studies

[ancksunamun]

I can't believe I'm considering this, but I think I want to go back to uni next year. When I think about my life, long-term.. it doesn't really involve working in retail. I want a career.. something with potential for advancement. I also want to be doing something a bit more challenging and fulfilling

Comments

[drblaze]

Do it :-) It's a great career choice, very portable and there are heaps of opportunities to advance/change specialties.

UQ offer a B. Midwifery so you can go straight into that stream of nursing (instead of doing the post-grad training) but it's only offered full time and I don't think you can apply for general registration with that particular degree only the midwifery endorsement.

Having said that, GU and QUT offer part time courses (CQU and JCU do external too, but I don't know how that works with centrelink) and Queensland Health is always looking to sponsor grads to do the midwifery courses.

[ancksunamun]

I think Brisbane is a bit far to commute now that we've bought a house in Landsborough.. but USC is only 10 mins away and they offer the straight Bachelor of Nursing. I think I would be happy to have some experience in nursing before moving on to midwifery.

I was astounded at the OP required to get in, only 15! I guess nurses are needed pretty badly these days.

[drblaze]

Sorry, forgot you weren't a Brisbaneite anymore. USC developed their program in conjunction with CQU a couple of years ago and from all reports it's ok.

General nursing is probably the way to go as you'll get a broader nursing education and then Queensland Health would do a 1-year graduate program with you where you get rotated through 4 specialty areas (usually medical, surgical, emergency and one other). Regardless of what specialty you choose later the med/surg experience will help you a lot.

The other upside is that Queensland Health is currently guaranteeing employment to all new grad nurses and I don't see that changing any time soon.

[ancksunamun]

That sounds good. Even though I'm mostly thinking about midwifery, there is no harm in exploring other areas of nursing. Who knows, there could be another area which is more fulfilling to me. I guess only experience will tell me that.

What I do need to organise is my science pre-req. I did grade 11/12 at Tafe in the form of Adult Tertiary Preparation, and although I got straight honours (equiv. OP2 which is the highest you can get doing ATP), I didn't do a science subject. I'm thinking maybe doing bio as an individual unit through Open Learning Institute of Tafe. Then I shouldn't have a problem getting into Nursing. I can't really think of any other way of doing it.