lorna84 Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 So here's my story.... I came to Perth in 2013 to be with my Australian partner and applied for a spouse visa (a hassle in itself). I'm a UK diploma registered RMN with 5 years post qualifying experience and thought that it would be easy to fill out some paperwork and register with AHPRA, which would lead to a happy career in Perth. I eventually got all my paperwork and documents together and lodged my application in September 2013 then waited...... and waited..... I lost count how many times I contacted AHPRA for an update. I was met with the same response each time, "we're currently assessing your application" "No we cannot give you a time frame" etc etc. Jump forward to March 2014 - six months after I lodged my application. I receive a letter stating that they have changed the way they are assessing internationally qualified nurses and now I need to provide further evidence to satisfy criterion 2,3 and 8. Despite the fact that I had been constantly calling and emailing them for six months, they had not once informed me that this was going to happen! So I decided to grit my teeth and set about collecting the new documentation. It was extremely difficult as the NMC and my University were not given a "heads up" from AHPRA about the planned changes and were struggling to cope with the high volume of irate nurses wanting more info and documents. I eventually got everything together and took them into the Perth office personally then waited.........and waited......... The calls and emails resumed and again it was the same response "we're currently assessing your application" "No we cannot give you a time frame".............aaaargh! Today though, I finally got my answer. After 1 whole year of tears, tantrums and frustration........................."you were not found to be eligible for registration" A whole year it has taken the masterminds at AHPRA to determine that despite the fact the NMC state that I am in fact a registered nurse, the fact my former colleagues hold me in high regard, the fact that I have devoted years to the care of people with mental illness and despite the fact that ANMAC say otherwise, I am not "eligible" to be registered in Australia. But wait.....there's a light at the end of the tunnel! AHPRA have been kind enough to inform me that if I complete a small 12 week bridging course, they will in fact be able to register me after all. Not ideal but I thought I'd check it out and have a look, I've jumped through enough hoops so I might as well get past the last hurdle, after all, I've been playing this game for 12 months. Only this small 12 week IRON bridging course is $12,500 (nope, I didn't accidentally add a zero by mistake!) Plus, AHPRA will only give you 12 months to complete it or no registration at all! I spoke to the course co-ordinators and they have said that they do offer a payment plan:- $1500 when I lodge my application $9000 before I start my clinical placement (4 weeks into the course) $2000 before I can get my certificate Not much of a payment plan! I looked around and found that some private clinics did the course at half the price and you could do your clinical placements with them but have recently and mysteriously stopped this (possibly before the p**sed off influx of international nurses start to bother them). So I'm left with a choice, do I find the money somehow within the next 12 months and do it, or kiss my dreams and career goodbye once and for all?? Well first I'm going to fight it. Tomorrow I'll be going to my local MP and arranging a meeting (apparently she's very approachable)! I'll see how that goes and I'll obviously appeal to AHPRA too. If anyone has anything to add or has a similar story I'd love to hear. Perhaps we can get together and do something about it? We've come this far after all...................xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jac2011 Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Unfortunately there is lots of nurses in the same predicament on here, do a search for AHPRA. The only assistance I can give is if you applied in September I was under the impression the changed affected those who applied after October 7th? Are you sure it was September you applied? Sorry, this isn't the news you were hoping for. If I was in your shoes and it was just 12 weeks of my life I would try my hardest to do the course. Especially with an Oz partner and a new life in Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrussell Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Check Sydney prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorna84 Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 Hi Jac I know, I've been following the threads for a while. I was just letting people know that AHPRA are finally putting people out of their misery and I wanted a rant :rolleyes:! Even though it was September, it was anyone who didn't have their application processed by this time so I was literally just out of luck. I know I'll end up doing the course and in a way I don't mind, it's more the expense. $12500 is ridiculous and I feel like it's been purposely set high in order to deter people from doing it. With no payment plan and only 12 months to find the money and complete the course it's essentially forcing people to give up or to get in serious debt, something I've already had to do in order to get my partner visa and can't afford to do again. It's this that has annoyed me more than anything as I know it will have annoyed countless others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorna84 Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 Cheers, will do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaia Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Lorna, Ahpra like the geniuses they are seem to have changed the goalposts again for nurses with mental health, paeds or ld qualifications and are now saying you can register but with a supervision condition as bridging courses aren't set up for these specialties. It doesn't say yet what form the supervision will take, midwives from the uk will have to be supervised for 12 months. I'm guessing it would rule out agency work and no idea what Aussie hospitals will make of it either. Get back in touch with your case officer and point out that the rules have changed again. http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/FAQ/FAQ-IQNM-migration.aspx Hopefully the link above works, it's question 9 in the faqs for international applicants in the migration subsection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carol Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Why don't you do the top up degree online at a UK university? I know UWS (university west of Scotland) do it online for (I think) £1,500 you could use a friend/relative address so you don't pay international fees it would take you 9months (at the most) and that's a part time timeframe you might be able to get RPL for any modules you've done reducing time and cost http://www.uws.ac.uk/schools/school-of-health-nursing-and-midwifery/courses/distance-learning/apply/#.VA-alXgayc0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorna84 Posted September 10, 2014 Author Share Posted September 10, 2014 Thanks Gaia, that's really helpful. I will contact my case worker asap to find out what exactly the supervision restrictions are and see if I can be registered under that ruling. Thanks too Carol! When I submitted my application last September I was oblivious to the new criteria that was going to be implemented like so many others were. If they would have given me a heads up then I could have topped up ages ago!. I completed the Advanced standing and the accredited Mentorship course which means I only need 1 more module to top up to the degree. I'm just wondering if there is anywhere I can do a single module online rather than the full course? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaia Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Chester university let you do single modules online, I thought I might need to do a pharmacology module so contacted them. They were very helpful, Maureen Benbow is the main contact. Also birmingham city university I think although I didn't contact them directly. If you only need 1 module degree would seem the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorna84 Posted September 10, 2014 Author Share Posted September 10, 2014 Thanks again! I've contacted AHPRA regarding registration with a supervision condition and my case officer is going to call me back. In the meantime I'll look at Chester Uni and see what I can do. Might as well see if I can top up regardless so nothing else comes back to haunt me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globetrotters2014 Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 Hi Carol, Thanks for the useful information. However, I would say that check the course pre-requisites, and they state that one has to be currently employed. We've looked extensively into this and are considering this option for the Mrs and this is a common theme with these courses. Nevertheless we are pursing it as it is certainly a more financially viable option for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toppingupthepension Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Same here.......12 months of frustration and then a point blank refusal to registration. I've started the appeal process with the State Administrative Tribunal.....goodbye to $10,000 apparently! Would appreciate a get together (I'm also based in Perth) PM me x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globetrotters2014 Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Is it only us getting shocked by these crazy amounts this country is trying to bleed out of us? How can one afford to pay $10k for an appeal when they won't let you register as a qualified clinician in your field? It's quite unfortunate that it appears they're really looking to utilise us in solving the federal budgetary deficits :mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorna84 Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 The right hand doesn't know what the left is doing. They told me 2 weeks ago that they will register me (along with all diploma RMN's, child and learning disability nurses) but with a 12 month supervision condition. However, they have since sent a letter to say that although this is the case, they are still having a meeting about it on the 6th November and it will be up to 3 weeks after this before my name is on the register! When I asked them what the supervision order would entail they honestly said they didn't know!!! They've had to back track as they know they're in the wrong but they don't know how they're going to deal with it. Employers don't want to know either as they don't understand so I'm not employable. I couldn't even take a job I was offered working in a depot clinic as I would need to be supervised, despite having jabs more bums than they've had hot dinners!!! It's an utter disgrace for ALL fields of nursing!! Experience should be counted for yet it's tossed aside as they prefer pieces of paper instead of hard work and dedication. Speak to any Hospital or clinic and they're crying out for nurses and are really upset with AHPRA. I totally agree with you globetrotters, we're being used to fill a financial hole! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jac2011 Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 I still have my fingers crossed for you all, I hope they get this sorted soon... x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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