Travelling Nurses




Living and Nursing in Australia

If you are ready to work in Australia then Nursing Australia is for you.

Unlike many others, Nursing Australia is a national company with 13 outlets across Australia. You only need to join once and you can work all over our vast and beautiful country.

Nursing Australia is also the preferred supplier to some of Australia’s most prestigious healthcare groups. This means the choice of work is given to you first, allowing you to be flexible and get the shifts you want!

With a dedicated recruitment team you can be assured that you will receive the support and information you require to make your trip or relocation to Australia a smooth and pleasant one.

What it is like to live in Australia?

Australia, in terms of land mass, is the sixth largest country in the world. It is about 50% larger than Europe, but has the lowest population density in the world - only two people per square kilometre, a total population of approx 19 million people – Plenty of room for a few more!

Sydney is Australia’s largest city, followed closely by Melbourne. 6 of Australia’s 7 state and territory capitol cities are located on the coastline - making living near the beach not just a dream but a reality.

Australia boasts over 7,000 world class beaches and some of the most dramatic landscapes in the world. With the reverse seasons of the northern hemisphere, Australia enjoys a largely temperate climate. Most of Australia receives more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. That is 70% of the total possible hours available. Grab a hat and sunscreen; it won’t get dark at 3pm here!

Australians are known for their love of life and enjoyment of the great outdoors. Wherever you go in Australia, you'll find a passion for getting the most out of life. While Aussie’s can be a little wild at times, most visitors find the typical Australian’s enthusiasm for life refreshing and contagious!

To work in Australia you are required to hold a valid visa or show evidence of Australian citizenship. To view detailed information about obtaining a visa to work in Australia you can visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website on www.immi.gov.au.

What is it like to Nurse in Australia?

In every capital city there are large teaching hospitals, some with upwards of 1000 beds as well as smaller public facilities and aged care units. There are also thousands of private acute hospitals and facilities across the country. Australia has a worldwide reputation for supplying high standards of medical care.

Shift times vary depending on the facility in which you are working. Shift times are usually as follows:

AM – approx 0700 – 1500
PM – approx 1330 – 2130
ND – approx 2100 – 0730

What is the Nurse Training like in Australia?

Typically, Australian trained Registered Nurses have completed a 3 – 4 year long Bachelor of Nursing. Upon graduation nurses usually complete a graduate nurse program. Similar to NZ, skills such as IV fluid/medication administration and venepunctue are skills taught at university so upon graduation, all registered nurses are IV competent and do not have to undergo their IV certificates.

A Graduate Certificate / Diploma can be gained in many specialties including ICU, A&E, Oncology, Paediatrics and many more. You do not require a Certificate or Grad Dip to work in a specialty as Nursing Australia will be happy to take into consideration your experience and hospital based courses.

What is the pay for Registered Nurses in Australia?

Pay scales in Australia vary from state to state, most are paid on a “service” scale and, provided you have worked in a reciprocal healthcare system, your experience will be taken into consideration when you join Nursing Australia.


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Obtaining your Nursing Registration

Unlike many other countries, each state or territory has its own registration authority. Don’t stress, you need only register with one and then, via a very simple process, transfer your registration when you would like to move states.

Unfortunately the initial registration process can be lengthy (6 weeks – 4 months) so we suggest that you contact the nurse’s board of the state you would first like to work in as soon as possible to get an application form. It is highly recommended that you register before you arrive in Australia, if you don’t have a registration; you won’t be able to work. You don’t want to have to sit around in Australia not being able to work or travel for months on end!

The contact details for the various nurses boards are as follows:

Nurses Registration Board/Council

Nurses and Midwives Board of New South Wales
477 Pitt St , Level 6
Sydney , NSW , 2000
Phone: (02) 9219 0222
http://www.nmb.nsw.gov.au

Nurses Board of Victoria
Chief Executive Officer
Level 2 595 Little Collins St. Melbourne
Postal Address: GPO Box 4932 Melbourne Vic.3001
Phone: (03) 8635 1200
Fax: (03) 8635 1214
www.nbv.org.au

Nurses Board of South Australia
Chief executive Officer / Registrar
200 East Terrace. Adelaide.
Postal Address: PO Box 7176 Hutt St. Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: (08) 8223 9700
Fax: (08) 8223 9717.
www.nursesboard.sa.gov.au
The Queensland Nursing Council
Level 14 201 Charlotte St. Brisbane.
Brisbane QLD 4000
Postal Address: GPO Box 2928 Brisbane Queensland 4001
Phone: (07) 3223 5111
www.qnc.qld.gov.au

Nurses Board of Western Australia
Chief executive Officer / Registrar
Postal Address: Locked bag 6 East Perth WA 6892.
Phone: (08) 9421 1100
Fax: (08) 9421 1022
info@nbwa.org.au
www.nbwa.org.au
For information on whether your registration is directly transferable to an Australian registration you may want to access information on The Australian Nursing Council’s website www.anc.org.au

Nursing Australia is always on hand to assist you with any information you may require and to liaise with the nurse’s board on your behalf.

Tips for your application process

Certified documents: There will be various documents required by the nursing board/council. All references and work statements must be printed on company letterhead and must be the original. All other documents must be certified true copies.

A document can be certified by a Notary of the Public, Justice of the Peace or Commissioner of Declarations (always check with the nurses board you are registering with who is allowed to certify your documents). A certified document must always be signed and dated and the certifier must always print their name and provide an address. The certified document must state, at least, ‘I certify that this is a true copy of the original’. If you are getting documents certified, always get a few copies.

Proof of current registration: Most nursing councils will need a statement of entry or proof of registration to be sent to them, directly from the Nurses Board you are registered with. In other words, not via you. For example, If registering from the UK you will need to contact the NMC and request a form for your registration information to be sent to Australia. This can be a major hold up in the registration process so get on top of this ASAP!

References: If requested and a form is provided, these references must be completed on this form. If not then references must be originals on official hospital letterhead. If your referee is typing your reference, it may be useful to ask if they can print you a few copies.

Fees: There will be a fee involved with each state you register with. Upon initial application, please ensure that you enclose your payment in Australian Dollars. Your bank will able to give you cheque in Australia dollars if required. Most boards/councils will allow you to pay with major credit cards. You may also incur fees from your current registration authority eg. The NMC (UK) will charge you 32 GBP in order to have your statement of entry sent to and Australian nursing board.

Who is eligible for registration?

Training completed outside Australia, excluding New Zealand

If you undertook your initial nurse training/undergraduate degree in any of the following countries you will may be eligible for direct entry onto an Australian nursing board register. Please note: All nurses and midwives who are applying for registration in Australia must formerly prove their English Language Proficiency. In some circumstances, proof of English Language Proficiency will be waived – for example nurses who have trained and / or worked in the UK, Ireland, USA or NZ.

For more information visit your required nursing board website via the links provided.

Above information obtained from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council on www.anmc.org.au.

Training completed in New Zealand

Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition

Nurses who have current authority to practise as a registered nurse or midwife or enrolled nurse in New Zealand may be able to apply for recognition with Australian nursing boards under the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Act, 1997 (Commonwealth). This will provide direct entry onto an Australian nursing board register.


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Banks, Tax, Phones, Accommodation and Travel

Bank Accounts

Nursing Australia will pay you weekly, directly into you nominated bank account. At the time of interview, you will need to provide us with a BSB (Branch) & Account Number and the name of the account.

To open a bank account in Australia you must present to the bank with your passport within 90 days of arriving. Leaving it any later will result in your having to provide 100 points of identification. You will also need to provide the bank with your address details. Some banks will allow you to set up your bank account prior to arriving to Australia.

Here are the web addresses of some of the leading banks in Australia -

A Tax File Number (TFN)

You will be required to fill in a tax declaration form at your interview. To obtain a TFN you need to submit a TFN application form to the Australian Tax Office, you can collect these from any Australia Post Office/ or Tax Office in any Australian capital city, or visit their web site @ www.ato.gov.au.

Phone

Because agency nursing allows you to be flexible we need to be able to contact you. We suggest that you invest in a mobile phone, that way we can let you know about work available and shift details as soon as we know them. There are many different phone companies in Australia and it doesn't hurt to shop around to get the best deal to suit you. Many phone companies also offer pre-paid phones deals.

These are the websites of a few Australian phone service providers -

Professional Development

Nursing Australia is committed to keeping our nurses up to date with the latest nursing information. This in-house education is available to all members and can be accessed through www.nursingaustralia.com.au In addition, we have access to workshops offered outside of Nursing Australia and regular updates are available.

We also provide our nurses with clinical support. Members from our Nurse Support Team will assist you with your needs for as long as you require.

Accommodation

Useful links to assist you in finding a place to live, work and play.

Travel

At Nursing Australia, we believe that all work and no play makes for a very "dull" nurse. We would like you to experience all that Australia has to offer. We have outback placements available in a variety of settings around the country. If you have your heart set on a particular area we can help find you a position in that area.

Here are some websites that will give you information about Australia -

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