career question for all the nurses...
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Topic: career question for all the nurses...
Posted By: BaAsKa
Subject: career question for all the nurses...
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 11:18am
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Ok so im just needing nurses opinions on whether im following the right path or wasting my time...
So i was going to do a bachelor of midwifery next year but after getting some great advice from Janine  i have decided to do a bachelor of nursing instead and because the course is full until next year i thought (with the advice from massey) that i would do 3 papers this year from a bach of science to be transfered (crosscredited) over to nursing when i start.....so heres the question..
IS IT GOING TO BE A BIT OF A WASTE OF TIME DOING THESE NOW?? SHOULD I JUST WAIT AND DO THEM AS PART OF MY 3 YEARS STUDY?? OR WILL IT MAKE A MARKED DIFFERENCE IN CHOPPING TIME OFF MY STUDY??? sorry for the boring question! lol... TIA |
Replies:
Posted By: ShellandBella
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 11:35am
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I think you may as well do it as part of the nursing training. A guy in my nursing class had a Bachelor of Science and even though he could cross-credit about 3 papers, all it did for him was give him some extra free time in the first year (which, by the course's standards, is probably the easiest out of all 3), so really he would just get 'free' periods because he wasn't required to attend any of the A&P classes. But if you want some free time up your sleeve in the first year, then you should go for it.
I had a BA in psychology but wasn't able to cross-credit any of my courses, but I don't think it would have made much difference anyway. Congrats on making the decision!  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 11:52am
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Yay nusring rocks! Lol!
I guess you just do what is gonna fit in best with your life style really. I would take a bit of presure of for next year. *Thread jack * - Does anyone know what u have to do to unskill if u havent done the required ammount of study and work hours in the past 3 years, to be able to obtain a practicing cert? |
Posted By: AliaDawn
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 11:54am
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Good on ya. I'd like to do midwifery, but I wouldn't know where to start... doesn't help that I didn't finish high school. It's really confusing! -------------  
 
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Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 11:57am
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I did my nursing quite young. I was still doing 7th form but did 3 of the nursing papers at the same time before leaving half way thru 7th form to start my degree full time.
I loved having more free time in my 1st year especially because I was new to the whole really having to work for things, and not being spoon fed it like at school. I recommend you do the 3 papers if you feel like easing back into the study thing... -------------  
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 12:30pm
| I started my nursing in the middle of what would have been 7th form too! I left school after 6th form tho, then worked in a resthome for 6 months before starting my degree in July! |
Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 12:32pm
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Thats classic. they don't allow you to do it that much anymore apparently.
So how old are you then, Kellz? If you don't mind me asking  -------------
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Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 12:34pm
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Just read your question about upskilling. I am interested in that too as have been working as a techer for last 5 years and would like to make the switch back to nursing...fickle I am. -------------
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Posted By: TysMummy
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 1:15pm
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where do you want to nurse when you finish? in new zealand they pay crap and always will.............i run an nursing agency and now we are going into nursing bureau ..........which is basically sending nurses all over the world to work ..........we emplyed both midwives and nurses and after being in the situatin with the birth of my boy at the hospital.......the midwives there where underskilled for my care ............something as simple as painmeds (to me it was simple) was really confusing to them ...ok way of subject ...wat im saying is when i employ someone i will look at work experience not just education...if that makes sence....study as well as work ...i know you do the work experience but do more.......the new grads coming out are pretty dam scary. Good luck we definatly need more nurses :) ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 1:22pm
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aye, what's this about new grads??! I really think it depends alot on where you trained, what placements you have had and what opportunities you gained through the placements. Everyone when they first start out feels a little out of their depth because as a student you have to be subpervised giving meds, you can't even go near Iv's and at the end of the day you aren't fully accountable for the patient's care.. your buddy nurse is. So yep once you get out there, all new grads go through a period of adjustment.... not all of us are "dam scarey" i think it really depends on your work ethic and how much you've bothered to learn about A&P and all the other stuff.
Kellz you could probably contact nursing council to find out about upskilling etc, am sure they'd give you the guide-lines etc. The other thing you could do, is have a look out (cannot remember where you were previously working) but see if you can sign up for any study-days etc to boost the education hours. Peanut in terms of returning to nursing after that amount of time off i think you might have to do a few papers or part of a "return to nursing" course, usually not too much, just updating clinical competencies etc through the uni or polytech - again nursing council is a really good point to start. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja 
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Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 1:26pm
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oooh and Amber, it's completely up to you what you want to do, like others have said, sometimes it's nice to have a bit of heat taken off, since i did a little part time study after having paris i found it nice to have knocked some 3rd year papers out of the way so once i started 3rd year with newborn ayja i had a few more hours free each week. but as i've said other times, sometimes, it's good to learn it all at the same time as everything else you are learning because you learn things together and nursing perspective gets brought into the learning too, whereas you won't get that in the science papers... also means that you don't get to 2nd year and think "darn it was so long ago i learnt that stuff.. what was it again?"
good luck ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Posted By: ShellandBella
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 1:45pm
I think to upskill you have to go back to poly (or uni) and do the "Return to nursing" course. We get a lot of older nurses who have done it coming through, and bascially you have to re-do quite a bit of the theory, do a 10 week placement and then apply to nursing council. And its not cheap - about $2000 from what I understand...hence why I will never stop working for any length of time, couldn't be bothered with all that crap  ! Or alternatively, you could just jump over the ditch and get a practicing cert there, work for a bit and then come back .
And I don't agree that grad nurses aren't any good...having come through the new system myself, and considering its the only option available, I think new grads do the best with what little skills they are taught at poly (or uni). I did my grad year in Oz and boy did I get chucked in the deep end - straight into IV's, CVC's, taking blood, ECG's etc. but man I learnt pretty quickly. I think the NZ system as a whole sucks but its what you have to do if you want to be a nurse... Sorry for threadjacking, Amber! And BTW, nursing is great, but comes with loads of politics unfortunately. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: ShellandBella
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 1:51pm
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Oh and Kellz, I believe the requirements to get a prac cert are 450hrs clinical practice and 60hrs education over 3 years... ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 2:04pm
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Hehe, Shellandbella, am not old, just fickle. Only worked as a nurse for a year then trained as a teacher as wanted to get into family planning, but then got way laid in teaching - so am only 27. Will ring the council or have a nose on a website.
Don't mind paying to upskill as boredom is starting to set in. -------------
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Posted By: ShellandBella
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 2:06pm
Oh I didn't mean you were old, but that is the demographic of the 'ladies' coming through at work  . Sorry, didn't mean to offend  ! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: TysMummy
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 2:16pm
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guys i didnt say they are no good im saying to practice and practice the ones that come out with no experience and im talking about work not the experience you have while studying ..........i would employ someone that has worked as a caregiver to gain experience over someone that has 'just' studied any day......im saying to gain more experience then they allow at tech or uni ...dont except that studying is enough.........speaking from experience as employer and a nurse ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 3:36pm
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this is great ladies! thanks for your feedback
I guess i really shouldv just followed this path in the first place bcos it was a choice between this or architecture and i cant remember why but i went that way! so i got a nat. cert in science and technology then a bach of architecture (4 years study down the plop! ). I love learning things so am quite excited to start NOW! lol
Are you thinking of getting back into nursing Kelly?? what area did you work in again?? (my stink baby brain!lol). I get what ya mean Tysmummy, im sure alot of employers tend to employ the experieced over the new which in a way is a bit of a bummer for the new but does make sense. My plan is to eventually study towards a bach of midwifery down the track (around 5 years) bcos right now - doing independant MW wouldnt suit my young family and as Janine pointed out to me - I will be much better off with nursing under my belt when i go into midwifery
aaawww im so excited!!!!.....what a GEEK! i am! lol
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 3:43pm
Well i REALLY REALLY REALLY lol want to work in the neonatal unit (for obvious reasons....midwifery) so if im able to i will go whereever i can get in that isnt more than an hours travel of course! Im not sure if there is a neonatal unit in whakatane which would be my prefered choice...do you know if there is Kellz??? (seen as you worked there!) |
TysMummy wrote:Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 3:48pm
| Did you enjoy working as a nurse in Oz Shell? is it much different to here?? what area do you work in? |
Posted By: ShellandBella
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 4:06pm
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I loved working in Oz, Amber. Working conditions and wages were far superior and nurses had more responsibilities over there (limited prescribing rights, input to change, etc. and I loved how they had legal nurse/patient ratios.
I work in operating theatre... ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 4:12pm
aw that sounds exciting!! and Gory!  ...
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Posted By: ShellandBella
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 4:20pm
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Yup - love the gore!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 4:36pm
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tehe! im into gory things as well!! I wanted to be a forensic pathologist but decided to wipe it off the short list because i thought that id probably never be able to eat or sleep again after working in that profesion!
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 5:27pm
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Peanut- Im 28!
Shellandbella- Yep I kow the hours just gotta work out if I have done that many or not in the past 3 years. I havent worked since July 06
Janine- I rang nursing council on fri and they are sending me the paper work. I just didnt know what I would have to do if they dont approve me cos of my hours. Amber- Whakatane have a small high dependncy unit, but not a NICU as such. The dont take babies younger than 32 weeks gestation at all. Between 32-34 weeks it depends if they are stable, in not they go to waikato. Yep Im thinking about returning to work. I have never done any job un-nursing related since I was 15 (expect the christmas holidays of 6th form working at farmers!). My passion is oncology outpatient nursing, but there is only a small unit here, same as in whakatane, so its more likely I will work on a medical ward like I did in Whakatane. |
Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 5:46pm
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oh so there might be hope for me to go to whakatane yet I knew that they didnt take babies under 33 weeks from when Astin decided to try and arrive at 33 weeks! lol but yeah i wasnt too sure about whether they let ladies have their babies there then send them away or keep them there
SO are you heading back to work are you? |
Posted By: LuluBelle85
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 6:00pm
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Hey, just wanted to say all the best with your studies! (Whatever and whenever you decide to do them)
I'm currently doing the pre-health sciences course at canterbury polytechnic to go into the bachelor of midwifery next year. It's mainly future nursing students in my classes (a few future midwifery and medical imaging students as well). I absolutely love it and can't wait till next year (providing I get in!) Cheers!
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 6:11pm
thanks Lou best of luck for your course also
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 6:44pm
Lol I answered that already! Yep just thinking about it at this stage. Gotta see how easy its gonns be for me to get registered again, and then go from there. I havent been looking and jobs or anything yet. |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 9:04pm
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Amber are you planning on studying through Massey to get your degree?? As I am thinking about changing the way I am going. I had decided to give Education one more go this semester and it just isn't interesting me. I do want to be a teacher but I can't be arsed going through all of the $hit to get there. My other options were Nursing/Midwivery as well. More keen on Midwifery but as I have the young children would be hard to do. I might actually PM you to see what papers you are doing. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 10:51pm
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Oooo so exciting Amber. Are you going to apply for nursing next year? I'm going to apply for midwifery next year too I'm so excited, I just hope I get in. We can be study buddies.
Booweeza so exciting if we both get in we might be in the same midwifery class
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Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 11:52pm
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where do you guys down south study through? As far as i know, midwifery direct entry study through massey only takes an intake of 10 students per year last time i checked. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 10 May 2008 at 11:53pm
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ooop, forgot to say that's per region i think.
I also know that palmy ladies etc now have to travel down to wellington as palmy no longer offers the course here. so that's even more reasons for me not to do it anytime soon... apart from the fact that i love my current job. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Posted By: LuluBelle85
Date Posted: 11 May 2008 at 12:28am
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RachandJack are you applying for the CPIT intake for next year?
Have you done the pre-health course? I'm a bit nervous as they don't take in many each year. You have to do a 2000 word assignment just to get through to the group interview and selection panel! Trying my best to get A's in all my subjects for pre-health (so freaking hard though). I think for CPIT it's about 22 people per intake (from what a 2nd year midwifery student told me the other day). Scared...
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 11 May 2008 at 10:42am
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Yeah they don't do MW in Palmy anymore - which really sucks so you have to pretty much do it internally in Welly or do it by block mode but that way you still spend weeks in Welly. I'm still thinking about what I am going to do. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 11 May 2008 at 2:25pm
Yip CPIT. I know I'm so nervous about applying too, I've got my references sorted for my essay and have kind of started it. I did nursing 4 years ago and have been told my marks are good enough from that to go straight in but if I leave it any longer than next year it would have been too long so will have to do pre health. only 22 I'm so scared.
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Posted By: LuluBelle85
Date Posted: 11 May 2008 at 3:46pm
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Oh that's good that you don't have to do pre-health!
I'm not even going to start my application assignment until I have pre-health out of the way (got 3 essays on the go at the mo). I'm hoping my marks will be good enough. So far they are pretty good, although my Maths A course mark sucks (B-). Yeah, 22 is a small number huh! Keep me posted on your application! |
Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 11 May 2008 at 8:21pm
yip well im applying in october of this year for next year and im studying at Waiariki poly
Iv got a Nat. cert in science and technology which will apparently help me to get in and il also be enrolling as an adult. |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 11 May 2008 at 8:21pm
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Good on you B- isn't too bad, I don't even know what my nursing marks were but that weren't spectacular so I hope its enough. Let me know how you go as well it would be so exciting if we both got through together.
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 11 May 2008 at 8:35pm
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Slightly OT, but given the shortage of midwives, it's a bit sucky how restricted the numbers of new ones they're training are. Still, I suppose they have to have the qualified staff to TEACH the courses... -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 11 May 2008 at 8:54pm
Yeah thats what I thought too but I was talking to some of the programme leaders and they actually have more room than they use but they only let in the people they think will be great midwives "quality rather than quantity" as she put it. |
Posted By: LuluBelle85
Date Posted: 11 May 2008 at 11:52pm
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Yeah I would say it's more to do with there being enough tutors/lecturers, and from what I know, most are taking on caseloads as well as teaching. Also probably to do with clinical placements which start from first year as well.
Rach... my grade average is A at the moment (my B- brought my A+'s down which is a pain) so I'm hoping to keep that up. Did you finish your nursing programme? |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 12 May 2008 at 11:07am
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Wow thats such great marks, what subjects are you doing? I did the first semester and then the maths in the second semester but then I left. Its been to long to cross credit which is good because I can't remember that much. I'm all worried now I don't know if my marks will be good enough
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Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 12 May 2008 at 11:41am
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I'm sure you will be fine, Rach.
Am now busy investigating my return to nursing...I looked at the MW course about 3 years ago as got a sudden obsession with it but it just seemed so scary. Good on you girls for doing it. I would like to just work on the wards as a MW rather than actually do the labour thing as it just seems like sooo much responsibility. Does that scare you or put you off? -------------
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Posted By: LuluBelle85
Date Posted: 12 May 2008 at 12:05pm
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Rach, I'm doing Cells, tissues and the human body, Chemistry, Maths A and B, Info Skills, Therepeutic Communication and Microbiology.
I'm sure you will be fine if you've already spoken to them about it. I need to go talk to someone about it all soon too. |
Posted By: susieq
Date Posted: 12 May 2008 at 12:18pm
| I am organising a Karitane reunion and one of the other ex karitanes here in Auckland is one who like me feels strongly that they could yse Karitanes/Nannies in the maternity wards to free up midwives |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 12 May 2008 at 12:35pm
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Sounds good in theory Susieq, but a lot of the midwives on the wards wouldn't take up independent midwifery even if they had the opportunity coz they prefer the regular hours of a ward roster.
Don't even get me started on the DU/WAU midwives tho - the ones that are either too inexperienced or too old to go into independent practise, and it shows! ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: susieq
Date Posted: 12 May 2008 at 12:41pm
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Karitane Nurses/Nannies could also be utilised in the neonatal units feeding babies in the feeders and growers section
My girlfriend another ex kartiane works on a Maternity ward in the Royal Womens Hospital in Sydney. I am sure it could be worked here in NZ somehow but the problem is how? |
Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 12 May 2008 at 1:50pm
it also sucks that they only offer the bach of MW course in Wellington (for all the north islanders) so people like me who live 8+ hours away! its damb near impossible to study that!! 
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 12 May 2008 at 8:34pm
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Yeah that does suck Amber! My neighbour is in her first year, and you have to go to Wellington for a week per month. She has 3 kids, the 2 per-schoolers she takes with her and leaves them in Palmy at her mums, then carries on to Wellington. Such a mission to do each month, not to mention the $$!
OT- Got my re-registration papers today. Worked out that 450 hrs is only about 3 months full-time, and I have worked a whole year in the last 3 years, so as long as I go back in the next 9 months, then I still will have done 450 hrs in the last 3 years! yay! |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 12 May 2008 at 8:56pm
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Yep it is a pain that Massey stopped doing it in Palmy - might ask my friend up there why that happened (she knows a lot about things there). Yay Kellz that is cool that you can do it. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 12 May 2008 at 10:58pm
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te he he.. yeah but even the nicest wee "feeders and growers" are still usually nasty little mites that do horrible things like brady (drop their heartrate to their boots), Apnoea (stop breathing) or desaturate and go blue on you at moments notice.
Am with Emma on the midwives wanting the normality of a roster. Where i am i know that they are rostered between the postnatal and delivery suites on and off, so they do both, although most ladies have independants midwives for their preg care/birth these days so not a heap go thru the hospital midwives unless they're thru specialists. I must say, having had my fair share of troubles with midwives who don't know a heck of alot about the baby care part of things in the last 2 years.. becomming a midwife and working up there with some of them would probably just drive me batty. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Posted By: susieq
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 9:00am
| The Karitanes/nannnies could help with other duties on a postnatal ward tho |
Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 10:45am
oh lord! that poor lady!! but GOOD ON HER!! for sticking with it!! It makes me mad that we cant do it closer! but YAY for you not having to redo your hours!
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 1:44pm
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The good thing about being an independant midwife is that you can make your caseload as big/small as you like. Sure you do get called out but you then you might get more spare time during the day to go watch school plays and stuff?
I've decided to do one paper in July to wean me back into study but now I'm getting all nervous about putting the kids into daycare  you just can't win.
This so doesn't help you North Island ladies but CPIT and the Dunedin Polytech are making up a new course to start next year that can be done by correspondence for all those women who live in between. |
Posted By: coldfish
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 4:46pm
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Hi, I haven't met most of you as I'm new here, but all this talk of nursing training is getting me excited. I'm planning on doing a bachelor of Nursing next year at CPIT. I have enrolled in the Pre-Health Sciences course to start in July as I've been out of study for quite a while.
My question to any of you in study or work is regarding pregnancy and children... I'm 32 at the moment, so when I start the BN I'll have just turned 33. I have a partner and we don't have any children. Because of my age I realise the years are ticking along and we've been thinking when and how to fit children in. If I wait til I've finished the course I'll be turning 36, which may be getting a bit old to start thinking about a first pregnancy? I'd like to do as much study as I can without a baby because I'll have more time and energy. Has anyone studied while pregnant or with a young baby? Is it possible, or would you recommend doing as much study as possible before getting pregnant? It's all quite confusing because both children and a career are important to me and I'm not sure if I should gamble with time too much and then end up being too old for babies. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Debbie |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 6:23pm
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Debbie talk to mum2paris. She was studying while pregnant and then went back when Ayja was quite young. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 8:04pm
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Yep, what doy ou want to know? lol, how bout i start from the start, might give a few pointers to those considering having bubs during study too.
i started nursing without a baby, got preg at end of 1st year, continued to study up till half way thru 2nd year when i had Paris, in my holidays no less. lol. Then i started back when she was 3 weeks old, only for 2 hours per week finishing off the 2 full year papers (human bio and health assessment) that i had started... i didn't go to tutorials, I used the resources we were given online to study as they put up powerpoints of each class anyway. I only went to the compulsory 1 hour practical for each per week as that counted towards practice hours. i took 6 months off after that to be a full time SAHM (i should have just returned really), and returned to study when Paris was 11 months old. Only problem i had was the 2nd yr papers i had withdrawn from when ihad paris, were now no longer run all in the same 6 mth time slot darn it, so i did 2 in the 2nd semester of the year, and another 2 in the 1st semster of the next year. I found that worked actually really well, as i picked up 2 of my 3rd year papers(human bio and health assessment cos i'd passed the 2nd year ones of course). That worked out really well as i had only been back at study for a month or so when i found out i was having ayja (paris was 13mths old).. so picking up the 3rd year papers meant that i filled in some of the time i had pre-Ayja, and also meant that once i returned after having her (again, in my holidays.. well planned) i wasn't as full-on as the other girls. I was back to full time but with 2 of the major papers sorted. The main thing i found hard, was placements. Firstly, both times i was pregnant, i had clinical placements, which meant 8 hrs on my feet for 3 weeks at a time on rostered shifts in the hospital and in community stuff, When i was pregnant with Paris i worked with people with spinal injuries, but of course i got out of lifting etc, the other placement i was put in a dual-diagnosis drug and alcohol rehab house for people with mental illness.. i was about 29 weeks then and felt a little vulnerable. With ayja i had to drop a placement, it hit when i was 8 weeks, full on hormonal, not sleeping well, terrible morning sickness, the works, I got put in the cardiac ward which terrified me a little, my lecturer came round half way thru the first shift and i ended up bawling my eyes out to her in the drug room. I got sent home and she arranged it with our head of programme so that i re-did my placement in the "make-up" group with those that hadn't passed other placements, so i was about 16 weeks then and much more in control and had a great great placement in the same cardiac ward. In terms of that, it was tiring, it was hard fitting in enough rest etc with study the second time cos i had a little person around too if she wasn't at daycare, but the first time it wasn't too bad as it was still just me on my time off so i could plan sleep and study as i wanted. Also with plcements, If you have a great man that will pick up where you left off, then i would say having kids won't muck around too much. Mike and i share all housework, childcare etc. When i wasn't there he did all the great work of looking after Paris and Ayja plus the house stuff. That's really important that your household will go on running when you're not there and you don't come home to grumpy kids, grumpy hubby and a tip of a house.. sooo not great. He still does alot with me now working. The great thing is that it realllly helped him form a strong as bond with the girls, they have heaps of fun, and he's an equal parent and involved in their lives 100%. Ayja was 11 weeks old when she started daycare, I found that incredibly hard to leave her, I hated it at first, I also found her routine got mucked about a bit as well, at daycare they can't always put your kid's need first, theres a few others to consider too., but as the daycare was close by i would go over there, I would feed in the morning before i left, again at morning tea break, lunchtimes, afternoon tea etc, the lecturers again were wonderful and if i missed when she was awake at my breaks i had my phone on vibrate in class and the daycare would call let it ring a few times and hang up. I would just nip out and feed ayja, the daycare would have her all ready and changed etc for me and would usually end up burping her etc while i went back to class. So yeah, Breastfeeding is possible if you have great family support, lecturer support.. and a great daycare very close by. I did find on placements though that well, i couldn't do that, so onto the bottle she went on those days, initially i would express milk, but i gave up expressing milk for her to have when It got to the point i was getting home from placement shift at 11pm, feeding her, expressing milk for the next day, waking a few times during the night for her and having her all day, feeding up until work at 2pm. I got exhausted so decided to switch to formula in bottles when i couldn't be there, and breastfed her when i was with her. Really, to be completely honest, i believe i was bumming around a bit befor ei had Paris, wasn't focused, left things to the last minute. Once i had a baby, i really got great with my planning, my time management and would start assignments etc ages out so i made sure they were done by the due date as a 2-day-weekend-blitz the days before it was due was out of the question with a baby to factor in. I also would say, if you are considering having kids, have a baby BEFORE you enrol, 1st year is the easiest, the least full on and the most flexible in terms of classes and all the other stuff, and mostly you don't have placements in the 1st year apart from i think we had 1 placement for 1 week. oooooh. lol that would be a good time to have a younger baby as some places also let you study part-time which means you could do the 1st year or so part time with a bub, and it also means your baby is that much older when you begin 2nd year and have to do placements and daycare, or leave baby with dad for afternoon shifts etc. Depending on your family support, you may find that most of your work might be able to be done at home and when you have to go in to class, if you're part time, then it won't be as often, you might even be able to get away without needing daycare and just using gran to babysit, or at least only needing daycare for a few hours a week. I don't reccomend putting a really new bub into daycare like i did, I think 5 mths at least is good, time enough for them to get routines sorted etc with you at home, and time to bond. having a really tiny bub in daycare and trying to get over the birth physically/emotionally and trying to adjust to motherhood etc, is not a great time to be having to leave them for the full day.. sooo hard. Finally, the thing you need to consider most as well is....as you say with age etc. to be realistic, once you finish study, you'll need to get a job, so add another year at least to be able to do a new-grad programme. I can't remember if it's all NZ or just our DHB, but new grads can't work in the hospital unless they are part of a new grad programme to see you through your first year, and taking time out of that is hard (i took over a month off when i had the M/C last year and that buggered me up heaps in terms of getting work signed off and portfolio done for PDRP). That and if you have finished your Study, then if you don't enrol in a new-grad programme before 6 months is up you don't qualify for entrance into it because you've been out for too long. So really, by then it would make you another year older as well before you even start, another good point for having baby now and studying once baby is a few months old. Oooh that and the fact that depending on hubby's wage, if you are studying a set amount of hours, daycare is very well subsidised, sometimes full amount paid. It also means that well, depending on the age gap you want, you could have your second after working a year (so you other one would prob be about 4/5yrs old) and take advantage of the wonderful maternity leave schemes offered thru the DHB - again am unsure if it's all over NZ, but i know that at our DHb, mothers are "topped-up" by the hospital, so whatever IRd give you for Paid parental leave, is topped up to your usual base pay for the full 14 weeks of your maternity leave - which is REALLY helpful. Hope that has helped a little. For me i found it was nice to finish my degree, get a job and keep going, all my other mates have been at it a year or so and are now stopping to have babies.... I've been there done that. If you need to know anything else, don't hesitate to ask. Am sure you're probably all asleep now......  ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 9:01pm
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Wow Janine, what an awesome job youve done to juggle all that, and come out on top!
Just looked up jobs here, and there is a .4FTE job on med ward,..yay sounds perfect! Im excited! Lol! Gonna ring up tomorrow,..dont know how I will fit the shifts in with daycare and mil etc,..hopong they would be able to offer me permanant shifts if I got the job,..but I very much doubt it,...still dunno if I will cope working again either,...but I think having a focus outside the house will help me get my confidence etc back,..hmm,..I dunno,..guess I scared! |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 11:38pm
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He he kellz, see if you can get weekend afternoons or something like that, easy to get a babysitter, plus a bit extra in the money stakes.
.4 is great... so many mums in the unit with little toddlies only do that. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Posted By: coldfish
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 8:49am
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mum2Paris, thanks so much for posting such a long detailed reply to my question. It was very helpful, and great to hear first hand from someone who has been there and done that :) You are quite inspirational, studying and working with not just one child, but two.
Thanks again |
Posted By: gemsmum
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 9:25am
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Wow Janine, I'm impressed. When I did my nursing training I was young and single and had no respect for the juggling the Mums on our course did. I've just done a one year post-grad cert with two children, working and pregnant and now look back with awe at how they survived that study.
And yayyy Kellz for having enough hours. Annual practice certs are a PITA! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 10:06am
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Go Janine, you know you are a legend girl!
And good luck with your enquiries today Kellz! Thinking of you. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 12:48pm
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OMG Janine! YOU ARE THE MAN...OR WOMAN!!! lol thats awsome reading you experience bcos its a huge inspiration to those of us who are trying to get it sorted
GOOD LUCK KELLZ!
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 1:00pm
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Have talked to the charge nurse and got the application form. Have to do rostered shifts, but its self-rostering so will have some say in it. At least that way I wont have to work every weekend, and will still get the $ beneifits of working some weekends.
Now just got to talk to MIL about looking after Isla. Cant increase her daycare hrs at the mo cos no vacanies. |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 1:48pm
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Kelz at least you could try and set some of your shifts so that they fall on the days she goes to daycare and maybe have hubby drop her off, or see if she can start earlier if it's morning shift etc, or see if MIL can pick her up from daycare which would take care of it a bit. It's good with self-rostering/requests you should be able to fit it in wel with family and toddler life, he he. HUGE HUGE good luck with your application.
I'm now having to look at hours etc, and waiting for mikes new schedule for next semester so that i can start requesting shifts to fit in with his classes for when Paris starts school. I have *YAY* had annual leave approved so that i have the 1st 3 weeks off when Paris starts school. I am trying to get away without after-school care for at least the first year if i can help it... preferrably would like to not do it at all. I see myself rostering on for a few more night shifts so i can sleep during the day while she's at school and still be there in the mornings to drop her off, the afternoons to pick her up, and be there for dinner etc. In essence alot the mums that do that find their kids don't actually realise when they've worked and when they haven't cos they never see them leave and they're mostly home before the kids wake in the mornings. And guys... thankies for you words... but seriously, it just shows if you're as stubborn and pig-headed as me, you can find a way to do what you want to do. At the time i just did it, it was just life. I now look back and go "WTF?! Was i crazy?!" It was funny as when i graduated Paris had a whole heap of people coming up and talking to her (my old lecturers) cos they'd watched her grow up. When she was 11 months old and i first started back, mike had to be in at work by 8am each morning (across the road from UCOl which was good) so I'd get her up at the last minute, dress her, and i'd pack a little bowl with a lid with her cereal or weet-bix in it, we'd get there, go up to the nursing lounge by the nusing lecturers offices, and i'd use the student kitchen to make her brekkie, we'd sit on their comfy couches and she'd have her brekkie and her bottle and play with a couple of wee toys i took until close to 9am which was when she booked in to daycare. I'd take her over and go to class. She had so many people that would stop and talk to her each morning, they watched her learning to walk and talk and i continued that up till i had ayja. There were still some days that i took them both up there if the timetalbe was a bit mucky, so they saw the whole process. For them to then see her all grown up, nearly 4 years old at my graduation, they thought it was really neat. It's funny the things that life brings you.. It was neat having so many people take an interest in what she was doing each morning and stop to play with her or talk to her on their way into the office. Is all good though. It's nice to encourage others be as nuts as me. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Posted By: susieq
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 4:18pm
| Does anywhere have papers you can study by correspondence for nurisng |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 6:32pm
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Susieq there are a few papers you can do through Massey but you can't do the whole degree extramural as you have to be there for the lab papers. I know a few of the papers - let me know I can get them to you. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: susieq
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 6:46pm
| That would be great if you could pm the names of them to me |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 6:47pm
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Sweet I will do it later tonight or tomrrow morning - i'm just about to go out to band. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
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