US RN-ADN moving to Australia

Published

I am looking for advice for an RN-ADN US Labor and Delivery nurse with 1-2 yrs experience looking to move to Australia. What visa is best? How to transfer RN licensure? How to get sponsorships? Best agencies/organizations to use to find employment before moving? How much money to save before moving? Best areas to allow for a good balance between work and social life (for someone in their late 20s)? Cost of living/climate in different areas? Any and all advice is greatly needed and appreciated.

**Side-note: I am not looking to move for probably another year and by that point will have over 2 years of experience in LD and could have my BSN, if necessary, but I currently hold an ADN and am not currently in school for my BSN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the International Nursing forum

Before worrying about immigration I would suggest you get registration sorted with AHPRA

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hello

Firstly, if you are wanting to work as a labour delivery nurse Australia is not really the place to move, we don't use them. Labour and delivery is staffed by midwives, some post-natal wards do hire RN's.

Regarding licencing the best place to find information is:

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Internationally qualified nurses and midwives

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Meeting the registration requirements

the advantage is that Australia has a national registration board, and therefore once registered you can work anywhere in Australia.

However an ADN will not meet the educational requirements, as you have to have the equivalent of a bachelor's degree.

The best place for Visa information is

Visa Options Comparison Charts 1.

Cost of living in pretty high at the moment :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
I am looking for advice for an RN-ADN US Labor and Delivery nurse with 1-2 yrs experience looking to move to Australia. What visa is best? How to transfer RN licensure? How to get sponsorships? Best agencies/organizations to use to find employment before moving? How much money to save before moving? Best areas to allow for a good balance between work and social life (for someone in their late 20s)? Cost of living/climate in different areas? Any and all advice is greatly needed and appreciated.

**Side-note: I am not looking to move for probably another year and by that point will have over 2 years of experience in LD and could have my BSN, if necessary, but I currently hold an ADN and am not currently in school for my BSN.

Have you looked into whether L&D is even a nursing specialty in Australia? I live in the UK and there's no such thing as an L&D nurse here - it's all midwives, who have a different educational path than nurses. I wouldn't be too surprised if Australia is similar.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Have you looked into whether L&D is even a nursing specialty in Australia? I live in the UK and there's no such thing as an L&D nurse here - it's all midwives, who have a different educational path than nurses. I wouldn't be too surprised if Australia is similar.

Yes, you're right. In Australia to work in maternity areas you must be a midwife. It's not a different educational path here, you may do a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, then do a post graduate degree to specialise in midwifery. Most Aus midwives were RNs first, there's not many universities that do midwifery only degrees (you can do a double degree though).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/CCU BSN, RN, CCRN.

I am also a US RN looking to expat to the AU. However, I do have my BSN and I do not want to specialize in midwifery. I am a telemetry nurse and I think that is pretty cool for right now. I have heard around about AU using a "point" system for accepting different occupations.... can someone try to explain what that means? Or where I can read more information on it?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion