Brisbane Nurse agencies: Newly Qualified?

**robstardj** · 05-09-2009, 08:28 PM

Hello to everyone!

My name is Robbie, and I am a newly qualified Nurse (sept 09) and wish to immigrate to Brisbane around March 2010. Although I will have limited post reg experience (EAU at present), I am desperate to find a job as a Staff Nurse and was hoping if any one could help me in regards of agencies in Brisbane who will take a newly qualified Nurse? Any help and advice would be gratefully appreciated, thank you

**guest30038** · 06-09-2009, 02:28 AM

Qld health new grad info

Nursing: Graduate Nurse Online Recruitment

kev

**robstardj** · 07-09-2009, 10:17 AM

Thanks for your reply Kev, but unfortunatly i am not eligable for the post grad course as a will have 6 months post reg experience and they want you straight out of uni :( I still on the search for agencies but without joy as most want 12months experience

**guest30038** · 07-09-2009, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by robstardj

Thanks for your reply Kev, but unfortunatly i am not eligable for the post grad course as a will have 6 months post reg experience and they want you straight out of uni :( I still on the search for agencies but without joy as most want 12months experience

This is a response from my wife to an aged care question, but is also an illustration of how she first found work at the Prince Charles. If you're interested, you can PM us or contact her at her work email and we can furnish you with the recruiting officer's details

Hi, Bridget here, Kev's wife.

I have worked at The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH) on Brisbane's northside for nearly 14 years. I secured a job within 3 days of arriving from UK as an "On Call" nurse then within a month was on the permanent "nursing support unit" which is a group of nurses who are permanently employed on a roster (off duty as it used to be called in UK) and are used to fill in for sick leave and high accuity needs. I am tellin you this to highlight how easy it was to gain employment at TPCH when I arrived. I then got a permanent position on the Cardiology and Heart failure and transplant unit 3 months later, having never worked in Cardiology.

There is a real culture of encourageing nurses to gain different experience at TPCH. So if you came over here and got a job in one of the aged care units she would have no trouble at all up skilling to an acute ward as it is very positivly encouraged. At TPCH we have a large aged care sector. There is a 30 bedded Geriatric and Evaluation Unit (for slow stream rehab and people awaiting assessment for nursing home or ACAT assessment for their level of care needs. There is also a 26 bed acute rehab unit for all sorts of rehab needs- a very interesting and dynamic unit. Also there is the dementia unit which is tied in with community and does assessments, placement and respite. Also under the umbrella of Qld Health is a huge aged care facility at Sandgate called Eventide, right on the waterfront, and another smaller facility called Ashworth House, not far from TPCH.

So as you can see, there is plenty on offer for aged care. I do some shifts as Duty Nurse Manager at TPCH, which includes covering emergent leave in all areas, and I can assure you that we are always looking for nurses to work, in aged care and acute.

TPCH is a lovely facility to work at, and I am biased I guess, but it is a fairly small place compared to large general hospitals and maintains a friendly and supportive culture. We have just undergone expansion from being a speciality cardiothoracic hospital to having a general surgical unit and two general medical wards. Our Intensive care unit takes all the post Cardiac surgery patients, post heart and lung transplant patients and a lot of general ICU admissions. We dont take head or spinal injuries as the Princess Alexandra Hospital on the Southside specialises in spinal injuries. Our orthopeadic unit does all elective ortho procedures and will expand to take emergency admission pretty soon.

I guess I am selling the place well but I really mean it. If you are thinking of coming to Brisbane (northside) then I would highly recommend TPCH.

Please feel free to pose any questions that you may have, either by pm or my work Email address is bridget_dickinson@health.qld.gov.au

regards,

Bridget.

**mr luvpants** · 08-09-2009, 09:15 AM

There you go again!

**guest30038** · 08-09-2009, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by mr luvpants

There you go again!

I'm gonna ask The recruiting officer for commission

kev

JoanneHattersley · 08-09-2009, 09:29 AM

Im in elderly care in Brissie and we are always looking for staff

**angie&jay** · 08-09-2009, 10:13 AM

Hi Joanne, hope you don't mind me jumping in!! I'm still only at the student nurse stage in UK at the moment but nearer the time how much experience do you think i'll need to work in aged care or do you think i could come out as a newly qualified if staff are in high demand where you are? Thanks, Angie x

JoanneHattersley · 08-09-2009, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by angie&jay

Hi Joanne, hope you don't mind me jumping in!! I'm still only at the student nurse stage in UK at the moment but nearer the time how much experience do you think i'll need to work in aged care or do you think i could come out as a newly qualified if staff are in high demand where you are? Thanks, Angie x

In some aged care places you`d walk into a job. You may be able to get a sponsorship when qualified.
We have just assisted 4 of our carers through their Endorsed enrolled nurse courses and now they are working full time! We gave them all hours!

Jobs are on hold in some places at the moment due to the economy but things will change again

**robstardj** · 08-09-2009, 06:29 PM

Wow! Thanks very much for the feedback! things seem a little more positive now! I am siiting at my laptop looking out at the gloomy grey cheshire weather but I have been given hope! My Girlfriend emmigrates in January with her family to brisbame northside so I am desperate to get over as soon as I can, I will email you Bridget and Kev, I appreciate your help very much and Joanne too!