kentcoast

[QUOTE=ad4ozz]'Are they for real' and they stand and watch you do all this....

Oh yes its for real the physio will stand and watch you. You must have 2" of bottom cheek that is not on the bed when lying on your back. Yes I did do the full amount of time, but the lying on stomach and holding legs up I had to do twice as I had only had lunch 1 1/2 hrs prior to physical and it was a choice of stop or throw up. So don't eat for at least two hours before the torture. Sorry no steadying allowed and you got it right Lynn thats what they are looking for strong stomach and back muscles. Please don't get me wrong I did the time through determination and gritted teeth. Plus the thought that probably the majority of the collegue I used to work with would not have managed this. Lesley I will try and keep up to date with any entry developements.

No the torture happens after they have provisionly accepted you. Sorry but no physical no job you cant get out of it. For hospital based nursing jobs you won't have a physical like this and possibly you won't in Brisbane. Even the local nurses found the physical assessment supprising and not something they had come across before.

Sue I am glad your back on the oz move again I have read about your ups and downs over the past year plus. It is a difficult discission and does put a strain on any relationship if I have read correctly you now plan to move to Brisbane rather than Adelaide hope it goes well for you. I have to say that for the first few weeks at work I thought what have we done, if we are ill when we are old it will be a big problem. But I am beggining to see it differently now. I am in the middle of doing a UK based Gerontology degree and the move to australia while well thought out and looking at the research from oz didn't seem to much of a problem. However although I knew my local service provider knowledge would not be there it has really left me feeling vulnarable.
With staff not willing to share info and lets face it, it is a quick way of learning I have felt that I am not offering the client the best of service. I don't like having to go away to find out how to get a lifeline system for the client or how to access pressure releiving aids the problem is added to by some of the equipement only being available if bought by the client and other equipment is available on hire but I am getting there slowly. Four out of four good days this week a first so things are looking up.

Sarah



Sarah

lesley street

Hi Sarah

Sorry to harp on about the physical- it is both legs lifted together or one at a time.Should they be out dead straight and level with your hips ie. as though you are lying flat on a bed. You must have stomach and back muscles of steel to do it for the full 2 mins. So If you can't manage it, you don't get the job?. I've been a community nurse for 3 and a half years and never had a day off sick with an injury. (in fact i've only had 2 days off sick in all that time). I can't believe what they want you to do. Even if I practiced every day till we get to Aus, I don't think I could manage it. And i'm not unfit- do step Rebok, body pump and go to the gym. I'm seriously thinking of not applying now and looking at hospital work. It's a shame, because I really love community work.

Lesley.

ad4ozz

Think I would much preffer doing the physical over the phone... ...hope you can apply from UK.

lynnlovessun

I'm the same Lesley - that lying down excercise is one they do in yoga - could never do it for 2 mins - hope they don't do these physical interviews in Brisbane!!!!!!!

Like you i've hardly been off sick either and have an excellent record - no back problems, but that particular excercise would kill me. Not putting me off community though - I love my job just now in UK and couldn't dream of doing anything else - love the idea of driving round in the sunshine.

Sarah - what is the pay like for level 1 community nurse? Is it the same as an E grade pay in UK (i'm on 18,230 in UK). My pay in community E grade full time is about the same as what I took home as full time D grade in ward (sometimes less!!!) So community def pays less as you lose a lot of your unsocial hours payments - I can't believe I earn a higher salary/ higher grade than when I qualified 4 years ago yet take home the same pay packet - very depressing!
Will I manage to maintain same standard of living on level 1 wage?
Any more info about level 1 wages would be great,
Lynn

kentcoast

I wouldn't worry to much about the medical it is to get an idea of your fitness level, and to make sure you don't claim an injury at a latter stage that you already had. The other reason for such a thorough medical is you work on your own and when the maximum load for moving is 20 kg over here they will check that you can do it.

Wages wise I think you will find even with a lower wage you will still maintain the same level of livivng you did in the uk. I was offered a higher rate with my provision job offer that was lowered when I got the formal job offer. From other nurses on this site I gather that is not unusual. It is a take it or leave it offer so I took it. I must say it was nice to have the easter weekend off. A word of warning though if you want to work part time you will work weekends and bank holidays so my original plan to go part time after a couple of years has been changed.

Lesley don't be put off I think it sounds worse than it actually is. It is there to protect you not frighten you.

David I saw some Benchmarking policies yesterday it would appear that the lower level nurses do not get to see these unlike the uk where they sit on a shelfe for any member of staff to read. I don't know whether any of the following are on line but I have on loan for work The Equip Guide A framework to improve quality and safety of health care and Generational health reveiw.

Sarah

lesley street

Hi Sarah

Thanks for that. Sorry, i got the impression that if you couldn't do it for the full 2 mins, they wouldn't give you the job. I've been practicing. Can manage all the other ones you mentioned, just find the holding of the legs when on my bach really difficult. Am going to keep at it, will do as many as I can morning and evening and hopefully will become better. Can really feel it on my stomach muscles, so must be working!.

Take care
Speak to you soon


Lesley.

jellyhead8000

Hi, just picked up on this thread, back to the original question - about how you get a job. I'm in communication with a nice lady with Bluecare who has advised me she can get me work (level 2) in elderly care nursing establishments (homes) while i'm waiting for community roles to come up. At least then I'll be working with the company who do the community roles. Not sure if this is any help or not, Im just damn sure Im not going back into a hospital except over my dead body!
Jill (community nurse E grade in North Tyneside, sent my visa paperwork over 2/52)

lynnlovessun

Hi Jill, are you applying for permenent residency or are you getting Bluecare to sponsor you? Is it Brisbane you are planning to move 2?

I'm also an E grade DN support in Glasgow - my skilled independent visa application has been with DIMIA since 2nd Feb - so probably about halfway there.
I have also been watching the Bluecare website for community jobs but haven't seen any for a while. A level 2 post would be good - I was told only to apply for level 1 (as the equivelant of an E grade in UK!?)
I don't want to go back into hospital work either bit was hoping to get a community job right away - are you sure you are going to have trouble getting a community job? Why nursing home 1st? - i'd be wary of that as you might end up stuck there - those area's are hardest to fill and are they really going to move you into community if it will leave the nursing home short?

Lynn

lesley street

Hi Jill

Where abouts in Aus are you looking to work. We are going to Adelaide. I too am an E grade community nurse. I love the community and would reluctantly go back to hospital work. (will keep working on those leg raises!!!) I really enjoy working with the elderly. Work in Shoreham, East Sussex, most of our patients are in their advanced years.

Lesley

kentcoast

Hi Jill

I have not even been into a nursing home over here but a collegue who started on the same in take as me also originally from the UK has worked in a couple in Adelaide. She found that they were very out of date and the trained nursing staff were not willing to keep up with changes in practice. The nurse has not worked in the UK since the late 80's and has been working in south east asia for the past 15 yrs. I beleive there is a nurse who uses this sight who works in a nursing home I think in the Brisbane area whoses online begins with an M, sorry that is not to helpful but I can't remember what it is. She must have been over here for about a year now and could probably tell what the homes are like in the area you want to live.

As for working as a level 2 nurse in a nursing home go for it, in the community it is not something I would even contemplate, I wouldn't have even looked at level 2 in the area I used to work in the UK (rehab). Simply because of the lack of knowledge I have in the australian healthcare system. I have no intention of remaining at level 1 but I feel I need to become familiar with the way the system works out here before applying for a more senior post. It can be a little frustrating but then I am prepared to wait for the moment.

Sarah

jellyhead8000

Hi community girls, originally we were looking at Brisbane, but decided that we're not city people so setting sights further away. Thinking of somewhere around the Hervey Bay area, or somewhere on the Fraser Coast. Its difficult though to get enough information about an area. If anyone has any useful links to offer we'd appreciate it. You can look into an area +++ then look on an aerial photo and find out its 80% caravan park!
Going over as skilled independant, not sponsored. You're right, theres not many community jobs advertised. Id much rather be outside than in a home, but as Im happy to work with the elderly I thought it would be a compromise. Hadnt even considered that their work practises would be out of date.
Jill

ad4ozz

Do they put all their elderly into homes I want them to keep them at home so I can get communtiy job.

Also what's the arial photo site you mentioned....any clues.

jellyhead8000

Well, precisely, the elderley should be at home, but I think it works out cheaper for private medical insurance for individuals to 'go somewhere'. There are plenty of veterans facilities where they have guaranteed places despite insurance. I think pts have to pay above the odds to have home care, which is why there are so few jobs - less cost effective for the private company.

Can't remember exactly where these sites were for aerial photos but it was via google images search, put in the area and see what happens. Our experience was it was usually the high school sites which offered local photos. What area are looking at moving into? Our searches where around Hervey Bay.
PS. Just got email with confirmation of visa application no. Oh yeah, oh yeah.

tiredwithtwins

Redland Shire Councils website has an aerial photograph page - go to
http://www.redland.qld.gov.au/
on the menu down the left hand side of the page, click on 'online mapping', then click on aerial photography.
it only gives you shots of the bayside and surrounding bits, but its good fun to look at!

sue

jellyhead8000

Thanx Sue, thats excellent, Ill have a proper look at this tonight when Im not running a clinic! Jill