Guest froglet Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 Hi everyone...I'm an oncology nurse working on a haematology and stem cell transplant unit as well as a general medical surgical oncology unit. I'm keen to relocate to Queensland as in Townsville or Cairns area, but I don't seem to see very many vacancies in my area of speciality. In fact I wonder if there is a shortage of nurses at all in the north of Queensland?? I've put in an expression of interest and got an email back stating I would need to apply to the nursing board first to get registered, so I've started the process going, but how do I know they even want me or are prepared to sponsor me for a temporary 4 year visa? I did find 1 post for a clinical nurse post, a band 6...but how does that differ from a band 6 in the UK? Is it the same? My situation will be more complicated. Firstly I'm German nationality, then completed my 4 year diploma in nursing in South Africa in 1991, then moved to Germany and got certified to practise over there (and I thought that process was bad enough, LOL!! HA!!), then eventually moved to the UK in 1996 and was registered with the NMC after jumping through the hoops and now I'm facing my next challenge! A few years ago South Africa along with UK, USA and Canada got automatic recognition of their nursing qualifications, but the latest guidelines have dropped South Africa from the list...would love to know why. It means my journey for acceptance will be more complicated. Would love to know if any others in this forum are in a similar situation and if they were successful........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH1 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Hi froglet I live Cairns. It's a great place to live, but the onc' service here is very new and does not do transplant to my knowledge. Townsville is the FNQ tertiary centre (4.5 hours south by road) so they may offer you better opportunities. Wonderful places to live such as Cairns get lots of enquiries. One way of rather bluntly filtering the aspirational from the serious applicant is to ask for registration first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angel123 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Good Luck Angel123 :biggrin: Thank you emma83.:smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH1 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Hi everyone...In fact I wonder if there is a shortage of nurses at all in the north of Queensland?? Much less than there is in the major cities such as Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne I did find 1 post for a clinical nurse post, a band 6...but how does that differ from a band 6 in the UK? Is it the same? I've no idea what band 6 is is the UK, but in Qld a grade 6 also known as a Clinical Nurse identifies a senior nurse well versed in her specialty (possibly with a specific post graduate qualification, but not essentially so in regional Qld) who is also likely to have to be a shift supervisor at ward level (usually informally referred to here as a Team Leader or TL) on occasions. Each state has it's own industrial award, so terms and roles change in each state. Firstly I'm German nationality, then completed my 4 year diploma in nursing in South Africa in 1991, then moved to Germany and got certified to practise over there (and I thought that process was bad enough, LOL!! HA!!), then eventually moved to the UK in 1996 and was registered with the NMC after jumping through the hoops and now I'm facing my next challenge! A few years ago South Africa along with UK, USA and Canada got automatic recognition of their nursing qualifications, but the latest guidelines have dropped South Africa from the list...would love to know why Others will know much more about visa and requirements for securing a position in Australia than me. But it sounds as if you will also have to achieve IELTS 7 or better to demonstrate a good command of English. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaneym Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I am coming on a 457 sponsored visa and in he uk am a band 8A. I am in a completely different field to you but from my experience Queensland and WA like you to do a EOI and to have the ahpra first if you are going through their health sites for jobs. NSW and SA ( NSW is where I have the job as a clinical educator a different job completely to mine but I am looking forward to a change from my stressful job here!) you don't have to do an EOI and can apply for jobs but again you have a better chance if you have your ahpra registration first. I suggest you check out what you would actually need to have to register as a nurse first in Australia and then put some feelers out to see what jobs would match yours. There are private companies that might be specialist in your field as well. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen2012 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi Helen,seems strange that they would want an AHPRA registration, we didn`t even apply for it yet:err: . Are you already registered? In that case they want the license from where you are CURRENTLY REGISTERED so that would make sense. I guess we need to grow a thicker skin, I was spoiled by American customer service ( nonexistent in my country of origin:wink:). Hi Maruska, Congrats to you. When I applied skill assessment with ANMAC, I only had the AHPRA eligibility letter, and the final registration certificate received a month later. But the verification of registration status from my current nursing board has been received by ANMAC. Now, I am still waiting for the ANMAC result. 1st July is coming, I have no idea what shall I do. :confused: Well, have you got any job offer? all the best to you :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi Maruska, Congrats to you. When I applied skill assessment with ANMAC, I only had the AHPRA eligibility letter, and the final registration certificate received a month later. But the verification of registration status from my current nursing board has been received by ANMAC. Now, I am still waiting for the ANMAC result. 1st July is coming, I have no idea what shall I do. :confused: Well, have you got any job offer? all the best to you; :biggrin: Try to bug them more, they won`t be nice to you but it worked for us; was scolded one day and got positive assessment the next day:wink: .Good luck:wubclub: I didn`t apply for registration yet, right now busy trying to get visa lodged before July, after that I suspect there will be ample time:confused: for the registration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Froglet, I wish the mutual recognition was still there! I am registered in the USA. Really dreading this process and I haven`t even started yet:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest froglet Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Maruska, the irony was I had started preparing for the N-Clex exam and was looking to relocate to Texas or Arizona earlier in the year. As South Africa's 4 year course was based on the USA qualifications, I wasn't fazed by the N-Clex....what put me off was the loooong process of getting a green card...regression, I think is what it's called! Where only a certain amount of people get this green card every year! But I've now realised the world has changed a huge amount when it come to migration. No matter where you go, it's a complicated, long winded, extremely stressful and expensive process. It takes careful consideration and an open mind..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Maruska, the irony was I had started preparing for the N-Clex exam and was looking to relocate to Texas or Arizona earlier in the year. As South Africa's 4 year course was based on the USA qualifications, I wasn't fazed by the N-Clex....what put me off was the loooong process of getting a green card...regression, I think is what it's called! Where only a certain amount of people get this green card every year! But I've now realised the world has changed a huge amount when it come to migration. No matter where you go, it's a complicated, long winded, extremely stressful and expensive process. It takes careful consideration and an open mind..... It didn`t take too long for us ( 7 years ago). NCLEX is a joke, they test your test-taking skills instead of your knowledge in my opinion ( I passed:wink: ). Not sure about processing time now but there is a bad shortage of nurses and I thought at that time that we got visa fast because we are both nurses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 We live in Texas ( Houston) and I am not very happy with our choice, the city is huge, busy, polluted. Other areas of Texas like Austin are nice enough. If I moved again I would pick California, Oregon or Washington state. Me and my husband both agreed to relocate and had the option to go somewhere within the US or abroad. Adventure won and here we are on PIO and soon hopefully in Australia:biggrin:. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I am unsure about the bands for nurses, I searched on Queensland and NSW government websites but still need advice about that. I have 10 years of experience. When I started working I already had a BSN degree so I wasn`t "enrolled nurse" am I right? Which band would it place me ? ( I think for nurses there was level 1-6, then level 7 for educators and nurse consultants. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stars down under Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 If anyone wants a copy of my cv to see or the template that australia like just pm me and I give you my work e-mail. Just remember you are getting your foot in the door with the cv.. its how you fill in a job application that counts and sells your skills etc.. As a senior nurse in the uk when I have advertised jobs I am not looking for people who do the job i am looking for people with skills and ( transferable ones!) to be able to do the job. I am happy to help anyone by letting them see my job application etc and my advice for telephone interview is to think about the job advert so in my case a clinical nurse educator in NSW.. I looked up their current training standards etc and could see that the ethos and principles were the same as uk just the delivery and practise slightly different. I also looked up the unit and sevices available to get a feel of it. They asked very general questions.. if a nurse makes a medication error what would I do? ( i talked about skills, knowledge and application of skills and knowledge to practice.. disciplinary etc..competency standards etc..) they asked about conflict between two staff members.. ( i talked about appraisal, supervision, team ethos etc.. staff wanting same outcomes but different paths and personalities to get there..) they asked a specific one about mental health.. all standard questions and think methodically from either top to bottom or other way round ( ie.. tell manager... or start at the speak to staff member..) they want to know I guess that you will work autonomously and part of a team that you can lead and also be lead and will fit in with their ethos and practise. I got asked about leadership skills outside of my job I talked about being a mother etc.. Hope this is helpful! good luck to everyone x Hi, I am a PICU-nurse from the Netherlands. Me and my family would like to migrate to Australia. I am preparing for IELTS and hope to send my application for the skills assessment to ANMAC soon. Advice about writing an Australian CV is always helpful. I will sent you a PM Thanx! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH1 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 ...so I wasn`t "enrolled nurse" am I right Enrollment and registration are assigned by APHRA. To be a registered nurse you need to have fulfilled the educational and clinical requirements required by AHPRA. I have known some people who have been registered in there own country but have not been deemed to have the breadth of experience or educational preparation to achieve registration in Australia by AHPRA, so have only been able to achieve enrollment. ...I have 10 years of experience. When I started working I already had a BSN degree ... Which band would it place me ? ( I think for nurses there was level 1-6, then level 7 for educators and nurse consultants. ) It is important to recognise that "bands" do not exist in Australia. There is no right of position or pay. The grade to which you are appointed is by virtue of a successful interview for a position. So I am a grade 8 in Qld, i.e. a Nurse Practitioner. But if I wished to apply for another role, e.g. a Nurse Educator I would be applying for a grade 7 role, and therefore paid accordingly if I was successful. As a registered nurse with the appropriate educational preparation (Masters and B Ed), experience (teaching, advanced clinical practice and successful NP candidacy) and supplemental endorsement by AHPRA as an NP I can do both. But I don't need any of the NP related preparation to be a Nurse Educator, I do need to be a registered nurse, and have appropriate experience and tertiary preparation though. So you could apply for a grade 5 position i.e. a registered nurse, and also ask that your previous years of experience are recognised. If your previous experience is accepted you would be paid as a Grade 5 with a slight increase in pay to recognise your experience. Whereas I am a NP with more than 2 years experience in the role, so I am paid at grade 8, but there are no further pay increments after the second year, so my pay is static. With appropriate career experience and post graduate preparation you could apply for a Nurse Unit Manager (NUM) or Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) position. If you were successful, you would start at grade 7 pay, year 1, gaining increments for each year you were in position. On top of all of this, the industrial awards which define pay structure and conditions of work are established at a state and territory level - all are different. Some only slightly, others quite radically. I hope this gives you some insight into how Australian nursing is structured. Don't hesitate to respond if you have more questions. There are many people on this discussion forum who have negotiated the complexity of relocating to Australia, visas, AHPRA, IELTS etc, etc much more recently than I have, so have much more current information than I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummy Mann Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Hello fellow nurses dealing with AHPRA!!! I've got a couple of questions, if anyone can help. After 3 1/2 months following lodgement I have now been asked to supply two further documents for my application. The first is category A - Australian Visa The second is certificate of registration status. I sent the minimum requirements of identity for overseas applicants (passport and marriage certificate) so I can't understand why they are also asking for proof of visa. I do have a 175 but I didn't think you needed to provide this. Also my certificate of registration was forwarded by the ANMAC but apparently they require it to be sent directly from the NMC. Has anyone had any experience with this. I can understand sending certificate of registration because it has been over a year now since my skills were assessed for my visa application, but I am confused re: proof of Australian visa :0/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamingOfAus Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Hello fellow nurses dealing with AHPRA!!! I've got a couple of questions, if anyone can help. After 3 1/2 months following lodgement I have now been asked to supply two further documents for my application. The first is category A - Australian Visa The second is certificate of registration status. I sent the minimum requirements of identity for overseas applicants (passport and marriage certificate) so I can't understand why they are also asking for proof of visa. I do have a 175 but I didn't think you needed to provide this. Also my certificate of registration was forwarded by the ANMAC but apparently they require it to be sent directly from the NMC. Has anyone had any experience with this. I can understand sending certificate of registration because it has been over a year now since my skills were assessed for my visa application, but I am confused re: proof of Australian visa :0/ Hi there, I had an email yesterday stating that I had to get my Nmc certificate sent to ahpra. I emailed back stating anmc had sent it on to them and could they please search their database. I had a reply today saying to ignore their previous request. Mine was also over a year old, so maybe email them and ask them to search for it..... As for your first question I am not sure, hope you get it sorted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamingOfAus Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Hello fellow nurses dealing with AHPRA!!! I've got a couple of questions, if anyone can help. After 3 1/2 months following lodgement I have now been asked to supply two further documents for my application. The first is category A - Australian Visa The second is certificate of registration status. I sent the minimum requirements of identity for overseas applicants (passport and marriage certificate) so I can't understand why they are also asking for proof of visa. I do have a 175 but I didn't think you needed to provide this. Also my certificate of registration was forwarded by the ANMAC but apparently they require it to be sent directly from the NMC. Has anyone had any experience with this. I can understand sending certificate of registration because it has been over a year now since my skills were assessed for my visa application, but I am confused re: proof of Australian visa :0/ Just trying to think, I sent as evidence: passport, birth certificate, european health insurance card, letters with my address, ie council tax. So maybe you could send on more if they want it. I'm going on 175 visa, have you got yours finalised? I have medical on 13th July and that is all they a waiting for :-) that has taken only 10 months.....chuffed :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummy Mann Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Just trying to think, I sent as evidence: passport, birth certificate, european health insurance card, letters with my address, ie council tax. So maybe you could send on more if they want it. I'm going on 175 visa, have you got yours finalised? I have medical on 13th July and that is all they a waiting for :-) that has taken only 10 months.....chuffed :-) Thank you for your reply. I now have the name and phone number of the person dealing with my application. So another late night tonight so I can phone her. We received our visas in march ours took 9 months ( better than the 12-18 months stated on application ) Good luck with your medical. Where are you having yours? x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamingOfAus Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Thank you for your reply. I now have the name and phone number of the person dealing with my application. So another late night tonight so I can phone her. We received our visas in march ours took 9 months ( better than the 12-18 months stated on application ) Good luck with your medical. Where are you having yours? x Thats a good one for the visa :-) fingers crossed you get an answer. It seems a lot better once you have an agents name. I now have the name of the agent dealing with my registration. Edinburgh is the only place in Scotland you can get the medical done, so I'm heading there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Enrollment and registration are assigned by APHRA. To be a registered nurse you need to have fulfilled the educational and clinical requirements required by AHPRA. I have known some people who have been registered in there own country but have not been deemed to have the breadth of experience or educational preparation to achieve registration in Australia by AHPRA, so have only been able to achieve enrollment. It is important to recognise that "bands" do not exist in Australia. There is no right of position or pay. The grade to which you are appointed is by virtue of a successful interview for a position. So I am a grade 8 in Qld, i.e. a Nurse Practitioner. But if I wished to apply for another role, e.g. a Nurse Educator I would be applying for a grade 7 role, and therefore paid accordingly if I was successful. As a registered nurse with the appropriate educational preparation (Masters and B Ed), experience (teaching, advanced clinical practice and successful NP candidacy) and supplemental endorsement by AHPRA as an NP I can do both. But I don't need any of the NP related preparation to be a Nurse Educator, I do need to be a registered nurse, and have appropriate experience and tertiary preparation though. So you could apply for a grade 5 position i.e. a registered nurse, and also ask that your previous years of experience are recognised. If your previous experience is accepted you would be paid as a Grade 5 with a slight increase in pay to recognise your experience. Whereas I am a NP with more than 2 years experience in the role, so I am paid at grade 8, but there are no further pay increments after the second year, so my pay is static. With appropriate career experience and post graduate preparation you could apply for a Nurse Unit Manager (NUM) or Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) position. If you were successful, you would start at grade 7 pay, year 1, gaining increments for each year you were in position. On top of all of this, the industrial awards which define pay structure and conditions of work are established at a state and territory level - all are different. Some only slightly, others quite radically. I hope this gives you some insight into how Australian nursing is structured. Don't hesitate to respond if you have more questions. There are many people on this discussion forum who have negotiated the complexity of relocating to Australia, visas, AHPRA, IELTS etc, etc much more recently than I have, so have much more current information than I. Thank you, Chris, for this info. I will see what AHPRA has to say about my degree. What is the difference between being "enrolled" and "registered" exactly? Not being able to work unsupervised, medication administration, scope of practice etc? In case I had to do a bridging course, would I still be able to work as enrolled nurse in the meantime? I currently work as a registered nurse in the USA and have been for the last 6 years, however I got my degree in Czech republic. The thought of being without income for 3 months ( that`s what I`ve read on a nursing forum the brigding program takes) really scares me :err: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachaelm0 Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Hello fellow nurses dealing with AHPRA!!! I've got a couple of questions, if anyone can help. After 3 1/2 months following lodgement I have now been asked to supply two further documents for my application. The first is category A - Australian Visa The second is certificate of registration status. I sent the minimum requirements of identity for overseas applicants (passport and marriage certificate) so I can't understand why they are also asking for proof of visa. I do have a 175 but I didn't think you needed to provide this. Also my certificate of registration was forwarded by the ANMAC but apparently they require it to be sent directly from the NMC. Has anyone had any experience with this. I can understand sending certificate of registration because it has been over a year now since my skills were assessed for my visa application, but I am confused re: proof of Australian visa :0/ Hi. Unless they have completely changed their process recently, you don't need proof of visa until you pitch up at their front door when you arrive in oz to complete the process. I never gave them this. I would ring your CO, ahpra don't seem to know their head from their rear end at times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummy Mann Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Hi. Unless they have completely changed their process recently, you don't need proof of visa until you pitch up at their front door when you arrive in oz to complete the process. I never gave them this. I would ring your CO, ahpra don't seem to know their head from their rear end at times! I phoned them last night and they are adamant they want proof of visa. Arrgghh!! I've got a really nice notary I use and he invited me to his house tomorrow to do them, so i'm rushing now to get everything copied before work today. I think I must have a picky CO :0( x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachall Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Hi all Hope you can help. I have submitted my docs to AHPRA last week, just waiting for an email to confirm receipt. At what point did you start contacting them to get the details of your co? I did put in a notarised copy of my offer letter and a covering note. Many thanks Rachel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH1 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 ...What is the difference between being "enrolled" and "registered" exactly? Not being able to work unsupervised, medication administration, scope of practice etc? Essentially yes. In Australia enrolled nursing is not a degree level program. Most enrolled nurses working in acute health care have medication endorsement on top of their EN these days. Certainly it is difficult to secure an EN position without medication endorsement in acute health. ENs with medication endorsement use the acronym EEN. Even though endorsed, an EEN is not able to give opiates IV, and must always check controlled medicines (opiates) with an RN. There are a few other medication issues as well. Other areas would include ENs not being able to do triage in most emergency departments for example, many do not allow ENs to escort patients requiring cardiac monitoring. But these are often local issues. ...In case I had to do a bridging course, would I still be able to work as enrolled nurse in the meantime? I currently work as a registered nurse in the USA and have been for the last 6 years, however I got my degree in Czech republic. The thought of being without income for 3 months ( that`s what I`ve read on a nursing forum the bridging program takes) really scares me My knowledge of the nurse registration system and requirements is well and truly out of date these days. But I wouldn't be disheartened, you may well have all that AHPRA require. AHPRA is a fickle beast, so I certainly wouldn't want to try and second guess them over whether they would offer EN over RN in any given set of circumstances. I would suggest securing certain knowledge of your eligibility to practice before you travel - discovering a new country through the lens of precarious finances can only compromise your enjoyment of what is a great place to live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 and requirements is well and truly out of date these days. But I wouldn't be disheartened, you may well have all that AHPRA require. AHPRA is a fickle beast, so I certainly wouldn't want to try and second guess them over whether they would offer EN over RN in any given set of circumstances. I would suggest securing certain knowledge of your eligibility to practice before you travel - discovering a new country through the lens of precarious finances can only compromise your enjoyment of what is a great place to live. We do have savings but at the same time there is a lot of expense at the beginning to get to Australia and get settled. Also, we own a property in the US which we are hopefully going to rent out and still paying mortgage on that. I`ve been working part-time ever since my 2nd child was born so we aren`t desperate for money but would be nice to have at least 1 income when we come over, especially because we are interested in all types of outdoor activities, day and weekend trips , can`t wait really :biggrin: . My application is going to AHPRA on monday if I can get everything certified by then, it`s quite a large file with all my certificates ( competency related mainly). I am sending them a copy of my CGFNS certificate that I had to do for the US and praying that it will be recognized as sort of a "bridging exam". There is a place on the application to list bridging exams and programs, I listed both CGFNS and NCLEX . With visa already lodged this is the last big hurdle ( after that I will only have 1 gazillion other things regarding move, school, job etc:wink: to sort out) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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