How The Iron Program In Australia Helps Nurses

By Author: Arvin Alindogan
Total Articles: 7
Comment this article

Each country has its own accepted standards and mandates in healthcare, and nurses who have been working in one country may find it difficult to adapt to practice abroad. The IRON Program for Nurses (or the Initial Registration for Overseas Registered Nurses) is a special Bridging Program that is accessible to overseas Qualified Nurses who wish to practice as a nurse in Australia who have been recommended by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency for eligibility.

This course aims to assist overseas qualified nurses to come to terms with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to work as a Registered Nurse in Australia and provide support while they transition from nursing in their country of origin to nursing in Australia. This program will help them to understand the local laws, regulations and healthcare practices in Australia, and will demonstrate their present competency levels in all aspects of nursing.

To register as a RN in Australia, overseas qualified nurses would need to first apply to AHPRA to get your qualifications assessed. If your qualifications and expertise are found ...
... suitable, you can register with the AHPRA to practice in Australia. However, most nurses from India, China, and other Asian countries will not be found to have the minimum competencies and will need to study further.

If you do not qualify directly you will be required to undertake the IRON program in order to gain the required competency to practice as a Registered Nurse in this country. On completing this program, you will have attained the necessary levels of proficiency set by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (ANMAC) National Competency Standards for registration as a Registered Nurse with the APHRA.

The IRON program for Nurses contains theory relating to the healthcare system in Australia and teaches professional nursing and contextual nursing skills, including laboratory competencies and clinical practice. All students must successfully complete a number of assessment tasks and clinical competencies before they can be judged to have passed satisfactorily.

This course also teaches the importance of critical reasoning, and nurses will be able to demonstrate this efficiently, both while working on their own and as a member of a team. The Australian healthcare system lays emphasis on continued study and learning, and nurses will be committed to understand the importance of life-long professional development. They will understand the professional, legal and ethical responsibilities of nurses within the parameters of the Australian healthcare industry.

The IRON program for nurses lays the foundation for other higher qualifications in healthcare and may provide pathways into Masters Degrees in Nursing in Australia. Once Registered with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, you can work as a Registered Nurse/Division 1 Nurse in a variety of health contexts such as acute care, chronic care, aged care, rehabilitation, and mental health.

If you are an overseas qualified nurse looking to work in Australia, do check out the IRON Program for Nurses, which can get you started on a fulfilling nursing career in this country.

IRON Program for Nurses