How to become a clinical nurse: Australian careers in nursing

With our aging population, Australia is experiencing a shortage of nursing staff. Professional opportunities are available at all levels and accredited nurses are highly sought after in remote and metropolitan areas nationwide. 

One in five Australians develops a form of diabetes each day, which makes a specialisation in diabetes management an important one. To become a clinical nurse that specialises in this area, you will need to be a registered nurse (RN) who has successfully completed post-graduate requirements with a Graduate Certificate of Diabetes Education. There a wide-range of roles you can work in that include working as a diabetes educator or with the Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA). They also work to educate patients and the public about diabetes and the importance of prevention and/or treatment.

As Australia is part of an aging population, there are many career pathways available in gerontology and rehabilitation to help those in age care. To become a gerontology clinical nurse and to work in aged care, you must be a registered nurse (RN) with post-graduate qualifications in gerontology and rehabilitation studies. A career in gerontology can be very rewarding, helping aged care patients and their families physically, emotionally and recreationally. Clinicians may work in senior clinical management, family care, and aged care facilities. Their skillset may include occupational therapy, physiotherapy, social work and dementia care. 

Helping infants, children and adolescents as a clinical nurse means you will be helping to shape our young generation emotionally and physically. A paediatric clinical nurse is a registered nurse (RN) who has completed a Graduate Certificate in paediatric nursing and is qualified to work in hospitals, community centres and clinics. Clinical paediatric nurses provide direct medical care for injured or ill children and also support their families. 

Working in public and community health is diverse, unpredictable and will challenge your knowledge and experience. You can chose to work in a range of different places like hospitals, community homes and the private sector, caring for the needs of a diverse range of patients. The role’s key functions are health promotion and preventative health, disease management, treatment and care.