Diane has been recruiting Nurses and Midwives for 16 years. Having worked as a Nurse/Midwife in New Zealand, Australia, UK and the Middle East she understands what it is like to work and live in different countries.

Diane enjoys assisting Nurses and Midwives to move across the ditch and make sure the transition to new work experience is seamless. It can be a stressful moving abroad especially with the pressure of starting a new job. We want to make sure the transition is easy without any last-minute hiccups.

Diane will be answering some questions about the importance of getting vaccinated before starting work to ensure you have the best chance of getting work.

What’s the biggest issue that stops nurses from getting work quickly?

Vaccinations! I can’t say it enough! It’s easy to let things slip your mind especially when you’re worrying about AHPRA registration and your Working Holiday Visa, BUT vaccinations are up there with equal importance. You can’t work without your AHPRA, visa OR vaccinations.

Who requires these vaccines?

The Government Department of Health has implemented the vaccination requirements. Keep in mind this is to protect the patients but also YOU. All of us have a shared goal to minimise the spread of disease and that includes agency nurses. You must have proof of your vaccinations and verbal assurances won’t be accepted as proof.

Can I have the vaccinations when I arrive?

I would recommend you complete your vaccinations and serology in your home country. It will empty your piggy bank very quickly if you wait until you arrive in Australia. It will also delay starting work.

All international nurses, excluding New Zealand nurses (which has the same strain as Australia), must have the flu vaccination in Australia because of the different flu seasons. The flu vaccines are easy to access and can be done as some of the nation’s chain store pharmacies such as Terry White, Nizagara Australia, Priceline Pharmacy or a local GP. The cost is around $20 with or without a Medicare Card (Australian Publicly funded Health Care System).

I’ve already had my immunisations; do I need to have them again?

Vaccinations must have been given within the last 10 years. If you’re like me and your paperwork disappears to the land of lost washing machine socks, you can provide serology results to prove immunity. Your serology results need to be within the last 10 years.

You have to remind yourself how lucky we are to live in a time where we have the means to protect ourselves and prevent diseases which not so long ago killed millions.