Welcome to our blog, this segment will be about general discussions not particularly associated with nursing. The blog will be about working in Australia as a nurse and to empower you with general skills which will enable your work easy and enjoyable. There are challenges in every work and nursing is no different. However, most nurses forget to look after themselves and get burnt out within a short time of working in the industry.

From overseas and working as a nurse?

Coming from overseas for a nursing job is great, however there is a lot to learn and plenty of challenges. The first thing to get a good start in Australia is to undertake research and understand Australian people. Learn about their values and culture.

English Language

Yes, you passed your English test but there is more to learn than just passing that test. Australians speak English but some words are pronounced or phrased differently from the English you know. There is a lot of shortening of English words and names which can be confusing and you can question yourself when articulating something which Australians seems not to understand.

Educate yourself to these phrases and sayings and it will make your communication easier where you do not have to repeat yourself a hundred times over so that others can understand you.

Australians also have a bit of humour, if you come from a country where humour is non-existence, you might be lost if a joke is put across to you.
Australians also have problems pronouncing names and remembering them is a different story all together, that is why the word “mate” came into existence. A lot of migrants end up giving themselves a working English name different from their usual names to sort out this problem. Not sure whether it is the right thing to do or not but it seems not to bother those who change it.

Accent

A lot of Australians might tell you they cannot understand what you are saying due to your accent. Since you cannot change your accent, the best way to communicate is to speak slow, simple and in short sentences so that you do not get frustrated.

Diversity

The communities in major Australian cities are diverse. You interact, work and nurse people from different backgrounds. Therefore, when dealing with different people you can communicate to them about their cultures and learn as you go.

We are told we are a multicultural society but I have a different view on this debate and think we are a country of many cultures. The best way to survive in Australia is to get away from your own people and community, not to abandon them but to try and integrate into the Australian society and this will enable you feel welcome and better for your children as well.

It will be a pleasure if you could communicate what you would like to learn about and I will do my best to provide that. 😊