How to become a Nurse
To be a practising registered nurse in Queensland you need a nursing qualification and a licence from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. If you are a year 12 school leaver or mature student and are not a registered nurse:
you will need to complete a three year on-campus Bachelor of Nursing degree. Entry to this program is normally via the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).
Almost half of the program is devoted to clinical practice. This takes place within simulated hospital wards which provide realistic practical experience in a safe and supervised environment, and clinical placement outside the University in settings such as large general hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, smaller country hospitals, nursing homes, community health services, special clinics and rehabilitation centres. During your first year as a student nurse you will undertake three weeks, out of a total 21 weeks, of clinical placement.
If you are a registered nurse, who qualified within Australia or overseas:
and are interested in commencing study in the Master of Nursing please direct enquiries to:
Support while studying
There are a number of scholarships available for nursing students from government and professional bodies, as well as USQ. A range of academic and personal support services are also available for students including basic maths and chemistry skills workshops.
Registration
Graduates of the Bachelor of Nursing are eligible to apply for a licence to practice nursing from AHPRA.
We will assist you to apply to AHPRA during your final months of study. AHPRA will partially process your application and store it until they receive a list of successful graduands from USQ. This will allow you to start your nursing career soon after you have completed your degree.
Career opportunities
Information on career opportunities in nursing are available from Queensland Health. Queensland Health operates a centralised recruitment system which manages the recruitment of all graduate nurse positions available within Queensland Health facilities.