Nursing in nsw and vic information needed please!

My DH is in his second year of nursing this year (through a Queensland uni)

We have been told that the chance of him getting employed at the end of it is quite slim given that Qld health are still trying to fix their big stuff up of ages ago with their employees pays and stuff. So they have recently axed 1000 jobs in our area alone. And there were hardly any graduate positions offered for last years graduates.

So we are thinking of moving somewhere else where he can have a better chance of scoring a job. We originally thought of tassie since I have so many lovely friends down there, however, the nursing situation is pretty much as crappy as the Queensland situation.

Does anyone know if the NSW or VIC job situation is thriving for nurses or are they cutting jobs all over the shop too?

I don't care if we have to move, I just want him to find a good job (although the thought of moving away from family has its benefits....)

I'm pretty sure they are struggling for nurses in Vic. Def in rural areas (like where I live!)

Really? Cos that is what we would prefer, a small town, with a biggish hospital (large enough to get jobs obviously!)

We would prefer to live somewhere small.

Yep, loads of jobs around in Vic and plenty of regional hospitals that need nurses that offer great grad programs on ongoing employment

What field does he want to work in - there is always jobs for RN's in aged care, but I know that's not the industry of choice for most RN's particularly new grads! (I used to work in HR for a very large aged care provider, and we had to sponsor overseas RNs to come here, because we couldn't get any locally!)

I thought there was a shortage in Vic? Could be wrong though

I'm not sure what area he wants to be in yet, he likes the idea of community nursing, or in um (crap mind blank... whats it called..) like rehab nursing? Not drug rehab, like injury rehab.

Country victoria ay.

Hardly any grad nursing positions where I am but as others have said you may have more luck rural. I know from my uni half the students were unsuccessful in their grad applications.

Loads of rural jobs in NSW ;) not sure about the rest of the state though. I could ask a few nursey type friends for you though.

Many many grads missed out on grad years BUT if you are willing to go rural should be easier. Shepparton, Kyabram, Echuca, Bendigo, Swan hill, Mildura, Leongatha, Tralgon, Warnambool etc.

How exciting that you may move to vic!!

pretty sure they are desperate for nurses everywhere...

They are always desperate for remote area nurses in WA and NT too. It is rough, very tough, but he could really make a difference to a community.

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pretty sure they are desperate for nurses everywhere...

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Haha yeah they need nurses here but government won't put them on. No money!

I think bigger hospitals are harder to get into in VIC, due to high supply and low positions. There were like over 250 graduate nurses going for 60 places at the Austin in 2009. I don't think its gotten much better. Good luck though. If he's good, he'll get a place somewhere.

Alice Springs is desperate :D Pretty sure all our grads got jobs last year.

Desperate where I am to (Central West NSW) We have a rehab hospital which I am sure would put him on in a heartbeat, plenty of community options although they probably would be looking at a min of 1year post grad experience. Also plenty of theatre work, ED, Med/surg, ICU, Mental health and Maternity of course. We have a fairly big hospital its one of the main referal hospitals before you looking at the city hospitals.

SIL got a position in the northern rivers in NSW but there was a much higher supply of grads there than positions and many missed out. I'm in Adelaide and its the same here, lots of cut backs :(

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Desperate where I am to (Central West NSW) We have a rehab hospital which I am sure would put him on in a heartbeat, plenty of community options although they probably would be looking at a min of 1year post grad experience. Also plenty of theatre work, ED, Med/surg, ICU, Mental health and Maternity of course. We have a fairly big hospital its one of the main referal hospitals before you looking at the city hospitals.

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Wow that sounds good! Where is that? If you wish to disclose your location that is haha

Dubbo :)

Thought that's what you were going to say!

Is it a nice place to live?

I like Dubbo. We are 50kms out of town but I have lived in Dubbo before. I like the location of everything (Supermarket, work, schools, sporting activities etc) I like been able to get to everything quickly. Depending on what your kids do its got most things.
The biggest thing I guess is location to other places. I love shopping at Orange but its 150kms away. So by the time the kids are at school and I leave it only gives me 2hours there before I have to come home. To go to Sydney its a good 5plus hours not that we go there often but recently my daughter had surgery there so thats an expense when its not a day trip. If you want to visit family unless there close it is a long distance to go.
Housing is affordable compared to other places both to buy and rent. Well I think it is anyway and if you go out of town to the smaller towns again its even cheaper but then petrol here is dearer then closer to the Coast.
I certainly think there are alot of employment opportunities for Nurses and if your DH wants to get into management thats a real possibility within a few years (more $$ in management)
I imagine Tamworth, Wagga, Toowomba etc are in a similar position to Dubbo. Probably not as bad.
The rehab hospital in Dubbo Lordes (not sure if I spelt it right) has alot of jobs on offer also. I did some work experience years ago. Most of the patients are elderly and recovering from strokes but they do still have patients with brain/spinal injuries and patients recovering from GBS, amputee's, MS, etc.

Hmmm thanks heaps!!!! That gives us a lot to think about.... we had thought about Tamworth, but not Dubbo...

I like Tamworth also and its probably closer to the Coast, QLD etc still with the same or similar employment opportunities.

I think DH is leaning more towards Tamworth, he likes the size of the town. Plus its a days drive back to sunshine coast where our families are - just in case something happens - our parents are getting on in years, so thats also one of the reasons Tassie got struck off the possibilities list - its far too expensive to just jump on a plane and come back if one of our parents were to have an accident (or worse!). Thought if we stuck to either NSW or Vic, at least we can drive home if necessary.

As someone else said, a lot of grads aren't getting positions and its a national issue. Nurse shortages usually relate to a shortage in senior experienced nurses. Kinda hard to get experience if you can't get a job though...

Once he has done his grad year, he is not likely to have trouble getting work in rehab. It's an area that struggles to retain staff for various reasons. I know my old work pretty much has permanent vacancies in rehab.

Just adding, most male nurses get positions. Not sure what it is but they get snapped up pretty quickly. Same as in teaching apparently.

I live in wagga and I know that we are always in need of nurses here. they are always looking for nurses in rural settings too.

Dubbo is awesome Mel...only a three hour trip west to see me!!! :) In all seriousness though, it's a great central town, big enough, but not huge, with a pretty big hospy system.

Lourdes is the private/rehab hospital in Dubbo :) I may be biased, but I personally prefer Dubbz over Tamworth ;)

MIL was in Lourdes for 6 months after a hip replacement & couldn't fault them in any way. The base definetely needs more GOOD nurses. Anywhere. Maternity was a mess last I spoke to anyone about it.

And Dubbo isn't a bad place to live. Pretty central to everything. Great range of schools, shopping is pretty good, its only another 4/5 hours past Tamworth :lol:

I grew up 60k North of Dubbo :)

Thanks guys!!! I'm definitely attracted to the idea of moving somewhere new even though I would have to make new friends which I'm not very good at doing LOL

Thanks heaps for the info - much appreciated xx

Bass Coast in Vic definitely need nurses ( I made that up- no idea actually but shhh) and I will be your friend! SOLD!

We live just out of Ballarat and they are always looking for nurses, there is the Ballarat Base Hospital (public) and the Queen Elizabeth Centre which is a rehab centre-both of these are run by Ballarat Health Services. Ballarat also has St John of God Hospital (Private) and very soon the town will also have a new Oncology Centre, so they will probably be looking for nursing staff when that opens.

As your from Tassie you would be able to handle Ballarat winters :-)

Check out the BHS website and also St John of God, I know there are always adds for the nurses bank as well.