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Sunlight
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- Joined: Jun 2008
- Location:
- Posts: 2
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Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:06 pm
Hi Nurse Centralites, I have joined this forum as I am thinking of doing nursing (as a mature age student, I am female and 34 years old). Currently in Banking. I don't know any real life nurses so this forum is a great idea. I can speak with nurses and get a feel for the job and see if I really want to do it. I have always been interested in the medical and biological fields but never followed it up after school for some reason.(I think because then I thought I would not be able to handle all the blood, but now I think I would be ok with it) Given my age (34) I need to work full time and study to be a nurse at the same time (rent, bills, personal loan etc) - so I began to think that I would not be able to do a Bachelor of Nursing because the only Distance Education courses that I saw available were for those who were already a EN's or Postgraduate for already RNs until i found the OUA - Open Universites of Australia website. IApparently this Online degree is very competitive to get in to so it seems there are a limited number of places - but it does interest me to apply. Apparently one can do a Bachelor of Nursing - through Open Universites run by the University of South Australia - It is almost all distance and online learning except for a few practicals a year where you are required to travel to Whyalla in SA a few times a year and I am sure there are a few clinical placements for a few weeks in year 2 and 3. You can do it 3 years full time or 6 years part time. Just wondering if anybody has done this course? Is it credible? For anyone body from South Australia here is a question: is the University of South Australia considered a good university? I am from NSW so am not sure. Also I have heard people talk about a grad year, is that a year more study one does after finishing the Bachelor of Nursing. Has anyone become a nurse at a later age like me ie in their 30's... does this sound silly or is it better to start out as a young girl (some people i have mentioned it to think that i'm too old and that I'll hate it becauese with nursing you should start young etc , very physical work etc...but I think people who sit at a desk all day (which I do now and hate it, I feel trapped) are very unhealthy.) Last question: Is it almost impossible to get a nursing job with just day hours ie not shift work? Or do most nurses have to do a few years shift work to gain experience and skills before they can go for non shift work roles (as i gather the non shift work roles are very sought after). Ok enough questions for now. Thank you for taking the time to read my post. Look forward to reading some of your replies. Kind regards, Sunlight, Sydney, NSW.
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lokisare
(offline)
- Joined: Sep 2007
- Location:
- Posts: 37
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Jun 05, 2008, 05:12 pm
Hi there Sunlight, Well first of all you'll be surprised to know that will not really be an "old" nursing student. There are lots of people who go into nursing later in life, my course is for graduates of other degree and we have around 80 people in our year level with an average age of about 28-29 with the oldest being well and truly in their 40s. That's for a full-time accelerated Bachelor degree! Don't worry about being an old grad - there's different trends in different areas but in most of the hospitals I've been in for work or placement there are grads of all ages including some more on the grey side of things. Any course which is recognised by the state Nurses Board as a pathway to registration will be credible, once you register in any state you can apply for reciprocal registration in other states - although National Registration will hopeully change this and make things simpler in 2011. I don't know much about the OUA course itself but I met one guy studying part time through them - disadvantages are not having classmates etc to share some pretty amazing and full on times with but if you think you can study via distance then I'd say go for it. It is possible to get a nursing job without shifts, including community nursing, outpatients clinics, day procedures, theatre in a private hospital with no on call surgery, and a few others but you may ahve to do some "time on the wards" to consolidate skills before you head into these areas. Anyway good luck
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keeshy
(offline)
- Joined: Apr 2007
- Location: Melbourne
- Posts: 189
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Jun 06, 2008, 11:41 pm
I agree with Lokisare on pretty much everything!!! I am also thinking of doing the distance education degree mainly because of time and family and work. I am going to think on it for 12 months first though as I would prefer to do it in a class environment. Good luck with it all.
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Celle
(offline)
- Joined: Jan 2008
- Location:
- Posts: 12
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Jun 07, 2008, 07:16 pm
Hi Sunlight, Congratulations on your thinking about becoming a nurse! I am a mature age student (45) in my final year of study to be an RN. I live in a rural/remote area in QLD and study externally through Central Queensland University. I attend the Noosa campus (how sads that?!!!) for my residential schools twice each year. The reason I attend Noosa is that it is cheaper to fly to Brisbane from the closest airport then bus back to Noosa. Other campuses are at Rockie, Bundaberg, Mackay, but I am not sure about the res schools there. I began my nursing course with OUA when it first kicked off in 2005. I was one of the original students. I attended res school in Adelaide, and went twice, it has since been changed to the Whyalla campus. Whilst I am aware that there may be students who have just begun there, and perhaps it has changed......unfortunately, you are left very much alone. It is important to establish a study group, cos that was the only way that we could learn. Queries would be posted with no response from the lecturers etc. However, things may have changed since I was there, although unfortunately, the girls who were in my group and with whom I keep contact with still say no change. I transferred to CQU for a variety of reasons and there are other unis out there that deliver externally, off the top of my head besides CQU, there is JCU (James Cook Uni), and CDU (Charles Darwin NT). As with any external study you will be required to attend residential schools, and do clinical placements. Each uni has its ups and downs, but personally for me, CQU have been fantastic. Please feel free to ask questions as I am an external student through and through!!! All the best, Celle
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LizzieW
(offline)
- Joined: Jan 2008
- Location: Brisbane
- Posts: 13
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Jun 12, 2008, 10:47 am
Hi there, I am almost half way through first yr of the Bachelor of Nursing with UniSA (direct, not through OUA) I'm also an external student - based in queensland. I looked at the OUA course when applying last yr, and to study directly with UniSA saves about $3000/yr as the places are commonwealth supported (HECS). I have found the lectures helpful and accessible and have been getting great marks so far. I did some bridging units with OUA last yr and found them to be a little disorganized, so I would recommend applying directly to the uni. You can do this via SATAC. Good luck with it Lizzie
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Sunlight
(offline)
- Joined: Jun 2008
- Location:
- Posts: 2
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Oct 20, 2008, 11:21 am
Thanks for all your replies. Have not logged back in for quite a while. Lizzie, - yes I found out about applying directly to Uni of SA and OUA - one lady I rang for info told me its better to apply for both in case I don't get inot OUA as that is very competitive to get into. Thanks for your info though. At this point I can still apply through SATC but will pay a late fee. I just need to find out how to get my National Police Security Clearance thing - going to the Police Station today. Only trouble is I don't have my Birth Cert with me for ID and my Passport expired in 2005.. anyway once I get that done..cutting in fine though as OUA applications close November 2nd 2008 I think and its Oct 20th today. They said its alright if the report is still pending though, so that is ok. I will apply through SATC and OUA and see how I go. Its the only way to do it while doing a full time job. No other Uni offers Bachelor of Nursing - totoally through Distance Education - I thought this quite strange as Nurses are in short supply I have heard. I know one can do Nursing via Distance after one has some nursing qualifications ie if one is already an EN or RN but not people who are fresh to the field. Lizzie can you give me more info on how the degree has been for you. How are the trips to Whyalla and the Clinical placements. Love to hear from you again and anyone else doing nursing with Uni of SA through Distance Education. Thanks
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Steph88
(offline)
- Joined: Aug 2008
- Location:
- Posts: 21
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Oct 21, 2008, 09:18 pm
Hi Sunlight, I am studying directly through UniSA, and from what I have heard this is a much better option than through OUA. You pay less, you get more support (usually) and you can do your workshops in Adelaide, Mt Gambier or Whyalla, to suit yourself (obviously most go to Adelaide). I would encourage you to exchange email addresses and use an instant messenger program to communicate with at least one or two other students if you are studying externally. Having some sort of a network can be a huge help when it comes to assignments etc. and in my experience using an IM makes it much easier when it comes to group assignments! Someone else listed the courses available to you as an external student before, I think it is UniSA, CDU and CQU, and apparently another one in Queensland that offer it too. There is also a Dip Nursing course available externally through Whyalla TAFE if you want to take this path. Bear in mind that you will need to set asidesome money to afford to live at the end of year 2 and during your placements in year 3 if you do the UniSA course. it works out that there is 20 weeks of placement that all fall within just over 12 months. Good luck with whatever it is you decide to do. I hope you get into a course that works well for you.
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Colonel Sanders
(offline)
- Joined: Nov 2008
- Location:
- Posts: 1
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Nov 03, 2008, 04:42 pm
Hey guys could i ask a question... what’s the difference in studying thru OUA and UNISA BA Nursing? In a previous post there was mention of cost difference- "and to study directly with UniSA saves about $3000/yr as the places are commonwealth supported (HECS)." I am having difficulties understanding this statement as OUA states the course cost can be deferred via FEE HELP? I am showing my age but i thought FEE HELP is similar to HECS as i still have a partial HECS debt from previous uni studies? So aside from this are there any other differences with studying BA nursing or via UNISA? Thanks for any help!
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Steph88
(offline)
- Joined: Aug 2008
- Location:
- Posts: 21
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Nov 08, 2008, 12:07 am
Hi Colenel Sanders, There was a change a couple of years ago, and some of the terminology has changed. The cost difference stems from the places offered directly through UniSA being commonwealth supported places (ie. the government contributes a certain amount) while through Open Universities you pay the full fees (ie. the government does not contribute). Either of these types of payments may be deferred, however over the duration of the course you will make significant savings if you go directly through UniSA. My advice to anyone looking at taking the UniSA course would be to ensure that they save well during the first 18 months of the course, however, as it becomes nearly impossible to work while you are on placement (I have just completed my first placement, which was in a nursing home. I did work 3 hours each day on the weekends, however it was absolutely exhausting, as there is additional paperwork assignments etc that you need to work on after hours and the placement is already 40 hours/week unpaid). You do not necessarily get your placements close to home, and from what I have heard their statement of "you may have to travel to SA" is played down a little. From what previous students have said it is not uncommon to be placed in rural hospitals 5 or so hours from where you may live. One final thing that I have found very disappointing throught this placement is that the uni have a policy that the placement cannot be extended even if you are sick or have other circumstances, you only have the option of withdrawing from the course and applying to be reimbursed. I found this very difficult as my grandma went into palliative care whilst I was on placement, however it only became clear how little time she had left last weekend (when I was 3/4 of the way through). This created a huge conflict as it meant that I was unable to be with my family at a time I really needed to, without having to go back and start placement from scratch. I know this is pretty extreme, and you don't expect it to happen but I have to say I was very disappointed by the lack of support when such an issue does arise. Anyway, I've drifted a long way from the issue at hand. I hope some of my ramblings help you. Steph.
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