[willow]

Hi

I am on the new zealand nursing council register, that happened last year when we began the process. we could now be going to nz as early as the middle of july and i will need a practice certificate now.

i have had a look on the nursing council of nz to see what i do to get one and it is all about renewing the certificate and nothing about getting one as an immigrant.

how do i get one......help!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tomsk]

Errm, I'm trying to remember now. I registered with NZNC in the UK as I had hoped that it would be part of our PR application (but it took too long and we just ended up applying for PR on hubby's job offer & quals...but that's a whole different story :rolleyes:). Anyway I didn't complete the Practising Certificate thing at the same time, which turned out to be a bit of a mistake, because it's a bit harder applying for an APC after you've got registration. You should have got an application form for the APC with your NZNC registration documents....if it's less than 3 months since you registered with NZNC you should be fine, just complete the form & send it to them with $96 (I think). However if it's more than 3 months I'm pretty sure that you need to give evidence of having worked enough hours in the previous 3(?) years, and having done enough study/ professional development activities. If in doubt email or ring NZNC, they were incredibly helpful to me when I'd had too long a time delay between registering & submitting the APC. They'll put you right ;)
It really doesn't take long for it to come through either, I was told to expect up to 21 days or something like and was a bit panic stricken because I wanted to start work, but it came through within the week. They put all details of NZ registered nurses with APC on their website, so even if you can't produce a physical certificate (actually it's a little plastic card...like a credit card) because of post issues or whatever prospective employers can check the website and see that you do have the APC.
Good luck with it.

[snailandthewhale]

Tomsk is right, I think. If you didn't send off the form when you got your registration you need to now and if too much time has elapsed I think you need another character reference or something. APCs are renewed according to your date of birth and so your first one may be for 3, 6 or 9 months. When that expires and you do the first renewal you're exempt from the "must be nursing in NZ for 3 years" question but you have to phone them up to find that out.

[brumnurse]

Hi

My wife and I are both nurses, recently registered with the NZNC

As the posters above say, your application form for your Annual practicing certificate came with your original registration certificate, if you send this off within 3 months of registration you do not need to have a character reference.

I believe your application will now require the NMC to complete the character reference, i.e. to supply the NZMC with a reference on your behalf as they did when you applied for registration, i imagine the NMC will charge you for this great favour

I got my annual practicing certificate straight away, whereas my wife is in the same position as you

good luck

[ck38]

Am in the same situation as you. I have just sent my application off to the NZ nursing council.
The forms that came with your nursing registration may well have expired by now. I had to get new forms sent to me from the Nursing Council, as I waited more than 3 months before applying to get my practicing certificate. They will send you a form which will be valid from the beginning of July. If you email the council they will send you the correct form.
If you have not worked in NZ in the last 3 years you will have to send supplementary info with your application. If you received your nursing registration within the last year, they will probably not require you to state hours worked by your current employer here in the UK, as they should already have that info from when you applied for registration and that is valid for up to 1 year. Email them to check it is on file. I did have to send a new verification certificate from the NMC or certificate of good standing as they call it (£34). This is because this only remained valid for up to 3 months after getting your nursing registration.
They have told me that I can send the application off and get it sent somewhere within the council (because I am due to leave the UK soon, and do not have a current postal address) then when I arrive in NZ and get settled somewhere they will send it on to me.

Hope this helps.

[willow]

Hi

thanks for your replies.

I have (like a few of you) gone outside the 3 months time scale. it has taken longer than i initially expected to get PR and I have been on the register for a year now but never got a practice certificate because i was over here. the forms in the pack have expired.

i have taken you advice and emailed them requesting a new form and i have contacted the nmc for a character reference. yep, you were right they charge!

hopefully it will all happen smoothly. the PR process has taken so long that i had forgotten i needed a practice certificate until the other day.

thanks for all you help

[72andsunny]

You nurses have it way too easy. I had to pay $785 NZ to take an exam (which is only offered four times a year in either London, Auckland, or Aus) to work as a pharmacist in NZ. In addition, I've spent another $700 NZ on Aus/British references/textbooks, which I now feel obligated to study. Oh well, how many people get to go to New Zealand twice in 3 months? The exam is June 4th. Somebody wish me luck, I've wasted a whole lot of money if I don't pass.

Back to work,

Mike, Pharm.D.

[mikey and tor]

72 and sunny,
you pharmacist have it so easy. Barristers here in the uk have to retake the whole law degree followed by the nz verson of the Bar course. In effect you have to start all over again and then try and get a job!
So this pharmacy stuff, where do I start lol

[carahafner]

Agree with all the advice above. Just wanted to say a quick hello and good luck. Let us know how the process goes for you in getting your APC.

What kind of nursing will you be doing in Nelson?

[nickydwuk]

Hi Willow, the others have it right. If more than 3 months since your registration you need to get the NMC to do whatever it is they do at a cost of about £30. You also will need to get proof that you have completed the required number of practice and professional development hours over the last 3 years. This is just letters form employers confirming your hours etc... I think it is 450 practice hours & 60 training hours. Simple !!!!!!!