ANF believes about 400 international nursing students who recently successfully completed their Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia accredited TAFE and university nursing courses would have been refused registration. Whilst they met the former Nurses Board of Victoria's course entry standard, 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 faced with a devastating situation as they had successfully completed their course, but could not register and 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 and earning any income at all.
As the students had already met the University/ TAFE English standard to undertake their courses, this was not an issue about English standards. This was about a fair process for international nursing students who met the standards when they started their courses but not on 1 July 2010 because the goalposts were changed without warning.
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 trying to negotiate a fair outcome for these students who borrowed up to $30,000 for their highly regarded Australian nursing courses.
A meeting of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia reviewed the students' situation on 12 August and decided it would accelerate the registration process for students whose visas expired at the end of the month. These mid-year graduate students will now have to meet the NMBA English Standard by 31 May 2011 or they will not be registered again.
The NMBA also decided to honour the former Nurses Board of Victoria's written advice to overseas qualified nurses undertaking shorter registration courses in Australia. They will be registered on successful completion of these courses without further English language testing.
The NMBA has also given a commitment to review its English language standard, however will continue to insist that students meet 7 out of 9 for the academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
The registration 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. There is no extension for these students who must meet the NMBA standard by the time they register.
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. Undertaking the course and examination can cost up to $2000.
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.
