澳洲的護理人員在薪資、工作環境及條件均比國內優渥很多，且在澳洲的護理就業市場一直都有人才短缺的問題。雖然澳洲政府對於專業護理人才的培育十分重視,但護理人員供需的問題還是一直無法達到平衡。在澳洲護士照料的病人數量不多，因此護理人員與病患溝通的機會很多，這也是海外學生要登記成為RN註冊護士時有時會有英文程度的要求！所以，正確來說，許多護理系學生正在流浪護士的邊緣掙扎，是因為英文的問題沒有解決，但也證明，護理的工作還是緊缺。
澳洲的護理課程基本上分為三個類別：
第一個最初級類別Assistant in Nursing (AN):
所謂的助理護士，在澳洲助理護士並不算是真正的護士喔。
第二個類別Registered Nurses (RN)
註冊護士，也可稱為Registered Nurse Division 1
國際學生在完成澳洲護理學士學位並取得RN登記認可的資格（海外學生申請時需附上國際認可的英文程度證明）就能在澳洲當地成為註冊護士。在澳洲除了一般的護理學士學位（3年）可供學生申請之外，澳洲許多大學也有針對海外已有護理師證照（Post-Registration/Graduate Entry）提供2年的課程。如果學校沒有提供2年的課程，海外學生還是可以申請3年的學士課程並同時提出學分減免的申請。RN的工作內容包含：給藥、打點滴、靜脈抽血和注射，可在公私立醫院、老人之間、保健中心、藥廠等相關醫療單位獨立作業。
第三個類別為Enrolled Nurse （EN）
登記護士，也可稱為Registered Nurse Division 2
EN 的課程一般都開設在專科的層級。 海外學生的申請的基本門檻則是至少要畢業高中學位且英文能力要到達校方的要求標準。學生在修完護理專科課程（Diploma & Division 2）後即可申請為登記護士EN。核可的EN可在公私立醫院、老人之家、保健中心等機構就職。工作內容包含：測量病患的體溫、心跳、呼吸、血壓及血糖並需要指定醫生報告，協助病患洗澡、更衣及餵食輔助患者復健需進行的運動。
如果用教育課程做區分點，EN就是大專護理課程，(Diploma of Nursing) 在各州的TAFE都有承辦課程。RN就是學士( Bachelor of Nursing)。
EN及RN兩種資格在工作內容、職責及薪水均不相同，RN的層級較高且負責指導EN的工作。
全國統一的認證單位 跨州工作不需換執照
澳洲於2010年的7月1日起，將原本分散於各州政府的護理公會統一由聯邦政府下的全國性的護理公會－AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency)下的Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia 來統一管理。這樣一來，不但取得護理師執照的程序統一了，護理人員也可以跨州來執業，不需要另外換照。
這幾種護士資格在工作範圍、職責和薪資水準皆有不同。基本上，Registered nurse的層級較高，且負責指導Enrolled nurse的工作。通常取得RN的資格者擁有大學學士學位。而Enrolled nurse基本上可由大專課程取得，大致來說，EN不得給藥、打點滴、靜脈抽血和注射。在目前的移民項目中，申請者必須具備有RN的執照才符合資格要求。
一般澳洲護士等級分別如下:
- Grade 1- Assistant in Nursing (AN)
- Grade 2- Undergraduate Student Nurses/Midwive
- Grade 3- Enrolled Nurses
- Grade 4- Enrolled Nurses Advanced Practice
- Grade 5- Registered Nurse Midwife (only)
- Grade 6- Clinical Nurse / Clinical Midwife
- Grade 7- Clinical Nurse Consultant / Nurse Manager, Nurse Unit Manager / Nurse Educator / Nurse Research / Public Health Nurse / Nurse Practitioner Candidate
- Grade 8- Nurse Practitioner
- Grade 9- Assistant Director of Nursing / Nursing Director
- Grade 10- Director of Nursing
- Grade 11- District Director of Nursing
- Grade 12- Executive Director of Nursing
澳洲護士的薪資與福利?
澳洲的護士薪資依照他們的分級及工作經驗而有所不同，每個州的護士薪資略有差別，一般來說最初級的助理護士(AN)的薪資年薪從A$4,4500到A$49,200之間，第二級EN的護士薪資年薪從A$48,600到A$51,800之間，第三級RN的護士薪資年薪從A$54,177到A$72,896之間，在往上的級別就會隨著職稱及工作經驗水漲船高嚕!一般醫院的護理主任可以領到年薪A$172,220， 澳洲的年假也是很讓人羨慕的，一般來說澳洲的護士一年最少有5-6週的有薪年假，有薪病假也高達一年7天。護士的時薪一般為三十多澳幣，周六加班工資為150%，周日為170%，公共假日更多。一般實行兩班倒上班制。躲在公私立醫院、社區診所、保健室、門診、避難室上班；薪水逐年遞增（每年遞增幅度大約為10%）。
相較於台灣各級護士薪資一般一年約在30萬到62萬之間，勞基法規定的年假為7天以上，病假也必須扣薪水，相較起來澳洲真的是護士們的天堂。
成為一名優秀的註冊護士，需要具備哪些條件？
1.擁有對護理方面的專業知識，比如如何提高一個人的健康水平，如何去照顧一個快要死去的人，如何教育、研究和管理運送病人，或在複雜的護理過程如何協調合作，並且還要學會如何創造一個平和的、安全的護理環境，能夠參與制定一些創造良好健康狀況的政策。
2.護理專業的職業分工較細，對從業人員的溝通能力、表述能力、聆聽能力都是很大的考驗。
護理移民兩大簽證
- 189 技術移民 EOI 60 分
- 190 州政府擔保 EOI 55 分，下簽後需到該州居住滿兩年
六種取得澳洲護理師執照方式：
- 台灣大學護理系 或是 五專＋二技＋國內取得護理師執照 > 澳洲護理碩士兩年 或是 兩年制含臨床實習的大學護理學位(Graduate Entry) >通過英文成績 > IRON 課程> 換澳洲RN> 申請技術移民
- 台灣五專護理科+國內取得護理師執照>澳洲大學學士課程可抵免1~2年課程>通過英文成績> IRON 課程 > 取得澳洲RN> 申請技術移民
- 台灣大學護理系> 國內RN工作經驗一年>通過英文成績>IRON課程>換澳洲RN>申請技術移民
- 國內非護理背景> 兩年制含臨床實習的大學護理學位>通過英文成績 > 換澳洲RN> 申請技術移民
- 國內高中職畢業生>申請TAFE Diploma 護理文憑課程 > 插班護理大學二三年級>通過英文成績 > 換澳洲RN> 申請技術移民
- 國內高二/專二>申請證照四護理課程＋護理文憑> 插班護理大學二三年級>通過英文成績 > 換澳洲RN> 申請技術移民
什麼是IRON 課程？
為期大約3個月，課程內容包括課堂＋室內實習＋臨床實習，費用約AUD$12000
海外護理師申請澳洲註冊護士RN的八項條件:
| Criterion | What the criterion requires |
| 1 | Your qualification makes you eligible to apply for registration to practise as a registered nurse in the country where you completed the program of study. |
| 2 | The education institution where you studied was externally accredited during the period when you undertook your studies. That is, during the time you studied your education institution must have been: subject to regular review by an external quality assurance agency and registered or accredited by that agency For more information on this criterion, please see Accreditation requirements of the qualification assessment model. |
| 3 | Your program of study was externally accredited and provided successful graduates with a qualification in nursing. That is, during the time you undertook your program of study: the program of study must have been subject to regular review within a system of external accreditation implemented by the relevant nursing and/or midwifery regulatory authority or agency and the program of study must have been accredited or recognised by that authority or agency and the system of external accreditation included the application of accreditation standards specific to nursing education that are comparable to the current nursing and midwifery accreditation standards and system in Australia. For more information on this criterion, please see Accreditation requirements of the qualification assessment model. |
| 4 | Your overseas qualification is equivalent to an Australian bachelor degree (registered nurse) as a minimum. For more information on this criterion, please see Assessing your qualifications: Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). |
| 5 | Your program of study included a minimum of 800 hours of workplace experience* providing exposure to a variety of healthcare settings. *Definition of workplace experience is taken from the 2012 ANMAC Registered Nurse Accreditation Standards, and used with permission: ‘a component of nursing education which allows students to use judgment when applying theoretical knowledge in an actual practice setting. Includes concept of ‘clinical training’ as set out under National Law.’ |
| 6 | The curriculum of your program of study focused on the various aspects of nursing practice. That is, that it: has contemporary nursing practice as its main focus, includes core health professional knowledge and skills and specific nursing practice knowledge and skills that: are based on current and best available evidence and are applied across the human lifespan and includes health/nursing research, health policy and evidence based inquiry throughout the course content. |
| 7 | You successfully completed all components of the program and have graduated with a qualification. |
| 8 | The education institution that provided the program of study, and confirmed your qualification, has certified that you have successfully completed an assessment in medication management including: administration of medications (including calculations), pharmacokinetics (the study of the bodily absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs) and pharmacodynamics (the study of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs and the mechanisms of their action in the body). As part of the certification, the education institution must provide information that clearly shows the medication management content you completed as part of the program of study. |
