My Name is Jeff, I am a Family Nurse Practitioner. I came to NZ in May from United States of America (Ohio). The process to come to NZ took me 8 (months).
The easiest part of the process was the job interview. The most challenging part of the process was having to go into pretty significant detail about my marriage for immigration as well as having to drive to Chicago for the medical exam (6 hour drive).
ACCENT Health Recruitment did an amazing job of walking my whole family through the process including understanding the steps and answering any and all questions. We had Hayley Cullen, and she was amazing!
My first impressions of NZ were - Wow! How can someplace be this gorgeous. We also found the people to be very friendly and willing to help.
What I specifically like about NZ is the calmness of the people and serenity of the landscape. We often find ourselves looking around or seeing something new and going "Holy crap! We live here!" I think the best parts of NZ are the mountains, rivers, and ocean view. What I like about the area I live in is the view of the Hutt River on the mountainside.
If I miss anything, it would be my family. That and the cheaper lumber prices. I do call my parents at least once a week and we started a blog to catalogue our experiences. I generally don't miss living in the states.
I would love to see various places where Lord of the Rings were filmed, especially on the South Island. I also plan to see multiple beaches, the volcano, and all the nature that NZ has to offer (which is a lot).
The easiest part of the process was the job interview. The most challenging part of the process was having to go into pretty significant detail about my marriage for immigration as well as having to drive to Chicago for the medical exam (6 hour drive).
ACCENT Health Recruitment did an amazing job of walking my whole family through the process including understanding the steps and answering any and all questions. We had Hayley Cullen, and she was amazing!
My first impressions of NZ were - Wow! How can someplace be this gorgeous. We also found the people to be very friendly and willing to help.
What I specifically like about NZ is the calmness of the people and serenity of the landscape. We often find ourselves looking around or seeing something new and going "Holy crap! We live here!" I think the best parts of NZ are the mountains, rivers, and ocean view. What I like about the area I live in is the view of the Hutt River on the mountainside.
If I miss anything, it would be my family. That and the cheaper lumber prices. I do call my parents at least once a week and we started a blog to catalogue our experiences. I generally don't miss living in the states.
I would love to see various places where Lord of the Rings were filmed, especially on the South Island. I also plan to see multiple beaches, the volcano, and all the nature that NZ has to offer (which is a lot).
My advice if you are planning to come to NZ is that if you are coming from the states, it is going to feel like "opposite world" for a bit. You will drive on the other side of the road, there are no mammals outside of pets and farm animals (and the occasional pest), it can be sunny and randomly start to rain. Things are also a bit more expensive, so living simply is helpful. One of the reasons we wanted to come to New Zealand was to live more simply and find more peace. We have found that. I would also say it is going to bring an open mind and a mind willing to learn, especially about the culture and the many people here.
The work/life balance made every difference. I feel like our family is more able to focus on the important things, the simple things. Our activity level is tremendously better.
The work/life balance made every difference. I feel like our family is more able to focus on the important things, the simple things. Our activity level is tremendously better.
The biggest difference currently is that I cannot practice fully as a nurse practitioner initially. I currently have the role of "senior nurse" and there are some hoops to jump through to get back to my level of expertise. That being said, there seems to be less documenting, less worries about billing, bigger focus on the patient, and cultural sensitivity is not only encouraged but required. I personally love that, especially as the current US policy is going the opposite way.
The medications used are similar, but less varied and different. You also cannot order most CT scans and no MRIs without specialist approval, which is very different from the US.
I have always worked in community medicine, so many of the same principles that have guided my practice in the states seems to be blending well with working in New Zealand. At the end of the day, people are people and if you listen well, show care, and respect them it will always go a long way. Also, a bit of humor still goes a long way in New Zealand like it did in the US.
Universal health care is one thing done differently in New Zealand that I appreciate, and I wish could be utilized in the US. This allows us often to not be so focused on the EMR and all the extra crap that goes with it as it is often more of a billing program anyways, especially in the US.
If you want a fast-paced life with a lot of material stuff, New Zealand is likely not your jam. If you feel the need to slow down, experience God's green earth, and a better sense of peace then New Zealand may just be your jam.
Jeff
The medications used are similar, but less varied and different. You also cannot order most CT scans and no MRIs without specialist approval, which is very different from the US.
I have always worked in community medicine, so many of the same principles that have guided my practice in the states seems to be blending well with working in New Zealand. At the end of the day, people are people and if you listen well, show care, and respect them it will always go a long way. Also, a bit of humor still goes a long way in New Zealand like it did in the US.
Universal health care is one thing done differently in New Zealand that I appreciate, and I wish could be utilized in the US. This allows us often to not be so focused on the EMR and all the extra crap that goes with it as it is often more of a billing program anyways, especially in the US.
If you want a fast-paced life with a lot of material stuff, New Zealand is likely not your jam. If you feel the need to slow down, experience God's green earth, and a better sense of peace then New Zealand may just be your jam.
Jeff
