Nursing re-entry

Working with us
Nursing and midwifery re-entry

Nursing and midwifery re-entry

If you want to re-enter the workforce as a midwife or nurse we are here to help with a supportive pathway that leads to a rewarding career in our hospital wards.

We welcome interest from midwives and nurses keen to return to practice and can support you by paying your course fees - worth up to $11,000 or assisting you to achieve your supervised practice hours.

Our Re-entry to Practice program enables nurses and midwives to meet Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) registration standards as outlined by AHPRA.

Re-entry to practice pathways

There are two pathways to re-enter practice:

An NMBA approved re-entry to practice program
A period of supervised practice

We can help you re-enter the workforce as a midwife or nurse with options for both of the pathways above.

When you have completed a re-registration course you will be well placed for ongoing employment opportunities across our hospitals if you meet all requirements of a vacant role.

As one of Australia’s largest private health care providers we have opportunities in a variety of nursing roles, including perioperative, ICU / CCU, emergency, cancer services, paediatrics and maternity. We offer flexible working arrangements.

Supporting Sandra to get back into nursing

Sandra Howell spent seven years out of nursing as she travelled and grew her family. She is now back working as a Registered Nurse and is sharing her experience through the re-registration process so that others know what to expect.

I worked as a Registered Nurse for about 12 years throughout the late 1980s 90s and 2000s. I absolutely loved it but had the opportunity to travel and started a family which meant I wasn’t nursing for about seven years. As a result of this time away I let my registration lapse.

I absolutely love nursing so always thought that I would come back to it eventually. I came back home to Perth and started the process to re-register. It took about a year all up, although I think the process is a bit quicker now, and I am really enjoying it.

There were quite a few steps involved, firstly with getting my provisional registration with AHPRA and then fulfilling the requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. I spent a bit of time getting all the necessary paperwork together of my previous employers and experiences.

At first I found it hard to get a supervised practice role, but I was lucky enough to know someone at St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals and the nurse manager understood the requirements and was able to support me.

I did my 450 hours of supervised practise as quickly as I could, and then I was fortunate to secure a position on the ward. Since then I have moved into a role managing the COVID-19 clinic at the hospital which I have really enjoyed

It can seem really daunting if you have been out of nursing for a while, and things do change, but I would encourage anyone considering doing it to just go for it.

I have a passion for nursing so have enjoyed doing it again.

All the staff have been really supportive of me, throughout my supervised practice and now working in the COVID-19 Clinic. This has given me a chance to work in a managerial position which I have found really interesting too.

Re-entry to practice process

Step 1: Applying to AHPRA

Nurses and midwives seeking a return to clinical practice, are required to lodge an application to AHPRA for registration.
AHPRA will advise the applicant of the pathway required to re-enter practice, either:

1. An NMBA approved re-entry to practice course
2. A period of supervised practice

For further information on re-entry to practice go to: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Re-entry to practice (nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au)

Step 2. Enrol in an NMBA approved course if required by AHPRA

Further information regarding partner courses can be found below:

Graduate Certificate in Contemporary Nursing - Notre Dame
Re-entry to Practice (RN), Courses and degrees, Short courses - La Trobe University

St John of God Health Care will reimburse the tuition fees of a re-entry to practice course that enables registration to practice as a nurse or midwife. Fee payment is conditional upon:

successful completion of an approved course and or supervised practice within an agreed timeframe, which on completion enables the recipient to be registered to practice as a nurse and/or midwife in Australia
successfully securing ongoing employment at SJGHC
a commitment to ongoing employment with St John of God Health Care for 12 months

Step 3. Register your interest with St John of God Health Care

We can help you re-enter the workforce as a midwife or nurse with options for both of the pathways above.
Register your interest.

Step 4. Forward your documentation and preferences

Email your AHPRA letter, CV and the SJG Hospital you are interested in working at to:

Lisa Black,
Clinical Programs Advisor
Tel: (08) 6116 0509
Email: [email protected]
Note: Please include ‘re-entry to practice’ in subject line.

You can also register your interest and we will keep you up to date with upcoming re-registration course dates and future employment opportunities.

Nicole’s path back to nursing

Nicole Illingworth spent five years out of nursing and is currently working to become a registered nurse once more. Nicole says she is sharing her experience so that others know what to expect when going through this process.

I spent about five years out of nursing after deciding to work in hospitality. Unfortunately, I didn’t realise at the time that getting my nursing registration back after letting it lapse would be a long process.

A family member had a quite serious accident and when I was visiting in hospital I remember feeling quite helpless. I had already been considering getting back into nursing but that experience reminded me that nursing was my passion and what I wanted to do.

My biggest advice would be not to let your registration lapse in the first place! But, if you have, and you are interested in getting back into nursing it is worth the effort.

It has been quite a long process to go through to get my registration back, with the governing bodies including AHPRA and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. I would recommend anyone going through this process speak to them as soon as possible so you can get it underway.

Thankfully I have been supported by my nurse manager to complete my supervised practice hours at St John of God Health Care.

I am currently working on a medical ward, which is where I have worked in the past, and this has been a great way to get back into nursing.

I have received great support from my nurse manager, supervisors, colleagues and the hospital in general. They have made it a really enjoyable positive experience for me and, my manager in particular, shows me a lot of support.