Australian NCLEX pass rates?

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HI! I am an US citizen seriously considering getting my BSN in Australia. Does anyone have any idea of the NCLEX pass rates for Australian students? Does anyone know if Australian BSN programs are similar to those in the US? Does anyone know about how difficult it is to come back from Australia and get licensed in a particular state?

Thanks!

Carter

Specializes in Mental Health.

Joeldew,

Thanks for your input. I have been accepted to the nursing program at QUT. I'm trying to decide whether or not to go. If I go I would graduate 10 months earlier than if I stay in the US. The downside is I assume I would have to take some bridge classes in order to be able to pass the NCLEX. Time wise then it may work out to be the same. I just don't know what to do. It would be so helpful to talk to someone who is from the US that studied in Australia, or if not that, then an Australian nurse who came to the US to work. If you have any advise or a contact for me please let me know. Thanks! Carter

Specializes in Mental Health.

Thanks for your input suga_junkie.

Specializes in Mental Health.

I am an American currently living in the US. I have been accepted to the nursing program at QUT in Brisbane. from the research i have gathered, it appears that QUT is a highly regarded University. I'm trying to decide whether or not to go. If I go I would graduate 10 months earlier than if I stay in the US. The downside is I assume I would have to take some bridge classes in order to be able to pass the NCLEX if I came back to the States. Time wise then it may work out to be the same. I just don't know what to do. It would be so helpful to talk to someone who is from the US that studied in Australia, or if not that, then an Australian nurse who came to the US to work. If you have any advise or a contact for me please let me know. Thanks! Carter

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

The simple answer is to obtain your nursing degree in the country that you wish to practice. If you train overseas you will ALWAYS be considered an internationally educated nurse. Remember, the training overseas does not prepare you to practice as a nurse in the US. The medications are different, the scope of practice is different, the units of measurement is different, the treatment protocols are different not to mention the cultural differences.

That said, it is possible to be successful training overseas and returning to the US but most facilities have an abundance of locally trained new graduate nurses waiting to be hired and being an IEN even as a US citizen can be a barrier.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Duplicate threads merged......

OP The problem with getting an education overseas is that you will have trouble getting your licinse and take NCLEX here in the US. Specfic to Australia as has been already mentioned in this thread will be the lack of maternity nursing......which is included in the US education. Since you will be missing a chunk of your education by US standards you will have difficulty finding a state to endorse you education to allow you to sit for NCLEX. You have difficulty getting a straight answer because the requirements vary state to state and are looked at on an individual case by case basis.

YOU already have a bachelors degree have you looked into ABSN (accelerated BSN nursing programs) or direct entry Masters here in the US?

OP The problem with getting an education overseas is that you will have trouble getting your licinse and take NCLEX here in the US. Specfic to Australia as has been already mentioned in this thread will be the lack of maternity nursing......which is included in the US education. Since you will be missing a chunk of your education by US standards you will have difficulty finding a state to endorse you education to allow you to sit for NCLEX. You have difficulty getting a straight answer because the requirements vary state to state and are looked at on an individual case by case basis.

Also, as someone already mentioned in passing but didn't really explain, if you are educated somewhere else in the world, you will always be considered an internationally education RN in the US for the rest of your career, and will have extra requirements and "hoops to jump through" at initial licensure and any time you want to apply for licensure in another state, for the rest of your career. Being a US citizen has nothing to do with it -- the issue is where you were educated.

Specializes in Mental Health.

justbeachynurse and esme12, thank you for your input. Esme12, yes I have looked into accelerated programs, etc. What I find very frustrating in the US is that there are not standardized entry requirements. Every school I look into seems to have a slight twist on what their prerequisites are. I have been focused on the prereqs for a local university. If I want to apply to other programs, then their always seem to be other classes required. Then there are some programs that will not except some of my classes that are over 7 yrs old. It has just been a frustrating process. I will finish my prereqs for the local university after the first summer session, but because of when they will completed I can not start the program (assuming I get accepted) until the January intake. The Australian program starts in July. The nice thing about how Australia's nursing programs are structured is that they build the prereqs into the programs. I would get out approximately 9-10 months earlier from Australia. Granted I would have to probably take some bridge programs, but I would have had a learning experience of studying abroad. I just don't know what ultimately is the better way to go taking everything into account.

Specializes in Mental Health.

Elkpark, you make a valid point.

"Studying abroad" always has a nice ring to it, but studying for a specific profession/occupation is a lot different than general academic studies. Nursing programs in Australia (like nursing programs in any country) prepare to practice nursing there, and different countries have different (in some cases, radically different) models of nursing education and practice. Lots of people who are RNs or nursing students in Australia post here about difficulties getting licensed in the US. As has already been mentioned numerous times, it's a good idea to study nursing where you plan to practice nursing. It's one thing for an individual in another country, who studied nursing there, to decide at some point after finishing school that s/he wants or needs to come to the US and pursue licensure; it's another thing to be from the US and intend to live and practice here, and decide to go study nursing in another country. However much difficulty you may be having finding an appealing program here in the US, you are choosing to create a lot of other problems for yourself if you go study nursing somewhere else.

However, it's a v. personal decision -- best wishes for your journey!

Joeldew,

Thanks for your input. I have been accepted to the nursing program at QUT. I'm trying to decide whether or not to go. If I go I would graduate 10 months earlier than if I stay in the US. The downside is I assume I would have to take some bridge classes in order to be able to pass the NCLEX. Time wise then it may work out to be the same. I just don't know what to do. It would be so helpful to talk to someone who is from the US that studied in Australia, or if not that, then an Australian nurse who came to the US to work. If you have any advise or a contact for me please let me know. Thanks! Carter

Carter,

The graduate entry course sounds ideal for you. There is no need to pursue a three-year course when the two-year course is sufficient.

The program offers Mental Health, Children and Maternal Nursing as electives which are units you need to complete to meet the US' requirements (med-surgery is already part of the program)

At the completion of the course, you can apply for a bridging visa to work in a health-care facility for a year. During the course of this year, you have plenty of time to decide what to do and where to go.

My ex-classmates (Americans) pursued this pathway because they wanted to stay to gain experience whilst earning an income. Three of them have since gained sponsorship from their employer (and the other one went home to get married)

Best of Luck

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
justbeachynurse and esme12, thank you for your input. Esme12, yes I have looked into accelerated programs, etc. What I find very frustrating in the US is that there are not standardized entry requirements. Every school I look into seems to have a slight twist on what their prerequisites are. I have been focused on the prereqs for a local university. If I want to apply to other programs, then their always seem to be other classes required. Then there are some programs that will not except some of my classes that are over 7 yrs old. It has just been a frustrating process. I will finish my prereqs for the local university after the first summer session, but because of when they will completed I can not start the program (assuming I get accepted) until the January intake. The Australian program starts in July. The nice thing about how Australia's nursing programs are structured is that they build the prereqs into the programs. I would get out approximately 9-10 months earlier from Australia. Granted I would have to probably take some bridge programs, but I would have had a learning experience of studying abroad. I just don't know what ultimately is the better way to go taking everything into account.
Of course they don't accept your courses....each program wants the money for themselves. That should not surprise you.

If you find colleges and the pre-reqs frustrating....wait until you you try to get your education from over seas approved by the Board of nursing.....each state has their own requirements for approving you education and allowing you to test. It won't matter that you are a US citizen but it will matter that your education will not meet their standards as you will be missing a chunk of your required education for the US.....Maternity/OB....and they will not give you the OK to test.

That can end up being taking a longer period of time than the 9-10 months longer to finish a program here.....If you can find a state board that will accept your education. You might be a citizen of the US but your education isn't and will, from the get go, be missing a chunk of the required education for the US.....Maternity.

It's a risk that you are taking....to me it sounds like you want to go. Then go. Take the adventure! What does your family think what are their thoughts? Have you called a nursing board in the state that you would like to be licensed when you get back to the US? No one is going to give you a definitive answer about what decision you need to make as there are no definitive answers to your question.

Follow your heart...take a chance. You only live once

Specializes in Mental Health.

Carter,

The graduate entry course sounds ideal for you. There is no need to pursue a three-year course when the two-year course is sufficient.

The program offers Mental Health, Children and Maternal Nursing as electives which are units you need to complete to meet the US' requirements (med-surgery is already part of the program)

At the completion of the course, you can apply for a bridging visa to work in a health-care facility for a year. During the course of this year, you have plenty of time to decide what to do and where to go.

My ex-classmates (Americans) pursued this pathway because they wanted to stay to gain experience whilst earning an income. Three of them have since gained sponsorship from their employer (and the other one went home to get married)

Best of Luck

Joeldew,

Have you kept up with your former American classmate?

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