Dafydd OWen Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Hi all Please excuse me asking this. I have tried to scour the boards but this topic seems to draw a fair bit of emotion so it's hard to pick out the facts. Let me start by setting out our position. We are moving to Sydney from old South Wales in a few months on a 457 sponsored by my employer. My wife is a nurse with over 20 years experience but no degree. She has plenty of certificates, a post graduate diploma in health visiting, the bulk of her experience has been hands on ward based stuff all the way up to ward manager. I can see that without the degree it is unlikely that she could register as a registered nurse but potentially could register as an enrolled nurse. We do not need her to work immediately but will do eventually, probably part time. My questions are; Has anyone explored the route of "downgrading" to enrolled and what impact has that had on their job prospects? Is it easier to register once we get there or from the UK ? Are there jobs in healthcare that don't need registration? Cheers Daf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Roberto Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Not sure to many of the answers, but does she have a diploma? If so, it's possible to do a top up through the university of chester. I think it can be done online, and then she can get reg with Ahpra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dafydd OWen Posted June 5, 2015 Author Share Posted June 5, 2015 Cheers Matt. My good lady absolutely despises exams plus I haven't mentioned this to her yet so I'm not sure what she has but I know it's not a degree. This discussion would stress her beyond her limits right now. I am king of the paperwork in our house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Roberto Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Indeed. exams are a drag... maybe a means to an end though and a good way to get paid more for the time. I remember my wife doing IELTS and having to get over 8 in everything. She wasn't happy at all. Nearly ended up shelving the whole idea at that point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelz Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Hi all Please excuse me asking this. I have tried to scour the boards but this topic seems to draw a fair bit of emotion so it's hard to pick out the facts. Let me start by setting out our position. We are moving to Sydney from old South Wales in a few months on a 457 sponsored by my employer. My wife is a nurse with over 20 years experience but no degree. She has plenty of certificates, a post graduate diploma in health visiting, the bulk of her experience has been hands on ward based stuff all the way up to ward manager. I can see that without the degree it is unlikely that she could register as a registered nurse but potentially could register as an enrolled nurse. We do not need her to work immediately but will do eventually, probably part time. My questions are; Has anyone explored the route of "downgrading" to enrolled and what impact has that had on their job prospects? Is it easier to register once we get there or from the UK ? Are there jobs in healthcare that don't need registration? Cheers Daf Hi Daf, It would be worth checking but...I think if your Mrs is a health visitor she should have a post graduate degree - not diploma. What year did she complete the health visiting course??? :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jac2011 Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 My advice is to be honest with her rather than let her get her hopes up. Once a nurse it is difficult to take a step backwards when you love your job. I would suggest like others say do the top up before you go. There are no guarantee's to a lot of your questions as it still early days and no one is an expert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Could look at working in Age Care they are so short of people in that sector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaik Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Hi Daf, We moved from Old South Wales in January but to Brisbane. I to am a nurse, have 13 years experience but no degree. I went down the route of doing the bridging course here which I know is expensive but very easy. One short essay, one medical terminology workbook and one 2500 word assignment and 4 week placement. If she doesn't like exams then she would find this easy. It only took a total of 9 weeks. I am currently waiting on my registration to come through which I am told will be about 4-6 weeks. While waiting I am working for an agency as a healthcare assistant, the hourly rate isn't much different to what I got as a registered nurse in Wales!! So there is hope, the only thing is to be able to do the bridging course she will first need to be refused by AHPRA so need to get the process going asap as it took them 6 months to refuse my reg and refer me!! Good luck Sal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 You have to be registed as an Enrolled nurse so unable to really down grade. I would also imagine that it would be difficult for your wife as a qualified nurse to work as an unqualified worker - she would not legally be able to do all the things she does as a Registered Nurse as it would be deemed outside her scope of practise (for the position she was employed in). I think Snaik's suggestion is a great one as you're moving in a few months anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dafydd OWen Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 Thanks everyone. I've managed to get to the bottom of it. As she "qualified" as a registered nurse way back in the early 90s she doeasn't have either a degree or a diploma from then but as shelz spotted she does have her health visiting qulification from 3 years ago. This is a post graduate diploma, any one had any experience registering with one of those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaik Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 She still wouldn't be able to get registered here with that as they insist on degree, but if she applies they should refuse but refer her to do the bridging course. Without the diploma they prob wouldn't even refer her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dafydd OWen Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 Thanks snaik. That is my main concern. I am slowly picking my through this. I might throw this open in another thread to see if there has been any experiences I can draw on. Looking at the AQF framework, Advanced Diplomas are level 6, Degrees L7 and Graduate Diplomas L8. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaik Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 You r right. Diploma is aqf 6 but need aqf 7 to register. Ahpra will say this is the only part she doesn't qualify on and therefore refer her for the bridging course. I dont think there is anyway round it. I just resorted to thinking that if i wanted to nurse in aus then i would have to go by their rules and grin and bear doing the course. It was only short and very easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dafydd OWen Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 Thanks again snaik, I expect that to be the case and I'm not building my hopes up. I't would be useful to track someone down who applied with that specific qualification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaik Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I understand how you feel. To be honest though AHPRA seem to make up there own rules as they go along or change them just as you think you understand what they want!! Only way you will ever know for definite is when AHPRA either grant or refuse registration. The wait for a refusal seems to take loads longer than a grant for some reason, so your prob best off just getting the application in and hoping for the best but expecting the worst!! That way there's no surprise if they refuse and refer to bridging course, but if they grant then, well, happy days!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinkestlady Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I understand how you feel. To be honest though AHPRA seem to make up there own rules as they go along or change them just as you think you understand what they want!! Only way you will ever know for definite is when AHPRA either grant or refuse registration. The wait for a refusal seems to take loads longer than a grant for some reason, so your prob best off just getting the application in and hoping for the best but expecting the worst!! That way there's no surprise if they refuse and refer to bridging course, but if they grant then, well, happy days!!! So true! I have to contact AHPRA yet again tonight to probably be told yet again that my caseworker is not available to take my call. I ham planning on submitting the blood of a virgin and a unicorn horn with my next contact. You never know it might work! Now... Back to trying to catch that damn unicorn..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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