Registered Nurses Salary in Australia (Updated 2024)

Registered Nurses Salary in Australia – Do you wish to work as a registered nurse in Australia, but you first want to know the salary of nurses in Australia. In this article you will find out what the average salary of registered nurses in Australia is, the roles of nurses in Australia and how to become an Australian nurse.

Nurses are essential health care providers who provide care for people (individuals, families, groups and communities) in all health care settings.

How many hours do nurses work in Australia?

Working Hours of Australian Nurses – Keep in mind that most nurses will work an average of 38 hours but overtime opportunities abound. When a nurse first starts off their career they can work up to 12 hour shifts for three days in a row.

Registered Nurses Salary in Australia

The salary of nurses in Australia is $86,000 per year on average. Which implies that an Australian nurse earns an average of $7,167 per month. However, registered nurses salary in Australia is dependent on your level or year of experience and qualification(s). Some nurses in Australia earn $110,000 per year while some earn less than the stated average. At the entry-level, you may earn $70,000 per year on average depending on your employer and how good you are in terms of salary negotiation during your hiring process.

Registered nurse salary in Australia is $86,000 per year

Now that you have known Nurse salary in Australia, let us take a look at the roles of Australian nurses and how to become a nurse in Australia.

Roles of Australian nurses

The following are some of the roles of Australian nurses:

• patients assessment
• nursing care plan development
• medication administration
• providing specialised nursing care
• working in multidisciplinary teams
• monitoring patients intake and output
• checking of vital signs
• supervising Enrolled Nurses (ENs) and junior Registered Nurses (RNs)
• undertaking regular professional development
• performing leadership roles such as nursing unit manager or team leader.

Now let us take a look at how you can become a nurse in Australia.

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How to become a registered nurse in Australia

In Australia, nurses are regulated health professionals who go through approved training pathways with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) to become registered and in order to practice in Australia..

The NMBA works with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) to regulate the nursing profession.

There are various registration types which are:

• general registration
• limited registration
• non-practising registration (see fact sheet to the right of the page)
• student registration
• provisional registration/re-entry to practice.

All applicants for nursing and/or midwifery registration must meet a range of requirements to become eligible for registration. Registration standards define the requirements that applicants for registration or renewal of registration need to meet to be registered.

Also Read: Midwife salary in Australia

All applicants for registration (excludes student registration) must meet the requirements of the following mandatory registration standards:

• Registration standard: Criminal history
• Registration standard: English language skills
• Registration standard: Continuing professional development
• Registration standard: Professional indemnity insurance arrangements
• Registration standard: Recency of practice

You can check out the NMBA’s registration standards for more information.

People must be registered with the NMBA before they can use any of the following protected titles to describe themselves:

• enrolled nurse
• registered nurse
• nurse practitioner.

You can also find out if a nurse is registered by searching the national register of nurses and midwives registered with the NMBA.

Nurses work with many other health professionals in the public or private health sectors. Settings where nurses work include:

1. public hospitals
2. private hospitals
3. emergency care
4. aged care
5. general practice clinics
6. community health services
7. schools
8. rural and remote communities.

How long is a nursing degree in Australia?

The Bachelor of Nursing is 3 years, full-time under the standard study plan. By fast-tracking you can complete the degree in 2 years, including clinical placements. Studying part-time you set your own pace and decide on the amount of time you can commit to study each term (depending on subject delivery).

Let us take a look at the different types of nurses in Australia.

Types of nurse in Australia

There are several different types of nurse in Australia. The main differences involve the type of training they have done and their scope of practice.

• Enrolled nurse

Enrolled nurses (ENs) complete a 2-year Diploma of Nursing through a vocational education provider, to meet the EN standards for practice. ENs work under the supervision of a registered nurse and cannot act alone. Typical duties include:

1. regularly recording patients’ temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiration, etc.
2. providing interventions, treatments and therapies from patient care plans
3. assisting registered nurses and other team members with health education activities
4. helping patients with their activities of daily life.
5. An enrolled nurse can become a registered nurse by doing further training.

• Registered nurse

Registered nurses (RNs) complete a 3-year Bachelor of Nursing through a university to meet the RN standards for practice. They have more responsibilities than an EN, and their scope of practice can include:

1. patients assessment
2. nursing care plan development
3. medication administration
4. providing specialised nursing care
5. working in multidisciplinary teams
6. monitoring patients intake and output
7. checking of vital signs
8. supervising Enrolled Nurses (ENs) and junior Registered Nurses (RNs)
9. undertaking regular professional development
10. performing leadership roles such as nursing unit manager or team leader.

• Nurse practitioner

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are RNs who have been endorsed as an NP by the NMBA. NPs practice independently in an advanced and extended clinical role, and can prescribe some medicines.

To be eligible for an NP endorsement, a nurse must:

• be a registered nurse with no restrictions on practice
• have 5,000 hours of experience at the advanced clinical nursing practice level within the past 6 years
• have completed an approved program of study at a master degree level
• comply with the NMBA’s nurse practitioner standards for practice.

Most NPs are employed by state and territory governments in acute care settings. NPs are also employed in private settings, either as an employee or in their own practice.

How much do RN make an hour in Australia?

Find out what the average Enrolled Nurse salary is;

The average enrolled nurse salary in Australia is $64,228 per year or $32.94 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $60,743 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $82,875 per year.

Do nurses live comfortably in Australia?

However, at the beginning of your career, things may be a little tight. Depending on how you enter the healthcare industry, the cost of living may be on par with your salary, however, the good news is that Registered Nurses and above can expect to live relatively comfortably anywhere in Australia.

Is being a nurse worth it Australia?

If you want to be a registered nurse, Australia is a great place to be one. It’s a regulated profession with an average graduate annual salary over $70,000.

Where can Australian nurses work overseas?

Some of the most popular choices are:

• USA
• Canada
• UK
• Ireland
• South Africa and of course
• New Zealand.

You’ll need to make contact with relevant registration authority in your country of choice to find out the necessary requirements of being permitted to work abroad.

Which city is best for nursing in Australia?

University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Situated in the heart of Sydney, just minutes from the coast, UTS is ranked number one for nursing in Australia by the QS World University Rankings 2023.

Is nursing a stressful job in Australia?

Nurses and midwives in NSW are experiencing such high levels of stress and burnout that 15 per cent are reporting symptoms of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Experts are calling for better pay and mandated staff-patient ratios.

Is it hard to get a job as a nurse in Australia?

While there are many opportunities for nurses, there is also a lot of competition. Even though you may have graduated top of your class and have your dream job lined up, it’s still not a guarantee that you’ll get the job.

What is the age limit for nurses in Australia?

Is there an age limit to work in Australia as a nurse? While there is no age limit to work as a nurse in Australia or to apply for AHPRA registration. Different Australian visa’s do have different age limit requirements. Some countries are eligible to apply for a working holiday visa up to the age of 35!

What type of nurses are most in demand in Australia?

• Geriatric nurse: Nurses who take care of the elderly or aged people
• Mental health nurse
• Critical care nurse or Intensive care unit nurse
• Forensic nurse
• Neonatal nurse
• Pediatric nurse

Highest paying cities in Australia for Registered Nurses

1. Canberra ACT. pays nurses an average of $89,230 per year. 546 salaries reported.
2. Townsville QLD. pays nurses an average of $88,871 per year. 119 salaries reported.
3. Murdoch WA. pays nurses an average of $87,473 per year. 14 salaries reported.
4. Cairns QLD. pays nurses an average of $84,891 per year. 92 salaries reported.
5. Perth WA. pays nurses an average of $84,525 per year. 586 salaries reported.

What type of nurses get paid the least in Australia?

Licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) and Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) have the least education requirements among nurses and therefore tend to make lower incomes than other nursing specialties. LVNs and LPNs can increase their income by getting an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

How much do nurses make in Australia vs Ireland?

A registered nurse in their first year would earn €528.52 per week in Ireland, while a registered nurse in their first year in Australia would earn $1,142.20 which is equivalent to €796.86 per week.

Is Bachelor of Nursing hard in Australia?

It’s a challenging course; there’s no doubt about that. I did not see myself as a student who was naturally smart – it was diligence, dedication and passion that got me through. Nursing is not a job you do for money. It’s not for everyone.

Now that you have known nurses salary in Australia, feel free to also check out the salary of nurses in other country:

• Nurse salary in Bermuda
• Nurse salary in Nigeria
• Nurse salary in Ghana
• Nurse salary in South Africa