Nursing in Adelaide

[Guest molly75]

Hi, im new to this site, so i hope i'm doing this post right??? I'm hoping to move to Adelaide in the next few months as i have a job at Flinders medical centre as a registered nurse. I was just wondering if any nurses out there can tell me what nursing is like in Australia? Is it better than in the uk? Does anyone actually work as a nurse at flinders, if so whats it like? Sorry for all the questions!!! Im just curious to know what im letting myself in for.

[Scousemouse]

Hi molly,

cant help with the flinders bit; but as for the rest........................well here goes.

 

I was a theatre sister, area manager in the NHS, until June last year. Stressed to the hilt, and damn tired of the backstabbing colleagues/ bullying management, so i left.

 

I am now just one of the crowd, but i have been very fortunate with the job, the staff, the boss and i really like it here.

They do appreciate prior knowledge and experience; but a word of warning; shift patterns can go against you at first....................

My experience has been really positive, and i count myself lucky. It isnt easy, you will make mistakes, but hey, we are not infallible!

 

Good luck with your search; and welcome to PIA;)

Jane

[Guest molly75]

Jane thanks for your reply, its nice to hear that you have had a positive experience. I know what you mean about the NHS, the past few months have been madness here, mainly due to lack of staff, which im hoping will be different in Adelaide.

 

Are you working in the private sector out there? I'm just worried about not having any annual leave for the first year...which will be a big shock for me!! But im sure the first year in Adelaide will be pure hell anyway, im not coming there and expecting things to be all wonderful, we just fancied a change and thought we would give Australia a go.

[Scousemouse]

Hi molly, yes i work in the private sector here; less money but less aggro to.

 

You can salary sacrifice if you work for a non profit organisation, up to 9.5k, which helps with rent/mortgage etc.

 

You accrue hols and sick leave on an hours based weekly rate, so it doesnt take too long to build up; plus you can carry over any holiday leave.

 

not everyone has such positive experiences as i have had, but i am enjoying learning new things, gaining skills etc; and will be applying for a senior jobs as the ops, arise.

 

If you need any help, give us a pm, and i will answer what i can for you.

 

Keep checking the Adelaide Advertiser jobs website, you would be amazed at what comes up there!!

 

TC

Jane

[Liz and Kris UK]

Hi Molly

 

I have had a largely positive experience, the salary here appears to be slightly better and you are certainly rewarded more for working unsocial hours etc. The working conditions are definately better as I usually only have 4 patient compared with 14 in the UK. I do however sometimes finding nursing here a little restrictive and find some practices a little dated but on the whole I prefer working here. I started a thread o n here discussing the difference between nursing in the Uk and oz which you may like to have a look at.

 

All the best

 

Kris

[Guest Trakki]

I agree with Kris, I am loving working here, I work at the women and Childrens and have settled in so well, I actually feel more of one of the team than I did in 5 years at my last place, they have been so accepting and I made a point of not saying 'in England we did this and that' etc but find that they are constantly saying ' did you do it like this is England' I like Kris find it restricting sometimes and get frustrated that I have to wait an hour for a Dr to come and do something that is not deemed a nurses job but that I could have done in 5 mins. It is a bit dated at times but the plus sied to that is that all the pumpsand machines I knew how to use as we had stopped using them in England a while ago. I also have a much smaller patient load ie between 1-4 patients on a day shift. They use agency without any hassle so there is rarely an issue with staffing. Where I work all patients are categorized as 1:1,1:2,1:3 or any and this is not negotiable so if they are a 1:2 and not enough staff they will get another member of staff rather than just say, have this easy one as well!!!

Pete has certainly noticed a difference in me and I actually enjoy nursing again, which I had stopped doing in the UK

 

Hope that waffle helps

[Guest sutty77]

Hi everyone. Hoping to move to Hallett Cove in next few months and just wondered what the score is regarding Auxilary Nurses. I have been an Auxilary Nurse in UK for 4 years now, 3 years was on Gynaecology ward and 1 year bank nursing. Do they use Auxilary nurses there?? Any info would be great on this subject.

Thanks, Mandy

[Guest molly75]

Hi Mandy, im no expert because i don't even live in Adelaide yet. But im sure that hospitals in Australia don't use auxillary nurses like they do here in the uk. The hospitals i have been in contact with only have registered and enrolled nurses. Maybe it would be possible to re-train as as an enrolled nurse when you get there?