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How to Become an Assistant in Nursing (AIN) in Australia

An Assistant in Nursing (AIN — also called a nursing assistant or patient care assistant) gives hands-on care like hygiene, mobility, feeding, observations and ward support. AINs aren't nurses and have no scope of practice of their own: they work only on tasks delegated by, and under the supervision of, a Registered or Enrolled Nurse.

Do you need a degree?
No — and no qualification is legally required at all. Most hospital employers ask for a Certificate III (a VET certificate, not a degree); many AINs are enrolled-nursing or Bachelor of Nursing students earning while they study.

The qualification & registration

Qualification
No qualification is mandated by law. For an acute/hospital role employers usually want the HLT33115 Certificate III in Health Services Assistance (acute-care nursing stream, ~80 hours of placement); aged-care roles usually want the CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support. Being a current nursing student is also widely accepted.
Registration
None — AINs are unregulated. The NMBA does not register AINs; they're accountable to their employer and the delegating RN/EN, not to AHPRA.

How to become an assistant in nursing, step by step

1. Complete (or enrol in) an accepted qualification — usually the HLT33115 Certificate III (acute-care stream) for hospitals, or CHC33021 for aged care. There are no entry requirements to start it.
2. Apply directly to a hospital, health service or aged-care provider — there is no AHPRA registration step.
3. Clear the usual employer checks (police check, immunisation, Working with Children/NDIS screening where relevant).
4. Work within delegated tasks under RN/EN supervision while you decide whether to study toward Enrolled or Registered Nurse.

Where it leads — and how to progress

Enrolled Nurse →
Complete the HLT54121 Diploma of Nursing (NMBA-approved, ~18–24 months, min. 400 hours of placement), then register with the NMBA as an Enrolled Nurse.
Registered Nurse →
Complete an NMBA-approved Bachelor of Nursing (AQF 7, ~3 years), then register as an RN. Enrolled nurses can ladder in, often with credit that varies by university.

Assistant in Nursing pay by state

What an assistant in nursing earns under each state's public-health nursing award — the verbatim pay scale, allowances and how to lift it.

New South Wales payVictoria payQueensland paySouth Australia payTasmania payACT pay Take-home calculator

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a degree to become an assistant in nursing?

No — and no qualification is legally required at all. Most hospital employers ask for a Certificate III (a VET certificate, not a degree); many AINs are enrolled-nursing or Bachelor of Nursing students earning while they study.

Do you have to register with AHPRA to work as an assistant in nursing?

None — AINs are unregulated. The NMBA does not register AINs; they're accountable to their employer and the delegating RN/EN, not to AHPRA.

How do you become an assistant in nursing in Australia?

Complete (or enrol in) an accepted qualification — usually the HLT33115 Certificate III (acute-care stream) for hospitals, or CHC33021 for aged care. There are no entry requirements to start it. Apply directly to a hospital, health service or aged-care provider — there is no AHPRA registration step. Clear the usual employer checks (police check, immunisation, Working with Children/NDIS screening where relevant). Work within delegated tasks under RN/EN supervision while you decide whether to study toward Enrolled or Registered Nurse.

Sources

Official sources for this pathway
  1. training.gov.au — HLT33115 Certificate III in Health Services Assistance
  2. ANMF — Position statement: AINs are unregulated/unregistered
  3. NMBA — Decision-making framework (delegation to AINs)

Written by Jacob Stretton — registered nurse and final-year medical student. General information about Australian nursing pathways; always confirm current requirements with the NMBA/AHPRA and your education provider.