Nefesh BNefesh

Professional Certification in Israel | Educational Requirements of Misrad HaBriut | Accredited Core Curriculum for Nursing | Documents to Submit to Misrad HaBriut | Prerequisites for Taking the Exam| Sample Exam | Finding Work | Salaries and Working Conditions | Interview with a Nurse

See Also: Midwifery, Nurse's Assistant

Disclaimer: Misrad Habriut regulations are subject to change without advance notice and are constantly changing. For the most current information regarding licensing procedures, please see Misrad Habriut's site. Nefesh B’Nefesh does not take responsibility for inaccuracies on the site or changes to the law.

For direct links to the licensing pages on the Misrad Habriut site, please see: Misrad Habriut Licensing for Health Professions (Links)

Professional Certification in Israel
In order to be recognized as a nurse in Israel, one must hold a license issued by the Nursing Division (Agaf HaSiud) of the Ministry of Health (Misrad HaBriut). Licenses are granted upon:

• Meeting the educational requirements of Misrad HaBriut (theoretical and clinical).
• Completing the Misrad Habriut prerequisites for taking the licensure examination.
• Passing the licensure examination.

Educational Requirements of Misrad HaBriut
Foreign nursing programs that include 80% of the theoretical and clinical studies in the Israeli core curriculum are deemed sufficient for recognition by Misrad Habriut (see below). If your course of study abroad did not include 80% of the coursework required by Misrad Habriut you will be required to take additional coursework in Israel. If you have questions regarding whether or not your coursework meets the requirements, please phone (02) 670-5705 or (02) 670-5097. It is recommended that you be in touch prior to your Aliyah in order to ascertain what requirements you will need to fulfill.

Misrad Habriut now offers a new customer call center to answer questions about licensing for health care professionals. Call *5400 from Israel or 972-8-624-1010 from abroad. The center operates Sunday through Thursday, 8am-6pm, and Fridays from 8am-1pm, Israel time.

Due to the differences in coursework between Israeli and foreign programs, nurses are often required to do additional coursework in order to qualify for the licensure exam. Nurses with 10+ years of experience will not be required to do additional coursework. 

In addition to meeting the educational requirements of Misrad Habriut, all candidates for nursing recognition must take a 7 credit (98 hour) preparatory internship as part of the licensing process. The internship focuses on aspects of nursing that are specific to the Israeli health care delivery.

The Accredited Core Curriculum for Registered Nursing
The core curriculum encompasses the mandatory course of study for registered nursing in Israel. It reflects the professional values and concepts central to nursing and the current developmental trends. It sets the minimum standard prerequisite for Ministry of Health registration.
The core curriculum is composed of 156 academic credits (3,136 hours), according to the following formula:

14 hours of theoretical study = 1 academic credit
48 hours of clinical practice= 1 academic credit

The core contains 4 domains of study. These requirements are copied from the Ministry of Health Nursing Division's requirements (updated 2006):

• Social, Behavioral and Life sciences: 48 academic credits (672 hours)
• Nursing sciences: 25 academic credits (350 hours)
• Clinical studies:
  • theoretical units of study: 55 academic credits (770 hours)
  • clinical experience: 19 academic credits (912 hours)
• Advanced practicum: 9 academic credits (432 hours)

I. Basic Social, Behavioral and Life Sciences:

 

 

Documents to Submit to Misrad Habriut
Misrad Habriut offers the nursing exam in Hebrew and other foreign languages, including English, French, Russian, Spanish and Arabic. If you take the test in a foreign language, you will be required to pass a Hebrew proficiency exam BEFORE taking the nursing test. The Hebrew exam is at the level of Ulpan Daled (approximately) and the test includes technical medical terms, such as "patient", "discharge", etc.

Nurses who have received Aliyah approval from the Jewish Agency for Israel will be able to submit their documentation to Misrad Habriut prior to making Aliyah.

For more information, contact Shoshi Shoham at Misrad Hachinuch (Ministry of Education) at 02 560 1330; or contact the National Institute for Testing and Evaluation (Merkaz Artzi l'Bkhinot u'Leha'arakha) at 02 675 9555; or see www.nite.org.il.

For a sample Hebrew proficiency test, click here.

All documents must be translated and notarized by an Israeli notary in Israel. You will need to submit 2 notarized copies of all your documents. See Notarization Services. In order to register for the exam, please send the following documents to the Nursing Division, Ministry of Health, 2 Ben Tabai Street, Jerusalem:  

• Diploma.
• An official transcript, listing course topics, grades, and hours of study in both academic and practical work. (If you are submitting an original transcript, it does not have to be translated and notarized.)
• Official confirmation of employment following nursing school, including start and end dates, and a description of your exact position. 
• Teudat Oleh.
• Teudat Zehut.  Please note that an ID number alone is not sufficient - the applicant must have a Teudat Zehut.
• An official document stating a change of name (if applicable).
• A valid nursing license.
• A notarized translation of all of the documents into Hebrew, if they are in any other language.
• Please include your address and telephone number with your application.
• If you do not have a BA, you must submit a copy of your high school diploma.
• An application form, available online.

The Nursing Division will inform you of your eligibility to take the exam. The Hebrew version of the exam is given twice per year, usually in April and October. The English version is usually offered once a year, in the fall. For more information, please visit the Nursing Division's website at http://147.237.77.238/Subjects/MedicalAndHealthProfessions/nursing/Pages/default.aspx or phone (02) 670-5705 or (02) 670-5097.

Prerequisites for Taking the Licensure Examination

Upcoming exam dates:

For a list of upcoming exam dates please visit the Nursing Division's website.

Part A: Introduction to the Israeli Health System

Before being eligible to take the licensing exam, nurses are required to study the following:

• Israeli laws and regulations
• The Israeli health system
• States of emergency and trauma

Study is done on an individual basis through the mentorship of a hospital. You can either study on your own, with a booklet provided by Misrad Habriut; or you can have up to five meetings with your mentor. Study must be done under supervision of one of the following hospitals: Wolfson (in Holon), Hadassah (in Jerusalem) and Assaf Harofeh (in Ramle). Upon completion of this study period, you will be tested on the material by your mentor (either orally or in writing, as discussed with your mentor). This study program incurs a fee.

Part B: Professional Training

In addition to the study program, each nurse is required to participate in two professional courses:

• CPR
• Measurement conversion

Information about these courses is available through the hospital where you are being mentored.

Sample Exam
For details of the exam, see the Nursing Division's website (Hebrew only) at: http://147.237.77.238/Subjects/MedicalAndHealthProfessions/nursing/Pages/default.aspx. There is a sample nursing exam and study material online to help you prepare. To register, go to: http://rntest.health.gov.il/

To study for the nursing boards, it is recommended that you use the Brunner Med Surg Nursing text, which is the "gold standard" in Israel. (Amazon sells them used online.)

See also the syllabus from 2009 and the syllabus from 2012.

Knowledge of Hebrew
A good working knowledge of Hebrew is essential, not just to practice nursing, but also in order to pass the licensing exam and become recognized as a registered nurse. It is strongly advised to study Hebrew before you arrive and then to take Ulpan upon arrival. For a full listing of Ulpan options, see the Ulpan Guide.

In addition to regular Ulpan, Misrad HaKlita offers an Ulpan for medical professionals - shlav bet. The class opens provided there are enough people who are interested. Be in touch with your local branch of Misrad HaKlita to find out when the next class will begin. For more information, see Medical Ulpan.

Finding Work
Registered nurses are in demand in Israel. Once you successfully pass the exam and receive a license from the Ministry of Health, there are a number of ways to go about finding a job.

One way to find a job is to directly contact the principle nursing service of major hospitals or health institutions. A list of various institutions that employ nurses can be obtained from the Nursing Division of the Ministry of Health.

In addition to hospitals, nurses work in the health funds (Kupot Cholim). There are four major health funds: Clalit, Leumit, Maccabi and Meuchedet. Among the services provided by the Kupot are primary and family health care, laboratory services and hospitalization.
Nurses also work in mental health services and Mother & Child clinics (Tipat Halav).

Besides working for hospitals or the Kupot, another potential place of employment is TEREM.  Terem has a network of urgent and immediate care clinics, in and around the Jerusalem area (including branches in Bet Shemesh, Modi'in and Ma'ale Adumim).  In many ways, it functions as an ER, but separate from a hospital setting.  You do not necessarily need to have a background in ER work (although this is desirable). For details, contact Daniel Lipczer (Personnel Manager) on 02-652-1748 or dl@terem.com.

You can also consult with the National Association of Nurses (HaHistadrut HaAhim ve Ha'Ahayot) to find out about the availability of jobs.

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NURSES IN ISRAEL
(Histadrut HaAhim Ve'HaAhayot)
93 Rehov Arlozorov
61002 Tel Aviv
POB 303

Salaries and Working Conditions
Nurses' salaries are based on a standard scale and vary according to qualifications, responsibilities, grade, seniority and shift work. Your previous work experience is also taken into account when determining your grade and salary. Fringe benefits vary, but may include transportation expenses, clothing allowances, and childcare allowances. For details about working conditions and salary scales, contact the National Association of Nurses in Israel.

Training Course for Olim with Academic Degrees

If you have a BA, you may be eligible for a shortened course to train nurses that is offered by several universities in Israel. For more information, click here. Some of the nursing schools which offer the course include: Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Kaplan Nursing School, Ashkelon Nursing School, Afula Sherman Nursing School and Asaf HaRofe.

Phlebotomy

Nurses can work as phlebotomists in Israel but they must take a 2 day course and pass an exam in order to be certified. The courses are given in Jerusalem and Petach Tikva. They must also have their degrees recognized by Misrad Habriut. For information about the course, please contact: Sharon, at: 02-655-1871.

Lactation Consultants

Misrad Habriut offers courses, for nurses only, to become lactation consultants. This course is offered once a year, starting in January. It is 336 hours (about 7 months) long. It is offered in Haifa, Tel Hashomer and Kaplan nursing schools. All nurses must have a nursing license and Bachelor's degree. An acceptance exam is given in June or July. Olim who would like to be lactation consultants must first be recognized as nurses. If you already have a certificate as a lactation consultant from outside Israel, you will need to apply to the nursing division regarding conversion of your license. In most cases, you will be asked to take additional courses; in all cases, you will be required to pass an exam. For more information, contact Hanna Tsofnat at: hanna.tsofnat@moh.health.gov.il or 03-737-8109.

Interview with Tzippy Shore, Nurse and Administrator

Q: What opportunities exist for Olim interested in practicing nursing in Israel?
A:There are many options for Nurses; for a young nurse a position in a hospital is, in my opinion, the best job. Though you do need to do nights/Shabbat shifts, those shifts pay the best. At night you do not need to pay a babysitter. One can work only weekends and get a full time salary.
Other options for nurses: Tipat Chalav, baby well care centers. In Israel, you do not take your baby (up to the age of 3) to the doctor for immunizations; you take your baby to Tipat Chalav centers where the nurses check your baby’s growth, give immunizations and hearing/vision tests.
Kupat Cholim clinics hire nurses to work in a health fund center; they can work as nurses who draw blood for tests or in emergency, or who assist the doctors in different departments.
Teaching is another option, there are several nursing schools in Israel but you need a Masters Degree.
For those who need to tailor their work to family time, a school nurse might be a good job. A school nurse gives immunizations and has that fun job of checking for lice. All of the shots (for school age children) are done in school by the school system. A school nurse is hired by the municipality and works for the local government.

Q: What job did you take upon your Aliyah to Israel?
A: When I first came to Israel, I worked in a hospital setting. I chose to work in Dialysis because as a mother with a family I didn’t want to work at night or on Shabbat.

Q: What is the job market like in Israel?
A: It is not as easy as it used to be, but there is always a need for nurses. If you are coming from abroad, there is material that you have to relearn, for example medications. We use different medications and sometimes they have different names, so it can be a challenge.
When experienced people come, it is important for them to know that although they can find work there will be a relearning process which is sometimes difficult for the ego.

Q: Where should someone study nursing if they want to live in Israel?
A: If you are getting your degree abroad, an academic degree (Bachelor's degree) is essential, and an MA is better than a BA. An MA opens up the possibility of entering the field of administration, an opportunity which can lead to working in homes (nursing, disabled children who live in dormitories, cancer hospices, etc.). If you are a nurse with a doctorate you'll have even more opportunities available.
I believe that the best thing for someone studying is to learn here. If you go to Nursing School in Israel, you work in the hospital and you have your connections already while studying.

Q: How long does it take to study here?
A: Nursing school is a four year BA program. If you want to specialize in midwifery - realize that most babies are born by midwives in Israel - you practice as a nurse for one year and then take a nine month course followed by an internship.

Q: What documents do you need in order to practice as a nurse?
A: You need to redo the nursing exam in order to be a recognized professional (another reason to study here, no matter how much experience you have). Also bring all of your diplomas, your syllabus, transcripts (original copies).

Q: What recommendations can you offer the Olim looking for work in this field?
A: Academic degrees are highly desirable and I recommend it. There is always a need for nurses; it is a good profession and there are always opportunities. There are so many variations and opportunities in nursing (full time, part time, school nurse, teaching, administration, tipat chalav) and it is a great helping profession that is highly skilled.

Special thanks to Tehilla for allowing us to reprint this interview.