Nursing..? (1 Viewer)

[trace7988]

Hi there wondering if anyone could help me..

Just looking into midwifery as a career, considering studying nursing then midwifery at UTS, starting 2008..

Is anybody here studying, finished or about to start studying nursing &/or Midwifery?

Do you recommend it as a good career, and worth the 3 years studying (or 4 if studying midwifery diploma aswell).. considering the pay is really bad?

I read somewhere that nurses get paid an average of 24% less than Primary school teachers.. That makes me have second thoughts.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

 

[lil_georgie_gal]

Well do you realy want to do this career or would you rather do something with a higher rate of pay?

I'm hopefully going to get into the B Nursing course at UTS and even though my UAI was 93.4 i really want to do it regardless of the pay, there will be other opportunities when in the career to improve skills etc and hence increase pay

Anywayz the govt is now advertising that nurses pays have increased supposably....

Just pick something you would enjoy more, nursing or teaching or whatever it may be

 

[dark`secrets]

i think with nursing you have to look beyond the pay.
if they pay is giving you second thoughts, then why are you thinking of this career?

If you really enjoy and want to choose nursing as a career, i dont think the duration of study really matters.

 

[lil_georgie_gal]

Hey dark secrets, i see your a student in the UTS nursing faculty.

I was wondering what its like studying nursing at UTS, i know most of the stuff about the course etc since im planning to study there next year, but its always good to get the perspective of a current student.

Thnxs

 

[dark`secrets]

Well.. cant compare it with any where else so i say its good.
in terms of tutors is abt who you get and how supportive they are. Uni is different there's no more spoon feeding of information its up to the individual and some tutors can be rude and a pain up the arse.

we dont go uni that many days per week so its good. Plus clinical starts week 2 so in terms of that its better than other unis as they are usually in blocks for first year.

Congrats on you wanting to do this course, its a worthwhile course to do 3 years got past realllllllllly QUICK!

hope this helps!

 

[Riona]

Here are the Nurses award rates of you're interested, you can see that they are rising: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/jobs/empcond/awards/nurses/Nurses.pdf

Have you considered though, that the average wage for nurses also includes people like Enrolled Nurses, trainee Enrolled Nurses and AiNs which earn less than a Registered Nurse-- which is what completing a BN will enable you to be?

It's true that Nursing is really broad, after completing a BN course you can branch out into lots of careers even out of the hospital or "typical" nurse work such as teaching and consulting. You can become a clinical nurse specialist in a specific subject, or do further study to become a Nurse Practioner which basically is a bridge between a doctor and a nurse. One of my mum's nursing friends even enrolled in Medicine after her BN course. There are really lots of opportunities for nurses.

There is also a greater demand than for primary school teachers; when you're a nurse you can basically work where you want and when you want because of a severe shortage. Last time I checked out the job guide in 2004 there was no shortage for Primary School teachers. The population is aging so if this trend continues you can count on primary school teachers out of work and jobs in the healthcare system booming.

I want to study Nursing at UTS, and then do postgraduate study if I find a particular interest and talent in something whilst I'm completing the course. For me, it was about the fact that I have always just "clicked" when learning Biology, I would barely study and make great marks and it all just immediately made sense to me. And I enjoyed it too As a career I would like to have job satisfaction by helping people. I just looked through my mother's Nursing Medical Science textbooks and it suddenly clicked with me, why not? It just suddenly seemed perfect for me. Really though, you've got plenty of time to decide what you want and realise what career is perfect for you.

 

[trace7988]

i think with nursing you have to look beyond the pay.
if they pay is giving you second thoughts, then why are you thinking of this career?

If you really enjoy and want to choose nursing as a career, i dont think the duration of study really matters.

Yep That's very true, but at the end of the day, the reason why we're working is to get paid. So yeah i would absolutely love to be a nurse/midwife, and would love the work involved, but at the moment im just considering different careers and, since im interested in midwifery, im considering all aspects of it, what it has to offer and what i'll be expecting of it as a career.

Thanks for the help guys. Do you think the pay will continue to rise as years go bye. Its good that something is being done about it.

Does anybody have any advice as to whether doing the B Midwifery alone is better than doing B Nursing, then completing the Graduate diploma of midwifery afterwards? I feel that doing nursing first will be great, but then im not sure whether having a Bachelor of Midwifery would be the better option than having a diploma of midwifery? Do you see any difference? Or are they really both considered as good as eachother? Thanks.xx

 

[Riona]

Well with the BM course you would get into the workforce a year earlier than other midwives and so gain a year's pay which is certainly an advantage. The Bachelor of Midwifery course though, has a very small intake especially for current school leavers.

Because nobody has ever done both I'd say you email UTS Health faculty and ask them about the advantages, I'm sure they'll know!

 

[trace7988]

Yeah i think i will do that actually. Thankyou so much for your help.xx

 

[Riona]

Thanks for the help guys. Do you think the pay will continue to rise as years go bye. Its good that something is being done about it.

Well my mother's nurses union magazine is constantly complaining that nurses are underappreciated, underpaid and so forth and with the severe international shortage, you would think that it would continue rise to intice more into the career. But I don't know, we'll probably find out after the last proposed pay rise about any other proposesd increases.

 

[shortie_689]

To want to be a nurse I think you have to have a true desire to help people, money when it comes to nursing I really think shouldn't be an issue cause if you are in a job for money and you aren't there to care and support patients nursing isn't for you.
Having said that nursing is like any job has it's ups and downs but it can just be so rewarding like when you help a patient and they just are so grateful and you put a true smile on their face. It is really rewarding I just enjoy it so much!!!

 

[shanti96]

Hey, Im also a very keen enthusiast wanting to be a nurse!

lil_georgie_gal.. you say you got 93.4 UAI. I want to get that as well... do you have any tips for me in studying-wise so I can acheive that mark?... I would be soooo grateful b/c Ive made up my mind... I want to be a nurse but I have to get the marks first!

 

[lil_georgie_gal]

Hey yea i got 93.4 but to get into B. Nursing u should only need a max of 85-89 depending on uni and the type of course whether its combined. I got over 11 points above the requirement for UTS.

However if you want that back up or just want to get a higher UAI for the satisfaction of going well in your work i suggest you just work hard esp in your HSC assessments (in school tasks). They def can help bring up your mark in the end.

Also dont freak about the trials etc just take it as it comes, because i know that i worried alot about it and it didnt make things easier. Take the HSC year as a yr to prepare for uni work, becuase i know the studying and independent work ethic i learnt at school has helped me now.

So yea but if you know that you prob want to do nursing (at UTS my bias lol) just aim to get 85 (hopefully it doesnt go up that much) and anything extra will be a bonus

GOODLUCK!!!!!!

 

[shanti96]

Thanks for the advice though freaking out is my middle name...anxiety gets the best of me.

 

[White Rabbit]

Whats the social life at City campus and Kuring-Gai?? Pubs? Other students? Social side of Uni is now my deciding point....

 

[lil_georgie_gal]

Umm well ive only been at uni for 1 semester so far but its pretty good at the city campus. I dont really stay around the uni much cause its so close to the city and broadway so u can go shopping or for lunch/coffee etc with friends..

So upto to u i guess with how much u would like to be involved with the uni life

 

[shanti96]

I'd love to get into the City campus but I don't think my UAI will get me there so KRG would be my 2nd choice.

Im going to open day at the city campus one so hopefully that will be an incentive to make me do well in the HSC.