Western Australia has taken a landmark step in strengthening its healthcare workforce, launching the state’s first Registered Nurse (RN) prescribing course on International Nurses’ Day. 

Edith Cowan University (ECU) will deliver the fully online, one‑year program, designed to equip experienced registered nurses with the skills and knowledge to prescribe or renew medications in partnership with authorised independent prescribers such as doctors and nurse practitioners. 

The Graduate Certificate in Designated Registered Nurse Prescribing is the first course of its kind in WA, and only the fifth nationally. 

The initiative will address a growing healthcare gap, said Professor Karen Strickland, Executive Dean of ECU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery at an International Nurses’ Day celebration at ECU City campus. 

“In many regional and community healthcare settings – including aged care and community clinics - timely access to prescribing professionals can be limited, which directly impacts patients.  

“By enabling appropriately qualified nurses to work collaboratively in medication prescribing and renewal processes, we can help improve access to care and ensure patients receive the medications they need more efficiently.”  

First intake mid‑2026 

The inaugural intake will open in Semester Two this year, offering 100 places for nurses with at least three years of clinical experience across diverse healthcare contexts. 

“This is an extremely important step forward for nursing practice in our state,” Professor Strickland said. “By equipping experienced nurses with the skills and knowledge to prescribe medications or renew prescriptions, it is exactly the kind of forward‑thinking, patient‑centred innovation our healthcare system needs.” 

Students will develop advanced capability in pathophysiology, comprehensive health assessment, diagnostic testing, and advanced pharmacology and therapeutics to support safe, evidence‑based prescribing. 

On completion, graduates will be eligible to apply to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia for endorsement as a Registered Nurse Prescriber before completing a six‑month mentored practice period. The qualification will also provide a pathway into ECU’s Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner). 

Scholarships to support workforce growth 

Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer of WA Health, Adjunct Professor Annie Thompson, announced at the launch event, that the WA Government will fund 80 scholarships over the next two years for eligible experienced nurses undertaking the course.