BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

Old Sep 21st 2014, 3:43 pm
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Default BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

Hi all! Long time lurker, finally decided to start putting into action my dreams! I'm a BSc Midwife direct entrant.

Reading the boards, it seems I'm not the only one struggling to get my head around these new rules. (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - IQNM: Professional experience requirements for a midwife and Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - IQNM: Criteria 1 - 8 for internationally qualified midwives)

Does anyone have a 'simple to understand' version of it all? It *appears* to be basically asking to view the EU Requirements for Registration that UK universities have a version of. Mine is circa 50+ pages long though.

Has anyone successfully applied and completed all this? Like planning a move isn't stressful enough!
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Old Sep 25th 2014, 12:35 pm
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

I have applied - but the rule changes mean that APHRA want evidence of '20 continuity of care cases' - these must have been done in your original midwifery training.

Providing continuity of care cases isn't a requirement of registration in the UK / EU. So most universities will not have done it. Mine didn't.

If you can't prove CoC cases, but meet all other international registration conditions they all allow you to register but you need to complete 12 months supervision. This has to be done at an Australian educational / teaching hospital, which you arrange and pay any costs yourself. After 12 months supervision you can register normally.

Here's the catch - the part I think is unfair. APHRA say that as part of your 12 months supervision it's not a requirement to complete the 20 CoC cases anyway, and that if you don't they will allow you to register - but could only work in certain areas, for example delivery suite and wards - you couldn't work in a midwifery group practice role. I think it's very unfair because experience isn't taken into account... most midwives working in hospitals will rotate and work in all areas and therefore have no problem whatsoever in providing continuity of care to one woman in all aspects of midwifery.

I don't understand why they don't make the 20 CoC cases a mandatory requirement in their supervision, because for most UK midwives this would be the only outstanding competency to meet. If its not a 'requirement' then why make people do it at all? Just allow registration with conditions of areas that can / can not be worked it.

So for most UK trained midwives it mean's you'd get registration - but you'd have to do supervision. You couldn't do supervision with an agency, and you'd need a more permanent visa then a working holiday one. What employer will want to hire a midwife that needs 12 months supervision? I think this would be difficult to find.

This is the latest FAQ from Aphra
http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov...-midwives.aspx

Last edited by FingFang; Sep 25th 2014 at 12:39 pm.
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Old Sep 26th 2014, 8:02 am
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

Thank you so much for your considered, detailed and informative response.
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Old Sep 26th 2014, 12:28 pm
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

No problem.

Since I posted this message last night.....

I received my letter / email from APHRA this morning confirming that I'd be registered 'with supervision' because the one and only competancy I don't meet is 'continuity of care'. They received my application form on 6th August.

It seems that now they have made a decisicion on what they're doing about midwives that don't meet continuity of care, that the applications will be processed reasonably quickly. I have heard of a few midwives waiting since Feb for them to hear anything.

If you apply then go with the knowledge you may have to do supervision, and I would seriously look for an employer that is happy to sponsor you first before considering leaving the UK / EU. It pretty much rules out going on a WHV since you can only work for same employer for 6 months, and you can't do supervision via an agency.

Hope that all helps... and good luck if you decide to go for it! Maybe for me I'll consider again in the future.
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Old Sep 26th 2014, 1:01 pm
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

I'm not finding any hospitals who will sponsor a Nurse/Midwife from O/S who needs supervision, because they can take on a local new graduate under th same conditions.

I have asked AHPRA about the CoC issue, explaining that it's not a specific module in the UK. So far, I haven't had a reply.
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Old Sep 26th 2014, 1:17 pm
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

I have emailed today and asked the same question. It's very unfair.

It seems they want to reduce the amount of international midwives and nurses, hence all these changes to their registration requirements... why else would they do this?

They have pretty much prevented any UK / EU midwife from applying and being able to work - because exactly as you said, most employers won't hire us now if we need supervision. I thought they were very short staffed midwife wise? Maybe they no longer are...
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Old Sep 26th 2014, 1:30 pm
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I actually think that they are retaliating against the new NMC regulations that will affect Aussie Nurses wishing to regiter in the UK from October. They are extremely short of Midwives in Oz, and I could place at least 20 right now! The hospitals are fed up because nobody at AHPRA has explained what the new regulations entail. They say they have consulted with all "stakeholders" but my information is that this consultation never even got to state Health Authority level. They are as amazed at this who AHPRA mess as everybody else concerned.
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Old Sep 26th 2014, 5:00 pm
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

If anyone has any update to this it would be much appreciated. For now the plans are on hold pending change from the AHPRA or a way to circumvent the restriction.

I appreciate your input greatly.
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Old Sep 26th 2014, 5:32 pm
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

Originally Posted by WhatIsTheStory
If anyone has any update to this it would be much appreciated. For now the plans are on hold pending change from the AHPRA or a way to circumvent the restriction.

I appreciate your input greatly.
genorm is the guy to follow, if anything happens he'll post it pretty quick
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Old Sep 26th 2014, 5:54 pm
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

Received my registration today with conditions-supervised practice. However this can be indirect so I will be applying for jobs in Perth this weekend. Suppose it depends on how desperate they need us.
I am going to apply to the new hospital in Perth as they have been taking on newly qualified midwives and even if I have to be supervised I still have 2 years post reg experience which surely will count for something! Will update on how it all goes.
I am looking for a 6 month contract as per WHV which Fiona Stanley are offering. Supervision can then be carried over to a new employer as per AHPRA guidance. Flights booked for October anyway and staying with family so will see how it settles from then.
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Old Sep 26th 2014, 5:56 pm
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

My most sincerest best wishes Saturdaygirl with the move. Please do keep me updated! I can only wish for your 2 years post reg experience, but soon enough I'll be regretting this time flying by.

Good luck!
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Old Sep 26th 2014, 6:02 pm
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

Thank you WhatIsTheStory. Yes will update regularly as although I have just joined today I have regularly read the threads and hope that I can help others.

I think it will get better and if not I will look for maybe registering in New Zealand and working there.

My registration has taken 5 months but hopefully it will now become quicker. I will be one of the first to test the waters as such!
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Old Sep 26th 2014, 7:05 pm
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

Originally Posted by Saturdaygirl
Received my registration today with conditions-supervised practice. However this can be indirect so I will be applying for jobs in Perth this weekend. Suppose it depends on how desperate they need us.
I am going to apply to the new hospital in Perth as they have been taking on newly qualified midwives and even if I have to be supervised I still have 2 years post reg experience which surely will count for something! Will update on how it all goes.
I am looking for a 6 month contract as per WHV which Fiona Stanley are offering. Supervision can then be carried over to a new employer as per AHPRA guidance. Flights booked for October anyway and staying with family so will see how it settles from then.
FSH sounds like a really good bet, the HR staff dealing with British nurses coming over have been really good, very organised and helpful, and the hospital looks like its going to be pretty stunning once it gets going!
Make sure you go for as much "salary sacrificing" as you can - I'm not going to try and explain how it works cos its do to with saving money and paying less tax and I have a very unfinancial brain, but once you sign up with FSH ask about it and you should gain a fair bit on top of your salary
(There are some threads in the Aussie forum that can explain how it works I think!)
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Old Sep 28th 2014, 2:58 pm
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

Originally Posted by WhatIsTheStory
If anyone has any update to this it would be much appreciated. For now the plans are on hold pending change from the AHPRA or a way to circumvent the restriction.

I appreciate your input greatly.
I don't think you can circumvent the registration restrictions.

I wish I'd known about it sooner. Had I known this were to happen I'd have applied for my registration a year in advance - I'm sure its not the kind of thing they advertise happening though is it.

If I knew it would be such a long supervision process I wouldn't have even bothered applying and wasting the money on it, or paying out for a WHV I now won't be using since I can't do midwifery agency work.

Some people have mentioned applying for NZ registration and then transferring to Trans-Tasman registration, enabling you to work in both countries. Not sure if anyone has found it successful yet.
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Old Sep 28th 2014, 3:14 pm
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Default Re: BSc Midwife - RM to Australia

Originally Posted by FingFang
I don't think you can circumvent the registration restrictions.
I don't think you can, however as you go on to say

Originally Posted by FingFang
Some people have mentioned applying for NZ registration and then transferring to Trans-Tasman registration, enabling you to work in both countries. Not sure if anyone has found it successful yet.
One can only keep hopeful, these are early days and we live in interesting times.
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