Comments on: Nursing shortages in Australia

By: Cecelia

Cecelia — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:04:52 +0000

I am a Registered Professional Nurse with 30 years experience in aged care here in the USA. My husband lives in Australia and to be able to work as a Nurse in Australia, the requirements seem to be a bit far fetched. I know no other language except for English and yet am required to take an ELTS test. Which means traveling over 6 hours to get to the test, paying for the test and hope it is successful, a total of over $1200.00. One would have thought there would be some kind of grandfathering clause in there. So needless to say the cost of the ELTS plus all the monies to apply for the license and monies to immigration is so extensive that who could afford this? I have another ten years to work before retirement, and was hopeful to bring my experience to Australia in the field of aged care, but it looks unlikely at this point.

By: Sheepish, Demure Nurses Pandering to Inflated Ego’s : Nurse In Australia

Sheepish, Demure Nurses Pandering to Inflated Ego’s : Nurse In Australia — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 01:32:39 +0000

[...] so, says Nurse In Australia reader Nighean, responding to a post on nursing shortages. See if you can identify with anything in this reader’s [...]

By: Nighean

Nighean — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 12:29:27 +0000

This retention of nurses is an interesting thing. Yes the extra pay would be welcome and an improvement in conditions also. But for me the reason I moved out of acute nursing as an experienced Grade 2 and later in my career an ANUM was due to being completely done with doctors still believing they are the bastions of all knowledge and therefore completely within their rights to be abusive or rude to you. I got sick of having phones hung up in my ear when calling about a patient and reporting adverse pathology or a turn in their condition. I got sick of being sneered at when I suggested a course of treatment-often in consultation with the patient. Being the ‘advocate’ of the patient caused no end of sniggers, snide remarks, blatant commentary ‘all nurses are stupid’…etc. Professional status??? I think not. Not while the AMA rules with an iron fist. Why are NP’s so slow to take their place? Because in the AMA’s eyes we are no more advanced than the sheepish, demure nurses that pandered to doctors over inflated ego’s in the ’50′s. Sure I’ve worked with some great doctors, but regrettably they are the exception not the rule. My education? Far exceeds the time it takes to become a GP but that counts for nothing apparently. IMO there needs to be an investigation into the bullying of nurses from the medical profession. When we are treated with respect we might retain some great nurses, until then they will leave once they realise that another allied health professions or other career paths not only pay better, but allows true quality of life time, respect and professional recognition.

By: isabelita guillem

isabelita guillem — Tue, 25 May 2010 04:40:38 +0000

Hello, I have earned my degree as registered nurse by working hard.I worked to pay my tuition. yet I have a hardtime to land a job because I don,t find somebody to back me up. Finding a job is much on whom you know, rather than what you know. I am just but an average person. please help me find a job. i
I am now 47 yrs old,more than willing to work if hired.

By: New Grad Also

New Grad Also — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:43:12 +0000

There isn’t a nursing shortage, there is a shortage of experienced nurses. Due to the requirements of 12 months experience (which is a valid requirement), if you don’t have a grad year or aren’t able to get a job in aged care – then you are going to struggle getting a job. Every job wants an experienced nurse.

I’m one of the lucky ones who got a grad position. It was hard work to get it. I finished last year and there are still about 20% of my graduating year who are still unable to get work as RN (AIN/PC work they can get plenty of).

The solution to the nursing shortage is to create more grad positions. Universities are producing nurses rapidly. Its a shame a significant portion of these graduates will end up doing something else because they aren’t able to be employed at their trained level.

By: New Grad

New Grad — Wed, 19 May 2010 01:59:21 +0000

Born2Barn I am also a new grad and I completely agree. In my home state of QLD there is an acute shortage of graduate positions. Approximately 2/3 of the graduates at midyear (graduating now and over the next few weeks) are jobless. Out of my small group of friends, only 5/14 have been offered jobs and those without jobs have applied to numerous places without response.

So my 2 cents is, yes, we need more nurse, wait times and bed shortages are defintely a problem, however, until those places are created – ie wards and departments are given the funds to recruit more new grads, we will have a shortage of new grad places. And lots of unemployed new grad nurses from Australian Universities.

There is no point talking about how much we need nurses and how many extra nurses the universities are training when there isn’t a job to be seen when they graduate. Myself, I ended up with a basic job. Certainly not what I wanted considering my skills and prac experience in critical care. I’ll most likely quit if I get bored. Great retention nursing.

By: aron

aron — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 08:59:08 +0000

i am an overseas trained nurse and would love to visit or probably settle in australia. i am searching for the best state in australia to work as a nurse. my problem is that i cant choose easily coz when i searched all states, all of them were presented too good for me. i am currently looking for a workplace where i can feel a sense of achievement, recognition, personal growth, good compensation and a good balance of work and life. any recommendations?;)