Hello Everyone - I recently lodged an application with AHPRA to have my "non-practising" nurse's registration changed to a "practising" registration. However, I am dumbfounded by the appalling lack of communication, clarity and accuracy of information provided to me by AHPRA. I have seen numerous posts on this site with regard to individual problems with AHPRA, and I have begun making a compilation of these complaints as I intend to go to my local Federal Member - as noted by others on this site, the Ombudsman seems to be rather "toothless" in what they are able to do.
AHPRA was established as a result of the Productivity Commission's report into the health care system, and one of the key findings of the Productivity Commission's report was that there needed to be greater mobilisation of the workforce across the country in order to meet the perceived demand in health care due to an aging population.
So, with this in mind, I find it infuriating that AHPRA are charged with determining who can and cannot go back into the workforce (or enter the workforce) based on AHPRA's estimations of one's abilities, skills and experience, when AHPRA are not even competent enough to hand out correct information.
In a nutshell, when I rang AHPRA to find out what I needed to do to convert my registration from "non-practising" to "practising" I was told to do my 20 hours of CPD and then download a form for registration and send it in. However, this is not the case. No CPD hours were necessary to be undertaken in order to go to a practising registration. Further (and this, I think is quite comical), when I received my "non-practising" registration, accompanying it was a letter from the CEO of AHPRA stating that he was pleased to inform me that I was now able to "practise across Australia". -DESPITE having just given me a non-practising registration! AHPRA subsequently gave me an equally comical explanation of the logic behind that letter, which I will be happy to share with you if you want to hear it!
These are just two instances of being told the wrong thing. Does anybody else have information relating to the "road blocks" that are being put in front of them AHPRA? I really want a comprehensive case to put to my local Member who may be in a better position to deal with the incompetency of AHPRA and its staff, and the lack of respect and decency they are showing nurses in their dealings with us.
Please, if you have a story to share, leave it here, or PM me through the site and I will do all I can to take up the fight for nurses who want to work but are being prevented from doing so!
VMiller
