The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (Anmac) are pleased to announce a joint initiative to better improve the career outcomes of the 40% of Australia's nurses who are internationally qualified or overseas born.
The organisations have agreed to share resources to progress research designed to improve career outcomes for internationally qualified or overseas-born nurses in Australia, who – despite making up a significant proportion of the workforce – remain underrepresented in management and leadership positions.
Working with a cohort of nurses recruited to Canberra Health Services, the collaboration will focus on driving research into the experience of internationally qualified or overseas-born nurses, to better inform recruitment and retention strategies, support employers in their induction processes and drive change in the way they are perceived and treated in our nursing settings. The project is expected to run over a 12-month period.
"It is no exaggeration to say that the Australian healthcare system would not function without overseas-born nurses," said ACN Chief Executive Officer, Adjunct Professor Kathryn Zeitz FACN. "Yet too often their skills and experience are overlooked, and they're marginalised and subject to racism. We need to build the evidence to enhance employers and policymakers' understanding of the positives internationally qualified nurses bring to the nursing profession."
As the Australian Government's designated skills assessing authority for internationally qualified nurses, midwives and direct care workers, Anmac evaluates qualifications and experience to determine suitability for skilled migration.
"Anmac is committed to supporting overseas-born nurses and midwives through fair, transparent and evidence-based assessment processes "said Anmac CEO Camilla Rowland. "There is a clear need to better understand their migration journey, workplace integration and career progression. This research will strengthen the evidence base, support more effective policies and practices, whilst helping overseas-born nurses thrive in Australia's healthcare system." Case study available on request.
