Starting a new job as a graduate nurse can be an intimidating experience, but with the right advice, support, and tips mentioned in this post, you can make the most of your new career.
Here are five tips to help you navigate the challenges of being a new graduate nurse:
🙋🏼♂️ Ask Questions and Seek Help
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and reach out for assistance when needed. Everyone was once a new graduate nurse, and it can be comforting to know that you are not alone in this journey. Your colleagues, supervisors, and mentors can provide valuable insight and support to help you succeed. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of your resources.
Extra Tip: Have a system for your continued learning and growth. Clinical and non-clinical.
⏰ Time Management
Being mindful of your time and prioritising your tasks is an essential part of being a successful new graduate nurse. Make sure to take regular breaks and pace yourself to avoid burnout. Prioritising your work, taking breaks, and developing good time management habits will help you stay on top of your workload.
Extra Tip: This is unique to you! Developing nursing skills is an ongoing and dynamic process. Check out the podcast I recorded with the Two Humerus Nurses, where time management was the theme of the recording. I share the same resource I used as a student with my students and graduates, and they find it helps them to reduce distractions and focus on categorising their patients’ care.Download Your Copy.
👥 Build Relationships with Your Colleagues
Building positive and supportive working relationships with your colleagues will make your work environment more enjoyable and help you learn from each other. It is important to build relationships with your peers and supervisors in order to get the most out of your job.
Extra Tip: Start this in your first year of nursing! If you are serious about nursing, then commit to it and network with others. You have a lot of chances to make connections and build a network for your future at university and on placements. In the third year and beyond, attend conferences at least annually in your field and interest area. You are here now in your graduate year, continue to build on the relationships you have and develop new ones along your path.
🍀 Maintain a Growth Mindset
Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and continuous learning. Stay open-minded and willing to try new things. Don’t be afraid to take risks and challenge yourself.
Extra Tip: You will always be learning something new. Be inquisitive and enjoy the fun of learning with others while performing your job. It’s ok if you do not like something, especially if you have given it a try and enjoyed the journey. It’s all about experience first, then identifying second, and finally choosing what aligns with you.
🥸 Focus on Patient-Centred Care
Always put the patient first.
Focus on giving your patients good care with compassion and building good relationships with them and their families. As a newly graduated nurse, it’s important to give your patients good care and get to know them well.
Extra Tip: Concentrate on this and work from there. This will help you with the environment as the stresses, people, and workload change to focus on what is truly a priority and of concern to your patient and yourself.
These tips can help you become a successful and well-rounded new graduate nurse.
With a bit of hard work and dedication, you can make the most of your new career.
Head out and have a great time!
Remember to savour the experience!
You’ve earned it!
Take a moment to dive into your progress, learning, and growth.
It’s time to apply for all of the programs available to new graduate nurses for 2023.
There is a great program opportunity that closes THIS WEEKEND!
Read on 🤓
Ok, you have decided you would like to pursue a new graduate position in a hospital, commencing your career as a hospital nurse while developing yourself as a clinician 👩🏼⚕️👨⚕️
You have applied for your state or territory health areas, such as NSW Health for everyone in NSW and so on. This is one of the many options available to grads seeking to commence their career in the hospital setting.
Many do not realise, that Ramsay is the biggest private hospital provider in Australia AND is one of the most popular and prestigious healthcare providers internationally. They have hospitals in every state and territory of Australia as well as internationally in countries including the UK, Singapore, Italy and even France!
🤩 Graduate Fellowship Program with Ramsay
📅 Applications Close August 14th!
Dont miss out!
There are many reasons to consider an alternate hospital new graduate program such as Ramsay Healthcare. Ramsay offers a new graduate program they now refer to as a fellowship program. This is a great alternative for you to look at! Let’s have a look at a couple of advantages:
The fellowship runs over 24 months and you are able to work full or part-time depending on what works for you.
At the end of the 24-month period, you are offered a position with the organisation based on your performance.
Opportunity to complete rotations in the general ward, theatres, critical care (ED and ICU) and specialised services such as oncology and many others.
Opportunity to gain experience all over Australia
Opportunity to travel and work internationally, on another continent such as Alaska or somewhere like Singapore, Italy, the UK or even France!
Think about what you are interested in and what will fuel you to turn up, learn and do your best, each and every day.
Have you thought about it?
Have a think and if you are aiming for a hospital new graduate role, consider Ramsay Health.
After all, I completed a Theatres New Graduate Position and loved every moment 😜
🤷🏼♂️ What Nurses Can Claim in Tax at the End of the Financial Year.
We would all love to earn a bit more money. Tax time is your chance to get that little more back in your pocket. For you to maximise the amount you get back into your bank account, you need to know what you can claim when completing your tax return at the end of the financial year.
Every year since I started nursing, I have helped, discussed, and guided individuals at tax time with their work-related expenses, ultimately ensuring they get their hard-earned money back in their pocket. Nurses can claim a number of expenses at tax time each year. There are also some things you can do to help reduce your net income as a nurse. To get us started, check out this list below.
Here is a list of common tax deductions for nurses:
Overtime Meals
Travel expenses
Personal car usage
Overnight accommodation costs
Uniforms and protective clothing
Repair and cleaning of uniforms and protective clothing.
Equipment and expenses related to training courses
Purchase and repair costs of work-related equipment
Stationery
Books and journals
Work-related phone and internet expenses
Logbook for travel expenses
Briefcase or work bag
Fob watch
Union fees
Professional memberships and subscriptions
The annual certification fee
Agency commissions and fees
You can claim the work-related portion of other expenses that relate to your employment, including:
Union and professional association fees.
Agency commissions and agency fees, and annual practising certificate fees
Technical or professional publications.
Tools and equipment, such as a stethoscope or a pin watch.
PPE mentioned below and more!
Want to learn more about nursing and your end-of-year tax?
🤓 Read ON!
💡 Start to think about what you are going to add to your expenses and claims list.
⭐️ Golden rules
Follow these three golden rules to make sure you get your work-related expense claims right.
You must have spent the money yourself and weren’t reimbursed.
The claim must directly relate to earning your income.
You must have a record to prove it.
✔️ What Nurses CAN CLAIM
👉🏼 To claim a deduction for work‑related expenses:
You must have spent the money yourself and weren’t reimbursed.
It must directly relate to earning your income.
You must have a record to prove it.
🚀 Tax tips for nurses and health professionals:
Keep records
Save ALL of your receipts, whether you think it’s an expense or not! You could claim it.
💡 Most phones can scan straight from the operating system.
No apps or software needed!
That means no special apps, nothing special. On the iPhone, you can literally open files, tap + hold and scan a document. Done. Save these to a folder on your phone, or even better, connect your scans to a folder within your cloud storage and access your receipts wherever you are with whatever device you have with you.
🔥 Expenses and Deductions for Nurses 👇🏼
👨⚕️ Nursing Registration Fees
I highly encourage you to claim your annual nursing registration fees. For example, your AHPRA fees, which we all pay each year to practice as nurses, Just keep the email receipt as proof of payment, and at the end of the year, claim it.
📚 Education
Examples include seminars, conferences, training courses, and tertiary studies.
You can claim self-education and study expenses if your course relates directly to your employment as a nurse or midwife and it:
maintains or improves the skills and knowledge you need for your current duties.
results in or is likely to result in an increase in income from your current employment.
📚 Journals, books, periodicals, magazine subscriptions, and professional affiliations
If you are a member of a professional group, subscribe to an educational piece or author or series, and then ensure you claim it!
I am a member of the OTA (Operating Theatre Association). I claim my membership and the annual conference I attend for it annually.
👨🏼💻 Applications and Software
Do you use an app or software specifically for your work? Maybe it’s a rostering app, a medication resource, or a patient safety tool. Either way, you can claim that too!
I have claimed a number of apps and software over the years related to my profession and specific job role.
📱Phone and Internet
You can claim phone, data, and internet costs apportioned for private and work use, with records showing your work‑related use. You can’t claim phone, data, and internet use if you only use your phone to communicate with your manager about your shifts or use the internet to check payslips, rosters, or income statements. These are standard requirements for all employees. However, if they are used primarily to perform your job role, you can claim them. For example, an educator who uses their personal phone to access work emails and perform work-related tasks can claim a percentage of their phone bill.
👕 Clothing and Uniforms
You can claim the cost of buying, hiring, repairing, or cleaning clothing if it is considered:
Protective – clothing that has protective features and functions that you wear protects you from specific risks of injury or illness at work. For example, nonslip nursing shoes or scrubs.
A compulsory uniform – clothing you are explicitly required to wear by a workplace agreement or policy, which is strictly and consistently enforced and is sufficiently distinctive to your organisation.
🚙 Car Expenses & Travelling
This one can get a little grey and will likely need clarification from your accountant or the person looking after your tax return. In simple terms, you can claim a deduction when you drive between separate jobs on the same day.
You can claim:
The cost of trips between home and work if you have been shifting places of employment.
The cost of using a car you own when you drive it.
Examples
For instance, going straight from your first job as a nurse to your second job as a university lecturer on the same day.
Travelling between locations, to and from a different place of employment for the same employer on the same day, such as between clinics for the same employer.
You cannot claim:
The cost of trips between home and work (regardless of the distance travelled or shift time/date).
How to claim and log evidence
To claim car expenses, you can use the logbook method or the cents per kilometre method.
There are a few notes on the ATO website which talk about using your own car to drive heavy tools and equipment where there is no safe storage available. If you think you fall into this group, I’d suggest seeking further advice. If you’re thinking about it, you can’t claim a deduction for getting or renewing your driver’s licence, even if you must have it for your job. This is a private expense.
😎 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Personal protective equipment you buy, such as safety glasses, footwear, masks, or anything you need to perform your role.
I wear SafeStyle Eyewear as my safety glasses, which you can also get in a pair with your prescription! I love them due to their square and finished design and also the blue light lenses helping with my headaches! I even use these as sunglasses or for when I am working outside. They are perfect for every occasion, and I can claim them for free. Check them out by CLICKING THIS LINK. If you like them and want a pair, use code: ANE10 to enjoy a 10% discount.
🍱 Meals for Overtime
This one is a bit confusing. According to the ATO, “you can’t claim a deduction if your overtime meal allowance is rolled into your salary/wages and not included as a separate allowance on your income statement or payment summary.”
If you want to claim a deduction for an overtime meal, I recommend keeping your receipts. However, the ATO sets an amount each year that you can claim for overtime meals without receipts if it was a “reasonable amount.” So if you’re asked to do overtime, don’t go hungry. Go buy a meal—just keep the receipt.
💸 Union Fees
Whilst you can absolutely claim your annual union fee, don’t forget to jump onto their website and see what other freebies and discount codes are on offer for you to benefit from.
I claim my fees, every time.
🎒Work Bag
Do you have a bag for work? Maybe a laptop sleeve, cover, or bag? All of these are work-related expenses and you can claim them.
I have two work bags. One for when I am primarily doing education work and another for when I am working clinically. I love leather, so they are nice bags. 😆
🖊 Stationary
You can claim your favourite pen! All of those office items you use in your job, can be claimed as an expense.
According to the ATO, “as long as the expense relates to your employment, you can claim a deduction for the work-related portion of the cost of stationery”.
This includes:
Calculators
Logbooks
Diaries
Pens
I am one of those crazy people who loves certain pens and perform better using certain pens. So I purchase my own and claim them on tax.
⌚️Watches/Fob Watches
Do you wear a fob watch or another type of wristwatch with special features that help you in your nursing role? The cost of these items may be deductible. This includes battery replacements, repairs, and watchbands.
As a small catch, the ATO says, “If the watch cost more than $300, you can only claim a deduction for a loss in value (depreciation).” Sorry to the Apple Watch fans…
🩺 Tools and Equipment
Do you need tools and equipment specific for your job and they are not provided to you by your employer? Equipment including stethoscopes, trauma shears, utility pouches and tool holders and securements are all items you can claim for.
I claim for my stethoscope, my shears, pen lights, theatre caps and my scrubs!
🪛 Repairs to tools and equipment
Do you use a stethoscope, trauma shears, an apron or a pen at work? If these items break, you can claim the cost of getting them fixed or getting them replaced.
🙋🏼♂️ Special Circumstances
The ATO does make mention of potential allowances “for work that may be unpleasant, special, or dangerous.” Speak with a tax agent if you believe this is you in nursing.
🚫 Cannot Claim
Private expenses such as music subscriptions, childcare, fines, flu shots, and other vaccinations, even if you’re required to have them for work.
You can’t claim a deduction if the cost was met or reimbursed by your employer.
I believe having a good tax accountant is important. Mine taught me a lot about my taxes as I transitioned professions, workplaces, and different roles. The same accountant now helps me with it all, including business and more!
For years, I have witnessed others doing it themselves to save money and try and complete their tax online themselves.
Yet, they often pay up to $100 to do it themselves and get a fraction of the money back compared to what they could have received back! For literally a couple of dollars more, you can get a professional who will do the entire process for you and teach you along the way!
A very valuable asset to have!
Thank you for reading!
I hope you enjoyed this blog.
Have you done your tax for this year yet?
Did you claim something new related to your nursing role?
CVs are critical components of your application as you attempt to land an interview.
What does CV stand for?
A CV (or curriculum vitae) is a marketing tool that you present to prospective employers in order for them to consider you for a current or future opportunity, program or position.
What is a CV?
A CV is more formal than a resume and is more common in Australia. It should be no more than two pages for job seekers with limited experience and no more than four pages for those with more experience.
What does it include?
The CV is a document that includes some basic personal information as well as a summary of your education, qualifications, work experience, interests, and accomplishments.
Some professional CV writers recommend including a career objectives or goals section, but whether that is appropriate depends on where you are in your career or what type of role you are applying for.
Tips ✔️
The ultimate marketing advertisement – Imagine this…
Think of the CV like it’s a brochure. The brochure will list the benefits of purchasing or using a particular service. The product they are leasing and service they are getting or potentially getting is…you!
Boom!
Your CV is your first point of contact with potential employers and is essential for getting your ‘foot in the door’ for an interview.
Design it well and make it easy to read…
Everything is about visual appeal! Remember, this is a marketing document for you. It might get you a foot in the door… with that in mind… we need to make it appealing to read. How? Simple but effective designs! Simple fonts with lots of white space! You can make this a hard copy (which you will most likely need for the online systems and initial application) or electronic and/or digitally accessible.
The consequences of designing your CV without using a template… A poorly executed and presented CV that fails to convey relevant information, makes it difficult to read and may limit your ability to secure an interview.
Ask yourself – Would you give yourself a position?
Consider your CV from the perspective of an employer when developing and writing it. Would you stand out from the crowd (i.e. other candidates), and would the manager want to speak with you based on the information in your CV?
The more the BETTER!
When you’re just starting out in your career, getting an interview is critical because it allows you to expand on your CV and sell yourself despite your lack of experience. When it comes to applying for jobs, don’t do it one at a time or, worse, only apply for one position. Complete multiple applications to increase your chances and gain extra practice.
After delivering the documents and application – Deliver YOU and deliver you well!
If you are invited for an interview, you are then in a fantastic position to explain and expand on what is in your CV and use your interpersonal skills to help secure the position. Don’t slow down here. Make sure you know what it takes to deliver yourself well at the interview.
Structure and Types of CVs 📝
Different CV Formats
There are numerous CV formats that you should be familiar with in order to create and design the most purposeful CV possible. As an undergraduate, new graduate, or experienced nurse, your CV and application will be slightly different.
Without Experience CV
The purpose of this CV is to demonstrate the candidate’s ability and potential. What they offer in particular may differ from that of other candidates. Typically, they have little or no experience (less than two years) and may still be in school. As a result, it is necessary to focus on inherent abilities, knowledge, academic achievements, qualifications, acquired responsibilities, volunteer work, travel/trips, languages, and so on. There may be no Job / Work History section.
Professional CV
A professional CV is written for people who have at least 5 years of experience and are in intermediate positions with significant responsibility levels. It focuses on the achieved objectives, problem-solving, applied abilities, promotion, and development of the career to date. In this case, studies may be less important than gained experience.
Executive CV
Executive CVs are used by people in high-level positions. It focuses on the goals achieved as a senior manager or champion of some area with significant leadership and problem-solving experience, which may include project development, use of abilities, and team motivation. To summarise, they should emphasise their competencies and how they apply them.
Chronological CV
The most commonly used CV format does not always make obtaining an interview easier.
The academic education and experience are presented in inverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent or most recent work, then the previous ones, and finally the studies.
The disadvantages of this format are that it can display any periods of inactivity (months, years) and/or frequent changes in work. This frequently leads to the candidate filling these spaces with irrelevant information for the position.
It emphasises a person’s advancement in the workplace: promotion and increased responsibilities are reflected, which has the disadvantage of revealing if a person, despite being very effective and satisfied with their role, has not ascended or taken on more responsibilities.
When to use a chronological resume: If you have extensive professional experience, have not been out of work for an extended period of time, have not changed jobs frequently, and are looking for work in the same industry.
Advantages: The format is traditional, and most hiring managers regard it as simple to read and understand. It demonstrates job security. It reflects your increased responsibilities and/or advancement. It emphasises the type of position you held and the companies for which you worked. It describes your responsibilities and accomplishments.
Disadvantages: It highlights any changes in the company or “job-hopping.” It allows the reader to either work out or concentrate on the age of the candidates. It could indicate a lack of recycling or updating training. It reflects any inconsistencies in work activity.
Functional CV
The Functional CV avoids the disadvantages of the Chronological CV type and allows for the display of abilities and achievements obtained, even if the dates in the work experience are not continuous, aiding in the concealment of periods of inactivity or successive similar jobs without promotion. When you want to highlight your professional career or enter a completely different activity, the type of company and/or studies are irrelevant but your abilities, capacities, and type of work are.
If you want to highlight your abilities over the course of your work experience, you can use the Functional CV. If you want to return to the job market after a long absence. If there are numerous periods of unemployment between jobs. If you’ve changed jobs frequently. If you want to work in a completely different industry. If you believe your age will be a barrier (“very young, very old”). If you have worked as a freelancer or self-employed person. If you are a recent graduate with no prior experience.
Advantages It demonstrates the individual’s abilities and strengths. It enables you to highlight the skills and knowledge that are most relevant to the position you seek. It eliminates the repetition of roles in similar positions. Flexibility in presenting/displaying your person and achievements. Useful in new technologies, such as the Internet, telecommunications, media, and public relations. You can discuss abilities, interests, and motivations that you do not always use in your work but could.
It does not highlight the names of the companies for which you have worked. The length of time spent in each position is unimportant. It restricts the job description and responsibilities.
Combined CV
CV formats that combine the formats (chronological and functional CVs). The functional format of the CV is followed by the chronological format. The combined format is more difficult to write and more complex, but it has the advantage of emphasising the candidates’ experience and abilities for the new position they are applying for, as well as reflecting their experience and training in a dynamic format.
An advantage includes it clearly demonstrates that you know what you want to do and that you have the skills required for the position. It includes the section “Achieved Goals.” It allows for greater flexibility and creativity in displaying abilities. It aids in obtaining a specific position.
Disadvantages You’ll need a different summary for each job you apply for. It takes a long time. It removes information about your skills and experience that you may prefer to keep private if you are applying for multiple positions at the same company.
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You may have noticed I am now a SafeStyle Eyewear Ambassador. I have been wearing safety glasses since day one of nursing school and as a new graduate. I began to notice I would suffer headaches on afternoon and late night shifts, where I was wearing cheap protective eyewear, in the bright LED hospital lighting. This was something that affected my performance, the progression of my shift and the safety of myself and my patients.
I am incredibly passionate about nurses remaining safe while at work and assisting others in such a risky environment. Exposure to the eye is one of those risks associated with being a nurse, especially in anaesthetia. After suffering headaches for a consistent period, I began to try different types, styles and brands of glasses to see if that made a difference. Something I noticed after trying a descent amount of protective eyewear, was that my headaches were exacerbated by a curved lens and some ‘protective’ eyewear were ineffective and did not cover my eyes properly.
After putting up with this issue for a number of years, I stumbled upon SafeStyle on social media and noticed they were approved safety glasses made by a tradesman for tradesman. With most of my family and friends being in the trades, I knew of a few people with these glasses and they all spoke very highly about the product. I then noticed a nurse wearing the glasses on their instagram page…
I love the style and overall look of the glasses and the fact that the lens is a straight or square style lens, opposed to the curved types, that I believed contributed to the headaches I suffered. I ended up ordering myself a pair of the clear ‘fusion’ style safety glasses, with the clear safety lens for use inside, out of the sun light. The glasses were fairly priced and they arrived very quickly after purchase. They are a great quality safety eyewear, which can be effectively wiped over and kept clean during clinical practice. They also look great and fashionable, not like your typical safety eyewear! After wearing these glasses for the first time, I fell in LOVE. No headaches, they were comfortable and I can wear them for most of the shift! I also noticed they offer prescription options and if I ever required glasses in the clinical environment, these would be my choice!
I have been using and relying on my SafeStyle safety glasses now for six months and still absolutely love them. After chatting with SafeStyle about their awesome product and how much I loved them, they asked me to collaborate with them. I am now assisting other nurses to access these great safety glasses at a reduced rate with my referral link (CLICK HERE) or by using my discount code (ANE10). If you use these links or codes, you will not only enjoy a discount for your purchase, but will also support me and the content I create on this platform.
Check out their full range of safety glasses HERE.
Please Note:
P.S. – I used ( & LOVED) this product and generated the idea and planned this blog post prior to becoming an ambassador.
I am now an ambassador for their brand and product and this blog will be utilised in collaboration and partnership with Safestyle Eyewear and the Aussie Nurse Educator to promote these amazing protective eyewear.
