Certificate of Achievement in Registered Nurse Competency to Practice

Who should attend

This certificate is open to both New Zealand and internationally qualified registered nurses who hold a Bachelor of Nursing or equivalent and who wish to gain an annual practising certificate.

Are you a New Zealand qualified registered nurse?

This is the course for you if you have been out of practice for more than five years and you wish to regain your Aotearoa New Zealand registration so you can return to nursing; or if you are seeking professional development for the Nursing Council and want to obtain an annual practicing certificate.

Are you an internationally qualified registered nurse?

Many nurses who have been registered overseas will need to successfully complete a Competency Assessment Programme (CAP) before they are granted Aotearoa New Zealand registration. If you are an overseas registered nurse looking to obtain Aotearoa New Zealand registration, this certificate will prepare you to work in a contemporary New Zealand health environment.

Course highlights

This certificate will give you the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to meet the Nursing Council of New Zealand Registered Nurse Competencies and practice effectively within the Aotearoa New Zealand context.

You will gain experience in a clinical environment within the public or private sector which has been assessed by the school as able to provide quality learning experiences.

Nursing placements for competence assessment will be coordinated for you by the clinical coordinator.

Upon completion of this certificate, you will be eligible to apply to the Nursing Council of New Zealand for registration and a practising certificate to work in Aotearoa New Zealand as a registered nurse.

_{Please note: Vaccination for COVID-19 is no longer an expectation for workers (including student nurses) in the public health system. Health NZ published a notice on 19 December 2024 stating the Pre-employment COVID-19 Vaccination Policy is withdrawn. This means that while getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is still highly recommended, it won't be expected of student nurses. Students in nursing programmes at MIT will no longer be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or provide proof of vaccination to MIT. Other immunisation requirements are still in place (please see your programme information for details). To protect yourself and others, it is important to stay up to date with the latest COVID-19 vaccines as the virus changes, follow the latest immunisation recommendations, and be aware of any new infectious disease risks in your area.}

Key facts

Start Date(s)	April 2025 (final dates are still to be confirmed).
Duration	12 weeks
Time	8.30am - 4pm (theory hours). Shift hours will apply to clinical practice, Monday through Sunday.
Level	7
Study location(s)	MIT Manukau and clinical placement locations
Study method	Full-time
Domestic fees	$3,000 (approx.)
International fees (NZD)	NZD $11,100 (approx.)
Course code	MN0617
Offered by	School of Nursing

Entry requirements

NZ Registered Nurses

Evidence of registration as a nurse with Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) who are returning to nursing practice after a break of 5 or more years.

Overseas Registered Nurses

Provide evidence of registration as a nurse in the applicant's country of origin and must have completed the application for registration process with NCNZ and have received a decision letter outlining the requirements to be met. and All applicants are preferred to have a minimum of 2 years full-time equivalent work experience as a registered nurse. Entry may be granted by the Head of School for applicants who have had less than 2 years full-time equivalent work experience as a registered nurse but whose application indicates potential to succeed on the Certificate of Achievement. These applicants may require extra time to demonstrate competency.

AND

All applicants must produce evidence of their immune status in respect of the [age appropriate] vaccines covered by the New Zealand National Immunisation Schedule, along with Quantiferon Gold (if you require a chest x-ray after the Quantiferon Gold, you are to provide a copy of the report if positive. See further information on the Ministry of Health website.

AND

All applicants are required to declare all criminal or pending criminal convictions and undertake Police screening, including Vulnerable Children's Act 2014 risk assessment.

AND

International students: English language entry requirements

Overseas Registered Nurses must meet the English language requirements of both NZQA and the NCNZ applicable at the time of the application.

For the minimum English language requirements refer to the requirements set out in the NZQF Programme and Accreditation Rules: https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/qa-system-for-teos/english-international-students/

Refer to the NCNZ http://www.nursingcouncil.org.nz for information on the required IELTS or NCNZ requirements. Overseas Registered Nurses must provide a copy of the English evidence provided to the Nursing Council.

Note: All applicants will be required to complete an MIT School of Nursing application form which specifies work experience and preference for clinical placement.

Course structure

Content is structured around the below domains of the Nursing Council of New Zealand competencies for the registered nurse scope of practice.

Professional responsibility
Management of nursing care
Interpersonal relationships
Interprofessional health care and quality improvement
It also includes Aotearoa New Zealand health systems and current strategy.

Theory and clinical learning and assessment apply. This is broken into six weeks of theory; the first two being online lecturer directed activities and remaining four weeks are part time and a combination of onsite and online learning. The remaining six weeks is full-time supervised clinical placements.

All applicants must produce evidence of their immune status (relevant details will be made available).

You must complete the below courses (45 credits):

726.716 Registered nurse practice in the Aotearoa New Zealand context (Level 7) (20 credits)

This course will prepare you to practice effectively within the Aotearoa New Zealand context (including socio-political, cultural, ethical, legal, and practice contexts). It includes online learning, studying, and assessment activity and you will:

Analyse contemporary issues related to current nursing practice in Aotearoa New Zealand
Discuss effective and appropriate communication skills on personal, professional and organisational levels
Interpret the significance of the Te Tiriti O Waitangi and the responsibility of nursing to respond to Māori health disparities through improved nursing and health service delivery
Reflect on how evidence-based practice, current research and appropriate resources enhances practice when own limitations are identified
Evaluate and respond to the culturally diverse nature of the practice of nursing in Aotearoa New Zealand.

726.717 Competence assessment in clinical practice (Level 7) (25 credits)

Includes work placement/practicum of 240 hours, you will:

Apply evidence-based practice and current research to practice nursing in a holistic manner accessing appropriate resources to enhance practice when own limitations are identified
Apply effective nursing practice in a culturally diverse setting, responding to Māori health disparities through improved nursing and health service delivery
Apply effective and appropriate communication skills on personal, professional and organisational levels.

For more information, phone 0800 62 62 52 or enquire below.

Apply now

Need help?

We're here to support you to succeed.

If you need help with applying or advice on choosing a programme or course, our Ask Me! Student Services Centre is here to give you guidance.

Send us a message, call us on 0800 62 62 52 or come in and see us.

_{Information is correct as at 3 February 2025. The fee quoted is an indicative short course fee. You will be advised of the current fees at the time of enrolment. Short courses stated as eligible for free study in 2024 are based on the 2023 fee structure and subject to funding confirmation for 2024. International Students holding an appropriate visa may enrol on this course. All short course fees are in New Zealand Dollars and inclusive of GST. Manukau Institute of Technology reserves the right to cancel or postpone a course with insufficient enrolments or for any other reason where cancellation is necessary before the course is planned to start. Manukau Institute of Technology is part of Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology. Te Pukenga is accredited under the provisions of the Education and Training Act 2020.}