Average salary
AUD 65.000
English level
Excellent level
Job
demanded
Sector feeling
last 5 years
hot
last 2 years
hot
prediction of
future growth
Where to begin
If you are a nurse or thinking about working as a nurse in Australia, it is important to think about one fundamental aspect: your English knowledge.
It may be obvious, but in order to study and work as a nurse, an excellent level of English is required, and by excellent we mean an IELTS Academic certificate with a score of no less than 7.
To be more specific, we need to clarify something. In Australia there are two branches that distinguish two different types of nurses: Enrolled Nurse VS Registered Nurse.
The Registered Nurse
Is a nurse that has completed an undergraduate degree in Nursing recognized in Australia.
The registered nurse is one of the jobs included in the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), and therefore is a highly coveted job in Australia because it gives you a better chance of gaining a Sponsor.
They have the authority to create and modify a patient’s health plan. The registered nurse has more opportunities compared to an Enrolled nurse.
Tasks: (found here https://www.rmaustralia.com/stsol-411411.html according to government standards)
- Assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating nursing care for patients according to accepted nursing practice and standards
- Working in consultation with other Health Professionals and members of health teams, and coordinating the care of patients
- Providing interventions, treatments and therapies such as medications, and monitoring responses to treatment and care plan
- Promoting health and assisting in preventing ill health by participating in health education and other health promotion activities
- Answering questions and providing information to patients and families about treatment and care
- Supervising and coordinating the work of Enrolled Nurses and other health care workers
A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing in Australia or abroad is mandatory. The foreign qualification is only recognized after an integration of studies in Australia.
In this sense, you’ll need to attend a so-called Bridging Course/IRON Course, a study programme that lasts 3 to 6 months and costs between AUD8,000 and AUD14,000.
This course allows full recognition of the foreign university qualification and is a fundamental step towards working as a registered nurse in Australia.
The next steps to start working as a registered nurse and enter the job market are: register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), and in order to do so you’ll have to be recognized eligible by the Australian Health Practioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), presenting all the documents required.
Let’s put our ideas in order and recap the steps that will lead you to be a nurse in Australia:
*(steps and documents may vary depending on different courses)
- Present ID, criminal record and certificate of pending charges
- English certification: IELTS Academic with a score of no less than 6.5/7 (this score varies depending on the school and the chosen course)
- Letter of Determination issued by AHPRA (depends on the school and chosen course)
- Certificate issued at the end of the Bridging Course
- Practical experience as a nurse for a time in line with requirements
- Registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
- Registration with the Australian Health Practioner Regulation (AHPRA)
- Employment in a hospital or healthcare company and obtaining a Sponsor Visa or possibility of applying for a Skilled Visa
The Registered Nurse job is found in the following Occupation Lists:
STRATEGY RECOMMENDED BY GO STUDY
Being a nurse in Australia is an achievable dream. Let Go Study support you and reach your goal.
1
Excellent IELTS Academic preparation courses with competent teachers and state-of-the-art teaching methods.
2
Bridging Course/IRON course/Graduate Certificate in Nursing, if you have a foreign qualification and want to become a Registered Nurse anche in Australia
Or, if you don’t already have a foreign certificate, you can attend a course to obtain a Diploma in Nursing (VET) to work as an Enrolled Nurse.
The Enrolled Nurse
An Enrolled Nurse is a professional who has completed, at minimum, their diploma qualification. An Enrolled Nurse, while working a significant role, has less authority in a hospital compared to a Registered Nurse. They will work as part of a team, more than in a supervisory role. Enrolled Nurses are usually a patient’s first point of contact, so their role in the healthcare system is vital.
An Enrolled Nurse works under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse and is not entitled to act independently of the care plan provided by a Registered Nurse.
Tasks: (found here https://www.rmaustralia.com/stsol-411411.html according to government standards)
- Assessing, planning and implementing nursing care for patients according to accepted nursing practice and standards
- Providing interventions, treatments and therapies such as administering medications, and monitoring responses to treatments and care plans
- Assisting Registered Nurses and other team members to coordinate and evaluate care provided
- Promoting and assisting in health education activities for the prevention of ill health
- Bathing, feeding, changing and settling newborn infants
- Providing advice and training on infant care to parents of newborn infants
- Providing emotional support to parents of newborn infants
You need to have completed a Diploma of Nursing. You have to take a two-year VET course. These courses are open to anyone who is at least 18 years old and holds an upper secondary school diploma.
The Enrolled Nurse job is found in the following Occupation Lists:
- Labour Market Testing Required for 457 List (LMTL)
- RSMS Occupations List (RSMSL)
- Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)
It is not found in the following list:
There is no need to hide the fact that at the beginning the road is long, uphill and the costs are not low, but once you reach your goal you will realize how much it was worth it. Being recognized as a nurse and being able to work with this qualification in Australia means immediate work and high salaries, aspects that are worth the initial efforts.
Required skills
Hard Skills
- Work Visa
- Academic IELTS with a score of 7
- Recognition of qualifications
- 3 years of previous work experience abroad
- Registration with APHRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency)
- Medical examinations requested such as chest x-ray and blood tests
Soft Skills
- Good communication skills
- Ability to take initiative in emergencies
- Ability to assume responsibility and leadership at work
- Ability to relate to patients
- Empathy
- Willingness to work alone and in a team
We’re not done: Go Study can put you in touch with qualified route agents who will accompany you and support you in the required procedures.
Nurses, report! AUSTRALIA IS WAITING FOR YOU!
