"What I'm Missing"

This month what I'm really missing is the thought of a choc top at the ASTOR Theatre while I indulge myself in an old movie like Breakfast at Tiffany's curled up in the red velvet seats soaking up the old fashioned glamour.

It’s just not the same to see a movie in a London Multiplex! So will one of you Melbourne based nurses please do me a favour and check out my old haunt, The Astor Theatre in Windsor. You'll love it!

Anyone who wants to win two FREE movie tickets to the Astor Theatre must write in with an article, letter, postcard, movie or restaurant review or photos.
Visit the Astor Theatre on www.astor-theatre.com

Sam Morris is a RN from NZ who is currently working at Alice Springs hospital in Day Surgery. Joey from the Melbourne office is Sam’s Recruitment Consultant.

Interview Questions:

Why did you choose to move to Alice Springs?
I had been there before and enjoyed it so I came back. It’s testing and challenging work here.

What is the best piece of advice you could offer to others?
Use HSR, they send you to good places. All you need to do is to tell them what you want them to do and they’ll do it for you. I’ve seen plenty of Australia through HSR.

What was the best tool that you used during the preparation stages?
Lonely planet is always the best. You can’t go wrong with that.

What was the thing that surprised you most about Alice Springs?
The locals! I had the biggest culture shock of my life when I came to Alice Springs. It’s like moving to the middle of Africa. You don’t understand what it’s like until you get here.

What was the best thing that happened to you when you arrived in Alice Springs?
The money is great and you get paid Superannuation and you also get RDO’s! There’s not a lot of manual work in my job so you really get to concentrate on the nursing side.

How did HealthStaff Recruitment assist you?
They’ve done everything for me from organising accommodation, work, and travel. I haven’t needed to do anything. It’s like having a great travel agent.

What do you most like about Alice Springs hospital?
The Nurses’ Quarters. There’s 180 – 200 people living on site and we go out every night. We’re very social.

Were any packages offered? How was the accommodation?
The hospital paid for my airfare, and the nurses’ quarters only cost $60 per week. They’re the nicest quarters I’ve ever lived in.

Would you recommend Alice Springs to other nurses?
Definitely. For a short period of time though. It’s good fun and a good experience. You won’t get this experience anywhere else. You have to come and see it to believe it.

Have you travelled around the area?
Yes, to the Ross River, Devils Marbles, Uluru, and the Olgas. Kings Canyon is my favourite.You can’t believe how beautiful it is until you see it. We slept in swags at one of the cattle stations and went through a tour company. This is the best way to do it as you get to meet people.

Have you done any other placements through HealthStaff Recruitment?
I’ve done heaps, about 6 or 7. Alice Springs Hospital and Prince Of Wales Hospital in Sydney have been my favourites.

*Aged Care & Rehab Nurses and A&E Nurses at Peninsula Health; Frankston Hospital, Rosebud Hospital and Mt Eliza Aged Care & Rehabilitation.
These hospitals are located along the gorgeous Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. This is a great place to settle whether you’re a single, couple or a young family. If you’re looking to escape the cold, city life then this is the location for you. Spend summer on the coast! 12 month contracts attract accommodation and airfare reimbursement.

You must apply by Friday 1st November 2002 or you will miss out.

*Surgical Nurses at St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital.

This is a private hospital located in Inner City Brisbane, Queensland. If you’re looking for sunshine every day then Brisbane is the city for you. It is the gateway to some of Australia’s most beautiful beaches and rainforests. Travel to the Sunshine Coast on your days off! 3 month contracts available. 12 month contracts attract accommodation and airfare reimbursement.

You must apply by Friday 25th October 2002 or you will miss out.

We offer a wide range of human resource consultancy services, including Executive Recruitment. We have some wonderful senior management positions available for Nurse Unit Managers, Associate Unit Managers, Directors of Nursing and Healthcare Business Managers.

If you are looking for a challenging and exciting management position in Australia, please call Joanna Cooney on 03 9530 2511

From Left: Lucy, Irene, Nola, Dick, Ray & Brian

(Anna is our Senior Recruitment Consultant at the Brisbane Office of HealthStaff Recruitment)
In April 02, I was fortunate to visit the Australian and NZ social work and residential care staff in Dublin, to see first hand just how they were managing the challenges involved in relocating and working on the other side of the world. After being met at Dublin airport by the humourous Ray Keane (one half of the Meet and Greet team), I was driven to the Ashling Hotel, which is where the overseas recruits are accommodated on arrival.

I then met up with Dick Bennett, the other delightful half of the Meet and Greet duo. Dick and Ray spent the day with me, driving to the various work sites to visit the Social Workers. This included a trip down the coast to Dun Laoghaire as well as a visit to the central city Baggot Street office where the team there work with Unaccompanied Minors seeking Asylum.

That evening the antipodean team was invited for drinks at the Ashling Hotel. It was a really great turn out and good to see everyone sharing experiences and trading tips. After months of waiting on registration and work permit applications, it was great to see everyone actually in person at the final target destination!

See our next newsletter issue with excerpts from our Social Workers and Residential Care Workers.

Presented by HealthStaff Recruitment

On Thursday 12 September 2002, HealthStaff Recruitment will present the inaugural Australian Nursing Awards at the Royce Hotel in Melbourne.

The Awards are designed to recognise outstanding nurses but, are also a vehicle to encourage further education by providing scholarships to three finalists for further study in a specialty of their choice.

Guest speakers and presenters at the ceremony will include the Hon. Kevin Andrews - Federal Minister for Ageing and Belinda Moyes - Principal Nursing Adviser to the Victorian Government.
This is the first time that an awards initiative has been created on a national level and we are truly excited to be able to present the Awards as the principal sponsor. Our supporting partners include the Australian Nursing Federation, Royal College of Nursing Australia, The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, Nursing Review, Nursing Weekly and Elsevier Science.

But it’s not just the finalists who are in line for prizes – every nurse attending the awards will be eligible for a special door prize of a six-day leadership-training program, courtesy of Proteus Enterprises.

All our HealthStaff nurses based in Melbourne received an invitation to attend the inaugural ceremony, so if you haven’t confirmed your attendance, now is the time to do so! Freecall 1800 330 533 to rsvp by Wednesday 4 September as places are strictly limited.

After receiving a recommendation from our Nurse, Sam Morris that Kings Canyon, NT was worth a visit, we had to find out what makes it so special!

Kings Canyon is an area surrounded by rock formations, water holes, lush vegetation and a gorge that is carved into a natural amphitheatre. The water holes sustain prehistoric vegetation known as the "Garden of Eden" and the dome-shaped rocks are known as the "Lost City". There is a six kilometre track that allows visitors to venture through Kings Canyon, and we are told this is the best way to experience it. Accommodation in the area ranges from camp sites to luxury hotels. A great option for Nurses working at Alice Springs hospital!!

Business Analyst – Brisbane – Package circa 55k

This is an exciting and challenging role within a Queensland based multinational. As the Business Analyst you will be responsible for providing financial commentary and advice for decision making purposes. You will need to provide meaningful analysis and produce timely and accurate reports for the National business. Your financial modelling skills will be utilised as will your commercial awareness.

It is expected that the successful candidate be degree qualified in
either Accounting/Commerce and/or Business, and working towards professional qualifications.

Applicants must contact Brad Bishop of Balance Staff by Monday
16 September 2002 on Ph: 02 9994 8944
Please visit the Balance Staff website: www.balancestaff.com.au