Can RN work as HCA in NZ?

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Dear Nurses

I am currently working as casual RN in aged care settings as newgrad nurse. And I hold open work visa.

I was frequently asked by manager if I can work as caregiver.

However, My nursing school dean has told me before I graduate that RN is not allowed to practice as HCA. or otherwise our registration will be taken off.

So can we work as HCA or not?

The manager said RN who hold work visa given by rest home cannot work as HCA but NZ resident or PR or open work visa people can work as HCA?

I am very confused, I really don't want to take a risk

Please help

Thank You

Yours Sincerely

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Can you contact a union or the nursing council for a more informed answer?

Not many local nurses would know anything about visa,s and what you can and cannot do.

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My cap lecturer told me before that we are not allowed to do caregiving job. The nursing council will take actions against you if they find out. So be careful.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Also check with nursing board seeing as they are the ones that makes decision of removing license or not

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Hi,

I am a nurse in New Zealand and involved with the nurses union nzno, the only reason that they would be asking you to work as a hca is to pay you less, hca get paid a lot less than a rn and have a very limited scope of practice, they work under the direction of an rn. As such many of the roles and duties you perform when working as an rn you would be unable to do in a hca role and if you did perform rn duties while working as a hca you could get in trouble with nursing council and jeopardise you registration. If you need any help or have questions get I contact with either nzno or nz nursing council.

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Specializes in Psych.

It is unlikely that you would get a visa to work in NZ. Unemployment is high here and general nursing is no longer on the shortage list here for immigration. You would be wasting your time in coming here and it would be foolish to do so without your nursing registration.

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It is unlikely that you would get a visa to work in NZ. Unemployment is high here and general nursing is no longer on the shortage list here for immigration. You would be wasting your time in coming here and it would be foolish to do so without your nursing registration.

She's an NZRN, her concern is her employer wants her to work as a caregiver despite having a nursing registration.

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Specializes in Psych.

Well then no as a RN will always be held accountable to the competency of an RN.

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