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As a Nurse your first posting is likely to be to a health battalion providing either pre-hospital trauma and primary health care or a General Health Battalion. The primary first posting locations are Brisbane, Darwin and Townsville. However, once you have established yourself as an Army Nurse, there are a range of employment opportunities across the country primarily working in Health Centres delivering primary health care and low acuity in-patient care. Whether you are employed in a deployable unit or a health centre, Army has a range of opportunities for external clinical placement in major metropolitan hospitals, these are designed to maintain accreditation in both general and specialist nursing skills.
There are also opportunities to work overseas wherever Australian Army personnel are currently deployed.
Posting tenure for the majority of officers on appointment is two years, and officers should expect a high degree of mobility in the first few years of service.

You will be paid while you train, and on completion of your Initial Military Training and Employment Training, you’ll earn at least:

Trained

Your salary once trained

In the Army you'll get paid a good salary from day one regardless of your age, experience or qualifications; and your pay increases as you progress through training. In addition to your salary you'll receive a variety of allowances, extra pay for relevant qualifications – plus 16.4% superannuation, a far higher rate than you're likely to find in the civilian world.

Officer Entry: Graduate

You will undertake the Australian Defence Force Extended Practice Nursing (ADFEPN) Course in the first 12 months of appointment. This is conducted at the Army School of Health (ASH) and is conducted in 2 parts. Phase 1 in 15 days and Phase 2 in 10 days. You can also expect to undertake additional training in military logistics at ALTC in the first 2 years.
Health units also interact with major medical facilities in each region to provide additional clinical skills and currency training for Nurses.

Registered Nurses are sponsored for attendance at Universities, however due to the competition for selection you could expect to fulfil at least four years service prior to sponsorship.

As an ARA Nurse your first posting is likely to be to a health battalion providing either pre-hospital trauma and primary health care or a field hospital unit. The primary first posting locations are Brisbane, Darwin and Townsville. However, once you have established yourself as an Army Nurse, there are a range of employment opportunities across the country primarily working in Health Centres delivering primary and low dependency in-patient care. Whether you are employed in a deployable unit or a health centre, Army has a range of opportunities for external clinical placement in major metropolitan hospitals, these are designed to maintain accreditation in both general and specialist nursing skills.
There are also opportunities to work overseas wherever Australian Army personnel are currently deployed.
Posting tenure for the majority of officers on appointment is two years, and officers should expect a high degree of mobility in the first few years of service.
There are also opportunities to work overseas wherever Australian troops are currently deployed.
Posting tenure for the majority of officers on appointment is two years, and officers should expect a high degree of mobility in the first few years of service.

Officer Entry: Undergraduate

You will undertake the Australian Defence Force Extended Practice Nursing (ADFEPN) Course in the first 12 months of appointment. This is conducted at the Army School of Health (ASH) and is conducted in 2 parts. Phase 1 in 15 days and Phase 2 in 10 days. You can also expect to undertake additional training in military logistics at ALTC in the first 2 years.
Health units also interact with major medical facilities in each region to provide additional clinical skills and currency training for Nurses.
Registered Nurses are sponsored for attendance at Universities, however due to the competition for selection you could expect to fulfil at least four years service prior to sponsorship.

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The Australian Regular Army (ARA) employs Registered General Nurses as nurses primarily in its deployable health units, however, there are opportunities for employment in primary healthcare facilities, in-patient facilities as well as roles in training, health management, administration and command and leadership.
Nurses can expect to work in units which, when deployed, provide primary health care and immediate resuscitation in a pre-hospital setting. Additionally, Army has a certified surgical field hospital that can provide a comprehensive hospital capability. These units will deploy during combat, peace- keeping and humanitarian relief operations. Whatever the type of deployment it may challenge your professional, mental and physical capabilities.
When not on exercises or operations, Nurses focus on training for operations through a range of individual and group activities. There are opportunities to maintain clinical skills through employment on Defence bases delivering primary healthcare and low acuity in-patient care. There are also programs through which nurses are placed in major metropolitan hospitals to maintain higher order clinical skills. Nurses can also fill a range of key management, administrative and command positions which will develop your skills and professional horizon.
In addition to generalists, the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps (RAANC) has a requirement for officers from key specialisations, in particular post-graduate emergency, peri-operative and intensive care nursing qualifications. If you do not have a formal post graduate qualification, the Army offers a range of paid post-graduate training opportunities in these and other specialist areas.
A career as an Army Nurse offers variety and challenges in employment and travel not available in the normal hospital environment. You will gain experience and skills that will equip you for advancement in the Army, and will also be in high demand in your <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://adffamilyhealth.com/" target="_blank">profession</a>.

Discover a rewarding new outlet for your nursing expertise, learning specialist skills and techniques as you provide care to Army personnel and communities in need.

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Nurse

Benefits you won't see anywhere else

You’ll enjoy the following:

Great salary from day one, which increases with experience

Generous superannuation of 16.4% – a huge 4.9% over the Australian standard

Help to buy a home, a subsidised home loan or rent allowance

Free medical and dental for you, and subsidised healthcare for you and your family

Fully paid training

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