HOW TO BECOME A NURSE IN SINGAPORE?-SINGAPORE NURSING BOARD LICENSE APPLICATION PROCESS(SNB):
Singapore nursing board website— https://www.healthprofessionals.gov.sg/snb
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH), nurses are classified as “Registered Nurse”(RN) and “Enrolled Nurse”(EN).
Registered nurses can specialize their nursing skills in different practices, and can further their career as an Advance Practice Nurse (APN) which includes Nurse Clinician, Nurse Educator, and Nurse Manager.
To be classified as a registered nurse, the person must have attained at least one of the following qualifications from MOH – recognized institutions:
-Diploma in Nursing / Diploma in Health Sciences (Nursing)
-Accelerated Diploma in Nursing
-Degree in Nursing(BSN)
To enrol in the courses to get these qualifications, applicants need O-Levels, A-Levels, or diploma and degree qualifications.
Enrolled nurses are those who assist the Registered Nurses same as assistant nurses and can upgrade to be a Senior Enrolled Nurse to take on higher nursing responsibilities.
For enrolled nurses, the minimum entry requirement for course qualification is an N-Level certificate. They must also have acquired a “Nitec” diploma or its equivalent in nursing.
Advanced practice nurses (APN) are a subset of registered nurses in Singapore. APNs can sub -specialize into different disciplines. They are currently certified in these four specialities: acute, medical or surgical care, community and mental health.
a) Acute care APNs practise in the intensive care units and emergency departments;
b) Medical or surgical APNs can function in general and specialized clinical settings such as oncology, gerontology, cardiology and neurology;
c) Community APNs care for patients with common acute conditions & chronic conditions at the polyclinics( outpatient clinics) and the community;
d) Mental health APNs can function in both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric settings.
Eligibility:
-Foreign trained Nurses / Midwives who wish to work in Singapore must be registered/enrolled with SNB.
-You must have an offer of employment with eligible healthcare institutions (with inpatient services) in Singapore before SNB can consider your application for registration/enrolment.
-The HR of the hospital/institution offering you employment must enquire with SNB via email on their eligibility to employ foreign qualified nurses.
- Once approved. HRs can then submit application for registration/enrolment on your behalf via online application.
-For foreign trained nurses, to be eligible for application for registration/enrolment, you must have-
1.nursing diploma or graduation certificate
2.nursing council registration from home country and last working country valid license
3.Experience letter from past 5 years.
Note:
i) all docuemnts submitted to SNB is not returnable.so don’t send any orginal docuemnts. Only send copy.
ii) SNB does NOT work with employment agents.
iii) Agents are to work directly with the healthcare institutions’ human resource department.
Documents required for Registration/Enrolment Online Application:
1) Passport photograph
2) Certified true copy of original documents, to be submitted in support of your application are:
-Passport or NRIC (if applicable)
-Marriage Certificate (if applicable)
-Transcript of nursing education from training school/college/university (to include detailed breakdown of theory and clinical practice in hours or weeks)
-Training certificate(s) / Graduation Certificates
-Registration certificate
-Current nursing license / practising certificate(s)
-References/Work Testimonials from previous employer(s) to state the period of work, area of practice and work performance and must be written by Nursing Director/Head of Nursing
Note:
i) Documents that are not in English must be accompanied by an accurate translation in English and certified by Justice of Peace, Notary Public from their country of origin.
ii) Documents certified as “true copies” of the original and bear the stamp “Certified as true copy of the original”
Must be initialled on every page of the document by the authorized officer (Justice of Peace, Notary Public or your employer, unless otherwise stated)
Must include the name of authorized officer (full name), signature, date of certification and healthcare institution stamp and the notarization must be made in English.
iii) Photocopies of previously certified documents will not be accepted.
iv) Certified true copies will only be accepted in hard copy by mail or in person (Fax or Email will not be accepted).
v) Copies which are not acceptable to SNB will delay your application
Verification of Registration:
The following verification of registration is required to verify that you are registered as a nurse/midwife and that no disciplinary proceedings have been taken or are pending against you:
from the nursing registration authority in the country of your first registration, as well as from the nursing registration authority in each country that you had practised nursing/midwifery (if applicable)
You are required to make the request with each nursing regulatory authority and the verification must be sent directly to SNB Operating Office, addressed to Registrar, Singapore Nursing Board.
Verification of Transcripts of Nursing Education
Verification of transcripts of nursing education is required to provide evidence that you have acquired the nursing/midwifery education that you have listed on your Application Form.
Transcripts Must include detailed breakdown for theory and clinical practice in hours or weeks.
You are required to make the request with the educational/training institution(s) and the transcripts must be sent directly to SNB Operating Office, addressed to Registrar, Singapore Nursing Board.
Outcome of Application:
-SNB will inform your employer about outcome of your application. And Employer will inform you details.
SNB Licensure Examinations:
Foreign trained nurses/midwives are required to sit for the SNB Registered Nurse (RN), Enrolled Nurse (EN) or Registered Midwife (RMW) Licensure Examinations. The examination is designed to evaluate their competency to practise nursing/midwifery in Singapore.
-SNB will provide a Notification Letter to candidates of Licensure Examination of their Examination date and venue. It is conducted in Singapore.
-Exam fee will be differ from professional title.
-You are required to be at the examination venue at least half an hour before the examination starts.
-You may NOT be allowed into the examination venue if you are late, in which case a new application for registration/enrolment will be required.
-The examination is a one hour paper. 60 items MCQ. Only your employer will get to know about your exam results. You have to get 60% at least 36 mcq should be correct.
-Some countries are exempted for exam which the curriculum matches with Singapore nursing curriculum.Eg.Malasia
Venue of Licensure Examinations:
Registered Nurse Licensure Examination- Nanyang Polytechnic
School of Health Sciences
Enrolled Nurse Licensure Examination- Curtin Singapore
Registered Midwife Licensure Examination- Curtin Singapore
Items to bring for Licensure Examination:
a) Your NRIC OR passport and work permit (if applicable)
b) Your nursing/midwifery registration certificate and current practising license/certificate
c) SNB’s Notification Letter of Licensure Examination and receipt of payment
d) 4B pencil and eraser
e) Calculator without cover
Items that are strictly NOT allowed:
a) Reference books
b) Handphones, camera or other digital devices
c) Bags etc
SNB Licensure examination dates:
Registered Nurse Licensure Exams and Enrolled Nurse Licensure Exams typically take place once a month throughout the year.
Registered Midwife Licensure Examinations take place twice a year.
IPA means in your application -you pass the examination. Congratulations for passing exam. After passing exam , employer will apply for work visa. S-Pass.
Competency assessment for 6 month in the facility and they will report to higher sections.
If you are not competent as registered nurse they found means they will degrade to enrolled nurse. Then after that if the hospital want to promote you a sregistered nurse then they will promote you .
Usally within 5 years the hospital will promote you. You have to work hard, and having cordial relation ship with employer.
SNB Fees:
1.Application fee for registration -30 S$ to 200 S$ depends on license title
2.Registrtaion/certification fee- 30 -55 S$ depends on professional title
3.Enrollment fees-30-40 S$ -depends on professional title.
4.Licensure Examination Fee: Licensure Examination Conducted Locally-100S$. Licensure Examination Conducted Overseas-40 S$.
The entire process of documents submission of your existing licence by your Nursing Board to be recognized by Singapore Nursing Board and Work Pass application will be approximately 1 month to 4 months, depending on the completeness of the required documents submitted.
If you need any assistance for the licensing application process or exam study materials , you can contact me at nursingmanthra whatsapp number by sending detailed voice message of your query.
Thank you
