Nursing life in adelaide

[Guest LauraD]

Hi,

Just a quick post to ask any general nurses in adelaide how they compare the work/ working life in adelaide to the equivalent in th uk? I am being processed to gain my registration in Australia but all insight is helpful Many thank Laura

[Guest Guest6899]

Hi,

Just a quick post to ask any general nurses in adelaide how they compare the work/ working life in adelaide to the equivalent in th uk? I am being processed to gain my registration in Australia but all insight is helpful Many thank Laura

 

Hiya, UK nursing, my experience.. always stressed, patient staff ratios anything from 1-6 to 1-14.. never got breaks, never went on time.. no support from management/unions, always been phoned to come in and work, never any time or money for training.. need i go on..

 

working on a same unit as i did in the uk here at FMC. patient staff ratio 1-4 sometimes less. always have breaks, majority of time go early, never been stressed, it can be very busy!!! but i don't find the work stressful. iv done 6 training one day courses and im currently doing a 12 module cardiac course. our management are very supportive if problems arise and i don't get called into work... therefore working in Australia for me is the exact opposite of working in the nhs in a good way... + i get paid double also too.

 

Lisa

[Guest LauraD]

Hi Baggienurse!

Thanks for the reply. Im hoping to be out in Adelaide by the spring/ early summer. If you have any advice i would be grateful. I have had interest from a nursing agency about getting me work. My husband and 2 children will be coming too! Im so excited!!!

[catherine.c]

Wow Lisa, I want to work where you are! I work in Ashford (private), ratio is 1-4/5 in morning and 1-5/6 on late shift. Inhouse training has been poor and I rarely get off on time but am only approx 10 mins late. Shift times for private also differ. AM 7:00 till 15:00, PM 14:30 till 22:30 Night 22:15 till 7:15 so as you can see little handover time (which accounts for often not finishing on time). 99.9% of the time we do get our breaks but if not then we are paid for them. Definitely less stressful though less autonomy here which is sometimes stressful in itself.

I found in the UK that if staff went off sick they were not replaced and you just had to manage whereas that has never happened to me here.

I do not get paid double, it is approximately the same, but I guess it depends what band / level you are are / were on prior to coming over.

I do get paid an allowance for my CCU certificate and you can 'salary sacrifice' (some money taken out of wage prior to taxation then paid directly to you) which increases your income. I think that public hospital workers have a higher threshold for this than public though I could be wrong?

Good luck with everything

[mcscotty]

hi laura

 

my experience is that they have the same problems here as they do in the uk. i work in a peri-operative (public hospital) setting so not sure about wards. staff shortages and lack of funds is the norm where i work. ive only ever been given time to do mandatory updates....but we are better paid than uk nurses.

[Guest Guest6899]

wow, looks like iv got a really cushy job.. was looking at moving but think i will stay. i really don't get challenged any more and that can be a bad thing at times. I earn more in a fortnight than i did in a month in the UK but only been qualified for 5yrs. Iv heard that staffing levels are worse in the private, we are luckily that we are not staffed to excel care we have a set staffing amount so maybe that makes like much easier. we have double staffing time from early to late for over 2.5hrs, so everyone gets there lunch in. we stock up and catch up with any out standing jobs not done from the early shift. on occasion some one has to stay over waiting for relievers on nights but that's time in lieu.

 

Everybody works as a team and helps each other when required, to be honest IN MY SITUATION ONLY it has been the best move i ever made.

[malkitek]

Hi Laura

i work at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Last year I worked in the stroke/ neuro ward here and compared to the same unit in the uk it was a joy! Shifts are 0700-1530, 1300- 2130 and 2100- 0730. Max 4 Pts to one RN/ EN, off on time, usually ten mins early is expected! Pay is good, annual leave not to bad, four weeks plus public holidays and you can take them in the first year at the RAH. There are still busy days, or emergencies but still managed breaks which I never did in the uk. True I feel a wee bit de-skilled as there are things I can't do here that I did in uk, but they have also now given me a job I could only have dreamed about in the uk. I have 20 yrs experience nursing and if I had to go back to nurse in the uk I would cry

Good hard working nurses in the uk though and I find we're well respected over here.

cheers

Gill x

[Guest LauraD]

Hi all, Thanks for your input. What a mixed bag of experiences! I have been offered a job with a nursing agency so I guess I will have to see how it goes. Our kind of work always has its ups and downs, the nature of the job! Im just looking forward to spending my free time outdoors with my family away from the damp of the uk. Has anyone got any suggestions on good agencies or places to live with good schools preferably on the metro line??

[Guest LauraD]

Hi all, do any of you have any experience with nursing agencies as i have been offered a job with one? Also looking for nice area to live on metro line with good schools, all advice gratefully recieved!!!

[Guest adlyn2012]

Hi All

 

Good to hear different experiences and view points!

 

I have worked as nurse in the public and private sector while on a working holiday 10 years ago, although I was nt in one ward for very long I found most of the hospitals and wards fairly good. Most of the people were friendly and always found the nurse to patient ratio a lot less, I had went from a busy surgical ward having up to 13 patients on a day shift compared to 4 or 6 on a day shift in OZ and the 10 patients on a night shift.

 

I think they will always have certain politics in nursing where every you are but if its not for you, you move on!

 

I have got a job in Calvery, North Adelaide and hopefully my family and I will be arriving in July.. I am very excited to have this opportunity, I am going with an open mind and truely believe there will be more opportunities as a nurse in Australia than in the UK.

 

 

Best of Luck LauraD

[Guest MandiMR2]

Hi everyone, thanks for all your posts & thanks to Laura for kicking it off!

I must say it sounds lots lots better then the job I've just left here in the UK!!!

I've got my PR 190 visa granted & I will be coming out to Adelaide later this yeat Sept/Oct & can't wait! I haven't got a job yet, only just sending off my registraton to AHPRA this week, but hoping once there to join bank, poole or agency & work every/anywhere & get a feel for places until I find a post in my field (haematology & oncology).

Any futher advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Well done to those who have done it & best of luck to others soon to follow!!

Mandi

[Juliahemingway]

I am about to get back onto the nursing bandwagon after a very long extended mat leave. I was a HV in the UK but I'm seriously thinking that I do not wish to return to it. I'm thinking of only going back 1-2 days a week so hopefully into the community sector would be nice. If anyone hears of anything going in Adelaide Hills give us a shout lol!

im very excited to be going back and challenging my brain again! :-)