Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 26 (IANS): More than a lakh qualified nurses will be required in Australia by 2030, as per an official of Melbourne-based Institute of Health and Management (IHM).

Speaking to IANS over phone from Melbourne, IHM media coordinator Thiruvallam Bhasi said that an ageing population and increasing demand for health services, coupled with the increased adoption of new technologies and practices is changing the role and skills required of a nurse in Australia.

"Fresh recruitment of nurses to Australia in the past two years has suffered on account of the pandemic and also there has been new protocols in place since 2020 for nursing registration in Australia. We have launched a six months course - Graduate Certificate In Advanced Nursing," said Bhasi.

IHM, an education institute based in Melbourne has been training aspiring nurses for the past 15 years and helped over 17,000 nurses to pass the bridging course enabling them to work in Australia.

"This course will help overseas trained registered nurses gain a thorough understanding of the practice styles and requirements in Australian healthcare settings, as well as prepare them to confidently take the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency's Objective Structured Registered Clinical Examination (OSCE) (AHPRA)," said Keralite, Bijo Kunnumpuram CEO of IHM.

A large number of nurses from Kerala and other states of India work in Australia.