Nursing in Australia is a career that offers the chance to join one of the most highly regarded and trusted professions in the world and make a real contribution to the health and wellbeing of people in Australia and around the world. It is globally renowned for providing care to people in pain and helping them recover from illnesses.
Having a career in nursing in Australia will always be in demand. It lets you grow, change, and adapt. You can also make a positive impact on people's health and wellbeing. With a Universally recognized Nursing degree, you can go overseas to work and travel as a nurse.
Is Australian nursing a good career?
The Australian healthcare industry is one of the fastest-growing employment sectors. In addition, with an aging population, demand for healthcare services will continue to increase. The nursing profession will always be in demand. In the coming years, the population will continue to grow, creating a need for skilled nurses.
Australian figures predict that the country will face a disastrous shortage of nursing staff within the next decade. The demand for nurses is far exceeding supply as a result of population growth and an aging populace presenting more complex problems. This puts serious stress on both the private and public health care systems.
Currently, nursing is in great demand because it offers a safe and fulfilling career path. Nurses have high job satisfaction thanks to the quality care they offer to their patients.
What skills are necessary for a Nurse?
Nursing demands a strong sense of compassion, and understanding of science, and a capacity to think critically under difficult circumstances. In addition, you should be able to communicate effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds.
A nursing job in Australia can be different from that in your home country. There are opportunities to work with rural or Aboriginal communities. Although drug names may be different, the education levels, expected workweek hours, and employment opportunities are similar. In Australia, the ratio of nurses to patients is about 1 to 4.
What are the Job prospects of Nursing courses in Australia?
Nursing students often believe that they will be guaranteed a nursing job after completing a nursing degree. It is true for nurses with at least 1-2 years experience, but graduate nursing positions are scarce.
Over the past four years, the number of registered nursing graduates finding a full-time job within four months of completing their university degree has decreased by almost 10%. Despite completing their degree, more than 80% of nursing graduates have been able to find full-time employment after graduation. But in 2019 and 2020, this rate fell to around 75%.
According to the 2020 Graduate Outcomes Survey - Longitudinal registered nursing graduates in 2017 had a full-time employment rate of 80.1%, and 3 years later, there was 92.1% of graduates in 2017 employed full time.
According to the Health Workforce 2025 document, there will be a shortage of 109,000 nurses in Australia by 2025 (27%) if there is no national reform. This suggests there is ample demand for nurses in Australia.
In the past, nursing graduates have transitioned from school to practice via a one-year program called "transition to professional practice," which is usually a full-time job in a hospital where they develop their skills under supervision. In the absence of these positions, graduate nurses may have difficulty finding work, since employers are seeking nurses with experience.
Nursing Specialization: Why Should Nurses Do It?
By specializing in a specific niche, nurses can become experts in their field and influence practice, education, and healthcare.
A nursing specialization gives a nurse a leadership position, but certain qualities and interests determine how far a nurse can advance professionally. Scouring a nursing specialization will not only help you advance professionally but also influence healthcare's future.
Areas of Specialization for Nursing careers
The areas of specialization for nursing careers are as follows:
- Rural and Remote
- Rehabilitation
- Intensive Care
- Pediatrics
- Aged Care
- Community Health
- Surgical Nursing
- Aboriginal Health
- Oncology
- Mental Health
- Medical Nursing
What is the process of becoming a registered nurse in Australia?
The Australian nursing profession requires a 3-year Bachelor of Nursing degree, which can be obtained at most Australian universities. It is mandatory to be over 17 years of age or to have completed your Higher Secondary Education and have an appropriate Universities Admission Index (UAI).
Universities offer full-time, 3-year Bachelor of Nursing programs or the equivalent part-time Registered Nurse programs, and the curriculum can differ slightly from institution to institution.
In all of these nursing courses, you will have a mixture of all education levels which includes theory and nursing clinical practice, and you'll get to work in a variety of settings, including medical and surgical wards, operating rooms, emergency departments, community care, intensive care units, and mental health facilities.
As part of your studies, you can put your clinical skills to use on specially constructed mannequins under the guidance of trained university educators. In Addition, you are also exposed to a broad range of clinical areas and settings, so that you can discover what areas of nursing you enjoy and can explore this further.
Upon completing your Registered Nurse course, you will need to apply to the AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) to work as a Registered Nurse.
Conclusion:
Australian nurses are provided with several opportunities to team up and work with other healthcare professionals, as well as the ability to lead a team and organize patient care, plan, evaluate, and implement programs.
The decision to pursue your nursing degree in Australia is the right one for you. International students must overcome obstacles and challenges in their education journey, therefore seeking guidance from an education consultant to receive reliable information based on your specific needs can be invaluable.