ANF believes about 400 international nursing students who recently successfully completed their TAFE and university nursing courses had been refused registration because they did not meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia's (NMBA) new English standard introduced on 1 July 2010. Overseas qualified registered nurses, undertaking a short course to have their qualifications recognised in Australia, were also affected.
Many of the students, from China, India and the Philippines, were facing deportation when their student visas ran out on 30 August. The students' only option had been to apply for a tourist visa, which would have prevented them from working.
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia met last night and notified ANF this morning that it will now accelerate the registration process for those students whose visas expire at the end of the month. Until now these students had been refused registration because while they met the former Nurses Board of Victoria's English standard, they did not meet the new standard introduced on 1 July 2010. They will have to meet the Standard by 31 May 2011 or otherwise they will not be registered again.
The NMBA will honour the former Nurses Board of Victoria's written advice to overseas qualified nurses, undertaking short registration courses in Australia, that they will be registered on successful completion of these courses without further English language testing.
The NMBA has also given a commitment to comprehensively review its English language standard.
ANF (Vic Branch) Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick was advised of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia's decision this morning and informed a meeting of about 150 of the affected nursing students at the ANF this afternoon.
The red tape crisis developed during the transition from state regulation of nurses, under the Nurses Board of Victoria, to national registration under the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency on 1 July 2010.
The problem became evident in Victoria first because of this state's large mid-year graduation of nursing courses. It will affect hundreds more international nursing students in Victoria and across the country when they graduate at the end of the year.
ANF (Victorian Branch) has been meeting with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, immigration officials and the Victorian Government over the past week trying to negotiate a fair outcome for these students who have borrowed up to $30,000 for their highly regarded Australian nursing courses in good faith.
ANF (Vic Branch) Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said: "This was not an issue about English standard, this was about a fair process for international nursing students who met the standards when they started their courses but not on 1 July.
"The registration issue remains for students now in the critical final six months of their nursing courses and, given the exorbitant fees these students are charged, ANF will be pursuing the universities and other education providers to fund the additional English language tutoring and testing required," Ms Fitzpatrick said.
"ANF also calls on the State and Territory Health Ministers to support an evidence-based English language standard that is appropriate to the needs of patients and supports the protection of the public," Ms Fitzpatrick said.
As a result of today's meeting, the rally scheduled for 17 August will not take place.
Media inquiries
Australian Nursing Federation (Victorian Branch) Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick
Australian Nursing Federation (Victorian Branch) Media Officer Robyn Asbury on 0417 523 252
