FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS INTERNATIONALLY QUALIFIED NURSE (IQN) PROGRAM MONASH NURSING AND MIDWIFERY WHERE WILL MY CLINICAL PLACEMENT BE? The program involves 6 weeks of clinical placement in an Australian Hospital. The placement may be located anywhere in Australia, and we cannot guarantee that you will be placed at a hospital near your preferred place of residence. Placements will be arranged by Monash University and it is not possible for students to arrange their own placement. IQN Students are supported by an onsite clinical educator and a program clinical coordinator. Travel and accommodation costs for the program, including placement, are the responsibility of program participants. Participants will be assisted in finding accommodation if necessary. WHAT MATERIAL IS COVERED IN THE PROGRAM? HOW IS THE PROGRAM STRUCTURED? AND HOW IS IT ASSESSED? The Monash University Internationally Qualified Nurse program is a Nursing and Midwifery Board accredited bridging course for nurses who have trained in a country other than Australia to allow them to qualify for Australian registration. As such the course focusses on how nursing is practised in Australia. This includes theoretical study on the Australian healthcare system, government, culture and indigenous population and how these impact on the practice of nursing. The theoretical components are studied online and assessed by online quizzes, an essay and an exam conducted at Monash University. A one-week intensive unit focuses on the technical aspects of how nursing is practised in Australia and involves objective assessment of your technical skills and practical preparation for placement. A six week placement in an Australian hospital follows the intensive week, and to successfully complete the program you must demonstrate clinical skills competency on placement.
The program structure is detailed in the table below: Activity Location 5 weeks of study on the Australian health care Online study, can be completed system in home country or Australia as required One day prior to start of Intensive clinical workshop Monash University, Clayton for finalising immunisation compliance and safety campus, Melbourne, Australia screening documents, 5 day Intensive clinical workshop Monash University, Clayton campus, Melbourne, Australia 6 weeks Clinical placement An Australian hospital - specific locations for each participant to be advised I AM A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF AUSTRALIA. AM I ELIGIBLE FOR FEE- HELP FOR THIS COURSE? The IQN program is a short course, accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia as a bridging course for eligible internationally trained registered nurses to gain registration in Australia. However, the program does not meet the requirements for a course that attracts Fee-Help as defined in the Higher Education Support Act (Commonwealth of Australia, 2003). As such Monash University will not support an application for Fee-Help to undertake this program. HOW DO PAY MY TUITION FEES? Early registrations for the IQN program will be invoiced for a 10% fee deposit upon registration, which is required to secure your place in the program. The remainder of the fees are invoiced as a single payment to be received by Monash before you commence the program or 30 days after the date of the invoice, whichever is earlier. Payments can be made online or by telephone using a VISA or MasterCard credit card at https://www.monash.edu/payments, select the link to "Monash Invoices". You can also make direct electronic funds transfer from your bank
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE QUALIFICATION THAT I USED TO APPLY FOR REGISTRATION WITH AHPRA WILL EXPIRE BEFORE I COMMENCE THE IQN PROGRAM. WILL YOU ACCEPT IT? We require that you have a valid English language qualification at the time that you commence the program. If your qualification will more than 2 years old, you will have to sit and pass a new English language qualification at the standard required by registration by AHPRA before you commence the IQN program. DOES ACCEPTANCE INTO THE IQN PROGRAM GUARANTEE THAT I WILL BE RECOMMENDED TO AHPRA FOR REGISTRATION IN AUSTRALIA? No. The program consists of a theoretical component, a clinical intensive week to clinical intensive week to prepare you for placement and a 6 week clinical placement. All of these components must be completed successfully - with an overall pass in the theoretical assessment, satisfactory performance in the competency assessment on clinical placement, and completion of all reflections on practice during placement. IF I FAIL TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE IQN PROGRAM WILL I BE ELIGIBLE FOR A REFUND OF MY TUITION FEE? No. Once you commence the program no refund of fees will be paid. Should you withdraw from the program after paying the balance of tuition fee, the fee will only be refunded in "special circumstances" as defined in the Australian Commonwealth Higher Education Support Act 2003. "Special circumstances" include those circumstances that: are beyond the person's control; and do not make their full impact on the person until on or after the payment of the fee; and make it impractical for the person to complete the program in the time allocated.
WHAT MATERIAL IS COVERED IN THE IQN PROGRAM? The Monash University Internationally Qualified Nurse program is a Nursing and Midwifery Board accredited bridging course for nurses who have trained in a country other than Australia to allow them to qualify for Australian registration. As such the course focuses on how nursing is practised in Australia. This includes theoretical study on the Australian healthcare system, government, culture and indigenous population and how these impact on the practice of nursing. The theoretical components are studied online and assessed by online quizzes, an essay and an exam conducted at Monash University. A one-week intensive unit focuses on the technical aspects of how nursing is practised in Australia and involves formative objective assessment of your technical skills and practical preparation for placement. A six-week placement in an Australian hospital follows the intensive week, and brings your theoretical studies and clinical skills together in the work place. To successfully complete the program, you must attain a pass grade for your theoretical assessments (at least 50%), demonstrate clinical skills competency in a number of formal assessments on placement and complete all reflective task assigned during your placement. WILL MONASH STAFF ASSIST ME TO FIND ACCOMMODATION? Monash staff can provide suggestions for accommodation options but it is your responsibility to investigate whether these options are suitable for your specific circumstances. It is also you responsibility to secure your accommodation and pay any fees this may require. WHAT TYPE OF VISA WILL I REQUIRE TO COME TO AUSTRALIA TO UNDERTAKE THE IQN PROGRAM? The Visa required for nurses travelling to Australia to join the Monash Internationally Qualified Nurse Program is a Visitor (subclass 600) visa. As your time in Australia studying in the IQN Program is less than three months it does not meet the criteria for a student visa, but you are
able to apply for a visitor visa. Current information regarding applying for a Visa can be found at the website of the Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Border Protection by following the link http://www.border.gov.au/trav/visi. Specific and detailed information can also be found on websites of specific Australian embassies, consulates or High Commissions in your home country. This may include down-loadable checklists for preparing visa applications and information regarding expected processing times for visas.