Study nursing in Australia
Looking for an occupation that really makes a difference? You’ve come to the right place. As a nurse, your role will involve providing medical support to those suffering from both chronic and acute physical or mental illnesses. It’s therefore important for nurses to be caring by nature and ready to work efficiently in high-pressure situations. If that sounds like you, a qualification in nursing is your next step towards a successful career.
Australia is one of the world’s best locations to study nursing, offering lucrative and fulfilling career paths to all graduates. It’s a popular place among aspiring nursing professionals for good reason, with high rankings to show for it and a plethora of fields to specialise in, including the popular sector child health nursing.
Interesting facts about the nursing industry in Australia
- According to research, there are more than 100 registered nurse courses in Australia for aspiring students to choose from. A few of the most popular topics that are covered in a nursing course in Australia include clinical, surgical, family, community, and child health nursing.
- Due to the phenomenal growth of the health industry, there is estimated to be a shortfall of nurses of up to 85,000 by 2025 across hospitals in Australia. As a result, there will be a vast number of vacancies and opportunities for aspiring nurses to secure a job in highly rated hospitals nationwide.
- Forty-nine per cent of nurses in Australia strongly connect to or draw inspiration from celebrity nurses including Carla Espinosa from Scrubs and Abby Lockhart from the ER.
- In an effort to fill the nursing vacancies in hospitals, the Australian government offer an impressive $200 million AUD annually to support international students.
- Seventy-seven per cent of aspiring nurses prefer to enrol in a course through an agency as they offer more flexibility.
Reasons why being a registered nurse in Australia is so desirable
Higher demand for nursing professionals
As the population of Australia continues to rise, the difference between those offering healthcare services to those in need of such assistance is also rising. The knock-on effect of this has created an ocean of opportunities for those qualified in registered nurse courses, as well as
midwives, physiotherapists, dieticians, etc. The government has responded to the influx in population by opening up new hospitals, creating an ever-increasing demand for professional healthcare services. If you have decided to enrol in a nursing course in Australia, you can be confident that you will be helping to fulfil the needs of many healthcare operators, while also following a rewarding career path with plenty of opportunity for growth.
Advanced medical equipment and hospitals
There is no denying that nursing can be a demanding career, however, with the state of art medical equipment available in the Australian healthcare industry, your job becomes a little easier. With the extra support of this advanced technology, you can spend more time learning and evolving as a nursing professional.
Diversity and experience
Working as a registered nurse in Australia is highly regarded for many reasons. For starters, the country offers the highest minimum wage, which not only means a great salary, but also a fantastic environment of highly skilled and specialised doctors to learn from. Gaining experience with specialists such as physiotherapists, physicians and surgeons, will be invaluable for your development, preparing you for the variety of duties that lay ahead. These could range from recording and observing a patient’s medical stats to administering medication and working on treatment plans. That’s the beauty of nursing; it’s a career that offers you the chance to work across the whole spectrum of healthcare.
Make a real difference
As a registered nurse, you leave a permanent positive mark on people’s lives. When you hit the pillow at night (or in the morning if you are working the night shift), you can sleep well knowing that you have done your best to care for people who truly need it. And it’s not just the patient’s life you’re impacting, but the families and friends of those in care. Another perk of being a nurse is having the voice to promote health and well-being initiatives across the nation. Taking all of that into account, it doesn’t come as a surprise to hear that almost 83 per cent of registered nurses report a high level of job satisfaction.
Quick entry in the workforce
To become a professional nurse you can either take the traditional road by developing your knowledge and skills with a nursing course, or you can start your career sooner by taking an associate degree. We recommend that you consider a registered nursing course in order to transform your skills into a valued qualification in the healthcare industry.
It is essential to assess whether your qualifications meet the standards set by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia [NMBA], as well as those set by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency [AHPRA]. For a quick overview, here are basic eligibility criteria that you must meet to work as a nursing professional in Australia:
· Literacy, language and numerical skill measuring up to Level 3 in the Australian Core Skill Framework [ACSF] legislature.
· Parallel institutional education following a curriculum approved by the Australian State Nursing Board.
· Completing a competency-based assessment program.
There are a variety of areas that you can choose from within the nursing sector in Australia, which is another one of the benefits associated with pursuing this career in the country. If you are ready to take up a nursing course in Australia, here are a few details that will help you better understand the duration of the qualification.
· Enrolled Nurse Course
To become an enrolled nurse in Australia, you must possess a Diploma of Nursing. You can successfully complete a Diploma of Nursing course within a duration of 20 months. The course includes ten weeks or 400 hours of clinical placement [unpaid] in a hospital setting.
· Registered Nurse Course
To become a Registered Nurse, you must complete a Bachelor Nursing program. The course lasts for a duration of three years on a full-time basis. By way of fast-tracking, you can complete the Bachelor course in two years with a clinical placement included. You must complete 840 hours of clinical postings within several healthcare settings.
· Culture is a universal factor influencing the executions of all industries, and the healthcare domain is not shy of its fair share of cultural influence. Each culture is unique, requiring a specific set of views, wellness, care strategies and the adherent treatment. As a nursing professional, your approach to work should be patient-centric, which directly translates to cultural awareness.
· A professional outlook is vital within the health care industry. The way you dress, talk and carry yourself is highly important, and as a nurse, you should always maintain professionalism with both patients and fellow colleagues.
· Critical thinking is a crucial skill for nursing professionals. Inevitably, doctors and nurses are professional problem solvers; it is their job to maintain an efficient hospital.
· As a nurse, you have a pivotal role in the lives of the patients you attend to, as well as their families. While your job involves caring for others, it is just as important to care for yourself, especially if you begin to experience fatigue. One of the best ways to combat this is by opening up to your managers or close colleagues. Yoga and meditation are also effective methods to combat fatigue, clear your head and reduce any underlying stress.
· Nurses are the bridge between patients and doctors, hence communication is an important part of your skillset. It is vital that you are able to maintain concise communication with doctors and a reassuring yet professional tone with your patients.
In order to find the most suitable nursing course for you, it is important to consider a few variables, including your skill, experience, preferred location, time and resource available. Here are some of the most popular nursing programs you can choose from, including enrolled nursing courses and registered nursing courses:
· Diploma of Nursing or Certificate IV
· Bachelor of Nursing
· Master of Nursing
· Master of Nursing Science
· Master of Nursing Practice
The robust education system in Australia makes it the third most popular country for international students to pursue further education. Moreover, in order to combat the growing need for nurses and midwives in the healthcare industry, the Australian government spends a fortune offering the best financial aids to their students. And then there’s the phenomenal Australian lifestyle topped with jaw-dropping beaches, vivid landscapes and travel experiences galore. If there’s anywhere you will get a good work-life balance, it’s Australia. Here are the country’s top institutions to study nursing:
· University of Sydney
· University of Technology Sydney
· Monash University
· University of Queensland
· Deakin University
· Griffith University
Registered nurses in Australia can earn an average salary of $78,169 AUD annually, while enrolled nurses can earn an average salary of $62,637 per year. With the pressure of workforce shortage in the health industry, Australian hospitals are constantly on the lookout for international nurses with the right attitude and expertise to join their teams. When you consider the growing demand and Australia’s reputation as the highest minimum wage paying country, it becomes clear what a fantastic platform this country offers for nursing professionals.
United States: A registered nurse working in the United States earns an average salary of $11,250 US annually.
United Kingdom: A registered nurse working in the United Kingdom earns an average salary of £26,551 annually.
Australia: A registered nurse working in Australia earns an average salary of $78,169 AUD annually.
Nursing is the biggest medical profession in Australia, forming 56.9 per cent of the total health care workers in the country. Some of the key industries that you can work in after completing your nursing course include:
· Community Nursing
· Mental Care
· Acute Care
· Hospital Nursing
· Aged Care Nursing
As a nursing professional, you will be performing the following roles, both fundamental and supplementary.
· Performing managerial work within the scope of a nurse
· Developing and growing group visits with the nursing manager as well as the provider
· Proactive work as a part of a team of professionals, physicians, and other staff members
· Recording and maintaining accurate documentation for the purpose of keeping records
· Following up on the physician’s orders
· Arranging all the medical attention required by the patients and other advocates
· Committing and coordinating all of the critical results within the appropriate time frame
· Interpreting the relevant medical documents with a high level of accuracy
Australia is considered one of the most highly rated countries to study nursing. The high job security, extremely competitive pay scale and strict adherence to employee rights make this country one of the best working environments for healthcare professionals, including nurses.
Furthermore, the Australian educational system is well-known for being incredibly supportive, both financially and otherwise, to its students. And with access to the latest medical technologies in Australia, you will have bountiful opportunity and resources to reach your highest potential as a nursing student.