What It Takes To Be An Indian Nurse In Australia?
Many people from India go to Australia to train or get registration to be a Nurse but end up circling blindly with false information. But don’t worry because we are here to provide you with the right information to help you reach your goal.
If you’re from outside Australia and not practicing as a nurse in New Zealand and are aspiring to work as a Nurse or Midwife in Australia, you must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). It is illegal to practice medicine without getting registered, so make sure to get that registration. Along with the registaration, you also need to apply for a visa through the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection. These two processes are independent of each other. Success in one does not mean same for the other.
All applications for registrations of Internationally qualified nurses and midwives are handled by The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA). There are several steps involved in this application process such as Self Assessment, Orientation,MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions), OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Exam) etc.
Requirements to be an RN:
If you’re from India and would like to work as a Nurse in Australia, you should start by registering yourself with the NMBA. And to do that, you must meet the required eligibility criteria.
To become a Registered Nurse (RN) in Australia, the minimum requirements are :
- 3 year Bachelor of Nursing.
- Your registration eligibility is confirmed and approved.
- Your education in all the sections in Nursing has been completed.
- Your Criminal History (Crimes, cases against you, fines etc.) has been checked.
The Optimum Work Experience Required:
At least 2 years of experience is required in a supervised work environment.
English Language Requirements:
A minimum score of 7 in IELTS in each band or identical scores in PTE, OET or TOEFL.
All of the tests specified above are applicable and can be easily applied for.
How many years does it take to be a Nurse?
Nursing degree courses last for about 3-4 years full time. There are some universities and colleges that provide accelerated courses which finish earlier.
Types of Nursing Programmes and Information regarding them:
Diploma of Nursing:
A diploma in nursing is like any other diploma in any other field. With a diploma, you can work at a hospital. A diploma also helps in studying nursing on a higher level of degree.
Duration: 1.5 years to 2 years
Requirements: 12th standard completion and IELTS score of 7.0 with no band lower than 7.0
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
BSN is a course that takes nursing to a degree level. It teaches students about nursing in more detail. It is usually the better option for people who want to get a long term and well paying Job in nursing.
Duration: 3 years of full time/part time
Requirements: 12th standard completion and IELTS score of 7.0 with no band lower than 6.5
Master of Nursing
MSN is a course that takes nursing to a professional level. It allows students to reach mastery level in nursing. Getting an MSN means that you can get a manager level job in Nursing.
Duration: 2 years of full time or 4 years of part time
Requirements: Bachelor degree and IELTS score of 7.0 with no band lower than 7.0