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Discussion

Have no idea what to do. Help!

I'm so confused. I'm an overseas nurse and am looking to get a registration in Australia. I have diploma in nursing (2-year) and I contacted some boards, they told me I needed to apply to ANMC for qualifications assessment first, but since I don't have any working experience yet (I graduated this summer), I'm afraid ANMC will just tell me I'm not eligible for registration before I complete some additional training and my 500$ and few months of waiting for their assessment will go down the drain anyway.

So, I'm thinking about applying to some Australian university for some kind of post-graduate program/training course. I checked thegoodguides.com and it's getting a bit confusing. They got:

1. Bachelor Degree (graduate entry)

2. Graduate Certificate

3. Postgraduate certificate.

4. Graduate diploma.

5. Postgraduate diploma.

and all kinds of other degrees and diploma.

Which one of these do I need?

Can I just apply for one of these courses without applying to ANMC?

I have no idea what to do. Please help. :uhoh3:

Featured Replies

  • Experts

Okay - you only need to go through the AMNC if you are immigrating here, If you are coming out on a working holiday or visa then you go through the state registration council for that state.

Here in QLD one of the ways to register if you were from a country where there was no mutual recognition of training, is to go through a "re-entry" program.

However when applying to the AMNC you need to meet the ANCI Competencies. We have competency based assessment, so the more experience you have under your belt the better you would be able to meet the competencies.

With a 2 year diploma you might be better applying for enrollment or division 2 registration (the equivalent of the LVN/LPN Nurse in the US).

Luck! And let us know how you go!

  • Author

Gwenith, thanks for helping... I checked all QNC documention (I think) and I'll appreciate if you answer some more questions, if you know anything regarding them...

You see, I'm going to immigrate to Australia eventually anyway. I'm just trying to figure out the quickest and simpliest way to come over there and get things done. I'd like to start working as quickly as possible... be it a working or permanent visa...

So, if I understand you correctly, you say that it would be better to apply for temporary registration in Queensland first and do the re-entry program? (by the way that's the state I'd like to live anyway)

But what worries me is that this state may be a bit too busy... It took them 3 weeks only to reply to my email. Other states (WA, SA, Tasmania) were prompt (responded within 1 day). Could it mean that I'd be more successful in applying to those ones?

And if I go the re-entry way, wouldn't working contract with a hospital or some agency be required for this? With my lack of experience I don't think anyone would like to hire me... :(

I may be a bit overwhelming with my questions, but I just want to figure out where it's worth best to send my documents first - to the ANMC or to the state board... or to both?

  • Experts

I'll answer the last first

I may be a bit overwhelming with my questions, but I just want to figure out where it's worth best to send my documents first - to the ANMC or to the state board... or to both?

If I understand the QNC you have to apply to the ANMC first if you are immigrating - at least that is what the QNC told me when I rang them a while back.

So, if I understand you correctly, you say that it would be better to apply for temporary registration in Queensland first and do the re-entry program? (by the way that's the state I'd like to live anyway)

They will not give you a temporary registration - while you do a re-entry program you are treated as a student nurse.

But what worries me is that this state may be a bit too busy... It took them 3 weeks only to reply to my email. Other states (WA, SA, Tasmania) were prompt (responded within 1 day). Could it mean that I'd be more successful in applying to those ones?

You mean 3 weeks is not a standard response time?????? QNC is slow, slow slow.

And if I go the re-entry way, wouldn't working contract with a hospital or some agency be required for this? With my lack of experience I don't think anyone would like to hire me... sad.gif

You would have to work as a supernumery unpaid student to fulfill the clinical component.

I have been trying to Google up information on re-entry programs but I cannot find any. I think though that the Cunningham Centre in Toowoomba still runs a re-entry program as does the Central Queensland University.

  • Author
I'll answer the last first

If I understand the QNC you have to apply to the ANMC first if you are immigrating - at least that is what the QNC told me when I rang them a while back.

Have you heard anything about how much time on average the ANMC assessment of overseas new graduates' applications takes and what are usual results (of those without work experience)?

You mean 3 weeks is not a standard response time?????? QNC is slow, slow slow.

Well, I'm not sure what to think, maybe it's normal. Northern Territory and NSW boards haven't responded at all.

Hi

I enquired about gaining registration with QNC for someone I know. QNC advised me that they recognised the 2 yr diploma, RN, from US and you may get QLD registration once they have verified your transcript, NCLEX etc. I am advised that if you have all the necessary documents with the initial application, the process to gain registration will take maximum 6 weeks. Please contact QNC first before embarking on more study as you may not need to.

You can work on your permanent residency (similar to green card) once you have more experience. Then of course the ANMC verification is required for immigration. On DIMIA website, it stated that DIMIA fastrack work visa for nurses.:wink2: ;)

  • Author

Interested Party,

thanks for replying... 6 weeks sounds great! I recently asked a board about my situation, they advised me to send my application anyway, so that's what I'm gonna do now.

  • Experts

I have been thinking about this and I really think you would be best served by getting some, any experience under your belt. You are coming to a new country with different ways of doings things, different laws and legislation surrounding practice and different names for drugs etc.

Now a renouned Australian Nursing Theorist Patricia Benner has stated that those with experience in one field accelerate through transition to a different field, In other words the more experience you have the easier and faster you can adapt to your new work environment. Believe me a lot of employers know that too.

  • Author

I see your point. But as long as there is at least one hospital out there that is ready to hire me - I'm in. I'm not scared of transition experiences and am ready to learn it the hard way.

... 6 weeks sounds great!

I hope you are THAT lucky with QNC! A friend of mine applied more than 3 months ago and every time he calls he's told that they are very busy :uhoh3: .

Where your friend is from and where he qualified, can affect processing time. Apparently, the sooner verification is received from the qualification provider, the quicker they process the application. The advise which QNC gave was 'make sure that all relevant documents are presented at the time of initial application'. You also have to take into consideration that 3-4 months ago, they were probably processing the new grads from Qld ............. may have been a bad time to apply. A colleague stated that she had to wait a number of weeks to physically get her registration. OR maybe, I am just trying to justify something!!!!!!:wink2: ;)

  • Experts

But one thing to verify is whether or not immigration will accept the two year license. Same thing in the US. A two year license can be accepted, but for immigration purposes of getting a green card, you must be a first level professional nurse in your country. It takes more than just the licensing board granting you a license. The US doesn't grant immigration status to the ADN graduate if they trained overseas, accpeted only if they actually graduated from the US.

Just something else to be aware of.

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