NURSES ARE IN GREAT DEMAND !!!

Nurses are in great demand in Australia

Registered nurses are in high demand in all states and territories of Australia. This is so in many of the other developed countries as well. Qualified registered nurses from many parts of the developing countries are thus able to obtain good positions with excellent remuneration and rewarding career in most developed countries.

In a developed country like Australia, a nurse is both accepted and considered as a highly skilled health care professional who combines the art of caring with scientific knowledge and skills developed through their education and career. There is a wide range of areas for nursing practice in Australian healthcare sector. Nursing enables one to work in a clinical setting, work closely with patients or clients who require nursing services. It also enables you to work in a diverse range of settings such as hospitals, community settings, general practices, prisons, homes and residential settings. Nurses perform complex assessments of clients physical and psychological needs coordinate a plan of care and provide direct nursing care. Nurses work with a range of health care professionals to deliver health care to individuals but are responsible and accountable for their own nursing practice. Nurses have many opportunities for promotions as Clinical Nurses in a range of clinical specialties such as Aged Care, Community Health, Critical Care, Emergency, Mental Health, Neonatal, Orthopedic, Pediatric, Perioperative, Rehabilitation and Aboriginal Health with postgraduate qualifications.

The writers of this article are Dr Rasika Jayasekara RN PhD - Research Fellow/Clinical Associate Lecturer - The University of Adelaide who won a scholarship to the University of Adelaide with the assistance of Edlocate and Palitha Wijesuriya Director International of Edlocate Pvt Ltd based in Adelaide, South Australia.

Currently the most advanced clinical nursing position is a nurse practitioner (NP). NPs are experienced registered nurses (RN) who are authorised to practice in an expanded nursing role using expert knowledge acquired through education and experience. NPs are those who have satisfied the requirements of their Nursing and Midwifery Board to be authorised to practice. They are qualified to examine patients, order diagnostic tests, interpret results of these tests, use expert knowledge to decide the best treatment or therapy and also allowing them to prescribe and order the appropriate medicines. They can work in a diverse range of clinical settings from acute hospitals to aged care and community care. NPs work at an advanced practice level that demands:

= Expert clinical knowledge

= Advanced specialised education

= Complex decision making skills

With worldwide recognition, great demand & openings for well rewarded job opportunities internationally, nursing can be a life long career

Australia has been encouraging registered nurses to migrate to Australia and enter this profession for the past many years. Most Sri Lankan registered nurses possess all the necessary theory and practical experience in par with qualified nurses from any other part of the world. However they are unable to secure a position to work in Australia due to the non availability of a bachelor degree in nursing.

In Australia, registered nurses are educated in the university sector enabling the acquisition of bachelor degree as a minimum preparation for registration and nursing practice. Degree programs in Nursing have been introduced to Sri Lankan universities only in the recent past and thus, there are only a few nursing graduates in Sri Lanka compared to the diploma qualified nurses.


It will take many more years for Sri Lanka to produce registered nurses with a bachelor degree. With the limitations in intakes for such degree courses, it will be quite difficult for majority of the registered nurses to obtain a degree and be qualified to migrate to Australia or seek employment in Australia.

Edlocate - a leading student agency in Sri Lanka has formulated a program for Sri Lankan registered nurses without a bachelor degree in nursing, who are under 45 years of age & with good work experience & English skills to obtain registration as a nurse in an Australian state under the guidance Dr Rasika Jayasekera. The pathway is through a bridging program conducted at the University of South Australia (UniSA) in Adelaide represented by Edlocate..

The tuition fee of this 6 months long bridging course is A$ 12,000 and the living expenses for the student will be around A$ 6,000 for the six months. The student can be accompanied by the spouse if required and it is possible both to do casual work during the period of the course as permitted by the visa conditions.

A registered nurse could expect to earn about A$ 45,225 a year as remuneration and thus the initial cost of following the course is not a big strain for focused students.

Edlocate being an appointed representative of UniSA and a streamline student agency appointed by the Australian High Commission in Colombo could handle the placements of students for the bridging course at UniSA, provide assistance with the IELTS exam, handle visa formalities for applicant & spouse/ family, handle accommodation and travel arrangements along with Edlocate's Australian Representative Office based in Adelaide.

Edlocate has also finalized arrangements with a reputed company registered in Australia & a leading Australian migration law firm, to obtain permanent residency of Australia to those who complete the course if they so desire. The Australian partners of Edlocate could facilitate to those desiring to join the Australian Nursing work force;

" The registration with a Nurses Board of a state in Australia

" Obtain the skills assessment for migration purposes

" Lodge the application with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for permanent residency..

" Suitable employment as a Registered Nurse (if required).

Details of the scheme could be obtained by contacting an Edlocate office or a representative office
courtesy:dailymirror.lk