[libra81]

Hi guys,
Got a job offer with Northland DHB, Woo hoo so excited. Is there anything i should be asking for within my contract. Thanks
:D

[TheNaylors]

Yay, congratulations!!!! :cheers

We're hoping to be in Whangarei eventually too :D

[libra81]

Yay, congratulations!!!! :cheers

We're hoping to be in Whangarei eventually too :D

Thanks, got the fun of completing my midwifery registration and attempting the visa now, a lot of coffee and wine may help :bluebanana

[JandM]

Congratulations! :nice1

[Philip10]

Make sure you negotiate a good salary/relocation deal otherwise they will pay you as little as they can get away with.

[IanW99]

Make sure you negotiate a good salary/relocation deal otherwise they will pay you as little as they can get away with.

Aren't midwifes covered by a MECA, the same as nurses?

Ian

[benandclare]

Aren't midwifes covered by a MECA, the same as nurses?

Ian


Yup pretty sure they are :nice1

[libra81]

Thanks for the replys guys, i am pretty sure midwives working in the hospital are covered by the MECA. I was wondering if anyone has had the cost of the practicing certificate covered or is that being cheeky. Also dont know if anyone could help me with this but here goes, I qualified as an RGN in 2007 and then went on to do my midwifery degree i finish this in July should the experience from this be taken into account when looking at where my salary should be. I know this sounds confusing but any help appreciated. :uhoh

[IanW99]

Thanks for the replys guys, i am pretty sure midwives working in the hospital are covered by the MECA. I was wondering if anyone has had the cost of the practicing certificate covered or is that being cheeky. Also dont know if anyone could help me with this but here goes, I qualified as an RGN in 2007 and then went on to do my midwifery degree i finish this in July should the experience from this be taken into account when looking at where my salary should be. I know this sounds confusing but any help appreciated. :uhoh

Certainly CCDHB will pay you back the cost of the practicing certificate each year and I assume all the other DHBs do the same, certainly not cheeky.

Ian

[IanW99]

Not really anything to ask within your contract but there are a few things you can try to secure for the move (out of pocket expenses so to speak).

Are you going through a nursing agency for your job offer, or direct?

Certainly if through an agency to try to push for as much as you can get to help with the move. Even direct you should be able to get some one off 'benefits'.

A few things you can try to get include the air fares, accommodation for the first month, rental car for the first few weeks. We know of several people who have got one or more of these offered, doesn't seem a standard offer so exactly what gets offered may be up to you to negotiate.

Ian

[Tomsk]

Congratulations on the job offer.
I'm a nurse, not a midwife, but I get the cost of my practising certificate paid for by my employers, so it's definitely worth asking for that. It definitely sounds worth negotiating as hard as you can on some of the other expenses as well. Good luck with it.

[penny_65]

Hiya, congratulations on the job offer!

I'm a midwife too and I am due to start work in Queenstown as a Lead Maternity Carer in May. I applied direct to SDHB and I was offered the following relocation package without even asking...
1. mine and hubbies flights paid for
2. $4,900 towards cost of moving possessions
3. First two weeks accomodation paid for
I was really pleased with that! If your Health board doesn't offer then ask!

I have been led to believe that most health boards will cover the cost of your Annual Practising Certificate (APC). You don't need to apply for this until you are ready to start work though. The year runs from April to March, for a full year it is about $400 + a one off admin fee of $150. You can apply for your APC anytime within the year and the fee reduces; for example from July to April it's approx $300.

Your biggest outlay will be for your NZ Registration, this is $1000 :eek:

I'm not sure if they will take into consideration your Nursing experience when assessing your pay scale. Will you be a facility midwife or a LMC? LMC's will be paid $80,400 from end of March 2009, I'm not sure about facility midwife scales...

Well good luck with it all, if there's anything I can help with please shout!

Good Luck :nice1
Jayne

[coronaradiata]

Hi--I was hoping to find someone to ask this question...
I have a received an offer as a Midwife/Manager at a small hospital on the South Island:
Salary: $65,000
Use of car, [must pay for my own fuel for private use]
Three bedroom house for free
Will reimburse for license and practice certification with proof

Do you think this is okay? I am looking to take this job, to test the waters. I am not certain we could afford to live in New Zealand permanently, but I am seriously considering. I keep hearing great things about the NZ lifestyle.
In the US there are two kinds of midwives and I am one of the handful that is both. I have 15 years experience and hold a Master's Degree in Midwifery.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Kanga]

Hi--I was hoping to find someone to ask this question...
I have a received an offer as a Midwife/Manager at a small hospital on the South Island:
Salary: $65,000
Use of car, [must pay for my own fuel for private use]
Three bedroom house for free
Will reimburse for license and practice certification with proof

Do you think this is okay? I am looking to take this job, to test the waters. I am not certain we could afford to live in New Zealand permanently, but I am seriously considering. I keep hearing great things about the NZ lifestyle.
In the US there are two kinds of midwives and I am one of the handful that is both. I have 15 years experience and hold a Master's Degree in Midwifery.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Tricky, are the car and house long term or just while you establish yourselves? $65K isn't a great deal, but isn't a pittance either. Depends what you're accustomed to in the UK and what you're prepared for lifestyle wise in NZ. If the house is reasonable and rent free long term then that affords you a great way of finding your feet. Certainly a very tempting offer!

[coronaradiata]

Tricky, are the car and house long term or just while you establish yourselves? $65K isn't a great deal, but isn't a pittance either. Depends what you're accustomed to in the UK and what you're prepared for lifestyle wise in NZ. If the house is reasonable and rent free long term then that affords you a great way of finding your feet. Certainly a very tempting offer!

Thanks for your reply! The house and car are for the duration of our stay. I also asked for $80k nzd and that was accepted.:)

I am not a UK midwife but a US midwife and get paid about that in US dollars so, yes, I am working for a lot less to be in NZ.

Plus in the US system midwives get continuing education money, health insurance, holiday pay, vacation time...liability insurance, and lots more that is beyond the salary. I have decided to take the position...and will hope it all works out. It will be a great experience--I think!

[willow]

From my experience of salaries and negiotiating in relation to experience you can't normally call upon you midwifery training period as recognised experience. i am a midwife & health visitor, when I qualified as a hv they didnot take into account my experience as a mw even. your experience counts from the date you get your registration through in the role they are employing you to do.

a different but related issue is when we were battling our way through points for our Expression of interest; I was a RGN when i did my midwifery training working on my RGN PIN etc. that 18 months as an RGN, training to qualify as a midwife could not be counted in my total RGN experience, a lost 18 months full time employment (much to my horror). The same when I trained as a HV, on the EOI they wouldn't recognise the fact that i was an RGN and RM when I was training to be a health visitor, so that was a lost year of full time employment too!

on the subject on contracts, i have read on the forum that holidays are sometimes an issue and need clarifying

[coronaradiata]

Wonder why it is so confusing??? So while you worked as a midwife, when studying to become another kind of healthcare worker...they didn't count those years of work? Sheesh.
When are you planning to head to NZ?
Kerry