If your UAI is not going to be enough to get you straight into uni, then go to TAFE, but do a course that will make you an medically endorsed enrolled nurse. That takes one year, adn you can then work as an EEN, so you give out most meds, except for intravenous ones and controlled drugs I think. Then you apply for uni, I think you get a year's credit and do 2yrs of uni and can work whatever times you want which is great.
If you go the straight to uni way, after you do 2 pracs, you can work as an assistant nurse, whcih is basically showering, feeding, bed making and all that shit personal care stuff, and resstocking, depends where you work. Agency work is the best I think, a LOT more pay, work whever you want, but can be bad to get calls at the last minute and stuff esp if you dont have a car or ways to get there at the drop of a hat and late at night etc.
Id personaly want to go to TAFE and avoid being an AIN, coz if you dont restock, you will be specialling which is TOATLLY boring, not worth your effort even for money. Some say they can do study that way but its not easy if you have dementia patients who want to climb out of bed all the time, esp if you have the whole 4 bed bay too look after-they treat you like shit sometimes.
And as an EEN, you get to know yorur medications a lot quicker and stuff.
Textbooks are really expensive, but mostly in the first 2 yrs and then you just use them over the whole course. Definately apply for the commonwealth scholarship. or work lots during holidays or buy with friends and study together.
I think theory is more harder than practical coz after a while you get the hang on the clinical stuff, and even when you are working, there are clinical educatiors to help you out and the other nurses of course. I find it hard to memorise the theory, but once you put the theory into practice it gets there. Most of the time your like thinking hm ok his Blood pressure or something is low, what coudl be causeing it, what stuf do i need to do etc.
Ah the pay issue is a bit iffy. Depends where you work etc. Private hospital nurses get slightly less pay, although the Mater Private here in Brisbane is paying the same rate now as Mater public so yeah. Agency nurses get stacks more, as well as casuals, coz your called in often at the very last moment, but then you dont get used to a routine which can be difficult.
Definately dont do aged care really, i dont want to, but its good to do as an AIN during your degree if you want some money, and nursing homes are always after AINs.
I think next year when I do my grad program I will be getting by the end of the year $53K, so yeah, its kinda a better time now to do nursing than in the past. Nursing shortages are what puts it at prssure, and makes you think its not worth the money but its great to help people get better i reckon.
I am definately going to avoid Intensive Care unit, Theatre (id faint from standing up all the time and not peeing and being stuck in those gowns for hours on end-claustophobic!!), Mental health (best left to guys i think) and perhaps medical nursing. Maybe interested in emergency, not sure.
My area of interest is surgical coz its always interesting. I want to get into orthopaedics whcih is where im doing my final 2 rotations which is great. Great facilitator who told me that Id be great for their grad program whic is nice and thinks id really enjoy doing paediatrics if i get into that.
When you finish your course, you apply for a graduate program, which is mostly 12 months, unless you pick like oncology or theatre, depends on the hospital. In that time you get a clincal educator adn get some study days adn do assignments, not big ones though, and have a facilitator so you have lots of support for your transistion from student to competent RN. Some hospitals just make you pick one rotation, esp if you are doing Theatre, others will tailor a program for your needs up to 4 rotations. It all depens what area you want to do.
Um i think i better stop there, and get to bed, have to get up early tmw for prac.
If you ever want to talk about nursing, just add me to msn (
rozymisty@yahoo.com.au) and ask away, will be happy to help you out.
