Meeting AHPRA requirements as a International Trained Nurse from the Philippines

[Silverdragon102]

New thread discussing meeting APHRA requirements if trained in the Philippines.

Resources

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

International registration / Nurses / Home - Nursing Council of New Zealand

Part 1 thread New grad Filipino nurse wanting to work in Australia/New Zealand

Part 2 thread New grad Filipino nurse wanting to work in Australia/New Zealand

I have started a thread in the Immigration for Immigration requirements for Australia/New Zealand

[marevini]

hi i am for the september intake of ihna. I was wondering if you finished all your immunizations already as well as your online course?

[ajlynx16]

Hi can I ask..what is IHNA? Ty

Institute of Health and Nursing Australia (IHNA), a school that offers a bridging course for overseas qualified nurses:D

[marevini]

Anybody for September INHA melbourne campus intake?

mE!!! =)

[partida]

I (c/o mother) lodged my application at AHPRA-VIC last 28 June 2012. I just received my letter today, 31 July 2012.

I have to say I didn't expect such a swift response from them.

I didn't hire the services of an agency/consultancy firm, because I decided to cut costs and apply by myself. Indeed, I spent so much time, money and effort to complete the documents. It wasn't a joke gathering, requesting, photocopying and certifying the requirements! I honestly thought that AHPRA will still request for more documents, but thank goodness I got through the entire process without question.

I know this is just the start but I'm so grateful to my family for supporting my plans, to the forumers here in allnurses.com for giving advice, and of course to God for giving me this wonderful, wonderful blessing! :)

may i know the courier you used to send the docs?

[markmarkrn]

Hi question; is it true that your ielts must be valid during the registration after your bp or it doesn't matter anymore since you already took the bp? Thanks

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[DreamMeansWork]

Hi question; is it true that your ielts must be valid during the registration after your bp or it doesn't matter anymore since you already took the bp? Thanks

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

It matters. You should have a valid ielts upon registration after you took the BP. :)

[mbtaRN]

Hi! That's great! At least you've already taken the first step. Before you lodge your application to AHPRA, how many months of hospital experience do you plan to acquire first?

I am really having second thoughts on whether to start the process right away (even with zero experience) or to gain experience first. By doing the former, i'll be slimming my chances of getting into a bp school and being employed after. Also, i feel that being too young and clinically incompetent may pose more problems in the future. I don't want to waste my mother's hard-earned money. I'll be risking too much. On the other hand, if i wait for perhaps 1-2 years, i may have become more clinically competent but all vacancies have all been filled up already, costs will be more expensive (i've read that the tf's are drastically increasing each year. Yikes!) and Australia might be imposing more strict rules. I'm afraid that all the waiting and preparation will just be put to waste.

This is really very difficult. I hope i could make up my mind soon, and that such decision will be the right one. I'm just glad that I have the chance to talk to people like you who share similar situations with me. Just keep us updated. :) By the way, congrats on your IELTS! Thats the start of the good things to come. Yey!

Hey teeyara.

I don't know if this would help but here's what I did:

December 18-19, 2011: Took the Philippine Nursing Licensure Exam

February 2012: Feb. 16 = NLE results came out and passed it

Feb. 27 = Became registered in the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)

March 2012: March 5 = Went to the province and started volunteering as a school nurse

May 10: PRC released my license; still volunteering as a school nurse

June 2012: June 4 – 9 = Went back to Metro Manila to review for the IELTS exam

June 16 = Took the IELTS exam at IDP Metro Manila

June 29 = IDP Metro Manila released my IELTS results; went back to volunteering as a school nurse

July 2012: Still volunteering as a school nurse till date

That's what I put in the Gaps in work/Practice History part of my CV. As you can see I have very little experience. I basically wiped out volunteering the whole of June because of the IELTS giving me just two months of experience. I asked a Statement of Service where I volunteered from and it was dated mid of May. So with that SOS, it showed that I had only a little over a month of experience; although in my CV I stated that I still am volunteering. I guess the SOS is just evidence that I did work and was/is still volunteering. I sent my papers July 10. Reached AHPRA July 12. AHPRA acknowledged that they have started processing my papers July 18. Received my LOE August 3. And now, i'm currently looking for a school.

Yes, you definitely would have fewer options with schools that offer the BP but you still DO HAVE OPTIONS. And with regards to looking for a job, i've read somewhere in the previous thread that someone WITHOUT any experience was hired in a hospital after her BP. It would certainly be an advantage if you had much experience but that doesn't mean you won't be hired if you didn't have any. You studied for four years in the Philippines and took the BP after all. It's just more beneficial to employers if they would choose more experienced applicants than those less experienced since the former are more competent and would have little chance of error compared to those inexperienced hence lessens the chance of being filed a lawsuit (both employers and employees, don't get me wrong here). But with that said, you TOO can be competent. You just have to be more observant, attentive, eager, tenacious, persistent, etc. And i'm sure you've been used to that being a student half or more in your life. Besides, those with experience also came from somewhere. I guess you just have to work twice as hard to prove that you're capable and could easily adapt. And of course, confidence in everything that you do. But not to the point that you're already being cocky arrogant. That would get you nowhere. Just do your best in everything, particularly your communication skills, especially in English which I see you're already very familiar with.

There would be a lot of risks along the way, that's a given. And whatever choice you decide on, it's either you make it or break it. So it really is up to you to do everything to "make it". Everything's possible. Just believe. I know I have. :) And I still am. Good luck!

[bambamtiger15]

@ajlinx16Thanx for the info..I would like to ask..are all the states/ schools in Australia requires a grade of 7 in all subtests? Or there are few who considers a 6.5 score? Thank you

[pringxoxo]

Hi pringxoxo, I'd like to ask when did IHNA call you after your online interview? I just passed my online interview (the one with 20-item questions) yesterday. I'm just curious as to when IHNA will contact me. So I guess no more telephonic or via skype interview... I'm happy to know this from you :) Appreciate any feedbacks from you. :)

Hi adel0807,

Congrats mate!.. :-) I waited for 1 week for them to have time to review my docs, when I never heard from them that time, I called IHNA and they told me that they will follow up and will get back to me in couple of days. About 2 or 3 days after, they emailed and called me at the same time to request for missing certified doc, the day after, I submitted it online to the assessment officer. And now, I am waiting for their confirmation again. I think, I will call them again this afternoon. Its better that way. BTW, Nice meeting you here.. :)

[patringrn]

ho do you guys contact your case officers at ahpra? is it vis the web inquiry found st their website? or are you provided with their e-mail addresses?

thanks!

[patringrn]

what will happen if my ahpra expires before the bridging program ends? but its still vailid when the programs starts.. will this cause me problems in the future? i would hate to waste time on money if I will not be accredited in the end..

thanks!

[ajlynx16]

Hi adel0807,Congrats mate!.. :-) I waited for 1 week for them to have time to review my docs, when I never heard from them that time, I called IHNA and they told me that they will follow up and will get back to me in couple of days. About 2 or 3 days after, they emailed and called me at the same time to request for missing certified doc, the day after, I submitted it online to the assessment officer. And now, I am waiting for their confirmation again. I think, I will call them again this afternoon. Its better that way. BTW, Nice meeting you here.. :)

hello pringxoxo, may I ask how did you call them, did you use their toll free number? tnx!