Tasmania-Australia

Background Information

Introduction
The information contained in this Country Profile was obtained from questionnaires sent out by the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Council (ANMC) in 1996, 2000, 2002 and 2006. The questionnaire was sent to all Regulatory Authorities in the Western Pacific and South East Asian Regions.
We welcome your future comments and suggestions to ensure this information is both useful and relevant.
Australia - Tasmania is part of the Australian Federation which consists of six States and two Territories. In land area, Australia is the sixth largest nation after Russia, Canada, China, the United States of America and Brazil. It has, a relatively small population.

State/Territory: Tasmania
Capital: Hobart
Population: 0.48 million
Australia: 20.45 million

Health System
Overall the Australian health care system comprises a diversity of arrangements for planning, funding and delivering health services across the three tiers of Government and features a mix of private and public sector involvement.
Australia provides health care at all levels from Primary Preventative to Secondary and Tertiary. Australia is a world leader in some areas of health research.
The public health service is supported by a National Health Insurance Scheme (Medicare) that covers all Australians for access to public health services. Access to private health services is on a fee paying or Private Health Insurance basis. Approximately one third of all Australians have some form of private health insurance cover.

Registration Status

Registration - Legislation
Nursing is regulated by legislation. Two levels of nurse - Registered Nurse and Enrolled Nurse. Authorisation of midwifery, psychiatric practice, and nurse practitioner is present on the nurse's licence to practise. In Tasmania these are the only current authorised qualifications.

Responsibility for Registration
Nursing Board of Tasmania.

Licensing and Renewal
Annual licensing required.

Eligibility requirement for registration

Categories of Nurses and Midwives

Educational Standards-Nursing

Education Standard Required to Enter Pre-Registration Programs
Year 12 schooling (Tasmanian Certificate of Education - TCE) with passes in English, a science subject, a humanities subject and at least Year 10 mathematics.

Accrediting Pre-Registration Programs
Nursing Board of Tasmania accredits all courses in Tasmania leading to registration, enrolment, authorisation or endorsement.

Basic Qualification for Practice
For Registered Nurses it is the Bachelor of Nursing Programme (3 years), a number of pathways are available. For Enrolled Nurses it is the Certificate IV in Health (Nursing).
Programs Provided by Education or Health Systems


Length of Pre-Registration Program
Three years full time.
Two and half years fast track.
Two years fast track.

Involvement of regulatory body with curriculum development

Measurement of Nurse education Standards and Quality

Educational Standards-Midwifery

Education Standard Required to Enter Midwifery Programs

Basic Qualification for Midwifery Practice

Accrediting Midwifery Programs
Nursing Board of Tasmania accredits all courses in Tasmania leading to registration or authorisation.

Programs Provided by Education or Health Systems
Education system.

Length of Pre-Registration Program

Involvement of regulatory body with curriculum development

Measurement of Midwifery education Standards and Quality

Professional Standards

Ensuring Standards of Professional Conduct
Uses Nursing Board of Tasmania Standards, policies and newsletters, and the ANMC Code of Ethics, Code of Professional Conduct and National Competency Standards.

Mechanisms for Complaint about Nurses' & Midwives Practice
Any person may make a complaint orally or in writing. The Executive Officer of the Board makes a preliminary assessment and reports to the Professional Conduct Committee, which makes a recommendation to the Board, which may determine not to proceed further, or direct further investigation and appoint a person(s) to undertake it; or direct that the nurse be cautioned; or take any other action in accordance with the Act. The nurse is informed in writing of the full particulars of the complaint and may make informal and formal submissions about it. The nurse is not obliged to meet the person(s) appointed by the Board to investigate, but if she/he does choose to meet them, may be accompanied by an advocate of their own choice. The nurse is entitled to a copy of transcript of any interview they attend and is entitled to refuse to answer any question or produce any document that may tend to incriminate the nurse.
The complainant has the right of confidentiality until the investigation is concluded, and in some circumstances this could be maintained. The complainant has the right to be informed of the Board's decision in relation to the complaint, and of the outcome of any formal inquiry. There is provision for appeal to the Supreme Court of Tasmania.

Sanctions for Unprofessional Conduct

These are:

Unregulated Care Workers and Scope of Nursing Practice

Unlicensed Care Workers
Within Tasmania the tasks that unlicensed health care workers undertake is “varied” and may include general domestic tasks. The unlicensed care workers are employed across “all areas but predominantly in aged care, disability and the community”. Training is provided for health care workers. They can work without the supervision of a registered nurse or midwife. 3

Scope of Nursing & Midwifery Practice
Scope of Practice in Tasmania is supported by the Nursing Board of Tasmania’s (the Board) Standards the Scope of Nursing & Midwifery Practice 2006. This Standard includes a Scope of Practice Decision Making Framework which provides the Standards to be used when individual nurses and midwives are making decision around their Scope of Practice.

Contact Information

Ms Moira Laverty
Chief Executive Officer
Nursing Board of Tasmania
151 Davey Street
HOBART TASMANIA 7000
AUSTRALIA
Ph: (03) 6224 3991
Fax: (03) 6224 3995
www.nursingboardtas.org.au
Email: NBT@nursingboardtas.org.au

Country Updates