In the U.S. there are several levels of nursing education. To be able to practise nursing in most other countries, students will need to take a course that trains them as a registered nurse, known as a nursing doctorate degree. Shorter courses in vocational nursing and associate nursing degrees are also available, but these do not lead to full qualification as a nurse, and may not be recognized internationally. The National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission publishes a list of schools and programs that meet their requirements. Many of these schools will also offer health science courses, such as medical assistant courses.
Nursing and health science courses in the UK are offered in universities and in specialist schools of nursing and midwifery. Nurses can choose to study a degree course or a diploma. Both are three years in length and both lead registered nurse status, but the diploma course has lower entry requirements than the degree. The diploma is being phased out, and by 2013 all student nurses in the UK will need to take a degree course. Courses in other health sciences, whether general courses such as health management or those leading to allied professions such as radiography, are generally offered by the same schools and universities that teach nursing.
Two types of nursing courses are offered in Australia. Courses leading to qualification as a registered nurse are bachelor's degrees in nursing, taking three years to complete. These are offered at nursing schools in universities across Australia. Courses in enrolled nursing are shorter and offered at technical and further education colleges. Enrolled nurses cannot generally work as registered nurses abroad without further study. Courses in health sciences are offered at universities throughout Australia.
Anyone wanting to train as a nurse internationally needs to consider several issues. The most important is whether the course taken will allow the student to work in their home country or other countries on graduation. Each country has its own requirements for the registration of nurses, so these should be checked thoroughly. A second is language: Students wanting to study a course taught in a language other than their first language will often be required to take a language test. A third is visa considerations: Students wanting to study abroad should always check whether they need a visa to do so and how to apply for one. If these issues can be resolved, studying at international schools of nursing and health sciences can be a rewarding and valuable experience that opens the door to an international career.