to do a course to get to level 2 or is it more about years experience?

Bit dissapointed about the car if you can only use it at work (hope Brissie will b different) cause it would mean having to buy a 2nd car for me to get around outside work. If you have a work car, do the employers pay for all the petrol?

That's today's questions for you!!!!!! Really appreciate your help and info as you are the only community nurse I have spoken to!

Thanks again,
Lynn