INTERNATIONAL nursing students who graduated last semester and want to work in Australia have been caught up in an administrative bungle that could see hundreds of qualified nurses sent home, unable to take up jobs they have been offered.
Nurses who have completed their degree at universities including Deakin and the University of Ballarat face uncertainty because they do not meet the language requirements set by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
From July 1 this year students are not eligible unless they have passed an English literacy test at level 7.
University of Ballarat head of Nursing Lynette Stockhausen said the changes had affected almost 100 students, and would have an impact on regional health services.
''This is really unfortunate for rural and regional areas as we have many of our domestic students not willing to work in [those] areas, whereas many of our international students settle in really well.''
Ms Stockhausen said the university was unaware of the extent of changes to registration until the system was implemented. Dechawut Boontun studied at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. He has been able to gain registration. But Mr Boontun says he has many friends worried that they will be sent home.
He says the new system puts graduates at a disadvantage because once they finished studying, their student visa expires but, without registration, graduates cannot apply for a skilled migration visa.
More than 100 students from Deakin, Ballarat and ANU attended a meeting at the Australian Nursing Federation's Victorian branch yesterday. Branch president Lisa Fitzpatrick told the group of predominantly Chinese, Indian and Filipino students that the ANF was negotiating with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia to fix the problem but that the board seemed unwilling to move.
The Department of Immigration is offering tourist visas to those students caught by the changes to allow them to stay in Australia. But tourist visas do not allow holders to work, putting them in a financially impossible position.
A spokeswoman for the department said there was no other way for the graduates to stay in the country.She said any students with problems should contact the department as soon as possible.
The Nursing and Midwifery Board said the new registration requirements were to ensure nurses had the communication skills needed to do their jobs.
''This standard is consistent with the English language skills requirements for registration in the United Kingdom and is the lowest minimum standard for English language across all the health professions in Australia,'' spokeswoman Nicole Newton said.
''The role of the board is to protect the public. The board has set a range of registration standards aimed at ensuring that all nurses and midwives can provide safe care to the Australian community.''
Source: The Age
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