Competency Assessment Service - Queensland, Australia

bluberry · Mar 17, 2009

"FYi lang to my dear OZ applicants... Great minds think alike... can you believe that the EB3 visa... employment based immigration where US nurses fall... has further retrogressed from 2005 to 2003...we made the right decision... Lets go forward in reaching our Australian Dream."

heard that one too from a friend who heard heard from a friend. But from it went further to 2002! I don't know where they get this info... i hope it's really from a reliable source.

dolcevitarn · Mar 17, 2009

"FYi lang to my dear OZ applicants... Great minds think alike... can you believe that the EB3 visa... employment based immigration where US nurses fall... has further retrogressed from 2005 to 2003...we made the right decision... Lets go forward in reaching our Australian Dream."
heard that one too from a friend who heard heard from a friend. But from it went further to 2002! I don't know where they get this info... i hope it's really from a reliable source.

check uscis bulletin and immigration lawyer like michael gurfinkel bulletin.... At first i wold not believe until i saw it for my self...

dolcevitarn · Mar 17, 2009

THE APRIL 2009 PRIORITY DATES – EMPLOYMENT CASES RETROGRESS

By Michael J. Gurfinkel Esq.

The April 2009 priority dates contain bad news for aliens with employment based cases. The priority dates for professionals, skilled workers, and unskilled workers retrogressed (moved backwards) by about two years in each category. (From May 1, 2005 to March 1, 2003 for professionals and skilled workers; and from March 15, 2003 to March 1, 2001 for unskilled workers). So if your priority date had been current, or was just about to be current, this now sets you back about two more years.

another website... This for Filipinos only

Disheartening Jump Backward in EB-3 Visa Category Written by Jordana Hart Tuesday, 10 March 2009 In a disheartening development for immigration lawyers and green card applicant, the EB-3 skilled and professional worker category (third employment based category) fopr permanent residence retrogressed from May 1, 2005 all the way back to March 1, 2003 for April 2009, according to the Visa Bulletin published yesterday.

These important dates are called "priority dates" and indicate the filing date of an applicant's labor certification application or I-140 immigrant worker petition. The Visa Bulletion, issued monthly by the U.S. Department of State (DOS), reports the priority date for which permanent residence visa numbers are available - and therefore which I-485 applications the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is able to process due to visa number availability. Applicants with priority dates after the published priority date must wait for their priority date to become "current," that is, until a visa number becomes available for their priority date.

Many applicants who filed just after May 1, 2005 were heartsick to discover yesterday that their priority date is now backlogged by two years. The May 1, 2005 date had held without any change for the past five months with everyone hoping it would actually advance. There is no way to tell in advance of seeing the Visa Bulletin what will affect priortiday dates. The DOS explains the bitter turn of events as follows: Despite the established cut-off date having held for the past five months in an effort to keep demand within the average monthly usage targets, the number of applications being received from USCIS offices for adjustment of status to permanent resident remains extremely high. Therefore, DOS found it necessary to retrogress the April 2009 cut-off dates for the EB-3 categories (which include all chargeability or Worldwide areas, as well as Mexico, India, China and Philippines) in an attempt to hold demand within the FY-2009

annual limit.

Since more than 60 percent of the Worldwide and Philippines EB-3 USCIS demand received this year by DOS has been for applicants with priority dates prior to January 1, 2004, the cut-off date was retrogressed to March 1, 2003 to help ensure a reduction of future demand. The DOS also warned that it cannot rule out further retrogression or “unavailability” at any time.

The DOS notes that during the past year, many preference categories have experienced steady and sometimes rapid cut-off date movement. Such action is normally followed by an increase in applicant demand. Heavy applicant demand for numbers in some categories could require cut-off date movements to slow, stop, or even retrogress at some point during the remainder of FY-2009, in order to hold visa use within the applicable annual numerical limits. Should such action occur, it would most likely be only temporary in nature, pending the start of the new fiscal year in October, according to DOS. Last Updated ( Tuesday, 10 March 2009 )

dot_040783 · Mar 17, 2009

FYi lang to my dear OZ applicants... Great minds think alike... can you believe that the EB3 visa... employment based immigration where US nurses fall... has further retrogressed from 2005 to 2003...we made the right decision... Lets go forward in reaching our Australian Dream.

TRUE!!my sister's PD is July 2006 now she is verging on hopelessness and although I still do not have any employer/petitioner i'm still looking out for opportunities other than US...but anyway, HI! How are you doing with your application to QNC???Im still doing some scouting for agencies that provides lesser expenses..the one I spoke with cost a lot...Wanted to do the application by myself but it seems like reviewers for CAS isn't that widespread unlike for NCLEX.. I have been staying online for quite awhile..gathering infos. What are you up to with ur plans for Oz?

dolcevitarn · Mar 17, 2009

true!!my sister's pd is july 2006 now she is verging on hopelessness and although i still do not have any employer/petitioner i'm still looking out for opportunities other than us...but anyway, hi! how are you doing with your application to qnc???im still doing some scouting for agencies that provides lesser expenses..the one i spoke with cost a lot...wanted to do the application by myself but it seems like reviewers for cas isn't that widespread unlike for nclex.. i have been staying online for quite awhile..gathering infos. what are you up to with ur plans for oz?

i am still waiting for my confirmation... i submitted my application december but january they asked me for a police clearance which is randomly picked only ... so do not worry ...ai am still expecting my confirmation next month or by may....

as they say... you have to take hold of the books and download materials from anmc and qnc... in the meantime start down loading materials... if no potter and perry read kozier as mentioned by joe turtle...

here is the outline i got from qnc and another forum... hope this helps...

try to pm people with materials... a lot have been offering...

queensland, australia

competence assessment

service

part a challenge test

registered nurses

midwife

professional issues

15%

ethical and legal issues

15%

cross-cultural nursing/

challenges in midwifery care

10%

evidence based practice (core)/

clinical decision making or specialty area

30%

with respect to each subject area, the students learning will be tested to determine levels of understanding and application in relation to the following topics:

1. professional issues - i

* professional identity

* professional boundaries

* professional organisations

* changing professional roles

* the principles of delegation

* nurse regulatory authorities

* unregulated health care workers

* professional industrial body (qnu)

* professional autonomy, accountability and responsibility

* the scope of nursing practice decision making framework

2. legal issues - ii

* assault

* negligence

* confidentiality

* documentation

* informed consent

* false imprisonment

* nursing act (1992)

* health rights commission act 1991

* health (drugs and poisons) regulation 1996

* common law as it relates to nursing

* other legislation that relates to nursing **

** you should read widely in textbooks about the law as it relates to nursing

3. ethical issues - ii

* values/morals

* patient's rights

* ethical dilemmas

* aged care standards

* professional boundaries

* advance health directives

* code of ethics for nurses in australia

* code of professional conduct for nurses in australia

* ethical decision making and ethical principles

4. cultural issues - iii

* cultural norms

* indigenous health

* cultural assessment

* transcultural nursing

* multicultural australia

* national aboriginal health strategy

* communication with client's from diverse backgrounds

5. clinical issues - iv

* documentation

* reflective practice

* clinical decision making

* principles of safe practice

* scope of nursing practice

* critical thinking in nursing

* guiding principles of delegation

* holistic nursing assessment

* planning effective nursing care

* implementation of nursing care in a variety of settings

* evaluating care delivered to clients

6. evidence based practice - iv

* best practice

* nursing research

* continuing education

* accessing nursing journals

* qualitative and quantitative research

* nursing information and the internet

* joanna briggs institute of evidence based practice and midwifery

guide for choosing your pathway to nursing practice in australia

seven contemporary nursing knowledge areas :

1. the australian health care system

2. contemporary clinical knowledge, nursing research and evidence based practice

3. professional issues in nursing in queensland

4. legal issues in nursing

5. ethical issues in nursing

6. cultural issues in nursing

7. critical thinking and clinical decision making

the australian health care system is made up of a number of interdependent components including three levels of government, health care professionals and other health workers, funding bodies and insurers, private health care providers, charitable and religious organisations and community groups.

some key concepts you will need to understand in order to appreciate how the australian health care system operates include:

* health care provision - who is responsible for what?

* health care funding arrangements : public & private

* waiting lists elective surgery

* regulation of health professionals

* health insurance medicare

* managed care

* consumer rights

* commonwealth,

* state and local levels of government

* casemix diagnostic related groups

* health rights commission

* pharmaceutical benefits scheme

* primary health care

knowledge required by queensland nursing council if you want to skip the migrant bridging course and just take the challenge test.

you will need to know at least:

1. the responsibilities of the commonwealth government in funding/providing health care and how this differs from the queensland government's responsibilities.

2. the responsibilities of local government authorities (councils and shires) in relation to health care.

3. how health care is funded in australia.

4. the role that private health care providers, charitable and religious organisations and community providers play in health care in queensland.

5. the rights of health care consumers.

6. the processes that exist to protect health consumer rights in queensland.

7. the foundation principles of primary health care.

Phoenix_Rising · Mar 18, 2009

I am a bit worried. Do you think Australia will also enforce a visa retrogression for nurses just like the US? I have heard the reason why QNC assessment is taking so long is that they are flooded by applications from the Philippines. Not only that, Australia is also nearing economic recession. It is worrying and scary.

It is true that Australia still needs lots of nurses (just like the US). But the granting of employment visas is another thing. So I am a bit worried because all the effort that we are putting into going to Australia might go down the drain if Australia suddenly imposes a visa retrogression just like the US. The Australian Immigration Department has already slashed the number of visas for migrant workers. Although nurses are still included in the priority list, who knows what will happen if they suddenly decide to slash the number of nurses also?

But I have also heard that Canada, New Zealand, and the Middle East increased the number of visas available for nurses. Is it true? I hope it is because at least there are other options for us.

To all of you who are already working as nurses in Queensland, what is the situation there?

These are really unstable times. What do you guys think of Canada, New Zealand, and Middle East?

bluberry · Mar 18, 2009

guys, when you do your Part A exams, do you give your own schedules? Or is it the QNC who gives you your schedules? Or where you given options on the probable schedules and you just choose the schedules that suits you?

ryan09 · Mar 18, 2009

hi @Phoenix;

its true that the Immigration department of Australia is planning or already have plan of limiting the number of immigrants coming to australia...they did this for an important purpose, the government would like to give the jobs available to australian citizens and residents. but, if there is still scarcity of human resources then it wont prevent them from hiring overseas skilled professionals. Also, its not very specific as to what professions are affected to this. and i reapeat, they have plan or it is still in the planning stage, but the government hasnt release any official statement yet.

ive got a lot of college friends and classmates working in the middle east and a lot of them processing their applications, the government wont impose tax and theres a free accomodation to nurses, and the good thing is they prefer filipino nurses. so it would be worth it working there.

and yes QNC is receiving heaps of applications from the philippines this is also due to the visa retrogression in the USA, nurses who are originally US bound tend to submit there applications in australia.

Australia is not yet in Official recession, but some economists forcasted the australian recession is nearly there. however, theres a chance of avoiding it, i do hope that it wont happen, the australian government is doing their best to think of a brilliant plan on how to fight it. Australia is just one of the few remaining developed countries who are not yet in recession.

branyan · Mar 18, 2009

guys, when you do your Part A exams, do you give your own schedules? Or is it the QNC who gives you your schedules? Or where you given options on the probable schedules and you just choose the schedules that suits you?

You'll choose the schedule that suits you, you will tell CAS when you want to have your exam and they'll schedule it, like you tell them what month you would like to have the exam and they'll give you the possible dates. QNC has nothing to do with the CAS program, their role could be summed up like this Assessment-->Referral to CAS (if an individual is qualified)--->Registration(if one was deemed competent by CAS). The only schedule that QNC will give is the 2 years grace period required for an individual to finish the whole registration process.

joeturtle · Mar 18, 2009

There are currently a lot of challenges that we nurses must face, like the recession and the accompanying difficulty of landing a job. But the important thing is we are focused on our goals and be very persistent in our actions. Look on the bright side, healthcare will always be there and people will always require our services. We must also continue to work on our credentials to increase our chances of getting hired (e.g. experience, trainings and most of all - the license to work as a nurse in Australia)

Silverdragon102, BSN · Mar 18, 2009

I agree with joeturtle if you really want to do something even if there are a few hurdles to cross over make sure you increase your chances on being hired. It may take a while but I am sure with determination and patience you will find it is worth it.

wemon211 · Mar 19, 2009

yes..applications are assessed individually.
well, if you pass test a and you seem to be not confident with your skills, then you have the choice not to do test b, instead you can do the clinical module.

Hi, does anyone know how much the 1 month clinical module will be? Thanks? I'd really just rather take that since I have no experience.