New grad Filipino nurse wanting to work in Australia/New Zealand

[rnrn07]

Hi everyone, please help me.

I graduated last march 2007 here in the Philippines and I have my license here already.

Because of oversupply of nurses here, it's too difficult to find a job.

That's why I'm looking forward to working in Australia or New Zealand.

However, I'm confused. Esp about Australia.

I already have my bachelors degree here.

When I go there in Aus to work as RN, must I take a diploma in nursing first? can I work while studying?

After obtaining my diploma there, am I already a registered nurse?

Thank you!

[cioman94]

hi everyone, im just new here. i just saw the new forms by the board. I would just like to ask the following:

a.) is PRC Board Certificate of Registration and Board Rating still needed as a requirement or just the PRC Certificate of Good Standing? It would be mailed by PRC direct to the Nurses Board, right?

b.) What are the academic qualifications needed? Just the BSN diploma, TOR and RLE records? Am i right? Could it be just a certified tru copy of each? Is it also necessary that the school would be mailing the requirements direct to the Nursing Board?

Also, is highschool diploma still needed?

c.) Section E: Work History

This means the work experience certificate by the employer right? Then we would still be making our CV or not?

Also, do you reckon that the Board will accept my application though I only have a voluntary experience and not a paid one? =(

Thanks a bunch!

TO shynern07 AND other volunteer nurses:

Unsolicited advice lang po.....

I forgot to emphasize certain things about your work certificate experience (or your being a volunteer nurse). Dont forget to include the following information and keywords in your certification as volunteer nurse:

1) for paid nurses, hospital will usually issue a document entitled "certificate of employment", for nurse trainees, it will be "certificate of training".. for volunteer nurses, try to convince the hospital to issue you a document to be entitled "Statement of Service", if not, just try to have it entitled plainly as "Certification".. My opinion, naming it simply as "Certification" is better than naming it as "Certificate of Volunteer..."..

2) don't forget to indicate in your certification the word "full time"... e.g. Mr. Pogi was a full-time volunteer staff nurse in the OB/GYNE ward..

3) if possible, besides showing the dates/period, indicate the total number of hours of your nursing duty...

4) another keywords/phrase: Ms. Gwapa is "fit and competent" to practice as a registered nurse...

Good luck to all...

[Antigone]

So now, the new rule is there should have an experience?

[needlefoxRN]

If ever I get to be registered as nurse in Australia and I have 2 years prior experience, will they recognize my practice as a Div 1 year 3 or as a Div 1 year 1? I don't know if this would give more detail to the answer but I was a staff nurse (ED and Dialysis) for two years in a tertiary level government hospital.

[javRN]

So now, the new rule is there should have an experience?

Hello Antigone,

Thank you for posting this very important question.

The answer to your question is yes and no. Experience has something to do with the Recency of Practice Standard. Read the standard carefully and your query will be answered. Click this link and download the Recency of Practice Standard pdf file :http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/en/Registration-Standards.aspx

I trust that you will figure out the answer to your question. I hope you can study it and share with us here all the possible instances wherein experience is a requirement and all instances wherein experience is not. Please share with us your insights for the benefit of the others.

However I will be glad to help with the interpretation if there is some confusion. I just think it would be fantastic if you can help other forumers who have this question in mind too. Thank you. Cheers

[javRN]

If ever I get to be registered as nurse in Australia and I have 2 years prior experience, will they recognize my practice as a Div 1 year 3 or as a Div 1 year 1? I don't know if this would give more detail to the answer but I was a staff nurse (ED and Dialysis) for two years in a tertiary level government hospital.

Hello sir,

Depends on the employer and on your negotiation skills. Technically they can give you the lowest level because you are recently registered in Oz. Although a lot also would depend on which state you practise. Each state has an Industrial agreement which varies depending on the state. The Industrial agreement is akin to our minimum wage law in the Phils though not totally the same. But generally, yes, your experience outside Australia is counted.

[Doza]

The answer to your question is yes and no. Experience has something to do with the Recency of Practice Standard. Read the standard carefully and your query will be answered. Click this link and download the Recency of Practice Standard pdf file :http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/en/Registration-Standards.aspx

"Practice means any role, whether remunerated or not, inwhich the individual uses their skills and knowledge as a nurse or midwife. For the purposes of this registration standard, practice is not restricted to the provision of direct clinical care. It also includes working in a direct nonclinical relationship with clients, working in management, administration, education, research, advisory, regulatory or policy development roles, and any other roles that impact on safe, effective delivery of services in the profession and/ or use their professional skills."

I think ceridwyn posted something about this a while back also. It was also posted before that volunteer experience is allowed as long as it is documented by the hospital/facility you work in and that the nursing roles you have performed are stated.

But without significant persistence, based on the experiences of some, you'll need a mammoth of persistence to land a job :)

[javRN]

To those who are sad because they have no experience and at the same time sulk at the thought that it is hard to find a nursing job in the Philippines, (it is true, finding a nursing job in the Phils is much more difficult than finding a job in Australia. No contest) please remember that practice is not restricted to clinical roles. There are NGOs that are health related in their mission, you can volunteer there and your service will be appreciated and in exchange you can get a service certificate.

Even in your own baranggay, you can approach the Brgy chairman and talk with the Public Health nurse and come up with a project that would address the health needs of the community. You may use COPAR, health campaigns, case finding, health teachings, immunisations, Mothers' classes etc..you can work alone or in groups of 5 or groups of 50 etc. create a health program. consult your professors and ask for assitance on how to create such programs, boy the possibilities are endless.... just because you can't work in a hospital setting doesn't mean you can perform roles that impact on safe, effective delivery of services in the nursing profession and/ or use your professional nursing skills."

But then again, find out first if in your case the AHPRA-NMBA requires experience for you to be registered. The recency of practice standard is just one page. And read also the other standards and correlate it with the Overseas application form. The answers are all there.

[ceridwyn]

If ever I get to be registered as nurse in Australia and I have 2 years prior experience, will they recognize my practice as a Div 1 year 3 or as a Div 1 year 1? I don't know if this would give more detail to the answer but I was a staff nurse (ED and Dialysis) for two years in a tertiary level government hospital.

Just to clarify the new titles.....No more Division 1 or Division 2 or Divison 3.

There are just 3 classifications under the new board......Registered Nurse (RN) Registered Midwife (RM) and Enrolled Nurse (EN)

Yes at times the use Division 1 in brackets that is just to help the recent Vic grads that have never worked under the old system of being RN title only what RN is under the new classifications as it did refer to EN's in Victoria as well under the old classification.

As for being paid the year you feel you are entitled to, if you manage to get work in ed, maybe, if you are lucky enough to get work in renal, maybe, but to come directly to a hospital and state you want to be paid this year or that without working in the Australian system first without any post grad certificate or diploma in that field maybe pushing the point. You may get a friendly, understanding and critical thinking employer, but nurses are becoming more and more available, money is getting tight employers will begin to think twice about employing someone that has worked and gained experience in a health system and hospital that they do not know much about demanding to be paid year this or that, if you were from New Zealand, the uk or somewhere similiar to our health system that may be different. On the other hand do not let employers use you either, get post grad ASAP in your field, then you have some bargaining power.

It is hard enough for those of us who work in the community also, having the hospitals recognise our experience so that we may move up in years, I get paid as year 10 in community and year4 in a hospital and have been working as a nurse for 30 years as EN and RN, a nurse should be paid the same no matter what the institution but it is very difficult if you have not the papers that cross the t's and dot the i's to prove you have done the hours and hospitals that are clamping down on money.

It also depends on what job you apply for...if in aged care they pay Grade 5-6 because you are in charge of the facility most of the time.

A job as an ANUM - higher pay and in charge NUM more again.

[javRN]

sorry should have been:

just because you can't work in a hospital setting it doesn't mean you can't perform roles that impact.......

it's really curious why different states have different award system for nurses. in WA if you work in aged care you get a minimum ANF level of 1.8,( 1.8 is $33.40 per hour) that's one step closer to ANF level 2 ( clinical specialist) even if you have no experience at all. In QLD, if you have no experience in aged care and you work in that area you will be awarded 1.1.

In some private hospitals in WA, some nurses with only 3 to4 years Philippine acute care experience, were awarded level 1.8 right away.

depends maybe on how badly the hospital or facility needs your service, but if they can, they will always try to give you the lowest possible legal pay based on Industrial Agreements.

[cioman94]

as relayed to me by forumer, Dumb... the AHPRA offices per state now has a "landline number" where we overseas nurses could contact them.. just check it with AHPRA website, it's already there now, dati rati it was there... haay thank you..

[dumb]

as relayed to me by forumer, Dumb... the AHPRA offices per state now has a "landline number" where we overseas nurses could contact them.. just check it with AHPRA website, it's already there now, dati rati it was there... haay thank you..

:D

Here's the link:

http://www.ahpra.gov.au/About-AHPRA/Contact-Us.aspx

[rajotolentino]

me and my wife are planning to work in australia. we need help in some of our quiries:

1. what is the first step in applying for work in Oz? who should we contact first?

2. can we apply on our own or should we find and agency to help us?

3. how many hospital experience do they require?

4. how long does the bridging program last? some say 3 months while others say 1 year

5. are we allowed to work while undertaking the bridging program? if not, then when will that restriction be lifted?

6. is there an asurance of a job upon finishing the BP?

we are both filipino nurses by the way

thanks