Many people move to Tasmania for the unique lifestyle it affords them.  The pace of this state is slower and less hurried than the rest of the country (or the mainland).  With a much smaller population but with more open space and wilderness than many parts of Australia, it’s no wonder that people from all walks of life flock to this island - including nurses.

If you would like to study as a registered nurse you can do so at the University of Tasmania located in Hobart.  You can also study for a graduate diploma in midwifery. If you’re already a registered nurse you can undertake post-graduate studies here as well.

Once you are registered to work as a nurse, there are many career options available to you in Tasmania.  Here are some of the areas and positions you can work in:  neonatal ICU, mental health, aged care, education, nurse practitioner, director of nursing, paediatric intensive care and midwifery, to name a few.

Nursing positions may be full-time, part-time or casual.  If you’re interested in working casually, you can join an agency and will be contacted when there is work available for you.

You can find positions via industry journals, nursing agencies and online employment websites.  The Department of Health and Human Services also has an employment register where you can sign up and be notified of casual, short-term or full-time jobs.

Coming to Tasmania for a short working holiday to see if you like working here may be a good idea.  You’ll be able to fund your holiday by working as a nurse and be able to look around or even travel right around Tasmania to see if there’s a region of Tasmania you’d like to live and work in permanently.

How much does a nurse earn in Tasmania?

A clinical nurse in Hobart can earn around $65,000 per annum full-time.  A community health or mental nurse can expect to earn from $58,000 to $69,000 full-time.  A level 2 enrolled nurse can expect to make $47,000 to $50,000 in a fixed-term casual position.  And a registered nurse with a post-graduate degree can expect to earn from $49,000 to $64,000 per annum.

Nurses also receive shift allowances depending on the hours they work.  For example, a nurse would be paid a shift allowance if he or she worked nights and would be paid a higher shift allowance for working on weekends and public holidays.

If you are interested in working as a nurse in Tasmania then a car may be essential.  Unless you catch a bus, you will need a car to drive to work.  But it can be very interesting to work as a nurse in a rural area of Tasmania.  Instead of being caught in a traffic jam, you may not see any traffic lights at all!  But the drive to work would be very scenic and relaxing, compared to working in Sydney or Melbourne.

If you think you’d like to experience a slower pace of life, then working as a nurse in Tasmania may be for you.  There are nursing career options just waiting for you in this friendly island state.