Nurse Re-entry Program
Thinking about returning to nursing?
If you have not practised in the last 5-10 years, the Nurse Re-entry Program can support your journey back into the workforce through general practice.
About this opportunity
The Nurse Re-entry Program is an Australian Government initiative supporting general practices to build their capability by hosting nurses in supervised placements. The Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network is delivering this program nationally across Australia. Through the program, eligible nurses may be matched with a general practice that will provide a supervised paid placement to regain full registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).
If you are already talking to a practice about placement, we can support that process and provide a grant to the practice if eligible.
Who can apply?
This program is available to nurses who meet certain eligibility criteria.
For enrolled nurses (ENs) and registered nurses (RN)s, you must have:
completed training as an EN or RN, are not currently registered and have not practised in the last 5-10 years
interest in returning to practise but do not meet the requirements of the NMBA Registration standard: recency of practice.
For nurse practitioners (NPs), you must:
have completed training as a NP, are not currently registered and have not practised in the last 5-10 years
ORbe currently practising in another specialty and interest in transitioning to general practice.
Your registration status is important for eligibility - as everyone’s circumstance is different, once you apply we will support you to determine your status and the requirements for your placement (based on the NMBA Re-entry to Practice for Nurses and Midwives Policy).
For example, you may have been a practicing nurse but took five years away from practicing to raise a family, or perhaps you never held registration but are now ready to enter the nursing workforce.
You are not eligible for this program if you are:
a recent graduate from an NMBA-approved entry to practice nursing or midwifery program in Australia applying for registration for the first time
ORyou hold student registration.
How do I apply?
Expressions of interest (EOI) are now open for the Nurse Re-entry Program. Submit your EOI online and we will contact you to arrange a suitable time to discuss your eligibility and take the next steps towards your placement.
More information
If you have any questions on the program, contact our Nurse Re-entry Program team via email. The following resources provide more information about nurse registration:
Provisional Registration Information for Nurses and Midwives Fact Sheet - NMBA
Provisional Registration Information for Health Services and Employers Fact Sheet
If you have any questions, please email nursereentry@nbmphn.com.au
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Yes, as required by the Nurse and Midwifery Board Australia (NMBA), for provisional registration you must hold appropriate professional indemnity insurance throughout the placement.
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The NMBA will determine your supervision level. There are four levels of supervised practice − direct, indirect (present), indirect (accessible) or remote. The NMBA will let you know which level of supervision you will require to commence your supervised practice. It is a requirement that you work under the supervision of your primary supervisor or, in their absence, your alternate supervisor (as per your Supervised Practice Plan). In the absence of any approved supervisor, you must cease practice. It is the responsibility of you and the nominated supervisor to meet the supervision requirements approved by the NMBA.
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No, this program is designed to connect nurses with a placement in eligible general practices. If you are already talking with a general practice in your local area about placement opportunities, please ask them to complete the general practice expression of interest form and we can contact them directly to assist you with your placement.
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The Nurse Re-entry Program links eligible applicants with a general practice to complete up to 450 hours of supervised practice. This includes 75 hours of direct supervision, with the remaining hours completed under indirect or remote supervision. The NMBA will confirm your required level of supervision and the overall placement duration.
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By completing the program, you will meet the NMBA’s recency of practice requirements, build confidence, gain experience and refresh your nursing knowledge and skills through general practice.
Information for general practices
This program also benefits practices by strengthening their teams and training nurses in-house. Eligible practices may receive a grant to support participation and are encouraged to employ the nurse permanently after the placement is complete.
Expressions of interest are now open for nurses who would like to be part of the program and for practices that would like to host a supervised placement.
Wentworth Healthcare, provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network in NSW, has been selected to lead the delivery of the Nurse Re-entry Program on behalf of all PHNs at a national level and are coordinating the expressions of interest process.
If you have any questions, please email nursereentry@nbmphn.com.au
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Host practices provide paid, supervised placements for re-entry nurses, facilitating up to 450 hours of practice to help them meet Nurse and Midwifery Board Australia (NMBA) requirements. Eligible practices can receive a $2,000 grant per placement to support supervision.
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To be eligible to participate, practices must be accredited and have a registered nurse (minimum 12 months general practice experience) available to supervise for the required level and duration (determined by NMBA).
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Your existing RN supervising the re-entry nurse must provide 75 hours of direct supervision initially, then direct/indirect/remote supervision for the remaining hours. They will act as a mentor, documenting progress and ensuring NMBA standards are met.
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Eligible host practices will receive a single lump-sum payment of $2,000 per placement to support the facilitation of paid, supervised practice for eligible and provisionally registered nurses.
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Yes, practices are required to provide eligible re-entry nurses with a paid, supervised placement. Employment and salary arrangements for the re-entry nurse are made directly between the nurse and the supervising practice.
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As per the requirements of the NMBA, the re-entry nurse must cease practice if no approved supervisor is present. If your practice nominated a secondary supervisor in the supervised practice plan, they may provide temporary supervision during the indirect supervision phase (after the initial 75 hours of direct supervision is completed). Please refer to the NMBA Supervision guidelines for nursing and midwifery for more.
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To participate, your practice needs to be accredited and eligible to receive payments in the Department’s Workforce Incentive Program (WIP).
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This program requires practices to provide supporting documents and reports to re-entry nurses to help them gain general or full registration with the NMBA after the supervised practice placement is completed.
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Yes, you are encouraged to employ the nurse in your practice once the placement finishes, as the nurse will be fully qualified and trained in your practice. Ongoing employment opportunities are to be discussed directly between the nurse and the practice. employment opportunities with the nurse during the placement to build a sustainable workforce.
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By supporting a nurse to return to the nursing workforce through a paid, supervised placement in your practice, you will have the opportunity to expand your team with a nurse who is trained in your practice and ready to deliver patient care from day one, improving access to care in your community.