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Nursing: a career with heart

September 29, 2006

Nursing.thumb.JPGA shortage of qualified nurses both Australia-wide and internationally means that career options – and benefits to be gained – in the nursing industry are greater than ever before.

“Starting salaries for nurses are among the highest across all university graduates,” said Dr Glenda Parmenter from the University of New England’s School of Nursing. “First-year nurses can expect to earn up to $811 a week, with further pay from shift penalties. Imagine earning up to $1,000 a week in your first year out of university!”

Dr Parmenter said that many nurses branched out from their chosen profession, and that the choices were “simply huge”. “Management, consultancy, teaching, community involvement, education, palliative care, and even your own firm: these are only a few of the paths,” she said. “The stereotype era is over.”

“As a nurse, you are a national priority,” she continued. “Put simply, this means that you can find stable employment anywhere across the nation – any State, anywhere you choose. In addition to this, nurses are needed everywhere around the world, giving you the exciting option of travel and overseas work. Australian nurses are recognised internationally.

“Studying to be a nurse can be a lot of work. But more importantly, it is achievable. The courses are structured to integrate the difficult aspects of nursing into the learning. Your teachers are highly skilled professionals themselves. They take a genuine interest in your study and development. Support and help is never far away.

“Of course, as in all industries, there is a level of stress and nursing can be intense. But what must be remembered is that, as a nurse, you are part of a team – one of the most important and highly trained teams anyone could find. You work together as a unit, face challenges together, and learn together.”

“The UNE Bachelor of Nursing is one of the best in the State,” Dr Parmenter said, “with the biggest practical element of any university course – 35 weeks. The industry recognises this and, consequently, regards UNE graduates of one some of the best nurses around – nurses that are industry ready.”

Nathan Kemister of UNE says that nursing is the best choice he’s ever made.

“As a nurse, I am a respected professional who can really make a difference to the community, yet the skills I learn can also be valuable in everyday situations” he said.

“Most importantly to me, I am choosing a career path that is valued by society. It’s a privilege to have a career that gives me employment, a good starting salary and valuable skills – but most importantly, a respected job.”

If you think Nursing is the career for you, contact UNE on 02 6773 4444 or visit the Web site, www.une.edu.au, for more information.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at September 29, 2006 04:46 PM