AHPRA

[ErinJ]

Hi

I'm looking for help and if anyone is familiar with this kind of letter from AHPRA, could you give me some advice please.

This is the email I got from AHPRA, I've got a diploma in Mental Health Nursing just one module short of a degree. However in mental health we don't do medical/surgical placements, there is some theory. Pharamacology theory well we did that over the 3 years at uni but never a single module studied on it.

My friend who graduated 3 years after me did the same course at the same university, guess what we both are trying to register at the same office in Oz, she's got her registration but its looking likely I don't. There's no difference between us on academic transcripts papers.

Here's hoping you can help me out, I've emailed the uni but they can take a long while to get back to you.

Erin

After reviewing your transcript from UWS, we found that there was not enough information within your transcripts that would give a clear indication that you undertook theoretical and clinical component/s related to the following:

Gerontology/Aged care - stand alone or related to mental health (theoretical and clinical)

Pharmacology (theoretical)

Acute- medical/surgical (theoretical and Clinical)

Underpinning science subjects - anatomy and physiology (theoretical)

In order for the board to make a decision we require more information, therefore can you please supply from UWS either a detailed subject/module outline or official documentation/letter confirming if and under which subjects these components were covered. I did check the UWS website for a module description for your qualification but was unable to locate one.

Please Note: AHPRA will not accept course syllabus issued by a government council in place of a subject outline from a nursing school or college

AHPRA is committed to best practice and ensuring the safety of the general public therefore when assessing overseas qualifications AHPRA needs to ensure that the applicant has covered what would be considered core subjects in an Australian nursing qualification as laid out by the ANMAC who accredit courses in Australia. I have attached the accreditation standards from the ANMAC for your perusal.

If the applicant has not covered these core subjects they are not considered equivalent to our education standards and if the applicant cannot prove they have covered these core components they may not be eligible for registration.

[talaxandra]

Based on the recent experience on an Australian-trained nurse seeking re-registration, there's nothing you can do but provide the information they've asked for. Bear in mind that, if you're sending certified copies of any original documents and have a health care practitioner certify them AHPRA will see this as a conflict of interest and not accept them.

GGood luck!

[ceridwyn]

How frustrating this is for you.

The Australian nursing degree is now/always was a general degree, minus the mid and sometime paeds the last 10 years.

Up until recently nurses with the specialised diplomas ie. child or adult or mental health were given registration as RN's by the different states registration boards with the proviso that as a professional and along with your employer that you would only work within your professional boundaries....ie only mental health or childrens or adult nursing, because if you worked outside these boundaries......employer and nurse would be up for negligence,

With the new national boards or ARRGhfa as I have heard it called the regulations are that degree from international nurses must be seen as equivalent to that of Australian degree which is a general degree.

Though I did read all the jargon and it seems they did make exceptions for nurses from UK, EU, (SOUTH AFRica? why? this has been a problem in the past) and US of A, though now ANMC (these are the guys that are to set the educational requirements not ARRGhfa) have been restructured to now be the only committee to set the standards, this may no longer be the case....have not read up on it.

Please challenge this if an alumni recently got their rego. but the clue may be here, 3 years after you did they do the extra module? and are you sure exact same curriculum. Our universities change the curriculum every 2 years seems like it!

I have never heard of a nurse from the UK every being denied registration before. It may not be doomed as Mental health nurses are in great demand here,...it must go before the board before they officially knock it back....

[anonym]

Hi did you get the corse outline , i have the same problem they want a course outline but my nursing school will not do it , the university has a syllabus of 200 pages. just wondering how to go about getting it certified, please help .....if you know the best way

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

contact your nursing dept at the uni you went to, tell them what AHPRA want and they will be able to help you. they do this all the time. i needed a breakdown of my placement hours. Contacted the dept secretary and she had it out the next day. they get requests for this all the time. They may as for a copy of the letter so ask them for a fax no or an email address to send the AHPRA letter.

[aiashtia]

Whoa! So how do i suppose to tell my uni about my transcript? Uhuhu.

And can i ask on what grounds does AHPRA deny your application?

[ErinJ]

Hi

I didn't get the email notification there was replies to my emails.

It seems when AHPRA email you, it can be interpreted as negative. Well guys I got my letter of eligibility for registration. When I land in Australia I've to present more documents such as visa, job offer of employment, police clearance checks, australian residential address and photographic identification and I'm able to go on their register.

Its been a nightmare and its not totally finished.

The course outline was baffling but the uni and AHPRA sorted it out when the uni sent more stuff. All AHPRA said was they were surprised as my uni is so good at sending them what they require and never had any issues until mine came along. Typical me haha.

There's 3 outcomes for us RMN's, we can either be on the register but with restriction that we can only work in Mental Health or have the full shebang registration with no restricitons.

Erin

[ceridwyn]

What, they gave a nurse ungraduate specialising in mental health, registration with no restrictions even though the applicant has never touched on surgical and medical nuring clinical or theory.! or very little in comparism to mainstream nurse.

I was aware they gave out registration but I thought it was with restriction to only practise in mental health capacity.

Yet a person with a nursing degree from here in Australia that has not practised for 5 years must do an expensive course even though they had years of experience before they stopped nursing to have their family, or after 10, do a nursing degree, practically from the beginning.

Apparently overseas nurses do not have to have aged care placements or theory, yet this is where much of the sponsored work is and has been sponsoring nurses for years especially from up north countries.

Not your problem though! Congratulations, Hope you know your scope of practise though! seeya round.

Sometimes I just have to shake my head and wonder about AHPRA. I think they are more inclined in their rules and regulations, towards international educated nurses than we all realise.

[ErinJ]

I'm afraid you've misread this. I graduated nearly two years ago in Nursing. I've been given eligibility to register in Mental health Nursing. Not fully registered. The problems I had with AHPRA were to do with my academic transcripts.

Sorry to hear of your difficulties

[ceridwyn]

What I understand from your previous post is, nurses with a mentall health diploma from the UK can be given Registration as an RN with no restriction and on that basis ''no restriction'' work in med. surg. areas without any education or clinical.

I was told RMN applicants from the UK where given RN status with restriction.

What I am saying is and comparing, which I suppose is not the point here, as it is nothing to do with your post, a nurse from this country that was educated as a ''general nurse'' (med, surg, aged care, community, mental health) and has let their registration go for 5 to 10 years, must do major re education to become a Registered Nurse again, as my friend was told ''things change in 5-10 years'' but she still was educated and has 10 years experience in these areas.

""There's 3 outcomes for us RMN's, we can either be on the register but with restriction that we can only work in Mental Health or have the full shebang registration with no restricitons.:

It seems AHPRA is not giving the same degree of assessment and has tougher criteria for general registration without restriction to a nursing resource we have here.

Again, you will have great opportunitities here and I congratulate you for all the hard work just getting through AHPRA assessment, hope you have a great and safe life here in Australia.

[madascanbeRNtobe]

Peace all

I got an e-mail from them in early December stating they have received my application, and the next step is a criminal history check.

I have not heard from them since, I don't think they will e-mail me to tell me the check is done, and now they are moving onto the second step whatever that may be. And I'm sure things slowed down a bit over Christmas break and stuff.

If I don't hear anything by the end of January, I will call then to see what's going on.

How long did it take you guys to receive another email after the email stating they have received your application?

[JosephDaniel]

How frustrating this is for you.

The Australian nursing degree is now/always was a general degree, minus the mid and sometime paeds the last 10 years.

Up until recently nurses with the specialised diplomas ie. child or adult or mental health were given registration as RN's by the different states registration boards with the proviso that as a professional and along with your employer that you would only work within your professional boundaries....ie only mental health or childrens or adult nursing, because if you worked outside these boundaries......employer and nurse would be up for negligence,

With the new national boards or ARRGhfa as I have heard it called the regulations are that degree from international nurses must be seen as equivalent to that of Australian degree which is a general degree.

Though I did read all the jargon and it seems they did make exceptions for nurses from UK, EU, (SOUTH AFRica? why? this has been a problem in the past) and US of A, though now ANMC (these are the guys that are to set the educational requirements not ARRGhfa) have been restructured to now be the only committee to set the standards, this may no longer be the case....have not read up on it.

Please challenge this if an alumni recently got their rego. but the clue may be here, 3 years after you did they do the extra module? and are you sure exact same curriculum. Our universities change the curriculum every 2 years seems like it!

I have never heard of a nurse from the UK every being denied registration before. It may not be doomed as Mental health nurses are in great demand here,...it must go before the board before they officially knock it back....

I wish I could say I could not relate to "ARRGhfa."

On an unrelated note, Ceridwyn, what do you know regarding AHPRA wanting to see theoretical vs. clinical in course syllabi? Hoping to discover what they're looking for in my syllabi, otherwise I need to contact my uni with the appropriate request(s).

Thanks,

JosephDaniel