How to Access AHPRA

There are many overseas nurses who have difficulty in accessing or finding out the correct form for them. It might be due to the fact that it requires an extra amount of time to scan the site since you need to click so many links.

Below will give you some of the steps on how to get the form for registration. All you need to do first is go to the AHPR's website which is www.ahpra.gov.au


First you need to go to the website of AHPRA, which is www.ahpra.gov.au. Once you are in the site, you need to click on the registration if your intent was to find more about the registration information as an overseas nurse, otherwise choose other button link.

While pointing your mouse in the registration button it will automatically scroll down some options for you to choose from

Click on the nursing and midwifery board link for nurses.

Click on the link on the left part of your computer screen, choose which one you like at this time we will be accessing the form for overseas nurse so you need to click on the common application forms.

Once you click on it, you will be redirected to a page with the name FORMS on the left upper part of your computer screen. All you need to do is scroll down and you will find various forms for general registration. Since you are an overseas nurse, you need to click on the form that says for overseas nurse.

Police Check

Overseas qualified nurses are required to obtain a police check in Australia. You can have it by visiting the nearest police station in the state where you stay. It is also important to know that, prior to coming to the nearest police station that processes police check, you need to visit their online website first. Most of the police station will not process your police check if you did not printed out a form from your computer with your ID number and details already prepared. 

You  need to have a valid passport, your countries identification card, and others. You can find the complete list of the accepted IDs on their website.

For further information visit the local website of your state police. 

For NSW : www.police.nsw.gov.au/

For VIC  : www.police.vic.gov.au/ 

For WA:  www.police.wa.gov.au/ 

For NT :  www.police.nt.gov.au/ 

For QLD : www.police.qld.gov.au/ 

For SA : www.police.sa.gov.au/ 

Changes to AusphilRn

Since 2008, Ausphilrn only published a very few topics about nurses. However, in this coming year, this blog will be publishing an ample information with regards to the nursing in Australia and Philippines.

Below you will also find the banner and theme used from 2008 upto the present.

Thank you!

What to expect after the Bridging program

Now, you have passed the bridging program, was able to perfect the drug calculations (which is very important, since you can not afford to make any drug errors due to your negligence). What to expect after your bridging program.

After your bridging program or competence program as they call it in NSW. You will need to wait for the education provider to forward their letter of recommendation to AHPRA. Take note, that some of the educational institution will not inform you with regards to the status of your letter going to AHPRA. What you need to do is contact the education provider. There are some schools that will forward your letter after a week or two. But majority will forward the letter after a month, and this is quite annoying sometimes, since most of you are so eager to receive the registration number and start working in your chosen hospital or healthcare institution.

Once AHPRA received the letter of recommendation from your education provider, your case officer or AHPRA will contact you, either with your registration number or further documents (which is mostly your identity check requirements). Sometimes, AHPRA will just give you a call for your identity check, however, remember that majority of the case officer will require a certified copy of your identity documents. Kindly refer to the previous entry for the identity check.

Identity Check

It is important for internationally qualified nurses to contact AHPRA or your respective assigned case officer after your bridging course or competence program. Why? Because, they would always ask for your identity check and at the same time, you try to inform them that you have already finished the bridging program and now waiting for the letter of recommendation to reach their office and have your registration.

Below you will find the information with regards to the identity check. Please note that this content was taken from AHPRA website and you can check it all by yourself. In addition, there was no any changes made on the content below.


Proof of Identity Requirements:

Who needs to complete proof of identity requirements?
Proof of identity needs to be provided with any new application for registration.
Proof of identity is not required for:

• registrants who have transitioned to the national scheme
• renewal of registration.

What evidence of proof of identity is required?

Applicants for registration must provide sufficient evidence of their identity. At least one document from each of categories (A, B and C, and D if necessary) is required.
Documents applicable in category A and B may be used in other categories.
Note: The requirements for persons who are applying from overseas, or have recently arrived in Australia are detailed later in this document.

For a complete reference kindly click on this link http://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registration-Process/Proof-of-Identity.aspx

The College of Nursing

The College of Nursing is one of the nursing school in NSW, Australia. They are catering various kinds of nursing course for both overseas and local nurses.

At the same time, they are known by many overseas registered nurse students for their Assessment of Competence program as per requirement by AHPRA.

For more information you can visitwww.nursing.edu.au

Please note that we are not part of the College of Nursing. For any inquiries contact them directly.

CPD (Continuing Professional Development)

Please be aware that this entry is taken from the Australiah Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

This is intended for registered nurse only, however, if you are interested to find out some other information with regards to the CPD in other profession, you can simply visit their website.

Scope of application

This standard applies to registered and enrolled nurses,

registered nurses endorsed as nurse practitioners,

registered midwives, and registered midwives endorsed

as midwife practitioners. It does not apply to students or

nurses and midwives who have non-practising registration.

Requirements

1. Nurses on the nurses’ register will participate in at

least 20 hours of continuing nursing professional

development per year.

2. Midwives on the midwives’ register will participate in

at least 20 hours of continuing midwifery professional

development per year.

3. Registered nurses and midwives who hold scheduled

medicines endorsements or endorsements as nurse

or midwife practitioners under the National Law must

complete at least 10 hours per year in education

related to their endorsement.

4. One hour of active learning will equal one hour of

CPD. It is the nurse or midwife’s responsibility to

calculate how many hours of active learning have

taken place. If CPD activities are relevant to both

nursing and midwifery professions, those activities

may be counted in each portfolio of professional

development.

5. The CPD must be relevant to the nurse or midwife’s

context of practice.

6. Nurses and midwives must keep written

documentation of CPD that demonstrates evidence of

completion of a minimum of 20 hours of CPD per year.

7. Documentation of self-directed CPD must include

dates, a brief description of the outcomes, and the

number of hours spent in each activity. All evidence

should be verified. It must demonstrate that the nurse

or midwife has:

a) identified and prioritised their learning needs,

based on an evaluation of their practice against

the relevant competency or professional practice

standards

b) developed a learning plan based on identified

learning needs

c) participated in effective learning activities relevant

to their learning needs

d) reflected on the value of the learning activities

or the effect that participation will have on their

practice.

8. Participation in mandatory skills acquisition may be

counted as CPD.

9. The Board’s role includes monitoring the competence

of nurses and midwives; the Board will therefore

conduct an annual audit of a number of nurses and

midwives registered in Australia.

Definitions

Context of practice refers to the conditions that define an

individual’s nursing or midwifery practice. These include

the type of practice setting (e.g. healthcare agency,

educational organisation, private practice); the location

of the practice setting (e.g. urban, rural, remote); the

characteristics of patients or clients (e.g. health status,

age, learning needs); the focus of nursing and midwifery

activities (e.g. health promotion, research, management);

the complexity of practice; the degree to which practice

is autonomous; and the resources that are available,

including access to other healthcare professionals (ANMC

2009).

Continuing professional development is the means by

which members of the profession maintain, improve and

broaden their knowledge, expertise and competence, and

develop the personal and professional qualities required

throughout their professional lives. The CPD cycle

involves reviewing practice, identifying learning needs,

planning and participating in relevant learning activities,

and reflecting on the value of those activities (ANMC 2009).