Midwifery in Oz!

[marieh]

Im currently a student midwife but want to move after I qualify and have about 2/3years experience, so im planning very much ahead!! Just wondered if anyone can give me any information on midwifery in Australia?

 

Im I likely to obtain a visa?

Will I be able to travel with my partner if we are not married?

What is the pay like?

How does midiwfery work in Australia (is it midwifery led or consultant led)?

 

I realise that there are a lot of questions there!!! If anyone can answer any or pass on any advice I would be extremely greatful.

 

Thanks so much

 

Marie

 

xx

[tracybayliss]

hi

 

once youve qualified you shouldnt have any problems getting a visa, as a midwife is on the in demand list, there are lots of different types of visa's most hospital's will sponsor you but these are usually on a temp basis but you can still apply for perm visa once you start work.

 

 

Where are you based in the uK, im a community midwife in the west midlands and love my job that's why its taken us as a family 4 years to finally decide where to live. ive been offered a job in Brisbane its a rare opportunity the job is for a teenage midwifery group practice midwife, they do not really have community midwives in OZ so this is a good job and i get only 4 patients a month tolook after (different to here)

 

I know everyone has there own views on midwifery here, but personally I would never ever even if salary 10 times more than now would work back inside a hospital, too stressfull, too short staffed and not a supportive environment. so for me there was a real need to find a job in the community.

 

In OZ there is private care and public care, for what i can understand public care means as a midwife your job would be similar to the UK. However in private hospitals you are considered as an obstetric nurse and you have to fill an incident form in if you del a baby.

 

If you put midwife into your search you will see lots of midwives have posted on this site my fiend went to perth and loves it there.

 

As for your partner he will have no problems getting in especially if you get the hospital to sponsor you cause they sponsor whoever you take with you ie partner, hubby kids. You would be the primary applicant so wouldnt matter what he does, and you dont have to be married.

 

if you want any more info just let me know, good luck.

 

if your like me who loves working in all areas of midwifery such as community care then if i were you look into New Zealand, my ex community manager lives there and runs a lovely unit in Gisborne, she offered me a job and we all went over in Feb to have a look, New Zealand is wonderful, midwifery care there is fantastic you do everything you would in the UK, but the majority of women have a led maternity carer if they are low risk so 90% of women are cared for totally by Led maternity carers(community midwifes) they only have few core midwives in the hospital, one to one care and well supported and staffed.

 

Bat of plenty wonderful place to live, you just need to be careful if you go there as some places very very quiet, Loved the hospital in gisborne but the place its self is all on its own 2hours from anywhere else.

 

tracy

[marieh]

Thanks a lot!

 

Lots of helpful information, I think im going to keep looking and reading up on things and I have also been looking at NZ it looks absolutely beutifal, it was the 'obstetric nurse' bit that was putting me off midwifery in OZ but if thats only in the private hospitals then maybe its not as bad as I thought.

 

Thank you again!

 

x