Unitec Institute of Technology

Nursing in Aotearoa (for Overseas Nurses)

Applications for the 2012 course have now closed and we are unable to accept any late applications. Please refer to this page in August 2012 for information and application forms for the 2013 course.

This course is designed to enable overseas registered nurses to meet the requirements for registration as a nurse in accordance with the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003.

The course will be underpinned by the frameworks consistent with the Treaty of Waitangi and a partnership model of nursing. It will provide students with the skills and knowledge to nurse within the New Zealand health context.

Course Objectives:

• To provide a course for overseas nurses seeking New Zealand Nursing Council recognition.
• To provide an understanding of nursing in a New Zealand context.
• To assess competence for the overseas nurses scope of practice within a New Zealand healthcare setting. (Under the Health Practitioners Competency Assurance Act 2003).

The course includes a theoretical component and clinical practice, and includes a three week theory and practice section; five weeks of clinical practice in an acute care setting and one day for review and evaluation.

The benefits of this course structure are:

• Individual needs are considered.
• Students experience two areas of nursing. These two experiences enable the adaptation to a New Zealand nursing context, plus give exposure to provide more employment possibilities.
• Supportive lecturers with on-going availability of clinical tutors during clinical placement.
• The timetable fits in with school hours as much as possible.

If you are coming directly from overseas and have not had exposure to nursing contexts in New Zealand, you are required to enrol in Nursing Aotearoa 1. If you are currently working as a nurse assistant or similar in New Zealand, you may be eligible for exemption of the first clinical experience, hence you should enrol in Nursing in Aotearoa 2.

Fees

NURS S198: Permanent residents $5,564.00 (incl GST), International students $6,188.00 (incl GST)
NURS S199: Permanent residents $5,356.00 (incl GST), International students $5,864.00 (incl GST)

Students will be required to pay for the MRSA test (approx. $25) and other health screening required to obtain a health clearance.

Note: If you are currently working as a nurse assistant or similar in New Zealand, you may be eligible for exemption of the first clinical experience with a reduced fee for Nursing in Aotearoa 2 ($5864 for international students, $5356 for permanent residents).

Nursing in Aotearoa 1

Nursing in Aotearoa 2

Duration

Nursing in Aotearoa 1 is an eight-week course. The second option Nursing in Aotearoa 2 (only relevant if you are working as a nurse assistant or similar in New Zealand) is also held over eight weeks, however students do not complete the first clinical experience. Applicants who have previously worked as a nurse assistant or similar in New Zealand may apply for Nursing in Aotearoa 2.

Where a student has not achieved the required competencies by the end of the course, the student may apply for an extension to the practice experience to achieve Nursing Council Competencies and for a reassessment by a Unitec Nurse Lecturer (this will incur extra costs). The extension is for a maximum of four weeks. Any extensions of the programme, will be negotiated with the Course-Coordinator and be subject to placement availability and supervisory cover.

Nursing Council requires that students who do not achieve the competencies within a 12-week timeframe are to be referred back to Nursing Council.

Times

Theory weeks run from 9.00am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday.
During the clinical practice weeks students attend clinical placements Monday to Thursday. Friday is available for course work. There are two shifts: Morning (7.00am – 3.00pm) and Afternoon (2.30pm – 11.00pm). Students’ clinical practice experience may differ from this pattern where a health provider requests a different arrangement.

Location

Classes are held at Unitec Institute of Technology, Waitakere campus, Building 510, 5 Ratanui St, Henderson and all students will be required to attend at least one clinical experience off-site. Clinical experience occurs in a variety of hospitals in Auckland (other placements can be negotiated in the upper North Island). It is the student’s responsibility to arrange and cover the cost of transport to off-site locations.

To apply

Please complete a Short Course Enrolment Form.
You will also need to complete the application forms attached to the Nursing in Aotearoa brochure.

Further information

For more information on short courses please contact Student Central on study@unitec.ac.nz or 0800 10 95 10 or +64 9 815 2945.

All fees include GST. If there are insufficient numbers registered for a course Unitec reserves the right to postpone or cancel.

Visit Nursing Council - International Nurse Registration for more information.