Competency Assessment Service - Queensland, Australia

khuslapos · Mar 8, 2009

to cvekowalska

$980? does that include everything? like airfare and board and lodging?

and then there's the $2000 for each module?

can you please give me a ballpark amount on the total amount you spent to sit for CAS?

thanks

Phoenix_Rising · Mar 10, 2009

Hi everyone. I just want to say that I am thankful for this thread because it has been very helpful. I submitted my QNC1 application last January 7, 2009 and I am still waiting for the assessment results (and using the time to review). I hope to receive the assessment soon.

I have discovered that the recommended books are quite hard to acquire. I do not think they are avaiable here in the Philippines, and only small bits and pieces are available in the Net. As for the clinicals, do you think I could use NCLEX reviewers? I mean, US and Australian settings might be different, but when it comes to the clinical stuff, they are probably the same, right?

As for the Part B, I admit I am quite anxious about that. To Mr Turtle and Mr Kowalska, can I ask what clinical areas are applicants exposed in? That's because I have experience in the Operating Room, which I believe is quite different from wards and the ICU. Are applicants exposed in an Australian OR when doing the part B? Please tell me more about that. I mean, if the preceptor chooses to expose me in an Australian OR, I could do well in that and assist in an Operation. But if the preceptor chooses to expose me in the ICU, I probably won't do very well, I have to be honest. Anyway, challenges are a part of a nurse's life. What will come will surely come, and the best we can do is face and go for it.

Please post more tips and advice, let us focus on that. I suggest that people stop or decrease posting about Pinoy preceptors failing fellow Pinoys. Bad, mean-spirited people exist in all colors and nationalities, Filipino, Australian or whatever. And there are also good people in all nationalities. AND it is not productive or even helpful to say that Filipinos fail fellow Filipinos. Let us just focus and stick to the practical stuff that could really help us pass the exams.

Please post more of your experiences and more practical tips. As for the Filipinos preceptors, well, I think we should just work with it. In the first place, that is the lesson of Transcultural Nursing, right? That all cultures have their own unique qualities, and it is up to us nurses and other health workers to work with these various cultures to the best of our abilities.

ryan09 · Mar 10, 2009

i have just received my Assessment confirmation letter from the QNC, and it states that im already eligible for CAS, if i satisfactorily passed an english language test... :saint:

now, i have to concentrate on the IELTS...hope i can make it.

as for the filipino preceptor thing issue, my CI who were training before in victoria had a filipino nurse preceptor and she told me that her filipino preceptor was good and there was no problem...so i think this contradicts to someones thought about filipino preceptors anywhere in australia.:wink2:

bluberry · Mar 10, 2009

Having a Filipino preceptor is not really the issue. What we should understand is that we should do our best to make it in the exams. There are some who said they failed the IELTS because of a 'Filipino interviewer' instead of having a 'British or Australian' interviewer. The fact is, everyone has there own sets of standards. Maybe Filipinos have a higher standard that the rest of the nationalities, for the mere fact that 'WE' as Filipinos do really EXCEL in almost all categories.

So guys, let's not trouble ourselves with this things. When I was in Australia for a short visit, I found out that Filipinos are very much willing to help and to welcome other Filipinos. Although, I heard some that not everyone are in 'good standing' with fellow Filipinos. But, wherever we are, there are good and bad people around us. There are some who wants to help us achieve our goals and there are some who wants to put us down.

Let's just do our best to excel then. We, Filipinos are very flexible and competent. Let us face each challenges with courage and our never ending optimism and most of all, our faith in God.

Good luck to all our endeavors. May we find each other in Australia in meeting our goals as excellent and competent Filipino Nurses.

Cheers! :cheers:

dolcevitarn · Mar 10, 2009

i have just received my Assessment confirmation letter from the QNC, and it states that im already eligible for CAS, if i satisfactorily passed an english language test...
now, i have to concentrate on the IELTS...hope i can make it.
as for the filipino preceptor thing issue, my CI who were training before in victoria had a filipino nurse preceptor and she told me that her filipino preceptor was good and there was no problem...so i think this contradicts to someones thought about filipino preceptors anywhere in australia.:wink2:

Hey Ryan when did you submit your application because i still do not have mine... submitted mine on december... january i submitted my NBI...Hope i get the same favorable confirmation from QNC

ryan09 · Mar 10, 2009

ive submitted my application middle of november...but hey, dont ya forget we had christmas and new year vacation...and im an interstate applicant...im a migrant, presently living here in victoria, aust....so thats why my application was a bit faster than yours. :) ( and i also rang qnc, every now and then , i hope i didnt annoy them).

i even made a second Certification of evidence of recency of practice as the qnc was not satisfied with what i have written in there.

oh well, youre still lucky, because you already have submitted your ielts...me? i still have to pass it... :cry:

ill be having my ielts in two months time.

PS: any test taking strategies you could share?

cvekowalska · Mar 10, 2009

'$980? does that include everything? like airfare and board and lodging?

and then there's the $2000 for each module?

can you please give me a ballpark amount on the total amount you spent to sit for CAS?.......'

Hi Khuslapos, Unfortunately, I did not have to spend for the airfare and lodging. I took the train going to Queensland and only did it for a day. I spent around $800 doing CAS exams. :)

cvekowalska · Mar 10, 2009

"I have discovered that the recommended books are quite hard to acquire. I do not think they are avaiable here in the Philippines, and only small bits and pieces are available in the Net. As for the clinicals, do you think I could use NCLEX reviewers? I mean, US and Australian settings might be different, but when it comes to the clinical stuff, they are probably the same, right?

As for the Part B, I admit I am quite anxious about that. To Mr Turtle and Mr Kowalska, can I ask what clinical areas are applicants exposed in? That's because I have experience in the Operating Room, which I believe is quite different from wards and the ICU. Are applicants exposed in an Australian OR when doing the part B? Please tell me more about that. I mean, if the preceptor chooses to expose me in an Australian OR, I could do well in that and assist in an Operation. But if the preceptor chooses to expose me in the ICU, I probably won't do very well, I have to be honest. Anyway, challenges are a part of a nurse's life. What will come will surely come, and the best we can do is face and go for it.

Please post more tips and advice, let us focus on that. I suggest that people stop or decrease posting about Pinoy preceptors failing fellow Pinoys. Bad, mean-spirited people exist in all colors and nationalities, Filipino, Australian or whatever. And there are also good people in all nationalities. AND it is not productive or even helpful to say that Filipinos fail fellow Filipinos. Let us just focus and stick to the practical stuff that could really help us pass the exams.

Please post more of your experiences and more practical tips. As for the Filipinos preceptors, well, I think we should just work with it. In the first place, that is the lesson of Transcultural Nursing, right? That all cultures have their own unique qualities, and it is up to us nurses and other health workers to work with these various cultures to the best of our abilities......."

Hi Ross Cleofe, thanks for the message. The books are Australian based. I think Philippines is not carrying those books as Philippine curriculum books are US Based. Try acquiring at ebay.com.au

Or we have lots of Filipinos who took the CAS in the Philippines who acquired those books, you can always try to approach them, for sure there will always be avenues to do that. :)

Regarding Part B, Unfortunately I do not think you will be exposed to highly specialized areas as remember Part B Exam is only a 1 day exam, it has to cover all the Competency Standards so I would say the Acute Care is still the highest priority. Also, the CAS exams are different from NCLEX, the component itself are book based. NCLEX is more of the components of I would say medical surgical et.al. here they test you in four areas like the Professional practice, Aboriginal practice, the Legal system of australia and the Fundamentals of Nursing.

That right, we should not focus on the mistakes of our Filipino nurse preceptors.

CK

cvekowalska · Mar 10, 2009

have just received my Assessment confirmation letter from the QNC, and it states that im already eligible for CAS, if i satisfactorily passed an english language test... :saint:

now, i have to concentrate on the IELTS...hope i can make it.

as for the filipino preceptor thing issue, my CI who were training before in victoria had a filipino nurse preceptor and she told me that her filipino preceptor was good and there was no problem...so i think this contradicts to someones thought about filipino preceptors anywhere in australia. Copy%20of%20wink.gif ..."

Hi Ryan, Goodluck to your English Exams, they say that the Occupational English test is a lot easier (but more expensive) than IELTS. When I went to NSW Nursing Board last year to file for a friend's application, that is what also the assessor informed me, OET is a lot easier than IELTS advantage to that is the focus of OET is more to nursing, which surely you will have the edge.

I think QNC will just give you 3 months to comply with your english exam. Good luck! :)

cvekowalska · Mar 10, 2009

Hey Ryan when did you submit your application because i still do not have mine... submitted mine on december... january i submitted my NBI...Hope i get the same favorable confirmation from QNC .........

Hi Docevitarn, you may probably hear from QNC next month April, as due to the volume of applicants, the trun around time now is longer compared to before. But you can always email them and ask for your status, they will always reply back to say if your assessment has started already or not. In my case, I was assigned a particular assessor whom I directly emailed to check on my case. You can always ask that as to who is the assessor handling your papers. :)

cvekowalska · Mar 10, 2009

oh well, youre still lucky, because you already have submitted your ielts...me? i still have to pass it... :cry:

ill be having my ielts in two months time.

PS: any test taking strategies you could share?

Hi Ryan, try to focus more to develop writing skills as I learned from a friend (he is the owner of an English review center in Manila) that a 7.0 band score in writing means that you are already in perfect english and grammar and have reached the required number of words. :)

gohdezz · Mar 10, 2009

hello everyone! regarding IELTS.. i would recommend you to review at 9.0 niner.. it really helped me especially with writing.. plus the owner and the staff are very nice.. as for the other subtests, they will also coach you.. it's all in one package and it's very cheap..

hmm i'm done with ielts but afraid that it will expire soon.. for those who already got their eligibility for CAS, is working experience important? because i only had a 3-month training and another 2 months as a volunteer nurse.. do you think i can be eligible for CAS? thanks guys..