Nursing issues

Register Forgot your password?

Does your GNP affect your future career

« 
Previous topic
|
Graduate Nurses
|
Next topic
 »

You need to be logged in to get access to the forums. You can do so here

Author Does your GNP affect your future career

kdon27

(offline)

  • Joined: Jun 2013
  • Location:
  • Posts: 2

Fri Jun 21, 2013 2:06 am

Hi all,

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I am faced with a dilemma that self-reflection cannot solve apparently... But first, a little bit about me. I am a 25-year-old recent graduate from Flinders University, SA.

I have applied for graduate nurse programs in the mid-2013 and early-2014 programs. At this stage, I am quite happy to go anywhere including rural, urban or sub-urban Australia just to get a chance at a job.

My only concern is whether going for a rural hospital (basically a hospital with fewer wards) will hinder development of my career in the future. I realise that the hospital itself can be quite wonderful and rural nursing is rather rewarding but I would love to get maximum exposure while I have the opportunity in order to broaden my future career options. Basically, I just want to have a stable nursing career and I believe getting as much experience as possible *now* in diverse settings would be the best way (I think so but if I'm wrong, please tell me!).

I would greatly appreciate any ideas on this, and once again thanks for reading!

Egg

(offline)

  • Joined: Jul 2009
  • Location:
  • Posts: 14

Jun 21, 2013, 02:56 am

If out of all the applications you only get a rural position, then hang on for dear life and never let go. Regional hospitals (Population 100,000-200,000 in the catchment area) would generally have a surgical and medical ward if lucky a paediatric ward, not all the fancy – oncology, haematology, orthopaedics, ear, nose and throat wards that metropolitan tertiary hospitals would have.

Just say a regional hospital only had one surgical ward, that means you would get a wide and diverse group of patients who have had various surgical procedures, as compared to a speciality surgical ward in the city. But remember this – city hospitals also have general surgical wards too!

You have your whole life ahead of you then to worry about stable. Just explore.
Just to ensure you have enough experience behind you. It is a good idea after your new graduate program to continue to stay for another year to consolidate your skills (practising your skills with more confidence) as your first year would have involved rotations and learning to walk on your feet.

Then after two years of experience...move back to the city and do whatever you want to do.
Because at the end of the day; all employers want is a RN with acute care experience, that's it.

Beggars can't be choosers.

kdon27

(offline)

  • Joined: Jun 2013
  • Location:
  • Posts: 2

Jun 21, 2013, 08:30 pm

Many thanks for your detailed reply Egg. 

I failed to mention that I was unsuccessful in the previous year primarily due to visa restrictions. But I have managed to solve those issues and thus I am reapplying this year.

Having said that, I am uncertain whether my new visa status would significantly improve my prospects this year or not considering the severe shortage of graduate nursing programs available at the moment across Australia.

I have been looking at a few hospitals in particular (rural NSW and SA) and they have roughly 70-80 beds, focus primarily on elective surgery and are in population area of roughly 50000. While they do offer rotations among surgical/medical/HDU, they don't have any more wards besides that. (Hence my concern that rural nursing so early on may dampen the development of my skills).

If you have any further thoughts, please feel free to post them - I am quite eager to hear your advice and experiences.

You need to be logged in to get access to the forums. You can do so here