Comments on: Difficult New Graduate Nurse Year

By: Keely

Keely — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:53:41 +0000

I am in Victoria and completed my Bachelor of Nursing in 2010. I did not get a graduate year, despite achieving a distinction average, excellent clinical reports, sound referees and participation in volunteer works for my university and local shire. I have been working agency – which is more than terrifying in your first year out, whilst trying to stick below the maximum number of days a week so I can still meet the criteria for graduate positions. I am also attending night classes to improve my odds at getting a full time position (including admin and reception, Cert IV in training and assessment, TESL- and that is just a few). In an effort to hone my nursing skills, I took up work in nursing related fields such as phlebotomy, first aid and PAG – to no avail.
This is ridiculous, and embarrassing. The time I spend out of university the less valid I feel my Nursing qualification is. I have done everything possible to make this job work, and yet I feel further from achieving my goal then when I first entered university. Even though I am yet to work fully as a Nurse, I am forced to look for a career change.
I feel that there is a need for more graduate positions to be created or for universities to cease producing excessive amounts of students when it is apparent that the system isn’t coping. I hope it is not the latter, as there is something fraudulent about universities taking money for an otherwise unfulfilling degree.

By: Keely

Keely — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:50:48 +0000

I am in Victoria and completed my Bachelor the in 2010. I did not get a graduate year, despite achieving a distinction average, excellent clinical report and participation in numerous volunteer works for my university and local shire. I have have been working agency – which is more than terrifying in your first year out, whilst trying to stick below the maximum number of days a week so I can and attending night classes to improve my odds at getting a full time position (including admin and reception, Cert IV in training and assessment, TESL- that is just a few). I took up work in related fields such as phlebotomy, first aid and PAG work- to no avail.

This is ridiculous, and embarrassing. The more years I spend out of university the less valid I feel my Nursing qualification is. Either more graduate positions need to be created- or universities should not be permitted to produce student in such an excess that the system cannot cope. I hope it is not the latter, as there is something fraudulent about universities taking money for an otherwise useless degree.

By: kimmie

kimmie — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:05:13 +0000

Well NickBrisbane I am a grad in Victoria, almost completed grad year. The offers for being employed after your grad year are grim. As we enter the hospitals as grads, our prospective employers all state that they hope to employ all of us as they have spent a lot of time and money on shaping us for the position of “nurse”. Why is it then that in the hospital where I am I was only offered a .5 position that is temporary for 3 months only. Other grads had no offers at all. And the chosen few, were offered .8 in the acute ward areas where they constantly cannot maintain staff due to overwork. My future is bleak with a HECS debt of $12000 still remaining, a mortgage to pay, a car to pay without having to mention education for one child still living at home and as for food, well oats 3 times a day. Wish I never left my high paying secretarial job at least I may still be employed. I pity the patients, their health is compromised due to shortages and overwork of many employed nurses. Why cant they get it right – I want work and they have not offered it.

By: NursingNickBrisbane

NursingNickBrisbane — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:26:57 +0000

Reading the comments makes me very despondent about my chances of getting employed after my degree in nursing is finished. I have worked in hospitals in other capacities (wardsman and a cleaner) and there ALWAYS appeared to be a shortage of nurses around the place. Very often the same nurses would be doing overtime to cover for a sick collegue ect.

I think there needs to be a stronger push by nursing students and the unions to ensure that new graduates get SOME exposure to paid work and relevant clinical experience!!! What happens in 10-15 years when all the ‘experienced’ nurses have left the profession and there’s a huge void in clinical knowledge because no new grads could get work 10-15 years ago.

With this lack of jobs in mind, have the nursing grads on here considered studying for other allied health fields? I know MORE study is painful but your nursing degree can be leveraged into other avenues such as paramedicine, dietetics, physio ect.

By: Narelle

Narelle — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:05:21 +0000

I graduated as a EEN in Dec 2010 and went on to do my bachelor of nursing in 2011. I have found it very difficult to gain work as a EEN and wonder how much better it will get when I graduate as an RN in one year from now. I have read the comments above and believe everyone here has made a very valid point. Education facilities lie to students to suck them in and expect us to pay ridiculous fees for education. The problem is their just isn’t anyone out there recruiting new grads at any level. I have applied everywhere and its the same old story..of 12mths plus experience. I believe universities, Tafe colleges have to decrease the amount of students coming through until something is done about new grad employment…if that in fact ever happens. Its great that we have HECS for uni education but how is the government going to re-gain the money if there are no jobs? They have enough money to put into that but no employment prospects or opportunities following graduation. Its not just nursing where new grads cant find work…its all area’s. The facilities just keep taking the students and just keep taking the money. I am concerned for our future as no one is looking after us. For those of you who are lucky enough to gain employment I hope you have support when you are out there, because supporting new grads appropriately is the answer to nurses staying in the profession. Without proper support…our health care system is not practising safely. We are going to run out of highly experienced nurses who are able to teach and support new nurses so what happens then?

By: kamaree

kamaree — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:01:06 +0000

I would also like to add that where I work all the sonsored overseas nurses are all CNs or RNs with many years experience. They are not new grads or ENs. I can’t do their job yet and nor do I want to, as I am not experienced enough. I am thankfull to have them to increase the amount of supportive RNs on my ward.

By: kamaree

kamaree — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 10:54:49 +0000

I did a grad program at a hospital. I was fairly well supported during that year. However once that year was finished the expectations are incredible. you really have to keep your guard up that you are not being used and abused. I know most EN’s are worth their weight in gold but at the hospital I work at there is quite alot of them. As an RN with 1 year experience I am always paired with an EN. I am expected to do the higher patient load than them, of course I do all the IV’s and always have to do all the following up and communication with the doctors. Because I am an RN I am in charge when the SC is on break. Once I had to be the SC plus do the higher patient load.

Basically new RN’s nowadays have to work in the frontline and take on a lot of responsibility to prove they are worth the money.