Nurse
As a Nurse, you’ll primarily work in the Army’s deployable health units providing primary healthcare support to Army members. You may also work in primary healthcare facilities, in-patient facilities as well as in training, health management, administration and command, and leadership.
What you'll do
You’ll have the opportunity to perform a range of tasks that will challenge and develop your skills and broaden your professional horizon. You’ll provide primary healthcare, in-patient care and resuscitation support in a variety of settings from Army bases to deployed pre-hospital settings and field hospitals. You may also work in the Army’s certified surgical field hospital that will deploy during combat, peacekeeping and humanitarian relief operations.
When not on exercises or operations, you’ll focus on training for operations through a range of individual and group activities. You may also fill a range of key management, administrative and command positions which will develop your skills and broaden your professional horizon.
Your duties may include:
- providing expert clinical knowledge
- providing primary health and in-patient care in a variety of environments
- assisting in the planning and deployment of a health team on operations
- coordinating the clinical training of health care professionals
- supporting the health needs of ADF members
- working across multidisciplinary teams.
Opportunities for progression and upskilling continue throughout your career as an officer. As you progress, the Army will provide you with leadership, management, and specialist skills training to develop your ability to effectively manage your teams. You’ll also be provided with training opportunities to further develop your role-related expertise. This world-class training will strengthen your skillset and enable you to become an influential leader in the Army.
If you do not have a formal postgraduate qualification, the Army offers a range of paid postgraduate training opportunities in specialist areas such as emergency, perioperative and intensive care nursing.
As an officer in the Army, you may also undertake a posting to an Any Officer role during your career, such as instructor/training roles and staff officer roles. This experience helps you broaden your skill set and prepare for more senior roles.
Following training, you could be posted to one of the many Army bases across Australia, or to a specialist facility for specific roles. You may also be deployed to temporary facilities on combat, disaster relief, peacekeeping and aid provision operations.
Your first posting is likely to be to a Health Battalion providing either pre-hospital trauma and primary healthcare. The primary first posting locations are Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin and Townsville. Once you’ve established yourself as an Army Nurse, there are a range of employment opportunities across the country. You can expect a high degree of mobility in your first few years of service.
Discover where the Army operates across Australia on our base locations map.
Requirements and training
You must be an Australian citizen to serve in the ADF. However, Australian permanent residents may be eligible. For more details, visit the "Citizenship" tab on the Eligibility Requirements page.
You can apply for a role in the ADF from 16.5 years of age and must be at least 17 to join. The maximum age to join is 57 years.
You don’t need a driver’s licence for this role but if you have one, it can’t be suspended or cancelled.
All ADF members require a security clearance. As an ADF member, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance for your role. You’ll need a collection of relevant information including background checks and/or interviews so the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) can make an informed assessment to ensure the protection of Government resources and information. Your Careers Coach will explain what level of clearance is required for the career you are considering.
For more information or to learn about how security clearance will apply to you, view the eligibility requirements page.
The minimum requirement for entry into this role is registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) as a Registered Nurse (DIV 1).
You must also have completed 2 years recent postgraduate experience, ideally in one or more of the following areas:
- general medical nursing
- surgical nursing
- emergency nursing
- high dependency nursing
- perioperative nursing
- health education
- intensive care
- critical care
- rehabilitation
- mental health.
If you have experience in other areas, you are encouraged to apply. You may be required to undertake a period of compulsory employment in one of the clinical areas listed above prior to being deployed.
To join the ADF, you must be healthy and physically fit. This is partially assessed from the completion of an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history, followed by a physical examination.
You’ll also be required to successfully pass a physical fitness assessment.
Male
- Push-ups: 8
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 6.1.
Female
- Push-ups: 4
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 6.1.
For further details on medical and physical fitness standards, refer to physical fitness standards for entry into the ADF and medical process for entry into the ADF.
You’ll be appointed for an Initial Minimum Period of Service (IMPS) of 4 years. Subsequent periods of service may be offered subject to the requirements of the ADF and your suitability for further service. You’ll have a Careers Coach who can advise on how IMPS will relate to your chosen occupation and personal situation.
You may request discharge at any time provided you do not have an outstanding IMPS obligation and provide a minimum of 3 months’ notice.
Course: Specialist Service Officer First Appointment Course (SSO FAC)
Duration: 25 days
Location: Royal Military College – Duntroon, Canberra, ACT
You’ll learn fundamental knowledge of:
- leadership and military justice
- weapons handling
- command and control
- unit and personnel administration
- basic military skills
- the ideals of officer behaviour
- attitudes necessary for future employment.
This course is delivered in 2 parts for both full-time and part-time (Reserve) Officers.
- Part 1 – 10 days
- Part 2 – 15 days.
Course: Logistic Officers Basic Course (LOBC) – Health
Duration: 20 days
Location: Army Logistic Training Centre (ALTC), Albury/Wodonga region
You’ll undertake this course in the first 12 months of your appointment, where you’ll learn the fundamental skills required to operate in a deployed environment. The course includes theory, practical and simulated activities.
The LOBC aims to provide Logistic and Health Officers with corps and integrated skills and knowledge to fulfil a range of command and health specialised appointments at the rank of Lieutenant in a foundation warfighting environment.
Course: ADF Extended Practice Nursing Course 1
Duration: 3 weeks
Location: Army School of Health, Albury/Wodonga
This course focuses on primary healthcare delivery in a military environment that will provide you with the advanced skills you’ll need as a clinician within Defence and on operations.
Course: ADF Extended Practice Nursing Course 2
Duration: 3 weeks
Location: Army School of Health, Albury/Wodonga
You’ll learn advanced skills in patient assessment and management in trauma and resuscitation. Course topics include:
- Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC)
- Advanced Life Support 2
- Emergency Management of Severe Burns (EMSB) course
- Major Incident Medical Management (MIMM)
- Immunisation accreditation.
You must be an Australian citizen to serve in the ADF. However, Australian permanent residents may be eligible. For more details, visit the "Citizenship" tab on the Eligibility Requirements page.
You can apply for a role in the ADF from 16.5 years of age and must be at least 17 to join. The maximum age to join is 60 years, less the Initial Minimum Period of Service (IMPS).
You don’t need a driver’s licence for this role but if you have one, it can’t be suspended or cancelled.
All ADF members require a security clearance. As an ADF member, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance for your role. You’ll need a collection of relevant information including background checks and/or interviews so the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) can make an informed assessment to ensure the protection of Government resources and information. Your Careers Coach will explain what level of clearance is required for the career you are considering.
For more information or to learn about how security clearance will apply to you, view the eligibility requirements page.
With Defence University Sponsorship (DUS), you won’t incur a HELP or HECS-HELP debt as the Army will cover the cost of your course up to the Commonwealth Supported Place amount. This may also cover any necessary equipment and education materials.
For Army DUS sponsorship, you’ll need to have completed one year of an Australian university general nursing degree prior to receiving sponsorship, so it’s recommended that you apply for DUS after you’ve completed your first semester and have received your results. Your sponsorship starts from the date of your appointment into the Army, it doesn’t cover any previous semesters of study.
Following the successful completion of your diploma/degree in Nursing, you will register as a nurse with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). You’ll then be appointed as a Lieutenant.
If you have completed your university undergraduate degree but not your 2-year postgraduate, you can also apply for entry under the DUS. Postgraduates will complete one-year practical experience in a transition to practice program, followed by one year of clinical experience in areas applicable to Army nursing, including:
- medical
- surgical
- emergency
- perioperative
- high dependency
- rehabilitation
- mental health.
To join the ADF, you must be healthy and physically fit. This is partially assessed from the completion of an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history, followed by a physical examination.
You’ll also be required to successfully pass a physical fitness assessment.
Male
- Push-ups: 8
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 6.1.
Female
- Push-ups: 4
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 6.1.
For further details on medical and physical fitness standards, refer to physical fitness standards for entry into the ADF and medical process for entry into the ADF.
You’ll be appointed for an Initial Minimum Period of Service (IMPS). Your IMPS will be 4 years full-time service after you have graduated and completed your sponsored university study and any required hiatus periods. Subsequent periods of service or open-ended appointment may be offered subject to the requirements of the ADF and your suitability for further service. You’ll have a Careers Coach who can advise on how IMPS will relate to your chosen occupation and personal situation.
You may request discharge at any time provided you do not have an outstanding IMPS obligation.
Course: Specialist Service Officer First Appointment Course (SSO FAC)
Duration: 25 days
Location: Royal Military College – Duntroon, Canberra, ACT
You’ll learn fundamental knowledge of:
- leadership and military justice
- weapons handling
- command and control
- unit and personnel administration
- basic military skills
- the ideals of officer behaviour
- attitudes necessary for future employment.
This course is delivered in 2 parts for both full-time and part-time (Reserve) Officers.
- Part 1 – 10 days
- Part 2 – 15 days.
Course: Logistic Officers Basic Course (LOBC) – Health
Duration: 20 days
Location: Army Logistic Training Centre (ALTC), Albury/Wodonga region
You’ll undertake this course in the first 12 months of your appointment, where you’ll learn the fundamental skills required to operate in a deployed environment. The course includes theory, practical and simulated activities.
The LOBC aims to provide Logistic and Health Officers with corps and integrated skills and knowledge to fulfil a range of command and health specialised appointments at the rank of Lieutenant in a foundation warfighting environment.
Course: ADF Extended Practice Nursing Course 1
Duration: 3 weeks
Location: Army School of Health, Albury/Wodonga
This course focuses on primary healthcare delivery in a military environment that will provide you with the advanced skills you’ll need as a clinician within Defence and on operations.
Course: ADF Extended Practice Nursing Course 2
Duration: 3 weeks
Location: Army School of Health, Albury/Wodonga
You’ll learn advanced skills in patient assessment and management in trauma and resuscitation. Course topics include:
- Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC)
- Advanced Life Support 2
- Emergency Management of Severe Burns (EMSB) course
- Major Incident Medical Management (MIMM)
- Immunisation accreditation.