If you want something, you have to work for it; sometimes, it can be challenging. That's life. Whatever career you are pursuing; whether you're studying towards a certificate, diploma or bachelor's degree; or whether you're building your skills and experience for promotion or personal satisfaction — you sometimes need inspiration to keep the motivation ticking over.
One source of inspiration can be others who have worked in your field before you, whether that be in recent years or decades ago.
Take nursing, for example. Wherever you are in Australia, you can find an inspiring story of a nurse who completed their training in your state and went on to effect positive change.
Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, has plenty of its own nurses to be proud of; perhaps none more so than Anne Leach.
After completing her training at Royal Perth Hospital in 1939, Anne was then posted to the Middle East with the Australian Army Nursing Service. The bulk of her work was to care for wounded soldiers in tented field hospitals until they could be sent home.
After the war, Anne returned to Australia and continued to work in Perth at the Hollywood Repatriation Hospital and as a volunteer for the Red Cross and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
A recipient of the Florence Nightingale Medal and an Order of Australia, Anne never missed an Anzac Day march in Perth and participated every year right up until before she passed away, at the age of 102, in June of 2017. Each year, she would put on her bright red lipstick and her WWII nurse uniform and lead the march.
It may seem, to young students, that these are big shoes to fill but a career in nursing is worth the challenge for its flexibility, learning opportunities and personal satisfaction just knowing you've been able to help others.
Search for great nursing course in Australia here.
Where do I start?
The first thing to decide is what type of nurse you want to become. There are three basic levels of nursing throughout Australia — Assistant in Nursing, Enrolled Nurse and Registered Nurse — and advanced nursing, including Nurse Practitioners. You can also choose to specialise in particular areas, including pediatrics, oncology, disability support, education and research.
Let's take a look at the requirements for each of the different nursing courses in Perth.
How Easy is it to Get Into a Nursing Course?
Different nursing courses in Perth have different entry requirements, based on the academic challenge of the course and the level of nursing you will become eligible for.
Certificate III courses
A Certificate III in Health Services Assistance qualifies a student to work as an Assistant in Nursing. It should be noted that this is not a mandatory qualification to be eligible to work in this role but it is recommended. Certificate III courses are generally conducted by Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions, with entry requirements including at least a C-grade in Year 10 English and Maths (or the international equivalent).
Certificate IV courses
These courses, including Certificate IV in Preparation for Health and Nursing Studies, are also conducted at the TAFE level in Western Australia. This particular course is a pathway for students who wish to undertake further study, such as a Diploma of Nursing. Entry requirements include satisfactory completion of Year 11 subjects or an IELTS score of at least 6.5 for international students.
Diploma courses
A Diploma of Nursing is one of the requirements to become registered as an Enrolled Nurse in Australia. Students wishing to apply for entry to a Diploma of Nursing will need to have completed the Western Australian Certificate of Education (Years 11 and 12) or its international equivalent, with at least a C-grade average in English and Maths. International student requirements include an IELTS score of at least 7.0.
Bachelor degree courses
For students wishing to work as Registered Nurses, a Bachelor of Nursing is mandatory. This is a university degree with requirements including successful completion of Years 11 and 12 and a minimum ATAR of 70.00 (depending on the university you wish to apply for). International students must meet the IELTS requirements of their chosen university, which is usually a score of at least 7.0 on all four test components.
It's worth noting that the requirements are quite similar from state-t0-state, however it's worth seeing what other prerequisites are required in different universities that offer nursing courses.
Postgraduate degree courses
Once a Registered Nurse has a number of years of experience, they may wish to apply for postgraduate study. A Master of Nursing Science will make a Registered Nurse eligible for promotion to advanced nursing or Nurse Practitioner status as long as they meet the experience requirements.
Other professional learning courses can also be studied as short courses, graduate certificate courses or graduate diploma courses in specific fields within the health care industry.
Where Can I Study Nursing in Perth?
For students looking to start their nursing careers as Assistant Nurses or Enrolled Nurses, the TAFE institutions in Perth are the first place you should look. Students looking further afield at becoming Registered Nurses need to check university course programs.
Certificate and diploma studies
- Curtin College
Affiliated with Curtin University, the college provides students with the opportunity to study for a Diploma of Health Sciences, leading to work opportunities including as a clinical nurse, aged care nurse and mental health nursing. Completion of the diploma is also an alternative pathway to the Bachelor of Science (Nursing) degree offered by Curtin University.
- North Metropolitan TAFE WA
With a number of campus locations in and around Perth, this TAFE institution has a good reputation for its nursing and health courses at the certificate and diploma level. The school offers Certificate III and Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance, as well as both certificate levels in aged care, disability support and individual home care. A Diploma of Nursing is also available along with a number of skills set short course programs for professional learning purposes.
- TAFE International WA
This TAFE institution's goal is to help international students apply for the course of their choice in the different TAFE schools throughout Perth.
Bachelor and beyond studies
- University of Notre Dame Australia
Notre Dame's reputation for graduate employability is second to none with close to 90 per cent of students able to find full-time employment after they graduate. The university offers a Bachelor of Nursing at its Fremantle campus, near Perth CBD. Students can also study nursing in Sydney with Notre Dame.
- Edith Cowan University
Students can apply for a Bachelor of Science (Nursing Studies) as well as a Bachelor of Science (Midwifery Studies) at Edith Cowan. A wide range of postgraduate programs is also available, including graduate certificates and master's courses.
You can some of the most effective nursing courses in Brisbane here.
- Curtin University
This university in the heart of Perth also caters well for regional Western Australian students and international students with a number of campus locations throughout Western Australia and overseas.
The university offers a Bachelor of Nursing as an undergraduate degree and has a range of postgraduate degree options including a Graduate Diploma in Clinical Specialisation, a Graduate Certificate of Health Administration and a Masters of Health Practice.
Online options
Western Australia is a huge state and students are not always able to move to reside in Perth, or elsewhere in Australia if they happen to have found their dream nursing course in Melbourne or Brisbane instead.
Prior to Covid, an online study was reserved for students in the most remote parts of Australia, but now most education institutions offer online course options or hybrid study programs. Some educational facilities, such as James Cook University Online, offer programs that are 100 per cent online, particularly for postgraduate studies.
Check out some of the best online nursing courses here.
Opportunities for Graduates of Nursing in Perth
So, you've completed your study of nursing in Perth — now what? It's all well and good to graduate with great results, but what do you do after you graduate?
As a new nursing graduate, the first thing you should do is apply for registration through the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Without this registration, you cannot get a job. (Note that Assistants in Nursing do not need to be registered.)
This can be a rigorous process, so it's best to seek support and advice to ensure you are prepared with everything you need. Registration also needs to be completed at regular intervals throughout your nursing career.
Once you're registered as an Enrolled or Registered Nurse, you should start sending out your CV and attending interviews. The work is out there, with the June listing on SEEK alone showing nearly 1,000 vacancies for nursing in Perth hospitals, aged care, education, specialist facilities and general practice.
Of course, if you've lived in Perth all your life, you may wish to spread your wings and apply for nursing course positions in our nation's capital or even overseas.
That's the great thing about nursing — it can take you anywhere.
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