American Nurse Seeking to Work in Australia

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Hey there! Sorry if this a repeat of several other topics..I've been reading through many threads, and there is so much information, I'm getting overloaded.

I'm an RN currently working as a traveler in the US. I have almost 2 years of experience. I would really love to work in Australia though. I have spoken to one travel agency - Worldwide Travel Staffing, but haven't talked to them much more than a couple phone calls. All I've really gotten out of them is it's usually a year-long commitment, and lots of paperwork?

I've seen some people say work with an agency, don't work with an agency..and the whole process just seems very confusing. Any tips, hints? Do I need to do one of the bridging programs..take an exam? I'm very tentative to do this by myself without an agency there to help me out.

Thanks!!

Hi Krisd385,

I sent my application and then requested my verification. However, I think doing it simultaneously would be the best in retrospect. Try to gather all of your documents and send them all at once. Once they receive your initial application they give you a deadline for the remainder of your items which can at times be tricky. I just organized it with staples and paperclips, and it worked out fine for me. Good luck!

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Hi Krisd385,

I sent the letter to the California BRN first. coz it took them 6 weeks to send the verification letter to AHPRA. and right after I sent the letter to California BRN, I start my application process. The whole process of gethering the documents took me about 4 weeks to complete. I put them in a folder with tabs/dividers.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions. :)

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Hey, anyone who's already Sydney? We should all get togther and have a drink or dinner!! :)

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Specializes in L&D, Nursery, and Post-Partum.

My board of nursing didn't want the hassle of sending the verification where it could be tracked. They mailed the verification to me to send to AHPRA. I sent it unopened with a letter explaining what was inside and why I was sending, and they accepted it with no problems.

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did you all have to go through any bridging program or having to go back to school in Australia? i would have to recosider going to AUstralia if i have to go back to school. i got my bsn degree in U.S. and worked for a year. no one has answered yes or no but this is really important matter for me! help

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Specializes in L&D, Nursery, and Post-Partum.

I did not have to complete a bridging program.

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did you all have to go through any bridging program or having to go back to school in Australia? i would have to recosider going to AUstralia if i have to go back to school. i got my bsn degree in U.S. and worked for a year. no one has answered yes or no but this is really important matter for me! help

No you don't have to go back to school. The bridging/conversion programs are for non English speaking nurses.

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Hi all! this is so overwhelming! I have a few questions, hopefully someone can help!

1) for verifying id- did you just attach a notarized copy of your passport? the rest of the verification will be in person later on correct? did you attach a copy of your driver's license or some secondary id?

2) What did you attach as section c (qualification for profession)? Transcripts/academic history is asked for separately in the english verification section-does it count here again or is there another document? Did you just attach a copy of your diploma? I'm confused if I need separate documents for everything or if things can count for 2 sections

thank you all so much!

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Specializes in L&D, Nursery, and Post-Partum.

I sent everything I could to keep them from asking for anything else. I sent passport, driver's license, birth certificate, marriage certificate...Transcripts, diplomas, nursing license, certificate of registration from my BON, I still had copies of NCLEX registration, copy of paper saying I passed that was passed to me from my BON, congratulations letter from BON, letters from high school and college saying I was assessed/taught in English.I'm sure I went overkill because I sent in 96 pages of supporting documents, but on the positive side the only time they emailed me was 4 1/2 weeks later saying I was approved.

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Hi Nephron19 -

I am also relocating to Melbourne sometime in the next year - marrying my NZ boyfriend who lives there....I have not started the process to register in OZ yet, but am about to enter that nightmare!

Did I see in another post that you worked in Michigan? I work in Ann Arbor at U of M Hospital.

Teresa

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Tilde- Hi yes! I need to post a few more times so I can PM you and we can chat lol!

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Specializes in ER, PACU, TELE, M/S, ICU..

This thread has been so helpful. I thought of going through this process a couple of years ago, and was just overwhelmed. Reading more about it here, I feel like there is much more information available now. I saw somewhere in the thread that someone had called the AHPRA and they were vague, I felt the same. They basically told me to apply, and my education would be assessed. I'm also an ADN but I'm a bit older than most people posting here, I believe. I have 18 years experience. My nursing school was a bit overwhelmed when I called them to talk about this...they don't really have the course syllabus, etc. But they were willing to look into it and see what we could get. Now that I have the information that needs to be included (from poster's correspondence with AHPRA) I think that it will help a lot.

So I have one important question for the American applicants....DID You need the IELTS?? According to question 27, it seems necessary. But then on question 28, it says attach evidence that you were working and schooled in English. So it's a bit contradictory? I'm close to San Francisco, so at least I can take the test easily enough.

Reading their guidelines on certifying documents, it seems that a Notary will become your BFF during this process! :) I'm just excited to know that ADN's can practice as a Registered Nurse. I love my job and my work.

My experience is in ER, any comments that anyone might have regarding their work experience in ER would be greatly appreciated! I work for an HMO trauma center hospital in the US. I traveled for almost 10 years, so I feel like I'm ultra flexible and I do well going into a new environment. It will be huge learning curve though I'm sure. Learning different terminology and med names. But it would be exciting!

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