What's the best path to a nursing degree to be able to work in both US and Australia?

Published

I've been accepted to the Accelerated BSN program at NYU and am looking at other programs as well. I thought about obtaining my nursing degree in Australia but have read about many potential obstacles I may encounter with trying to work back in the US when I graduate. Accordingly, I was thinking obtaining my BSN here might be the more sound decision, and give me more flexibility with being able to work in both in the US and Australia, with less hoops to jump through. But now I am discovering this may not be the case!!!

suzanne4 wrote on a previous thread:

Please be aware that many of the accelerated programs in the US do not meet immigration requirements for other countries. Much has been written on this topic, please just do a search.

Australia normally requires that you have completed at least two years at the minimum in an approved school of nursing. If you have gone thru one that is of 14 months or so in length, it is not going to meet the requirements for most other countries.

I would like to hear from nurses and accelerated BSN graduates who can share their experiences of having tried with OR without success to work in Australia.

The last thing I want to do is invest a lot of time in taking the wrong path to a nursing degree that limits me to working in one country.

What is the best path to a nursing degree that opens doors to working in different countries? I have an undegrad degree in psychology and an MSW in social work, that is why the accelerated BSN program appeals to me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm no expert by any means, but I've been following your other thread on this topic and it sounds to me like you may just have to get your degree in one country and plan on having to take some additional classes or clinicals in the other in order to meet the educational requirements for both countries.

On a another note, this reminds me of a couple of other threads I've read recently where nurses from other countries are trying to get licensed in the US and having a hard time with it due to the red tape involved. Some are finding it is taking many months to years to wade through it. I don't remember all of the particulars from those other threads, but I'm thinking that you may want to get your education here, get your license, then go to Australia and pick up whatever additional training you need to become licensed there. Seems like the process would be easier that way, if not necessarily cheaper. As long as you maintained your US license, I'm thinking that you should be able to avoid any problems of getting back into the US and practicing right away. Again, I'm not an expert, so I could be wrong. I just wanted you to be aware of this challenge since it could affect your decision.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I believe it all depends on the country that you are trying to relocate to. I think that Australia does have some red tape and classes you may have to take, mentioned earlier on the last post. I came across I international job posting site earlier for US and Canada Nurses who want to work in Australia. The site explained the requirements and mandatory classes needed, but I can't seem to find it now. Sorry

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych.

I have a BSN from an accredited US university and have worked and lived in the US, New Zealand and Australia and have held a registration in the UK. Australia will have a national licensing system as of July 1st. I am not sure what their requirements are specifically, but you may contact them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I believe it all depends on the country that you are trying to relocate to. I think that Australia does have some red tape and classes you may have to take, mentioned earlier on the last post. I came across I international job posting site earlier for US and Canada Nurses who want to work in Australia. The site explained the requirements and mandatory classes needed, but I can't seem to find it now. Sorry

The OP stated in another thread that she wants to work as a nurse in Australia for a few years, then come back to the US to work. She is undecided on whether she should get her nursing education in the US or Australia.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There is one one deciding factor that you need to think about........LOL LOL.......if you want to deal with CGFNS or not!!!! As an Australian nurse trying to work over here i can tell you that the process of degree evaluation is NOT fun. I worked with lots of foreign nurses in Australia and never heard one of them whine about it being difficult to get licensed there! But of course that might not be the case...........it just seems to me that it is harder here.

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

We have had a couple of Australian nurses post in the International forum that they was short in Obstetrics when it came down to meeting the BON requirements as a foreign trained nurse so if you do your training in Australia see if you can do both clinical and theory in Obstetrics, Paeds, Mental Health and General adult as this would help when applying to the BON on your return to the US.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion