Hi Alice,
I completed my double degree bachelor of nursing and midwifery and will start my grad year in August. Just wondering if I will be paid more because of my dual registration?
Marianna
Congrats on getting through your double degree, Mariana! This is a huge achievement and I love that you’re sussing out what you’re entitled to ahead of your grad program. We love empowering grads to understand your rights and entitlements and ensure you are not taken advantage of at any point in your career.
To answer your question: if this is your first role as a RN/RM and you have not worked as a nurse prior to starting your grad year (eg: as an enrolled nurse), you will start on the RN/RM Grade 2 Year 1 classification – which is a weekly rate of $1,260.80. This is a weekly base rate. Working afternoon shifts, weekends, night duty and public holidays will increase your take home pay with relevant penalty rates.
This is a weekly base rate. Working afternoon shifts, weekends, night duty and public holidays will increase your take home pay with relevant penalty rates.
Whilst you will be paid the same rate as someone starting with one registration, you will most likely be eligible for a qualification allowance next year if you are employed as an RN and RM. The Nursing & Midwifery Public Sector EBA (2020-2024) requires dual registered entry level grads to complete one year of service, after completing their degree, before becoming eligible for a qualification allowance.
When the time comes, you will need to show evidence to your employer (normally HR/People & Culture) that you have both qualifications for your role, and you would like to apply for a qualification allowance. Evidence would be your certificate of completion for your bachelor of nursing & midwifery and both your AHPRA numbers.
Something important to keep in mind: the first day you start your grad program is called your anniversary date (kind of like your nurse/midwife birthday!). When you apply for your qualification allowance, make sure to get your application in prior to your 2024 anniversary date (at least four to six weeks) so that this can be processed and you can be paid from your anniversary date. Make sure you have and keep the email trail, which will be time stamped to prove when you submitted the evidence to your employer.
The reason being that the allowance is only paid from the date applied for with evidence of qualification attached, so if you get in early you will be paid from the earliest possible date.
Hope this helps and good luck for August, Mariana.
In unity, Alice
Dear Alice,
I have just started my new job as a grad and I’m horrified at the waste. We don’t even have different bins for recycling! It’s wild. What can I do?
Green Thumb Sally
Green Thumb Sally – I hear you! It sounds like your current ward is just waiting for a green thumb legend to roll in with a fresh perspective and enthusiasm. You go girl!
There are lots of things you can do, starting with sussing out whether your workplace has a green team. If there isn’t one on your ward, or even in your workplace – it might be time to start one. I know this might seem like a lot to take on in your grad year but if you’re keen, we have a brilliant module on our Education Portal. It’s called Introducing sustainability: how to start a green team, and it will give you tips such as how to justify sustainable practice and the nitty gritty of running meetings and identifying workplace projects (like recycling bins!) etc.
You receive $400 credit each year with your ANMF (Vic Branch) membership for our online modules, so jump onto our education portal when you have time. Health, sustainability and the environment is incredibly important to all of us at the Branch. We strongly support members to expand their knowledge, achieve their environmental goals and take positive and practical ideas back to their workplaces. Among the initiatives to help you do this are:
- an ANMF-led Facebook group, Green Nurses and Midwives, where members share ideas, ask questions and support each other.
- If you’re not on Facebook, there’s the annual ANMF (Vic Branch) Health and Environmental Sustainability Conference in April (anmfvic.asn.au/HESCandWellness2023).
- We also have the Nursing for the Environment: Intensive course run twice a year by our Environmental Health Officer. The next course is on 21 June. Visit the Education Portal for details.
On our website there is so much good stuff, Sally. Our sustainability campaign page, for instance, has lots of resources for the greenest of thumbs: You’ll find it at anmfvic.asn.au/hes.
There are so many projects to mention and not enough space to run through them all – we share your passion and enthusiasm. If you’d like to chat further, send me a note via gradofficer@anmfvic.asn.au.
Yours in solidarity and sustainability,
Alice
