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Sunday May 26, 2013

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Graduate nurse placement shortage: is there any degree which guarantees work?

Posted by: Ellen Feely | 9 October, 2012 - 1:42 PM
Nursing students

A nursing student says nurses graduating this year are staring at the prospect of being left without a job, with only approximately 500 graduate places available for over 1400 students.

Chris, 31, told Neil Mitchell he went into nursing thinking he’d be guaranteed a job at the end of his degree, and was surprised to find out job security within hospitals was no longer a reality.

”With the government harping on for such a long time about a crisis in healthcare and a dramatic shortage of nurses, a lot of students including myself thought that it would be relatively easy to get not only a job, but to get a job that we would both enjoy and really have a career out of,” he said.

”Now we're at the end of our degree finding out there are actually not a lot of jobs out there because there are so many government cuts with funding towards hospitals.”

Chris said Hospitals were simply unable to hire the number of required nurses, and he now faces the prospect of further study or looking for work interstate.

With the vocation of nursing long thought-of as one of the most secure industries to work, Neil Mitchell has asked: is there any degree which guarantees a job?

LISTEN: Nursing student Chris speaks with Neil Mitchell:

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Blog comments Your Say

  • Somebody on here said they can't get jobs because they are being filled by overseas students.... That is completely incorrect ( in WA at least) on the application in asks if you are Australian citizen and you have to have proof. And it states in bold black letters everywhere "Australian citizens get all the jobs before international students" if Australians do not match the job criteria or fail badly in an interview that is no ones fault but their own and then internationals will get a look at. And not before!!

    Ashley Monday 26 November, 2012 - 5:57 PM

  • I'm finishing up and have scored myself a graduate program next year at royal perth. We as students were told as first years that jobs are competitive so it's nothing new!!! I some
    Students in my semester are too "choosy"... "don't want to work in private hospitals" or " don't want to do silver chain". There are plenty other places students could have applied for that aren't in the government applications for example: Ramsy including glengarry and joondalup, mercy, mounts bay, silverchain hospital, plenty more! I even heard of students knocking back the hospital that they had as there second choice when the rang to say you had an interview because the students only wanted to work at their first choice hospital! And this year there were 827 places and 1400 applicants not 500

    Ashley Monday 26 November, 2012 - 5:52 PM

  • Graduates have no guarantee of a job at the end of studies, older nurses have no guarantee of keeping a job no matter how experienced they are. The fact is, there is NOT a shortage of nurses. The shortage thing only gets thrown around when nurses are on strike OR when they make an error. Wake up. Nurses don't want to carry out nursing duties anymore and there are literally thousands out there who will pick up the work - after all that is what patients need-nursing. Not all patients need a nurse with a stethescope or clipboard and crash cart. Nurses can blame themselves. The problems they are experiencing now is a result of their greed and ego. They should have gotten out from behind the nurse's desk and the tea room long before now. TOO LATEAEHU6C

    awakeup Saturday 17 November, 2012 - 5:26 PM

  • I am also just finishing my nursing degree in Brisbane and like most students, feel utterly depressed/sad/frustrated. The uni happily took our money whilst the government pushed for nursing students due to the 'shortage', all the while us nursing students gritted our teeth and tried to bare being treated (in most incidences, yes I would say MOST) like crap by senior nurses during our practice placements - where we, get this, PAY!, to work for free, for the honour. I just hope the current situation will turn around in the near future the current students will ultimately change the culture of nursing and respect, guide and nurture future students in their care whilst being gainfully employed. Ha! or I just may wake up and smell the coffee (and hope like hell I don't end up in hospital)...

    Robyn Tuesday 13 November, 2012 - 8:53 PM

  • i am at the end of my nursing degree in qld and have applied for post grad programs for mid semester next year. whilst on a recent clinical placement i have seen the emmence stress placed on nurses with new funding cuts i wonder if it will get any better. i havnt recieved a post grad program but i will apply to private hospitals next year and also keep all options open. will this get worse or better? i have been wondering for some time

    aleisha Tuesday 16 October, 2012 - 9:37 AM

  • GW is right. These outsourced are there because they are cheapies and can be bullied and kicked any time with no consequences. Very convenient.

    Mary Friday 12 October, 2012 - 11:05 AM

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