Apart from the contribution it helps bring into the world, being a nurse is also amazing since it offers you the possibility to relocate anywhere across the globe and still find a job. However, you can always expect some differences when leaving your country behind and studying nursing somewhere else. For example, if you’re from Canada and you’re looking to experience the wonders Australia has to offer, you need to be aware of the following things:
1. Start by Applying for a Student Visa
If you’re traveling from Canada to Australia to study nursing, you’ll have to undergo the same process every other student needs to – you will need to apply for a Student Visa (Subclass 500) that you must apply for online. When completing this form, you’ll need to fulfill a number of requirements in order to obtain the visa. Firstly, you’ll need to provide evidence of enough funds to cover travel, living and tuition costs. If you come accompanied by a spouse or children, you’ll need to provide evidence that you can financially support them too. Secondly, you may also need to take a medical check-up with a doctor approved by the Australian Immigration Department.
2. What It Actually Takes to Become a Nurse in Australia
Fortunately for those of you looking to study nursing in the Land Down Under, there currently is high demand in Australia for midwives, dieticians, physiotherapists, and nurses. The best part is that recruiters are looking for specialists from predominantly English-speaking countries, such as the US, the UK, and Canada. This is why the academic level is also rich in offers for those who would like to study nursing in this gorgeous country.
To become a General Registered Nurse you will need to graduate from the Bachelor of Nursing three-year program. This will give you the technical and practical abilities to perform general nursing tasks. If you want to become a specialist in one particular nursing area, such as oncology or paediatric, you will need to further your education by also completing the postgraduate program.
3. Embrace an Entire Spectrum of Nursing Jobs
Those of you looking to improve their nursing skills and further their education should look into masters in nursing. By choosing this type of educational program, you can take on even more complex roles in the medical industry by opting for majors such as: advanced practice, leadership and management, and education. Having said this, you can either strive to offer more advanced patient care, take on educational practice roles or embrace management positions in healthcare. With this type of program, you’ll benefit from the schedule flexibility you need to maintain a job or simply lead a fulfilling personal life and discover all that Australia has to offer.
4. You’ll Need to Understand the Australian Medical Lingo
This is something that may come as no surprise, but you will quickly be confronted with a myriad of new words and ways of pronouncing terms that is specific only to Australia. This linguistic shift is not only limited to day-to-day vocabulary but is quickly noticed in the medical universe as well. For example, if you’re used to hearing ‘saline lock’ in Canada, you’d better give up the idea of finding the same term here – try ‘bung’ instead. Instead of ‘vital signs’ you’ll hear your colleagues say ‘observations’ and you’ll see ‘edema’ spelled as ‘oedema’. These are not tough challenges to get over, but you will need a couple of weeks before these new terms really sink in.
5. Choose Between the Public and the Private Healthcare System
Canada is world-renowned for its impressive universal healthcare system, otherwise known as Medicare. This means that every Canadian citizen is medically covered by a system that is publicly funded. What Australia does differently is that it also provides private healthcare to its citizens, meaning that paying patients will benefit from health care that is more focused on the quality of customer service. Having said this, those of you that choose to study nursing in Australia will have the possibility to work in the public or private health care system.
All in all, relocating to Australia to study nursing and adapting to the new culture are challenges that can be easily overcome if you take into consideration the useful list above.
This way, you’ll have a better chance at quickly integrating yourself in the healthcare system and this beautiful country’s social landscape. With a little research, you will consolidate your growth process as a nurse and as a professional dedicated to bringing relief, care and compassion to your patients.
