Employment in US - US citizen educated in Australia

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 21, 2014

If planning on working in Australia before moving back to the US I suggest gaining experience in an area that will offer more to a employer and help you stand out. Also be aware many Australians have fallen short of requirements with the state BON especially if nothing on your transcripts for Obstetrics

allnurses Guide · Jun 30, 2014

Your problem won't be in getting a job with foreign training. Your problem will be getting a US nursing license with foreign training. You can read plenty of info on here about Australian-trained nurses trying to get licensed in the US. I didn't have any extra classes/clinical to do, but I completed my training in 1996 and it covered the areas required (psych, peds, OB). Counting the time to get licensed in the US (you'd still have to do the NCLEX, for which US nursing education prepares you), you would be much better to train in the US if you plan to work in the US.

jmont · Jul 10, 2014

Thanks for the feedback ghillbert and silverdragon! Like some other folks who have posted here, I'm not really sure where I will spend my nursing career... I saw that somewhere else ghillbert pointed out the relative ease of getting a US degree and working in AUS as an RN after. That's definitely an option for me. It's only that I can get in and get going with a program in Australia at the start of next year and finish by 2017, whereas I won't even be able to apply to accelerated BSN programs in the states until next fall for 2016 start! Since tuition cost is about the same here and there, it seems like a good alternative PLUS the chance to spend time abroad.

I would be totally flexible about what state to get licensure in if/when I chose to come back to the US to work. Unfortunately I'm having a hard time reaching actual humans at any of the BON's I've tried to contact about this to see about what hours will be required. I get the feeling these things change often, so it may be different in 2/3 years when I would actually look to come back here.

Anybody else out there have any firsthand experience with this?

mmarotto · Aug 3, 2015

Hi @jmont I've come across a couple of your posts on here and am in the exact same position (from CA, wanting to go to school in Australia and then come back to work here). I was wondering what you ended up doing and finding out?! I've had an extremely hard time finding information, so thank you so much ahead of time if you can respond!

ceridwyn · Aug 3, 2015

I think the only way I can see to get obstetric and paeds experience in Australia,is to actually become a midwife as well as a nurse. That would require either a 1year graduate diploma in midwifery or the ACU 2 year graduate Batchelor of Midwifery for already RN's. Overall probably take 3-4 years to be qualified for the US....if you manage to get straight into midwifery programs after finishing nurse program.

Deakin University had programs in mid and paeds that was accepted by most states of the US...(so I have read on forums) but it had been rejected by the Cal Bon in recent years. Deaking were going to revamp things, they might be worth contacting or visiting the website for the mid and paeds modules.

It also seems (by reading the posts on Allnurse) that it is near impossible to get obs and paeds education to make up for it in the US without doing whole RN degree.

Different idea of what nursing is and what is midwifery. Nursing here in Australia an RN is considered to be general educated, without obstetrics and education in paeds. (RNs work in kids but often have not had special education for kids nursing.)

In the US RN's do obstetrics and have education and clinical in paediatrics.

Women having babies is not seen as needing a nurse but a midwife in Australia and are thought of not being unwell. Just needing someone to support, give education and help deliver their baby. There are even straight degrees for midwives, though these are being phased out as really - you need to be a nurse first before a midwife due to co-morbities women usually have.

If you are happy knowing that it will take at least 3-4 years and lots of extra money to be a midwife well come to Australia, but if you want the assurance that you will be eligible for registration in the US then, educate there as a nurse.

ps, the 2 year Associate degree pathway to RN's in the US is not acceptable anymore in Australia, if that pathway is thought of as another option.

jampdx · Oct 18, 2015

This thread is a little old but I wanted to follow-up and see what your experience was because my situation is similar. I am a US citizen living in Oregon and my partner is Australian we have decided to move back to Australia and I have also been accepted into a Masters of Nursing course in Melbourne. This would be my first nursing degree/career change for me and after graduation we would like to return to Oregon. I have already arranged with the university to accommodate the additional pediatrics/obstetrics requirements but I was wondering a couple things:

Has anyone had any problems with their Australian degree not including the same prerequisites the US requires (ie chemistry, human physiology, biology)?
Have an Australian trained nurses found it difficult to find jobs in the US? As a citizen I won't require immigration support but not sure how foreign trained nurses are viewed.

Thank you for your help, I appreciate any feedback or comments as we are hesitant to make this change.