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Mainly 12-hr night shifts coz there's "not much to do" but the night is like a social breeding ground. Small talk arise in the nurses station while i'm on my feet attending to my 6 pts. Like, it's a lot doing obs and checking lines and researching each pt so dat ur AM h/o slaps including presenting the pts well for the AM nurses, doing the weights, cleaning up etc. But them other nurses just sit?? R they taking shortcuts? I'm 3rd yr into nursing and it's not like i'm struggling, i can do my work with my eyes closed. maybe my pts r just heavy with needy buzzing, falls-bed/confused pts and 1st case pre-op prep. it's not like i'm forcing myself to work hard, i actually had to do tasks early or i wouldn't go home on time. i'm handling my time-management my own way and it works and dat's the only thing dat matters but wut r the other nurses' trick where they mostly sit. I also need absolute quiet while documenting so i separate myself from the others and then they think i'm as distant as a pool nurse even tho i'm a permanent staff. i'm very secretive. makes me feel a bit lonely.

I have worked in Canada and Australia and worked in many states. I've worked paper-based mostly in AUS but have also used several iEMR systems in both Canada and Australia including Epic/Cerner/Powerchart/Sunrise/Meditech.

I have to say it, back home in Canada I ADORED my electronic medical records. I found them to be time-savers and they minimised risk of med error because in Canada we do not do second independent checks on IVs, narcotics or subcuts- we only do them on IV heparin, insulin and blood products. Because nurses are checking things independently and we scan all of our medications - the computer became our second check and it is a great safety net.

But in Australia, the fact that we do 2 nurse checks on all these medications PLUS use the computer slows us down significantly more. It EATS my time here. The purpose of the computer is that it is supposed to BE that second check for you. This just adds an unnecessary 3rd check. This is maybe not so hard to do in a PICU, ICU or lower ratio area, but on a busy surgical unit with higher ratios, it is truly a time-waster. The system is set up under the presumption that all the meds will be scanned and second-checked by the computer. Why do so many hospitals in Australia seem to have not integrated medication scanning directly into the MAR?

The systems also often have a ton of documentation requirements which are not very useful in Australian ward nursing. There are entire segments/sections of documentation that we used in Canada every day which are not needed here and it just clutters the e-charts up here. The orders sometimes use North American terms too (e.g. CIWA instead of AWS).

Finally a lot of the time these systems encourage charting by exception, meaning if it is documented in one area of the chart there is no need to re-write it in a patient note later unless it is significant (i.e. a change in presentation, a procedure, etc). Whereas in AUS I find nurses expect a lot of info that's already been charted elsewhere in the iemr be copied into a note at the end of the shift.

I honestly think the systems would have needed to be much more adapted to the Aussie style of nursing to work well here.

As above. I work in practice nursing and it is starting to get quite warm. I am not usually a skirt person however in aged care and community nursing we were allowed to wear shorts if warm.

Needs to be something that goes with RM Williams and joggers

TIA :)

Hi everyone,
I’m currently working as a nurse with SA health doing 6 shifts a fortnight, and I’m thinking of taking up a second job at aged care or agency to earn some extra income and help with the home loan.
Just wondering, do I need to inform my current employer or fill out an outside employment form before starting another job?
Someone mentioned that you can just do a second job without informing anyone, but I’m not sure if that’s actually the case.
Is there anything else I should be aware of, especially if working for SA Health?
Would really appreciate any advice or experiences. Thanks! 😊

Hi everyone, i am a new grad in my first rotation, i recently did my first ANSAT, i thought i should be lowkey and i marked myself mostly 3 but like 2 once or twice, my friends told me thats too low, will i fail or something ?
i am so concerned

Hey all!
I’m an EN working 0.4 FTE at a hospital. I enjoy my job but need to supplement my income, as I can’t pick up extra shifts with my partner also being a shift worker.
Before nursing, I worked in medical billing for over ten years and have found a part-time billing role that could offer work from home.
I’m considering working around 10–15 hours a week, ideally on Tuesdays, alongside my nursing job.
I’m worried my manager might be offended or think I’m not committed to the hospital.
Do you have a second job? Does your employer know, and how did they react when you told them?
Thank you ☺️

Hi all, im currently a nursing student on my second placement ever and I just feel so exhausted like my entire body ages and I just feel so lazy after an 8 and a half hour shift that was an afternoon one. I get home and all I want to do is sleep and it’s like ugh I have more afternoon shifts like atp I’d rather a morning shift bc I feel at least more energetic I can’t lie. I have Halloween events next week after placement and it’s like can I be bothered going but I booked tickets I can’t refund. Do I go?? I just don’t know how id go drinking after a long ass shift like ugh I just wanna sleep forever but it’s like I enjoy it honestly I do but I just feel so tired from it after idk how to deal with it. Is it just bc im getting used to long shifts? Does it get any better as I work more?

Or do they ask multiple candidates for the same role for references just in case?

I had my interview last week and had a good feeling, the interviewing NUM told me I should know whether I am successful or not by the end of the week

I was asked for references two days after my interview which was a good sign, and all of my references told me they have already completed my reference checks as of today

How long can I expect to wait to know if I'm successful or not? Does being asked for references automatically mean I am the top candidate?

For reference it is for a position for NSW Health

I don’t care if the policy says remove at 72 hours. If it’s working and there are no signs of infection, leave it the fuck in. No you’re not gonna lose your licence.
I come on the shift and patient’s due for abx but you removed a perfectly fine cannula because it was 78 hours old? Fuck you.
Thanks for tuning in.

Found this on my phone. Lol, memories.

Layperson and about to get chemo for the second time in life. They want me to get a PICC line. I'm not keen! How far in does the actual line go into the arm? I have some pretty well managed lymphoedema in my left arm from axilla clearance ten years ago. And the right arm now has a little cording and strange nerve pain/numbness along the upper inner arm from lumpectomy and SLNB. So now when nurses can only use my right arm and it might have a PICC, how do they do my BP?

Sorry the grammar might be off, I typed this when I was emotional. I’m a new grad nurse in sa just finished a very stressful triggering shift. Now considering quitting this job. I have this thought in my mind for very long, for in the past 7 months, i have experienced so so much trauma.

I work as part time and be sent to different ward every shift. I have encountered so so many mean people in this job, more than my whole life. Staff bully you when they see a new young Asian female face, it is worse when you are the quiet introvert type, I have reported one staff to our num, num said she will follow up then nothing happened. Not to say patient being passive aggressive and racist, they yell at you then saying it’s nothing about you, it’s the hospital, and you can say nothing.

Then is work load, in surgical ward, I can never finish my job on time, it is so stressful that one time I almost pass out. People seems indifferent because everyone’s job is so much. At first I introduced myself to my buddy. after a while, i just stopped because no one is going to help you. Plus I need to do 4 nights a month, it killed my sleep schedule, I always can’t fall in sleep before the first night shift. I told my num it’s not safe if I can reduce the night shift, she said no, if you think that way, maybe you need to consider if nursing is for you. I know nights need to stay up but sleeping on floor is just too much for me, and our num’s attitude hurts me so much.

I went to do some check up during my annual leave, I told the orthopedic doctor my back hurts when bending, he told me I need to change the job, because the patients are too heavy for me(I’m skinny don’t have much muscle). CT scan shows i have breast nodules type 3, often caused by anxiety. At that time, i was still thinking change to something lighter maybe transition care or pre admission.

Today’s shift I have cob and I have 2 confused patients, 1 patient who has self harm in the ward before and 1 I would say very demanding patient. The patient who has self harm said she need a med to go to sleep and pass her withdrawal stage, I asked the doctor, told the TL at least twice, nothing changed, even when the patient acted pretty agitated and kicking on the bed, hitting her head. I told TL it’s not safe can you please do something, she said it’s a cob the nurse just have to keep an eye. I went back told the patient, the patient seems more frustrated and agitated, she crying and yell at me I’m going to kill myself just tell her that, they will send someone then. I was holding her, trying to give her a hug, after hearing that I started to cry too, I was sobbing then brust into tears, knowing someone has suicidal thoughts and experiencing that are so different, I feel very strange and uncomfortable, and so wronged. There is no support for me at all, my clinical support is off, no one cares about me or my patient, this is so wrong. Everything is so wrong, that’s it, I’m leaving, Im paying with my mental health, this job is eating me. At that point, I know my answer😭working as a nurse feel like chasing someone who will never love you back, so what am I doing here. Im thinking changing my job to something not stressful and open to any advice please

Where I grew up, the work culture was very different from what it is in Australia. I worked as a kitchen hand back in my home country for few months. Staff would get scolded for chatting because it was seen as “not focusing on our job.” So I worked without talking, and honestly, I liked it.
Now my social skills are pretty terrible tbh. I love working without talking, just doing my job like a robot. But then I came to Australia, where the work culture is very different.
Now I’m expected to interact with people in ways I’ve never really had to before.
I can handle a busy shift, standing on my feet all day, or even patients swearing at me. That’s fine I can deal with that. But having to constantly talk to people, feeling the pressure to fit in and get close to my colleagues, and sharing personal things about myself and my life? That’s so hard for me I’m absolutely exhausted.
I’m a 3rd year student and the more experience I get in nursing, the more I realise that I like the job itself, but not the work environment. I honestly don’t know whether I’m cut out to be a nurse or whether I’m cut out to work in Australia.
Not gonna lie, I worked as an agency AIN for a while, and I actually enjoyed it when nobody tried to talk to me because I was just casual agency staff. I could just show up, do my job (we barely had time to even talk to the residents due to staffing, by the time we finished answering call bells and changing residents’ clothes and pads, the whole shift was over), and go home.

I’m graduating soon, and at this point, whether I get into a graduate program or not isn’t even my biggest concern anymore. Even if I get one, there’s another BIG BIG problem waiting for me. working as an RN and having to interact with people constantly.

So, extremely introverted nurses, how are you actually surviving in this industry? Seriously. I’d love to hear your experiences and how you manage it.
Just a heads-up, if your response is going to be “If you don’t like it here, then leave Australia,” I’m genuinely considering that already. But at least I want to try more and put some effort into it. Like changing myself(well I tried for 3years and it’s still the same so not sure if it is possible to change my personality)

How do you cope with the social side of nursing without feeling completely drainedr?

I was talking with a colleague the other day, and we agreed our biggest gripe with students who won’t repeat tasks because they are signed off in their log books.
Just in shift routine nursing cares.
The task we spoke about was urinary catheterisation. Just because it’s “signed off” doesn’t mean you don’t need to do any more. If given the opportunity to do skills, learn or add to your base knowledge, please do!!

I get it. When I did my midwifery, I wrote a reflection about how the numbers of tasks required meant we were at odds with the woman centred care we were being taught. Sometimes, it’s a lot to do in 3 years, but given the opportunity, consolidate, see different variations of normal, learn to problem solve when a task isn’t working out. Get help with your task and time management, that is what your preceptor and facilitators are there to do!!

Most of all, you are there to learn, get guidance in the learning phase, build your repertoire of exposure and gain glimpses of post-graduation life.

I’m not talking about staying back for something rare or juicy, that should never be an expectation.

Does anyone have experience in salary packaging personal loan repayments with RemServ? I was thinking of acquiring a car loan with a registered financial institution (APRA certified) and using the pre-tax dollars for the loan repayments.

I’m scared that RemServ might not accept this arrangement and I won’t know until I commit to the loan and submit an application to RemServ afterwards.

I currently live rural vic and I am feeling burnt out from working in aged care as an EN... what other non clinical roles would anyone recommend?

I think I need a change, shift work, rude patient and staff... seems to be getting a little too toxic for me.

Thanks

Hi all,
I’m starting to facilitate students and I was wondering what feed back everyone has to offer? Can you give me examples of what facilitators have done which helped you a bunch?
Also shadowing students…. What have people done to make you feel more comfortable when we have to shadow you etc?? I feel bad for students when I’m standing there watching them when it’s not for assessment and I’m stuck watching someone shower a patient(?) etc I do try to help by making the bed etc but still…
Thanks so much

Hi All

I’m currently studying my enrolled nursing and I am still quite fresh, 6 months in, but that only means I have 1 year left. I’m currently working as an AIN in an aged care and have 3 years of aged care experience. I am just wondering how do you go about getting a job as an EN. Is there a grad year as an en or are there transition to practice programs. I’m just not quite sure, I have asked my facilitators and teachers but can’t seem to get a straight answer. I’m also debating whether or not to start my RNs immediately after finishing my EN, but I’m unsure of how I would manage this with a job. Anyways if anyone could give me some guidance that would be great. Thankyouuuu

Edit : I’m in northern NSW

Hey all,

My grad year starts at a public hospital in July 2027 and I’m tryna figure out what to do till then. I’ve got a current job in a different field but I was hoping to leave and start nursing in Jan or Feb but my luck ran out.

What are some other roles I can do temporarily. I’ve been thinking about RUSON or medical imaging assistant but is there anything else?

I don’t mind doing short courses in the mean time either just to keep engaged. I don’t want to lose any skills come July.

Thanks in advance

Hi all!

We would greatly appreciate it if you could spare 10 minutes to do our survey, which asks what should health services tell consumers and carers when AI has been involved in creating or modifying the health information they receive?

Project landing page address (including participant information sheet): Transparency in AI - Australian Survey Landing Page – Fill in form

Background

Health services across Australia are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) writing tools to draft, simplify, and translate health information for patients, carers, and families. In some services, AI is already being used to write or revise discharge summaries, clinic letters, patient portal messages, and clinical notes. However, there is currently no agreed standard for how health services should disclose this use of AI.

The study seeks the perspectives of health services staff, consumers and carers. It explores what information about AI use should be disclosed, when disclosure should occur, whether consent should be sought beforehand, who should be accountable if information is incorrect, and whether knowing AI was involved affects trust in the information.

About the survey

Anonymous: No names, email addresses, IP addresses, employer details, or other identifying information are collected. The survey platform does not require participants to sign in.

Completion time: Approximately 10 minutes, based on a timed pilot involving 14 participants.

Survey close date: 24 December 2026.

Format: Most questions are multiple choice. The final question in each survey provides an open-text field where participants can expand on any topic raised in the survey, including their views on the use of AI in health information.

More than one survey: Participants can complete all surveys that are relevant to their roles and experiences. For example, a health service staff member who is also a consumer or carer may complete the staff survey and the relevant consumer and/or carer survey.

Ethics approval: This study has been reviewed and approved by the ACT Health Human Research Ethics Committee: 2026/ETH02132.

About the project

The project is supported by the Canberra Hospitals Foundation Deborah Rolfe AM Perpetual Grant for Research.

The Transparency in AI Research Project Team is a collaborative group comprising clinicians and non-clinical staff, predominantly from Canberra Health Services (CHS), academics from ANU and UC, and consumer and carer research partners from across the ACT and Southern NSW.

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A plain-language summary of the study findings will be available to anyone who wishes to receive it. After completing the survey, participants can register their interest through a separate optional Expression of Interest (EOI) email register. The summary will be distributed once data analysis is complete.

The survey findings will inform Phase 2 of the study, in which consumers, carers, and health service staff will work together to co-design a resource to help health services communicate transparently about their use of AI in health information.

Hi all,
At my work we are meant to wear our ID badges which states our job title, first and surname along with a photo of ourselves. I was wondering if anyone here has covered up their surname on their badge?
I’m unsure if I should or not..

I’m looking into doing Midwifery at Fed Uni and everything I read is a bad experience. Would love to hear if there was any good experiences studying nursing or midwifery there?

Disclaimer: I'm not taking about clear cases of medical negligence which go to coroners or require compensation for disability.

I'm just wondering if anyone knows of Australian nurses getting sued. I hear chatter about this in the US nursing forums. Is it a thing in any part of Australia health care, maybe in the private system?

I work in an Australian public hospital and generally if a patient threatens to sue, they are being ridiculous, entitled or behavioural, and I have directed several patients to the complaints page on the hospital website because I'm sure my failure to provide lemon cordial or a hot blanket is putting your life at risk.