How To Create CGFNS Account For New Zealand Nursing Board

This is a part of New Zealand Board of Nursing Registration series. The first step is registration with CGFNS for verification of foreign credentials. Below is a Step-by-Step guide to creating an account with CGFNS.

Step 1: First complete the application here Register (force.com) . After signing up, you should receive an email from CGFNS, just click on the link inside the email in order to activate your account.

Step 2: Logi into your CGFNS account for New Zealand registration using this link Login (force.com)

Step 3: Click on Service Selector then select the Licensure for New Zealand Board of Nursing and then Select Registered Nurse and click on the submit button.

Step 4: Click on My Profile on the top right hand corner of your CGFNS homepage.

Step 5: Click on Personal Information on the right side and then complete your personal information and click on submit after completing the information. Once the submit button is clicked, the information will be registered. Without clicking the submit button, the information you entered won’t be saved.

Step 6: Repeat the same for Contact Information

Step 7: For Identity document first click on Add New Identity Document and then complete the information and click submit. Repeat the same for your second identity document and click submit to make the information registered.

Step 8: For Education, click Add New Education History and complete each form. Do this for your Primary School, Secondary School and Nursing Education while clicking on the submit button each time you complete the educational history. You won’t be asked to send your primary or secondary school results or transcripts, you only need transcripts from your tertiary or nursing education.

Step 9: Complete the Employment history by adding new employment and don’t forget to click the submit button in order for it to be updated.

Step 10: For licensure repeat the process by including all the jurisdictions where you are registered. Include the dates you write the qualifying exams and click on submit for each licensure. Repeat the same thing for language proficiency, Continuing Education among others and click on submit.

Finally if you haven’t picked your profession before pick Registered Nurse and proceed to make the application fees payment of $300.

Note: After making the payment, you would receive email from CGFNS confirming the payment and asking you to wait for 3 days to receive approval for the download of the forms.

At this point you can proceed to notarize your identity documents. You can do so by making a photocopy of the documents and go with both the original to either police station, post office or court to notarize the photocopy. You will be required to upload the notarized copy later.

If you have current documents with CGFNS USA before now, you can ask CGFNS New Zealand to retrieve the documents so you won’t need to send it to them again.

After like few minutes to three days, you will receive approval from CGFNS to proceed to download your forms and proceed to sending your transcript from your Nursing school, verification from Nursing Boards and employment verification.

You should read How To Request For Verification With UK NMC

How To Request For Verification With UK NMC

Many registered Nurses in the UK might want to migrate to other countries like Canada, Australia, USA among other countries for various reasons and might be required to send verification from the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council. To nurses who are not familiar with the process of requesting for verification, below is the process.

Step 1: Login into your UK NMC online account NMC Online Services (nmc-uk.org)

Step 2: Click on My Registration at the top of your account

Step 3: Click on the last option on the drop down which is Certificate of Current Professional Status

Step 4: Select YES to all the statements and click NEXT

Step 5: Select the country where the organization you are sending the verification is domicile among the country list in the dropdown menu. For instance if your verification is going to CGFNS, select USA.

Step 6: Licensing or Registration Board select the name of the organization you are sending it to. For instance CGFNS. Immediately after selecting the name of the organization you are sending it to, the address will be displayed.

Step 7: Then input your CGFNS order number into the space in front of Application reference number, this makes your verification easy to track.

Step 8: Tick the box in front of the statement I understand that by signing up to this process my data will be transferred outside the EU/EEA and that I may have fewer or different rights once my data has left the UK and click on submit. You should receive an email after your CCPS is ready. The Verification is free of charge

Note: Discard the form you downloaded from CGFNS as you don’t need it for UK NMC verification of your UK License.

Step-by-Step Guide to New Zealand to Australia Nurse Registration

Welcome to this comprehensive guide on the easiest way to migrate to Australia as a foreign educated/overseas nurse through the New Zealand Nursing Board. I am going to take you hand in hand through the registration process.

Australia Nursing Board introduced the new Stream and OBA route which makes direct registration as an overseas nurses super expensive. The easiest and cheapest route is through the New Zealand Board of Nursing. You first apply and get registered as a nurse in New Zealand then you simply endorse it to Australia. Let get started!

Requirements:

Below are the requirements needed before you can start the registration process:

  1. A Bachelor degree in Nursing (Nursing Certificate is now allowed)
  2. Two forms of identity cards usually your international passport and any other government issued identity card. You will need to make photocopies of these documents and notarized the photocopy. Then you will need to upload the notarized copy.
  3. Proof of English Proficiency (IELTS/OET): Academic IELTS with a score of 7 in each band. You can club/combine IELTS provided you sat for both IELTS within 6 months apart and no score is less than 6.5. You must however still have a score of 7 in all modules even when combine IELTS. If you had your Nursing education in USA, UK, Canada and Ireland or you are currently a registered Nurse in any of the listed countries, English language will be waived for you.

Note: IELTS for New Zealand Nurse registration is valid for 3 years and not 2 years like other countries.

4. At least a minimum of two (2) years work experience within the last five years. If you have worked in UK, USA, Canada or Ireland you will be registered directly and won’t need to undergo the 6 to 12 weeks adaptation course.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Gather the above requirement especially notarization of your passport and ID card

Step 2: Create an account with New Zealand CGFNS by going to the link Register (force.com)

Step 3: Complete the CGFNS Application form. You can apply for English waiver if you are practicing as a Nurse in one of the aforementioned countries at this stage. See the guide on how to complete CGFNS Application form. Note: if you have an account with USA CGFNS for NCLEX purpose, you can ask CGFNS New Zealand to help you import your transcripts and verification into your profile so you won’t need to send another verification.

Step 4: Make payment for your CGFNS application. This cost $300 (Exchange rate varies if you are using your local card).

Step 5: Receive a mail from CGFNS confirming your payment and informing you to wait for 2-3 days before your forms are available for download. After few hours or a day, you should receive an email from CGFNS that your application has been approved and you can now proceed to download your forms and send it to the appropriate quarters.

For Step-by-Step Guide to creation of account with CGFNS for New Zealand Board of Nurse Registration, Read How To Create CGFNS Account For New Zealand Nursing Board

You should also read How To Request For Verification With UK NMC

How to Become a Registered Nurse in New Zealand/Australia: My Experience by Walex

This is an ongoing post by Walex on Nursesarena.com shared by permission

Good morning everyone I’m back. I’m Walex and will be taking us through the process of how to practice as a nurse in New Zealand.This thread is going to be based on my personal experience, I will provide you with dates, cost, timelime etc like I did during my USA Nurse registration journey back then.

About Me

I’m Walex by name from Nigeria. I’m a Registered Nurse in Nigeria. I later pursued my USA Nurse registration and got registered as a Nurse in USA but due to the visa ban on Nigerians I decided to move to the UK. I’m presently a registered nurse in UK and work in one of the NHS Hospitals in England.

I had plans of moving to Australia before and I just rekindled that dream. However, due to the recent change in the Australian licensure process I figure out it won’t make sense to waste such a whole lot of money on the Australian process. I have therefore decided to register as a nurse in New Zealand and after that will endorse my licence to Australia.

I will be providing detailed process of the application process and update you on the progress thus far. if you have a question please don’t hesitate to drop it down below.

New Zealand Nurse Registration Requirements

1. You Must have a University Degree in Nursing (BSC NURSING)
2.Pass IELTS at recommended level. New Zealand accepts Academic IELTS.A minimum of 7 in speaking, listening, writing and reading is required. You can combine IELTS result (IELTS CLUBBING) provided the tests are taken within 12 months of first sitting. New Zealand also accepts results that are not more than 3years old as at the time CGFNS submit your report. If you are registered as a nurse and working in UK, USA or Canada, you don’t need IELTS result. For more explanation on this read https://www.nursingcouncil.org.nz/IQN/H5.aspx?WebsiteKey=fa279da8-a3b1-4dad-94af-2a67fe08c81b

3. Must have at least 2years working experience

Registration Stages

Stage 1: Credentials evaluation process through CGFNS. This involves creating an account with CGFNS, completing the application form, uploading your passport, etc  after that pay the application fees of 300 dollars. Note that the link is not through the normal CGFNS page for USA, I will include it below.

Step : Get approved, download the forms and send to appropriate authorities who will send them to CGFNS address in USA after completing them.

Stage 3: When the verification is completed, it will be sent to The Nursing Council New Zealand (NCNZ) who will invite you to apply.

Stage 4: You may need to undergo a 6 weeks program dined Competency Assessment Program. If you had worked in Canada, UK and USA as a nurse, you will be exempted from this.

After that you will have jour licence and you can now begin to look for work.

Step 5: For me and others who are doing this because of Australia, you will just make payment to Australia Nursing Board and your New Zealand license will be endorsed.

Now let me begin to gist you about my journey

Oops sorry this is coming late. I actually typed everything that night I posted the above but was logged out before I could post so I lost the epistle to the people of Rome I typed, I nearly cried.

Now let me get started

I created my account using this link https://cgfns.force.com/applicantPortal/s/login/Self Register and had to complete several pages laidat. The profile page asked about my basic information, license page asked about all the licences I have so I listed Nigeria, USA and UK license. You will need the date you took the exams and the date you are registered etc Then followed by my Schools, you will be required to complete all schools you have attended right from primary school to your secondary school and the date you graduated, the name you graduated with etc. Then you need to list all your previous employer (I listed my Nigeria and UK employers). Then all professional CPD you have attended with dates you started and completed etc.

An area that is tricky is the identification page where you need to upload 2 forms of notarized identification. For me I uploaded my international passport and UK govt issued identity card. I first made a colored photocopy of the 2 identity cards and then went to the nearest post office in my area (South Bermondsey Post office in London) to have it notarized, it cost me approximately £13.

I uploaded only the notarized document (and not the original ones).
I completed the ielts section by including my TRF number and exam date. (I sha include my ielts despite I will be exempted).

After completing the application form, I made payment of 300 dollars and submitted my application form on the 25th of August, 2020

Immediately after payment I received an email from CGFNS telling me that my application has been received and wait until it is approved before doing anything. About 4 hours later I received an email that my application has been approved that I can now proceed to download the forms and send them to their respective places.

I logged in and nearly fainted at the amount of documents I need to download, I was like I don enter gbege for cgfns hand ó they sha wan help me spend my money 😝.

Employer verification form (both UK and Nigeria), Nigeria license verification, UK license verification, USA license verification, School of Nursing transcript request form and my University transcript request form. I sha download everything sha.

On 26th of August, 2020 I logged in and my IELTS status has changed to meets requirement.

My identity document status has changed to Ready for Evaluation but I saw a form to be completed by me in the presence of notary so I emailed cgfns, within 2hours they replied that it is only applicable to people who used online notary.

 26th of August, I contacted my school of Nursing, my UK and Nigeria employers to help complete my forms

28th of August, 2020 I logged into my UK NMC account and requested for the verification document to be sent to CGFNS, I paid £34 and the certificate was issued almost immediately

On Monday 31st of August, 2020 I will work on Nigeria verification and my University Transcript. For Texas Board of Nursing verification, I honestly don’t have any idea how I can go about that. I will email cgfns and ask whether they can accept to check my licence online using the Nursy website. If you know how to go about it please let me know. Bye for now

To follow his journey go to https://nursesarena.com/travel-nursing/how-to-become-a-registered-nurse-in-new-zealand-my-experience/msg10637/#msg10637

Australia Nursing Board New Registration Guide For Overseas Nurses

The Australian Nursing regulatory board has started accepting NCLEX-RN exam and OBA as part of the Nursing registration requirements. Below is all you have to know about the Australia Nurse registration process including OSCE:

Prior to the start of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme in 2010, the assessment of IQNMs was undertaken by the state and territory boards. In 2010, Ahpra developed a national model for the assessment for IQNMs. Following a review of assessment processes, the NMBA developed an interim model of assessment for IQNMs which has been in place since 2014. The interim model was based on eight qualification assessment criteria and resulted in a more equitable and consistent assessment of IQNM applications.

sment of IQNM applications.Transition to a new model of assessment for IQNMs

The NMBA is moving to a permanent approach in the assessment of IQNMs. Changes under the new model include a reduction in the assessment criteria from eight to three, which took effect in January 2019.

This change streamlines the assessment process; however, the outcomes from assessments remain the same as under the previous eight criteria.

In early 2020, the NMBA will also transition to an outcomes-based assessment (OBA) for IQNMs who hold a qualification that is relevant but not substantially equivalent or based on similar competencies to an Australian approved qualification (and who demontrate they meet the mandatory registration standards). This will replace the current need for bridging programs.

The NMBA undertook an extensive research project to explore the factors and requirements to establish an OBA which made recommendations that:

  • the overall assessment process includes both a cognitive and behavioural component
  • the cognitive assessment must be passed before the behavioural component is attempted, and
  • an orientation program is established to orientate nurses and midwives to working in the Australian healthcare context.

What is the new model of assessment for IQNMs?

The new model of assessment includes:

  • the online Self-check for all IQNMs
  • an orientation program for all IQNMs who are advised to continue with the assessment process, and
  • an OBA for some IQNMs.

Self-check

The assessment of qualifications will continue to be against the current three criteria.
All IQNMs will need to submit their qualification information at Self-check. IQNMs will then be advised of the steps (assessment stages) they must successfully complete before being eligible to apply for registration.

After Self-check, IQNMs who are assessed as holding a qualification that is substantially equivalent or based on similar competencies to an Australian approved qualification (and who can demonstrate they meet the mandatory registration standards), will be eligible to apply for registration following completion of Orientation Part 1. (See Orientation program below for more information).

IQNMs who are assessed as holding a qualification that is relevant but not substantially equivalent or based on similar competencies to an Australian approved qualification (and who can demonstrate they meet the mandatory registration standards), will be required to successfully complete an outcomes-based assessment (OBA) prior to being eligible to apply for registration.

IQNMs that do not hold a relevant qualification (under section 53 of the National Law) or do not meet the required assessment criteria will need to upgrade their qualification in Australia before being eligible to apply for registration. Their qualification can be upgraded in Australia (through completion of an NMBA approved program of study) or any other country of choice providing the qualification meets the qualification assessment criteria.

Orientation program

All IQNMs who are advised to proceed in the IQNM assessment process will need to complete the orientation program in order to be registered in Australia. There are two parts to the orientation program.

Part 1 is an online learning course to introduce IQNMs to Australia and the Australian healthcare context.

Part 2 is a more in-depth online introduction, including content on the diversity of Australian culture. Part 2 must be completed once registered with the NMBA and will be a requirement of registration until it is completed.

In addition to completing the orientation program, the NMBA expects that all nurses and midwives in Australia seek out and be part of the workplace induction and/or local orientation provided by their employers. Guidance for employers on the content to include in their workplace induction and/or orientation will be provided. When will the new model of assessment for IQNMs start

Applications via the Application for general registration as an enrolled nurse, registered nurse or midwife (for internationally qualified nurses and midwives) – AGOS-40 form will be accepted if posted to Ahpra on or before Friday 21 February 2020. Applications posted after this date will not be accepted.

IQNMs will be able to start the new model of assessment in March 2020.Do all IQNM’s still need to meet the NMBA’s mandatory registration standards?

Yes. All IQNM’s will need to provide evidence of meeting the NMBA mandatory registration standards.What are the fees for IQNMs?

There is no fee to use the Self-check.

After completing the Self-check, all IQNMs who are advised to proceed in the IQNM assessment process will need to pay a non-refundable assessment fee of $640 AUD. This fee contributes towards Ahpra’s costs in checking IQNM documentation provided, and for the IQNM to undertake their orientation.

IQNMs who are referred to the OBA will need to pay specific OBA fees which are outlined below. (See question ‘How much are the fees for the OBA and where can I sit the exams?’).

All IQNMs who are eligible for registration and meet the mandatory registration standards will need to pay a registration fee and application fee in order to be registered. The current application fee of $300 AUD and registration fee of $175 AUD will continue to apply. What is the OBA?

The OBA is a two-stage assessment process: a multiple-choice question exam (MCQ) and an objective structured clinical exam. IQNMs must pass the first stage before moving to the next stage.

Stage one is a cognitive assessment, which is a computer-based MCQ exam. IQNMs must pass the exam to move to part two of the OBA.

Stage two is a behavioural assessment in the form of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). The OSCE has been developed to assess that an IQNM demonstrates the knowledge, skills and competence of a graduate level Australian nurse or midwife. Who is the OBA for?

The OBA is the assessment process for IQNMs who wish to register in Australia and who are assessed as holding relevant but not substantially equivalent qualifications (and who demonstrate they meet the mandatory registration standards).When will the OBA for IQNMs start?

There are two phases for the transition to the OBA:

  1. From 1 October 2019, IQNMs who have posted to Ahpra an application for registration (AGOS-40) on or before 21 February 2020 and who hold relevant but not substantially equivalent qualifications (and who demonstrate they meet the mandatory registration standards) will have the choice to be referred to a bridging program or to the OBA, regardless of when the outcome of their application is decided.
  2. The new model of assessment will start in March 2020, and all IQNMs with relevant but not substantially equivalent qualifications (and who demonstrate they meet the mandatory registration standards) will be referred to the OBA and will no longer be referred to bridging courses.

If I get a referral to the OBA, when will I be able to start the process and how long will it take to complete?

IQNMs with a referral to the OBA will be able to begin the OBA process in March 2020.

IQNMs undertaking the OBA must pass each assessment stage before undertaking the next. The time taken to complete the OBA is dependent on how quickly the IQNM can progress through the assessments. What if I already have a referral to a bridging course, but I want to do the OBA instead?

IQNMs who hold a current referral to a bridging program have been able to contact Ahpra since 1 October 2019 to request a referral to the OBA instead. IQNMs should contact the Registration Officer named in their referral letter. Please note that IQNMs will not be able to start the OBA process until March 2020.What if I have already started a bridging course?

IQNMs who have already started a bridging course should continue to complete the program.How much are the fees for the OBA and where can I set the exams?

Cost and locations for the MCQ exam

The MCQ exam is computer-based and will be delivered at test centres in most countries. There will be separate exams for IQNMs seeking registration as a registered nurse, enrolled nurse or midwife:

  • Registered nurses will sit the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) develops and administers the NCLEX-RN through Pearson VUE test centres.
  • Midwives will sit an MCQ exam managed by the NMBA, which will be delivered through Aspeq test centres.
  • Information for on the enrolled nurse MCQ exam will be published soon.

Note: IQNMs must be authorized by Ahpra to sit the MCQ exams.

Fees for the MCQ exams are set by the providers and paid directly to them. At the time of publishing, the following fees apply:

  • For registered nurses, the NCLEX-RN registration fee is $200 USD, plus an additional international scheduling fee of $150 USD ($350 USD in total).
  • For midwives, the fee is $165 NZD, plus a possible fee for overseas venues.
  • Enrolled nurse exam fees will be published soon.

Cost and locations for the OSCE

IQNMs who have been referred to the OBA must pass the MCQ exam before they can attempt the OSCE.

The OSCE is managed by Ahpra and will be delivered at Adelaide Health Simulation in Adelaide, South Australia.

The fee for sitting the OSCE is $4,000 AUD. The OSCE fee replaces previous bridging program fees from private providers. This fee pays for Ahpra’s costs in running and maintaining the OSCE. Ahpra and the NMBA are funded only by fees, which must cover all costs of assessing IQNMs for registration in Australia.Are there still bridging programs available for IQNMs?

Bridging programs are expected to continue into 2021 for IQNMs who hold a referral to bridging. A referral to bridging does not guarantee a place in a program.For more information

Australia Nursing Board Introduces CBT And OSCE For Foreign Educated Nurses

Nurses and midwives with international qualifications arriving in Australia will be offered the choice of either a bridging course or CBT plus OSCE to register in Australia from October 1, 2019.

A year after the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) announced the introduction of a new assessment model for internationally qualified nurses and midwives to attain registration in the country, the board has declared that the new system will come into effect from October 1 this year.

At present, internationally qualified nurses and midwives (IQNMs) who arrive in Australia holding qualifications which are relevant but not substantially equivalent to the Australian qualifications have to undergo a bridging program to attain the registration required to work in the country.

However from next month NMBA will introduce a new assessment model giving candidates the option to choose between the bridging course and the outcomes-based-assessment (OBA) which will be available from January 2020.

“The new model known as outcomes-based-assessment (OBA) will commence in January 2020,” the NMBA said in a statement.

“From January 2020, all IQNMs with relevant but not substantially equivalent qualifications will be referred to the OBA,” the statement reads. There will not be any new referrals to the bridging program from next year.

“The priority of the assessment model is public safety and ensuring that all individuals registered as a nurse or midwife in Australia are meeting the same standards, regardless of where they gained their qualifications,” an NMBA spokesperson tells SBS Malayalam.

“Since 2014, IQNMs wanting to register in Australia have been assessed under an interim model of assessment, while the Board undertook an extensive research project to develop a permanent model of assessment. The new model of assessment is based on the recommendations of that research and international best practice,” NMBA added.

OBA to replace bridging course

From the October 1, IQNMs who arrive in Australia will be offered to opt-out either the bridging course or OBA to work in the country. But those applying from the January 1 2020, will not be offered the choice of two models.

    Those applying from January 1 2020 will only be able to choose OBA, as this will completely replace the current bridging course from 2021.

“Bridging programs are expected to continue until 2021, for IQNMs who hold a referral to bridging. IQNMs will no longer be referred to bridging programs from January 2020,” reads the statement from NMBA.

What is OBA?

The outcomes-based-assessment model or OBA that will replace the bridging course consists of two parts. This includes a multiple-choice exam, followed by an objective structured clinical exam (OSCE), which is currently implemented in many countries.

While the first part is a computer-based multiple-choice cognitive assessment, the second part is behavioural assessment in the form of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).

Those applicants who pass the first stage will be able to go through to the second part of the OBA.

Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)

According to NMBA, the OSCE is used to assess whether an IQNM possesses the knowledge, skills and competence of a graduate-level Australian nurse or midwife.

“OSCE implemented in many countries including the United Kingdom is basically to assess how a nurse or midwife can handle the patients in different scenarios in a simulation environment,” Kunnumpurathu Bijo, the CEO of Melbourne based Institute of Health and Management, tells SBS Malayalam.

“In the OSCE implemented in the UK the IQNMs need to demonstrate their skills in handling a patient in that country,  in the presence of a clinical educator who observes them. It covers every aspect, like their communication to the patient, clinical decision making and practice standards,” says Mr. Bijio.

“However, in the UK, OSCE can only be attempted three times and needs proper training to crack it,” adds Bijo.

Orientation to be completed

Once the two-stage assessment process is completed, all IQNMs will also be required to complete an orientation program consisting of three stages.

While stage one is an online assessment to introduce IQNMs to Australia and the Australian healthcare system, stage two covers the diversity of Australian culture. This will be completed once the IQNMs are registered with the NMBA.

The third stage of the orientation program will be provided by the IQNM’s employer, based on NMBA guidelines.

“All the nurses and midwives arriving in Australia will have to complete this orientation program from next year,” says Jaison Thomas an Education Consultant at Sanjose Consultacy in Melbourne to SBS Malayalam.

“The new model is expected to benefit the applicants financially as the adaptation program in Australia is very expensive now when compared to other countries,” he adds.
Source:https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/australia-moves-to-new-assessment-model-for-international-nurses

How to Become A Registered Nurse in Australia for Foreign Educated Nurses

Job Opportunities for Nigerian Nurses: Working in Australia. Australia is currently one of the best destinations for registered nurses, not only because the “Registered Nurse” is an occupation in demand in Australia, but also because the opportunities to work in the USA or UK may not be available at this time. This is based on the advice that the USA is currently processing applications which date back to July 2006, and that the UK prefers registered nurses from members of the European Union. There are other work opportunities for nurses to work in the Asian region, however, they do not pay as much as employers in Australia.

 

First of all, you must be a registered Australian nurse to qualify for a working visa or permanent residence as a registered nurse in Australia.

 

Working visas to Australia for all occupations was discussed in a separate paper entitled, “Do You Qualify for a Working Visa?” Before you pay a single cent in any ‘offer for a working visa’ you must verify with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) whether your proposed sponsoring employer has been approved as sponsor. You also need to determine whether the proposed position, task and workplace where you will be assigned, satisfy the current migration policy criteria.

 

Pitfalls of Working Visas

Many have fallen victim to recruiters who claim they are authorised to recruit for positions of Caregiver, Assistant in Nursing (AIN) or Residential Care Officer (RCO). Migration policy has changed over the years and continues to change. At present:

 

Assistant in Nursing and caregiver are not in the list of qualifying occupations for working visa.

 

A Residential Care Officer may no longer be assigned to work in nursing homes and care for the aged because, according to a recent case decided by the Policy Section of DIAC in Canberra, it is outside the RCO ASCO definition to provide care and supervision for children or disabled persons in group housing or government institutions.

 

A Disability Services Officer (DSO) may likewise no longer be allowed to provide personal care in nursing homes if DIAC is to strictly enforce the DSOASCO definition to provide education and community access to people with intellectual, physical, social and emotional disabilities.

 

Nurse Registration in Australia

Currently, there is a plan to unify the requirements for Australian nursing competency assessment and registration in 2010. Until that time, nursing registration is through the nursing registration board of any of the Australian States and Territories. They vary in their registration process, costs and requirements.

 

Once registered as registered nurse in any state or territory of Australia, your tourist, non-working visa or student visa may be changed to a working visa for a period of one year up to four years under certain conditions, provided there is no visa condition of no further stay on your existing visa.

 

NSW Nurse Registration for Overseas Registered Nurses

Under the 2008 guidelines, the NSW Nursing Board will consider, among other matters:

o The rank or classification of your educational institution in the Country Education Profile of the country of your education

o your overseas registration

o your grades in your transcript of records

o your experience, if any

 

The NSW Nursing board will determine whether your qualifications meet certain standards:

The standard of your educational institution must be comparable to the standard of an Australian tertiary institution and

 

The level of your nursing degree must be comparable to the level of an Australian Bachelor degree not an Australian Diploma level; and

 

The course content of your overseas Bachelor degree in Nursing must be comparable to the course content of the Australian Bachelor in Nursing degree.

 

If your qualifications meet the standard of an Australian Bachelors degree in Nursing you will be referred to complete the College of Nursing Assessment for registered nurses. If not, you may be referred for assessment as an enrolled nurse. If you pass the assessment, you will be eligible for registration as registered nurse or enrolled nurse as the case may be.

 

Registration as enrolled nurse will not qualify you for permanent resident visa because it is not listed in the Skilled Occupations List (SOL) but will qualify you to apply for a working visa.

 

The other two accredited pathways for registered nurse registration in New South Wales are:

 

A three year Australian Bachelor in Nursing degree

 

A two-year graduate entry Bachelor in Nursing degree course at the University of Technology Sydney or University of Western Sydney.

In all cases, you will be required to pass an English test at varying levels, unless exempted.

 

Permanent Resident Visa Application While Working Overseas

If you are currently working as registered nurse in the UK, USA, Ireland, Canada or New Zealand, you may be granted registration without having to undertake an English test and nursing competency test under certain conditions. After you obtain Australian registration you may qualify for permanent residence in Australia under certain conditions while you continue to work in the UK, USA, Ireland, Canada or New Zealand.

 

If your permanent resident visa is approved before your overseas contract expires, you can still validate your respective visas by entering Australia with those included in your visa application. You may return to the UK, USA, Ireland, Canada or New Zealand to complete your employment contract the next day and your family members can either remain in Australia, or leave for the Philippines or elsewhere, provided each of you return to live in Australia within 5 years from visa grant.

 

Which Family Members Can You Bring?

You are allowed to include your entire family (spouse and dependent children below 25 years old) your widowed parent, single aunt or uncle who have lived with you and are dependent on you, as part of your family in your permanent resident visa application under certain conditions. Once you get your permanent resident visa, you will qualify to sponsor your brothers, sisters, nephew, nieces and other relatives.

 

Written By Imelda Argel

Nursetogether

CELBAN Review: Test Format, Test Preparation, Registration and Practice Materials

CELBAN just like IELTS is a four module English proficiency test that is required for International nurses to upgrade their nursing degree or diploma in Canada. It is accepted by all licensing bodies all over Canada. It is especially designed in Canada. The CELBAN Test is entirely from the medical background nurses take this test as it requires the test of English for medical report writing, medical vocabulary and interaction with patients for treatment. All the modules of the test are based on medical topics.The assessment test is taken in 4 parts. These are as follows:
1. Speaking
2. Listening
3. Reading
4. Writing


Listening, Reading and writing are taken together as a group test whereas, speaking test is taken separately one by one. The English language levels required for nurses entering in Canadian Nursing Profession are

*Speaking: CLB Level 8
*Listening: CLB Level 10
* Reading: CLB Level 8
*Writing: CLB Level 7

Listening, Reading and Writing sections are assessed together as a group test, whereas speaking test is taken separately. Both parts of the test may fall on the same day and speaking test may fall a day after. Group test is taken first. To pass the test you have to get pass bands from each section and if you do not qualify any one section of the group test, you have to take the whole group test again.

LISTENING.
Listening is one of the modules of CELBAN Testing. There are multiple choice questions. You have 30 seconds to read the questions and 30 seconds to check the answers. You are not given headphones, so make practice without headphones. There are a lot of people in the room so be prepared.
1. There are five video scenarios
2. There are four audio scenarios
Time: 45 Minutes
Listening section includes scenes in a clinic, home, hospital or medical office in different settings. The scenes include communication between nurses and the patient, doctor and patient, phone call between family members and nurse, nurse shift to shift report or nurse reporting the doctor.
You will be given 30 seconds to preview the questions. Read the questions thoroughly during that time and if time permits, read the answer choices. In listening multiple choice questions are given. Each question has 4 choices.
In listening tests the conversation is very fast and all nationalities, sex and age people are included. So in order to pass the test you need to pay a lot of attention.
You need to relax and listen wholeheartedly with full concentration. Do not let the thoughts interrupt.

READING.

Reading test in CELBAN is also very important part of the test. The Reading test consist of 2 parts:

Skimming and scanning(5-8 minutes).
Reading comprehensions and gap fills.

In skimming and scanning you are given a patient’s transfer/referral/admission from which you need to scan thoroughly and skim the information given in the text booklet. In this section only 5-8 minutes are given and the main objective is to take out accurate information at a given time. (Limited time)

In the second part of reading you get 2 reading comprehension and one paragraph for gap fills. From the reading comprehension, you have some multiple choice statement question answers and you are required to mark the correct answer. Please use your time wisely and do not spend more than 15 minutes in solving any passage.

In the passage with gap fills you have 4 answer choices for each gap and you are required to fill them with the correct word.


WRITING

Writing plays a very important part of day-to-day activities in healthcare industry in Canada.
The writing test consists of 2 parts

Part 1:-
Form filling: 10 minutes.
There will be an interview – Doctor – Patient or Nurse – Patient or a related clinic scene.
You will be given a Nurses record sheet and a video scene regarding talk between a Patient and a Nurse or Doctor and Nurse in a hospital setting.
You will have a minute to preview the assessment record sheet.
You have to record whatever is asked with supporting details in the point form.

Part 2:-
Part 2 in writing sections incident report writing. You have to write a report taking the information provided in the question. The incident report is a record of incident, problems and events at the time of admission of patients and afterwards.

In this test we have to be very focused on grammar, spelling, word choice and other communication vocabulary. You must include information precisely answering questions like who, what, when, why and how. You need some efforts and practice to write good reports.

SPEAKING

Speaking module of CELBAN is conducted individually and takes approximately 20-30 minutes. There are 2 assessors who carry out assessments. It is always recorded and you are assessed on the basis of your use of language (word choice), grammatical accuracy, narrating, supporting the opinion, the use of strategies for synthesizing, stating and describing.

Your language proficiency is judged from your interaction with the patient. Most importantly your confidence is judged from your fluency in asking questions and answering the patient’s queries. In speaking, you should make use of paraphrasing, self-correcting, confirming and maintaining rapport with the patient.

Speak in, simple as well as complex sentences and accomplish the task of introducing and concluding the topic. Your language should be easily understood and you should answer the patient’s queries and satisfy him. You should have a proper flow of language and correct pronunciation in a comfortable manner.

There is no assessment of the general questions regarding your introduction.

Describing questions:

The examiner asks you 3-4 questions in order to judge your language for describing the facts.They may ask you the questions to compare and contrast from general topics like Canadian culture, transport, weather, problems attached with immigration, your role as a nurse or any other topic of their choice and so on.

Role play:

In role play one of the examiners enacts as a patient and you as a nurse. You are given a form and are required to fill the information on that form by asking question a given topic. They assess your language proficiency for your response to the queries of the patient and your ability to ask proper, relevant and correct questions on the given points.

At the end you are given a sheet of some clues and you are asked to give teachings to the patient at the time of discharge (discharge instructions)

KEYS TO SUCCESS

GRAMMAR- It plays an eminent role to pass the test. So, Practice extra grammar exercises
REVISE Thoroughly:
All tenses, Parts of speech as Noun, Pronoun, Verb, Forms of verbs, Adverb, Adjective, Prepositions, Conjunctions, Punctuations, Clauses, articles and active passive voice.
STUDY SKILLS
• Study 3 hrs. /Day minimum of three months.
• Listen & watch English news daily.
• Go through the details of all common diseases.
• Revise medical vocabulary.
• Make short notes on all disease.

HOW TO IMPROVE LISTENING SKILLS IN CELBAN:

Listening is training your ears, so, do not watch native programs on TV. Listen & watch English programs all time
• Daily practice listening for 3 months minimum to pass the test.
• Prepare well in advance. Take some professional guidance.
• Please do not get nervous.
Great listeners are strong receivers, so try to recollect and write whatever you watch & listen at the same time during practice sessions.Watch English movies (American English Movies)Listen to English music and try to understand the lyrics. Make native English speakers as friends.Give thoughtful attention to the speaker in a curious, open minded and non-judgmental manner. Pay full attention to the speaker.Watch body language.Create your interest in the scenery and enjoy it.

Just before the test:
Relax and think positive. Always remember the motto “You can win”. Drink water and stay calm. Arrive early before the exam and do not get nervous.Take a deep breath before the exam.
While taking tests:
. READ INSTRUCTIONS AND QUESTIONS VERY CAREFULLY!!Focus is most significant
Before listening video or audio starts, read all questions thoroughly in giving time for question reading. If time permits then read the answer choices.Four answer choices are given for each question, from which two answer choices are always wrong, look for the exact answer from other two choices. If you don’t find any answer, or you distract your attention, move on.Don’t get panic, otherwise you will lose your concentration and miss many questions.Do not lose your confidence at any cost. Believe in yourself.
READING STRATEGIES
Work quickly and take care of the spellings. Always read the questions thoroughly and look for the possible answer. Read each blank or phrase. Read the whole sentence and look for the missing part of speech and tense used in the sentence.
For comprehension, first of all read the heading and subheading properly to know what the topic is about.DO not read the whole passage otherwise you will not finish on time. Skim and scan the passages to find main information. Go back and forth, try to get most important concept given in passage in your mind. Scan and read first, middle & last sentence of each stanza.

Note and flag keywords in the passage. Then read the questions properly one by one and pick the answer from answer choices. Try to answer the easier questions first.Timing is very essential. Don’t spend more than 15 minutes on any passage

For gap fills you are required to read every sentence and look for the missing word from answer choices. The best way to get the answer is taking into consideration the tense used in the given sentence and looking for the missing part of speech in the sentence.
Reading tips
1. Read without pronouncing each word (quiet reading)it increases the rate of skimming.
2. Determine what you need to know from the content. So knowing the heading is most important. It makes reading purposeful.
3. Do not read the whole content & read with understanding.
4. Do close reading to focus your mind.
Practice under testing conditions of timing (40minutes).


WRITING STRATEGIES:

1.There is a video scenario from which you have to fill up a form. Don’t miss any point
2. Take care of spellings and make points.
3. Look for the main points and supporting details in a precise way.
4. Write in short phrases, don’t make sentences and write in boxes only.

Writing 2
INCIDENT REPORT WRITING:
1. Read the topic carefully and include all given points in your report.
2. Look for your grammar, structure and tenses & punctuation.Use good vocabulary, synonyms and don’t repeat words.
3. Write the report in proper sequence and make use of simple as well as compound sentences.
1. Write report in past tense & passive speech.
2. Mention location, time address and date.
3. Answer all the questions like who, what, when,where and how in the report.
4. Don’t use awkward phrases and don’t make stories. Mention condition of the patient at last in present tense.
Good knowledge of grammar is the key to pass the test.DO take out some time for proof reading for sure. Do not exceed the word limit and do not make a rough draft.Practice at least 20 incident reports at various situations. Handwriting should be readable and make proper sentences. Good vocabulary, correct use of tense, correct spellings, right sequence of events is very important.

SPEAKING STRATEGIES:
Good speakers are good listeners. Listen the question. Speak in a rich and full voice. Stay calm and relaxed. Be careful of your body language. Make eye contact with the patient and speak with confidence.Be comfortable with the patient. Give your introduction impressively
Rehearse and make your video recording. Watch it. Be confident. The First impression is the last impression.Face is the index of your mind so, keep smiling.Use good vocabulary. Smile and make a good rapport with the patient. Use correct pronunciation and correct use of verb tense is very important. Do thank the patient for his co-operation. Do not forget to say “Thanks for your time” at the end.
How to take a test?
• Language is a great barrier when an individual moves from one place to another. In these cases. Most people give up before difficulties. Language learning is a time taking process. Conversation with local residents of that area helps a lot to overcome the language barrier along with learning through books or television shows. These language proficiency tests need perfecting and learning is a slow process. Prepare yourself to face challenges and believe in yourself.