Calling all nurses! (Or nurses-to-be)

[aussiedaisy]

Welcome! How cool to have an international nursing thread . Can you explain to us the amount and type of schooling you had to get your current license/title/position ?

Hi Judy! Well, I did a 3 year bachelor of nursing degree at university, in Australia it is a lot of theory and about 12 weeks per year clinical placement.
I then did my graduate year at a large private hospital, following that I worked another year on the wards. I then did a 1 year post graduate diploma at university in perioperative nursing, following that I did my master of health science nursing at uni, during this time I was working in the OR in PACU/anaesthetics. To get the title of CNS, we have to do a minimum of 2 years in the specialty area and hold a portfolio. My portfolios include pharmacy ordering and stocking in the theatre complex, paediatrics (educate other staff, ensuring paediatric equipment and crash cart are up to date etc), quality control (looking at return to theatre stats, long stays in pacu etc).

The pay is a lot better with the CNS title, I went from being on $21 p/hr
to $30p/hr. Don't get much for having masters qualifications though, it's only a $1 increase in pay!! I do on call once in the week and get $48 just for being on call and then if you get called in it's time and a half for the first hour and then double time there after. On weekends we get $300 just to be on call for fri night, sat and sun and then same as above if we get called in.

If we have to go into work after being called in at night and don't get a 10 hour break we are either on double time the next day or go in until they can find a replacement and then go home and get paid normal time for the rest of the day which is pretty good.

What is the pay for nurses like in the USA? An anesthetist at work recently told me I should go and work there as the pay is really good.

 

[Mandychelle79]

I am done with Microbiology. Passed it with a B. 24 days till i start nursing 111. 900 bucks for books.... aye ya aye

 

[Disneylover79]

I know tons of people who have done this! It's a great foot-in-the-door to being hired on as an RN.

I agree with this...

 

[xCourxCorex]

I am done with Microbiology. Passed it with a B. 24 days till i start nursing 111. 900 bucks for books.... aye ya aye

I hear you on the books! Mine will be a little over $800 for the fall semester! And that's after searching around for some deals on half, ebay, amazon, etc. It'd probably be closer to 900-950 if I only bought from my school bookstore!

 

[Olallamom]

I need to start purchasing my books, I start program at the end of Sept. I have heard that it is really close to $1000 for all the books. YIKES.

 

[Judy from Boise]

Hi Judy! Well, I did a 3 year bachelor of nursing degree at university, in Australia it is a lot of theory and about 12 weeks per year clinical placement.
I then did my graduate year at a large private hospital, following that I worked another year on the wards. I then did a 1 year post graduate diploma at university in perioperative nursing, following that I did my master of health science nursing at uni, during this time I was working in the OR in PACU/anaesthetics. To get the title of CNS, we have to do a minimum of 2 years in the specialty area and hold a portfolio. My portfolios include pharmacy ordering and stocking in the theatre complex, paediatrics (educate other staff, ensuring paediatric equipment and crash cart are up to date etc), quality control (looking at return to theatre stats, long stays in pacu etc).

The pay is a lot better with the CNS title, I went from being on $21 p/hr
to $30p/hr. Don't get much for having masters qualifications though, it's only a $1 increase in pay!! I do on call once in the week and get $48 just for being on call and then if you get called in it's time and a half for the first hour and then double time there after. On weekends we get $300 just to be on call for fri night, sat and sun and then same as above if we get called in.

If we have to go into work after being called in at night and don't get a 10 hour break we are either on double time the next day or go in until they can find a replacement and then go home and get paid normal time for the rest of the day which is pretty good.

What is the pay for nurses like in the USA? An anesthetist at work recently told me I should go and work there as the pay is really good.

wages here are so dependent on local cost of living, and what "the market bears". For where i live you are all ready receiving a good wage.Do you have any equivalent to the Nurse practitioner in Australia ie a nurse with authority to write prescriptions, and independently bill insurance?

 

[Mandychelle79]

Bumping a little

So Ive been in nursing school for about 6 weeks and have lost 10 lbs so far ( which is good, but unexpected) I started my clinical rotation last week for Long Term Care, slightly bored as we were doing work that ive been doing for the last 6 yrs. Got a B on my first test. Thats about it for me. How's it going for those who started this year too?

 

[Beka]

I started semester 4 of 5 at the end of August (right after I got back from my trip). We're doing OB/peds. It's a slllloooooow clinical. I mean, it's good there are no sick kids, but it makes for a long day when you have nothing to do. Not something I think I want to do anyway, but it's interesting.

 

[100%gemini]

I have been a contingent flex pool nurse for 14 years and have never regretted my decision to become a nurse... I love the flexibility of doing my own schedule and I work different floors in the hospital each time that I work. The pay in michigan is pretty good especially because I do not have benefits, it is $34 an hour with a $2 shift diff for afternoons and midnights and $2 for weekends... plus if they are under grid for staffing and you work bonus that is an additional $10 an hour... My husband works for Chrysler and my job has been great to get us through the tough times... Thankful everyday to have the job that I have...

 

[xCourxCorex]

I'm in week 5 of my sophomore year, but only the first year in actual nursing classes.

Taking: Fundamentals of Nursing, Health Assessment, Nursing Lab and Clinical plus other requirements (Human Dev, Micro+Lab & Communication).

The workload is crazy crazy crazy as far as reading, papers, assignments etc go. Clinicals are not too bad right now. Last week was our first with a patient assignment, and we were teamed up. I think next week we each get our own.
First Health Assessment test is Wednesday, and Fundamentals is next Tuesday!

 

[Hillbeans]

I'm coming up on week 3 of CNA school. I have so much homework it's hard for me to even imagine how much more homework i'd have if I was getting my LPN or RN I already do at least 2 hours each night plus 3-4 on the weekends. So much to learn in such a short time.

As of 12/1, I will have completed both the written and skills exam.

Good luck to everyone who is in a nursing program this fall

 

[Pea-n-Me]

slightly bored as we were doing work that ive been doing for the last 6 yrs.

You have never done it as a professional nurse before. You should have a whole new perspective on things.

 

[Mandychelle79]

You have never done it as a professional nurse before. You should have a whole new perspective on things.

Nah making a bed is the same whether you are a CNA or a Student Nurse.

 

[imabrat]

I'm coming up on week 3 of CNA school. I have so much homework it's hard for me to even imagine how much more homework i'd have if I was getting my LPN or RN I already do at least 2 hours each night plus 3-4 on the weekends. So much to learn in such a short time.

As of 12/1, I will have completed both the written and skills exam.

Good luck to everyone who is in a nursing program this fall

Cool, me too! How long is it going to take you to get your certification? It'll take me two years, but that's because I only go half-a-day everyday because I'm still in high school.

We haven't started clinical yet, but we will soon. It's not "real" clinicals, but it's something. It's exciting!

 

[Mandychelle79]

So far in this semester?

Right now I have a solid B but I had a killer test today so we shall see. I think i did ok though. We have started our hospital clinicals so I am now passing meds and gave my first sub-q injections this week I also learned to pass an NG tube today in Lab and passed the skill eval so I can do them in clinical with my teacher there if one is needed. Next week is Urinary Catheters...

 

[xCourxCorex]

I only have 3 more clinical days left in the semester! It absolutely FLEW by.
I'm doing pretty well in my nursing classes - got a 94 on my last Health Assessment exam, and another Fundamentals exam next Tuesday.

Lab stuff's been good. I also learned to do NG tubes just this week too, Mandychelle! I believe we do urinary catheters next week but I'm not positive.

Good luck everyone...the end of the semester will be here before you know it!!

 

[Judy from Boise]

exciting times! Did you pass Salem sump type tubes (with multiple ports for suction ) or a true NG tube to administer meds and formula? Did they have you practice with a NJ with a stylet?

I have found many new grads don't know (were never taught) the difference between a tube to decompress the gut, and a true feeding tube. Also we are passing more and more NJ tubes.

 

[Beka]

exciting times! Did you pass Salem sump type tubes (with multiple ports for suction ) or a true NG tube to administer meds and formula? Did they have you practice with a NJ with a stylet?

I have found many new grads don't know (were never taught) the difference between a tube to decompress the gut, and a true feeding tube. Also we are passing more and more NJ tubes.

Judy, they didn't teach us at our school.


I'm in my 4th semester of 5: OB/peds. I'm not a fan. Clinicals are slllloooooowwwwwww. Slow. 2 people to 1 patient who is basically healthy & then they're discharged by 10a. Next semester is critical care & my preceptorship - I can't wait!

 

[Judy from Boise]

so I am guessing massaging funduses and peri-care are not floating your boat! I worked a lot of postpartum as a float when our small peds unit closed, I always enjoyed it but mainly because we did couplet care, so I had the baby as a pt too. I also love to do the baby care teaching. 2 couplets kept me busy, plus we picked up our postpartum direct from the delivery room (no LDRP) so in the begining it was like a fresh post-op. The labor nurses were prima donnas, they wouldn't even clean up the mom.....as soon as the last stitch was in they were offically ours!

 

[Beka]

so I am guessing massaging funduses and peri-care are not floating your boat! I worked a lot of postpartum as a float when our small peds unit closed, I always enjoyed it but mainly because we did couplet care, so I had the baby as a pt too. I also love to do the baby care teaching. 2 couplets kept me busy, plus we picked up our postpartum direct from the delivery room (no LDRP) so in the begining it was like a fresh post-op. The labor nurses were prima donnas, they wouldn't even clean up the mom.....as soon as the last stitch was in they were offically ours!

I love all the patient teaching, and seeing a mom hold her baby & the baby recognize its mom is awesome! But our hospitals here are slooow. They may do just a few (100-200) births/month.

I won't say what the nurses are like at the 2 hospitals I've experienced this semester.