15 Important Requirements to Become a Registered Nurse in Australia

Being a Registered Nurse in Australia can ensure a dream nursing career and an improved lifestyle. Some amount of luck, patience and hard-work can make you eligible to work as a nurse in Australia. To become a Registered Nurse in Australia, there are a lot of requirements that needs to be fulfilled and without that you will not be able to make your dreams come true.

Here are some of the most important requirements that needs to be considered, before starting to think of working as a nurse in Australia.

1. Evidence of Identity
2. English Language Skills
3. Academic Qualifications
4. Criminal History (if applicable)
5. Impairment Details (if applicable)
6. Conditions, Undertakings or Limitations Details (if applicable)
7. Registration History
8. Work History
9. An IELTS score not less than 7 in all 4 modules ( speaking, writing, reading and listening)
10. Change of Name (if applicable)
11. Current Suspension or Cancellation Details (if applicable)
12. Disqualification Details (if applicable)
13. Conduct, Performance or Health Proceedings Details (if applicable)
14. Important accreditation requirement for internationally qualified nurses and midwives
15. Previous Cancellation, Refusal or Suspension Details (if applicable)

4 Types of Nurses in Australia

Basically there are 4 types of Nurses in Australia, except in the state of Victoria. The nurses in Australia are categorized into 4 types and they have different privileges and pay scales as well. These types of nursing categories in Australia define the skills and qualification of these nurses. Becoming a nurse in Australia is a dream for any nurses worldwide, but before embarking on nursing career in Australia, they need to be aware of these 4 types of nursing in Australia.

a) Nurse practitioner (NP)
Nurse practitioners (NP) are  generally educated and trained to provide maintenance and  health promotion through the diagnosis and treatment of  chronic condition and acute illness. Nurse practitioners will have the complex decision-making skills, expert knowledge base,  and clinical competencies for expanded health practice. Generally a master's degree in Nursing is recommended for the entry level for Nurse Practitioner. Nursing Practitioners in Australia  generally serve as a patient's primary healthcare provider and they may involve in treatment of patients of all ages depending upon their specialty.


b) Registered nurse 
A registered nurses in Australia is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program and meet the requirements outlined by a country, province,  state, or similar licensing body in order to obtain a nursing license. An registered nurse's scope of practice is generally determined by local legislation governing nurses, and  are regulated by a professional body or council. Registered nurses are used in a broad range of professional settings, frequently specializing in their area of training. Registered nurses undertake continuing-education in order to keep their enrollment and must generally meet the very least training hours pre requisite. In addition, there's frequently a demand that the registered nurses stay free of serious criminal convictions.

c) Enrolled nurse (EN)
Enrolled nurses (EN), or Division 2 nurses, in Australia should currently complete Diploma of Nursing course and typically spend twenty four months of coaching, consisting of thirty six weeks theoretical part at a recognized nursing institutes, followed by sensible expertise in hospital wards for the rest of the time.  Most of the ENs later on move to any of the universities to pursue Bachelor of Nursing course and become a Registered Nurse. Due to the continuing shortage of registered nurses in the Australian public health care system, the role of enrolled nurses has increased rapidly in the recent years.

d) Assistant In nursing (AIN)
The Assistant in Nursing (AIN) in Australia is another major emerging profession in the healthcare sector and supposed to support the Registered Nurses and Enrolled Nurses during their time of patient care. Usually the task that is undertaken by the AIN's are allocated by the Registered Nurses and depends upon their skills and experience. The AIN can take various certificate courses and further enhance their career in the Australian healthcare industry.

IELTS Score Required for Becoming a Registered Nurse in Australia

Being a registered nurse in Australia is not an easy task and you need to go through a lot of steps that need to be taken with care. If you are an overseas nurse looking for a career in Australia, then the most basic and measurable factor is your English Language Proficiency. The  popular exam for testing your English Language Proficiency is the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). IELTS exam is conducted on an international level and nurses need to pass this exam with a good score to make them qualify to become a registered nurse in Australia.

As of now, a nurse should obtain an IELTS test result of 7.O overall (Academic) which include band scores of Speaking 7.0, Writing 7.0, Listening 7.0, Reading 7.0. An overall IELTS score of 7.0 with no minimum band scores may be accepted. If you are a nurse coming from United Kingdom, New Zealand, Ireland, USA or Canada, you don't need to take the IELTS exam.

Once you score the required points in the IELTS exam, then you can proceed with your next steps of becoming a registered nurse in Australia. So if you do not have taken the IELTS exam yet, then go for it at the earliest and kick start your dream of a successful nursing career in Australia.

How an International Nurse Can Become a Registered Nurse in Australia?

There are a lot of international nurses who aspire to become a Registered Nurse in Australia, so that they can live a quality life over there. Australia is a dream destination for the Nurses and there is a huge demand for qualified nurses in Australia. But when compared with the countries producing the most number of nurses such as India, Philippines, China etc, the hospitals in Australia are of world class standards and these nurses cannot come straight away and start working in Australian hospitals as registered nurses. There are a lot of criteria and formalities to be undergone, before becoming a nurse in Australia.

There are many factors such as IELTS score, nursing qualifications etc which plays a key role in building a successful nursing career in Australia. One of the most important stepping stone for a nursing course in Australia is the bridging course or adaptation course which equips the nurses to work in the unique hospital environment in Australia. The bridging course is officially known as the Initial Registration For Overseas Registered Nurses (IRON) Program. Without successfully completing an IRON program from an accredited institute in Australia, an international nurse will find it difficult to work as a nurse in Australia unless the nurse is from US, UK or other countries whose hospitals has the same working style and environment.

Before taking the IRON course in Australia, you should receive the decision letter from AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency). Once you have completed the bridging program in Australia, you will be eligible to search for a nursing job and work as a nurse in Australia. Remember that the nurses in Australia have a pretty decent remuneration when compared with other professions and can easily lead a decent style of living in Australia. The ever growing demand for qualified healthcare professionals have paved the way for international nurses to work in Australia, provided they meet the above said criteria.

Usually the IRON program takes from 9 to 12 weeks depending upon different institutes and there are certain institutes which guarantee job placements. At the same time there are other institutes that do not guarantee jobs, but will certainly assist you in getting one. Once you get a job as a Registered Nurse in Australia, then you will be on a new career path and to stay ahead of the competition, you need to maintain or improve you CNE (Continued Nursing Education) points on an yearly basis. You can also take other short term healthcare courses to specialize in a particular nursing field.

If you are an international nurse and wish to work as a nurse in Australia, then first apply through AHPRA and follow the steps that will lead you to become as a Registered Nurse in Australia.

10 Benefits of Being a Registered Nurse in Australia

Becoming a Registered Nurse in Australia is one of the favorite dreams of any nurses who wish to enhance their career to newer heights. Being a nurse in Australia has a lot of benefits that are not seen in other countries across the globe. Nurses from different parts of the world are seen flowing towards Australia, dreaming of a successful nursing career. Even though there are a number of hurdles in becoming a registered nurse in Australia, the end result is really amazing. Once you become a registered nurse in Australia and starts working in any of the hospitals, you do not need to look back and can dream of leaving a quality life.

As we know, Australia is one of the most beautiful countries in the world with top class living conditions. People dream of working and living in Australia due to its amazing lifestyle and friendly people. The climate, natural beauty, living costs, tourist places and other unique geographical factors makes this country a perfect place to live. The country also has a good literacy and employment rate, which makes things more comfortable.  As of now, nursing has become a profession which is of high demand in Australia and this is the reason why a lot of nurses are trying their luck on becoming a registered nurse in Australia.

If we research through various resources available, we can see that Australia has become one of the important places of nurses who are aspiring for a successful career in the healthcare industry. Majority of the overseas nurses in Australia comes from countries such as Philippines, India, China, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Korea etc. The criteria and formalities that need to be gone through for becoming a nurse in Australia are indeed strict when compared with the same in other countries.

The benefits of being a Registered Nurse in Australia are too many, and here some of those benefits are listed.

1) Better Job Opportunity
2) Be Eligible for Permanent Residence after 2-3 years
3) Upgrade Your Nursing Skills in world's best healthcare facilities
4) Improve your living standard
5) Earn a Decent Income
6) Have an affordable cost of living
7) Enjoy High Quality of Life
8) Watch and Explore Australia’s Beautiful Sites
9) Educate your kids in the leading schools
10) Enhance your Life Expectancy and Health

There are a lot of nurses worldwide who have attempted to become a nurse in Australia and have failed to get through mainly due to the strict selection procedures. But those who have managed to become a Registered Nurse in Australia have become successful in leading a high quality life in Australia.  If you have the right talent and a quest success and hard work, then you can easily try your hand at becoming a registered nurse in Australia and change your life forever.

If you are serious about being a Registered Nurse in Australia, then you can go through the various online resources and find out the steps involved in becoming an Australian nurse. You can also wait and stay tuned for the next blog posts for more details on how to become a registered nurse in Australia. 

Be a Registered Nurse in Australia

Are you looking to become a registered nurse in Australia? Becoming a registered nurse in Australia can help you carve a successful nursing career in Australia and take your living standards to a better level. Becoming a registered nurse in Australia in not an easy thing and it takes some dedication, hard work and patience to be a part of the nursing industry in Australia.