Advice on registration for US RN moving to Australia

Doza · Aug 13, 2010

Hi Tamie. I think educational experience is different from working experience which some employers are now looking for.

BTW, you will also have to take an English test, which you can take in the US.

There's another thread here in the Int'l forum regarding Australian application, its about 600 pages long already but it talks a lot about the application process. You might want to check it out.

Hope it all works out for you :)

tamie · Aug 13, 2010

Hie Doza,

I get your point. Yes i do have 4 yrs working experience not educational.

thanks

liabug · Aug 16, 2010

Hello!

thanks to all who took the time to reply to this thread - Tami - keep me posted on where you are at in the registration process. I really need to just take a day and go over the whole process. Ao what online site did you end up going to? When I went to the other one earlier it took me to the nursing and midwifery board as well.

Again - this question is directed to anyone who may know: So in regards to my associates degree, since I do not have a BSN, does anyone have an answer about whether my associates will count? Does my 3 years of critical care experience count towards anything and is anyone checking this who may be working in oz with an associates from the US?

I really appreciate everyone's help!

Thanks!

Silverdragon102, BSN · Aug 16, 2010

The nursing board in Australia has just gone through some major changes and covers both Nursing and Midwifery AHPRA - Registers of Practitioners

tamie · Aug 17, 2010

Hi liabug,

I will definatetly do that. I dont really know about the ADN situation but if am not mistaken i thing you would be considered as LPN/LVN which they call them Enrolled nurses there...again am not so sure but i think i read something like that on this website

liabug · Aug 17, 2010

Hey Tami

oh dear god i hope that is not the case. It is so difficult with the transfering of our credits/nursing education here to other areas of the world as I am finding out. When I looked over some earlier postings from other nurses on here I swear I do remember reading a post from someone who had their ADN who went straight in and got their RN in Oz with no issues. Yeah, if I had to go from working in a level one trauma center as an RN with tons of autonomy here to being considered an LVN or "EN" as they call it, I would be livid (particularly since I have gone to school as and RN not being considered as such would be ridiculous). I do believe they consider it on a case by case basis and on that note the only true way of finding out I suppose is applying.. but again, the boards and administration in Aussi have gone through a lot of changes lately as well. I was really just hoping this post would catch the attention of someone who has their ADN from the states and now works in Oz and has first hand experience. Ah, time will tell :)

Thanks so much for your posts!

ceridwyn · Aug 18, 2010

It is up the country itself to decide who will be RN or EN and no-one else has any rights to tell them different, but in your case and experience it would detrimental not to let you work as an RN here and pay according.

I did hear that the new board is going to be more particular with registering and assessing overseas nurses who have 12-18mnth add on courses that really do not study nursing then claiming to be a 4 year nursing degree, when many of the subjects had nothing to do with nursing.

They do state in the requirements for a nursing degree it must be 6 full-time semesters of nursing subjects, don't know if an ADN has this or not, but I am sure your past experience more than makes up for this, if not.

Good luck with your decision, we need experienced nurses here.

Hope someone can answer you soon that has first hand experience.

liabug · Aug 20, 2010

ceridwyn thanks so much for your post - put me a little at ease :)

Yes I had heard they do case by case basis so hopefully my years of critical care experience will help fill in some of the gaps if there are any. Im looking at getting the whole application together and whatnot by the end of this month. Oh Im so excited to come check out Australia!

Hey to any nurses currently practicing in oz: what is the autonomy and overall work environment like there? I have heard a little of both - some have stated that working in an ICU there is really no different than working in an ICU here in the states - nurses get lots of responsibility, they are in a close healthcare team along with the doctors, they are expected to think critically about pathophysiology and the dispo of the patient.. is that the case? If so, is this the same in the ED? Other people have also mentioned however that it was basically just bedside care and very little responsibility .. even some horror stories about having to get up out of your chair when the doctor comes in the room so he/she can sit there.. (what???) Anyways, none of these were firsthand stories so if anyone has any knowledge on this please do tell!!

Thanks so much for reading!!

ceridwyn · Aug 20, 2010

If any nurse in Australia is standing up in salute to a Doctor give me their address, I need to have a little word......

Country areas tend to still call the consultants, Mr so and so but from my obersvances recently in a few big city hospitals its all first name including the clients with Doctors.

My ICU lecturer said (few years ago now) Australia has the best rates for clients in ICU and when I did placement, yeah they were more or less telling the registrar what they thought needing doing next.

ED, nurse practitioners often work their, depends were you are, prove you have the clinical skills and knowledge, gain respect, you will have autonomy within your scope of practise.

Someone else might have a better idea........have heard all this about USA nurses doing full respiratory checks on clients etc. nah unless in ICU or ED. My stethoscope is a bit dusty. Noticed the Alfred had these new pill dispensing idea, most places I know still do paper.

liabug · Aug 20, 2010

Interesting... when you say full resp checks are you just meaning listening to lung sounds in general? I work in a pediatric trauma unit at the moment and I cant imagine not being able to assess my peds pt's resp status. However, your guy's respiratory therapists are called Physiotherapists.. is that right? so are they doing all of this work usually?

Thanks!

ceridwyn · Aug 22, 2010

Never heard of a respiratory therapist, physiotherapists are what are called physical therapists I believe overthere.

K+MgSO4, BSN · Aug 22, 2010

yes what ceridwyn said. Physios are involved in pt care for respiratory reasons but also assess mobility and dome some education on post op deep breathing and coughing but it is the nurse who does most of the post op education.

I listen to lung sounds on all my pts and titrate O2 and nebs etc, wean O2 but a doctor is required to take an ABG unless the pt has an art line in.

The Royal Melbourne has pyxis in ED and short stay but still have to sign the drug kardex for giving the drugs. ED has also gone to E notes for all documentation except consults. But the wards and ICU still have drug cupboards and progress notes.

I also would never give up my chair for some one because they were a doctor............. did give it up for one who was heavily pregnant and exhausted but that is different!

We still call our colorectal consultants Mr X Mr Y etc simply because 3 of them are called Ian and it gets so confusing on grand rounds! But the rest of the units we address the consultants by their first name at the desk but it is up to them how they introduce themselves to the pts.

As a more senior nurse on the ward we do suggest courses of treatments to our interns as they are only with us for 10 weeks at a time and rotate through a vast array of specialities. 2 of our interns were in stroke care last rotation, another infectious diseases.....so gen surg is different!