Nursing In Ireland – Amanda’s Journey

Amanda McIntyre, Ireland 2019 – current

Why did you choose Ireland as your destination?

Dublin, Ireland just seemed like a good fit for me personally and I am glad I picked it. I like the size of Dublin, there’s lots to explore, interesting history, and an endless supply of great pubs.

How are you finding nursing in another country in general? What differences are there & how are you adapting to the differences?

This is my first time working outside of Australia. I work in an Emergency Department, effectively the work is the same but there’s definitely a higher nurse to patient ratio. In an Australian Emergency Department I’d be used to 3-4:1 ratio, here in Ireland I have a 6:1 ratio, so it’s been a learning curve. I’ve found my team are very friendly and there’s great teamwork within the department which has made the transition period easier.

What career opportunities or professional development have you found in Ireland?

In all honesty I’ve only been working in Ireland for 6 months so I haven’t been seeking out any career or professional development opportunities at this stage, however my Clinical Facilitator advertises available educational opportunities which anyone can sign up for. Right now, like many other nurses around the world, I’m being trained up into ICU in preparation of the COVID pandemic.

What is your social life like? What do you do on your days off?

I generally only have to work 3 x 12hr shifts a week which means I am able to spend a lot of my time traveling. When I’m not off exploring, I like to meet friends for a pint, board game night or watch a game of hurling.

How are you finding the cost of living in Dublin – is it very different to Australia? Rent, Groceries etc?

Overall, I’m not finding the cost of living as expensive as I assumed it would be. My wage covers all of my expenses (rent, bills, groceries etc) and allows me to travel.

What is the housing like?

I share a nice 3 bedroom apartment with 2 males. It’s a bit out of Dublin city (30min drive or 50min bus ride) but it’s a 10min walk to work and 15min walk to a large shopping center & gym and 2min walk to several buses that take me directly into the city.

What was the Nursing registration process like?

It was a long process, I think it took a bit over 12 months. There was a lot of paperwork to fill out but it was all fairly straight forward to complete. I’m definitely glad I had assistance from Rowena from CCM Recruitment to help me make sure everything was filled out correctly.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced and how have you manage them?

As I moved over to Ireland on my own I have found it difficult making friends, I’ve found the MeetUp app (specifically the Girls Gone International group) and Bumble BFF a great way to meet people. It’s been a great experience and I’ve found out a lot about myself and how independent I can be.

What are the positives of living in Ireland?

One of the biggest drawcards for me is the ability to travel, Ireland is a beautiful country (thanks to all the rain) and it’s also easily accessible to the rest of Europe. Plus I’ve found the people really friendly and are always up for a pint and a laugh.

What is your most memorable moment so far?

I had a friend visit from Australia, we hired a car and followed the Wild Atlantic Way, in typical Ireland fashion we didn’t always have the best weather but we were able to see a lot of the amazing countryside that Ireland has to offer. Eating Murphy’s ice-cream in Dingle, nearly being blown off the Cliffs of Moher, navigating tiny country roads and horse riding through the Wicklow Mountains – just some of the trip highlights.