Training
On this page:

Who can train
Urgent training needs
Training by assessment type
Transition courses
Prepare for your training
How to enrol
Training for CAP students
Training for enrolled nurses

Training

Who can train

Clinicians who have assessment as part of their scope of practice may train to become an interRAI assessor. We only accept practising certificates from New Zealand professional bodies.

Examples of clinicians include nurses, physiotherapists, social workers, speech language therapists and occupational therapists.

Every clinician must have their manager's approval to train.


Urgent training needs

We understand that staffing gaps can occur suddenly. We may be able to  provide an emergency training placement to help cover these gaps.  If you need to train an assessor urgently, please email interRAI@tas.health.nz; so we can help.


Training information by assessment type

Time to complete: four weeks
Virtual classroom time: one day

 

This assessment is a brief, screening assessment for people with less complex needs in the community. The course is delivered online with the help of your interRAI educator. It's a mix of educator-led and self-directed learning.

After you've completed the virtual classroom portion of the course, your interRAI educator will support you to complete real assessments that will count towards course completion. 

We'll send you a confirmation email and reminders before the course starts.

Enrol for a Contact Assessment course

Time to complete: six weeks
Virtual classroom time: two days

 

This comprehensive assessment is for people with complex needs living in the community. This includes private homes and supported living, such as retirement villages.

It is usually delivered in the community by assessors working with the local Needs Assessment Coordination Service (NASC), but may also be used in other settings. 

This course is delivered online by an interRAI educator. After you've completed the virtual classroom portion of the course, your educator will support you to complete real assessments that will count towards course completion. 

We'll send you a confirmation email and reminders before the course starts.

Enrol for a Home Care assessment course

Time to complete: six weeks
Virtual classroom time: two days

 

The Community Health Assessment is a comprehensive, modular assessment for people living in the community. This includes private homes and supported living, such as retirement villages.

It is usually delivered in the community by assessors from health of older people or mental health services. 

This course is delivered online by an interRAI educator and is a mixture of directed and self-directed learning. After you've completed the virtual classroom portion of the course, your interRAI educator will support you to complete real assessments that will count towards course completion. 

We'll send you a confirmation email and reminders before the course starts. 

Enrol for a Community Health Assessment course

Time to complete: six weeks
Virtual classroom time: two days

 

This assessment is a comprehensive assessment for people living in aged residential care. 

The course is delivered online by an interRAI educator and is a mixture of directed and self-directed learning. After you've completed the virtual classroom portion of the course, your interRAI educator will support you to complete real assessments that will count towards course completion. 

We'll send you a confirmation email and reminders before the course starts. 

Enrol for a Long Term Care Facilities assessment course

Time to complete: six weeks
Virtual classroom time: two days

 

This assessment is for people who have a terminal diagnosis. It is delivered by clinicians in hospice, community and aged residential care settings.

The course is delivered online by an interRAI educator and is a mixture of directed and self-directed learning. After you've completed the virtual classroom portion of the course, your interRAI educator will support you to complete real assessments that will count towards course completion. 

We'll send you a confirmation email and reminders before the course starts. 

Enrol for a Palliative Care assessment course 

Time to complete: four weeks
Virtual classroom time: one and a half hours

 

This assessment is for people who are being assessed during an inpatient hospital stay.

This course is delivered online by an interRAI educator and is a mixture of directed and self-directed learning. You will complete learning modules and attend a virtual classroom. Once this is done, your interRAI educator will support you to complete real assessments that will count towards course completion. 

We'll send you a confirmation email and reminders before the course starts. 

Enrol for an Acute Care assessment course 


Transition courses

We provide shorter courses for skilled assessors who are switching from one assessment type to another or have to use different assessment types in their role.

Email us at interRAI@tas.health.nz if you think you may qualify for transition training.


How to enrol 

There is no charge for interRAI training. 

We'll send you a form to complete. This must be approved by your manager before we can confirm your place on a course.

Once your place is confirmed we'll email you with full training details.  

Start the enrolment process now by emailing interRAI@tas.health.nz


Prepare for your training

Once your enrollment is confirmed, we'll email you a welcome letter with everything you need to know about your training. Check your spam or junk mail box if you haven't received this.

There are some things you'll need to ensure training success. You may need to talk to your manager to arrange these.

A suitable computer

You can use a work computer or laptop to complete your training. It must have:

  • Zoom installed
  • a stable internet connection and browser - Chrome, Firefox or Edge
  • a client-side certificate installed.

To check whether your computer has this, click here to go back to our homepage, then click on ‘MOMENTUM ALL REGIONS’ at the top right of the page. If you receive a ‘page not found’ message, call the service desk on 0800 10 80 44, press option 1 and ask for a client-side certificate to be installed.

If you are training with others from your organisation, each learner must have their own computer or laptop. You can bring a laptop from home to use for accessing Zoom and interRAI Learning and Development (L&D), but not Momentum.

A suitable setup

A quiet, well-organised space for learning will help you succeed. If possible, avoid training at busy nurses' stations.

If you have access to a headset and dual monitors, you will find training easier.

Resources and support

You should have copies of the relevant manuals onsite. If you can't find them, talk to your manager - they may need to order new ones.

You must be rostered off the floor to complete the virtual classroom portion of your training. Make sure you're logged in and ready to begin 15 minutes before training begins. If you have another staff member already trained, it's helpful to have them show you the software systems before your virtual classroom sessions. 


Training for Competency Assessment Programme (CAP) students

CAP programmes are for internationally qualified nurses, and nurses returning to practice after 5 or more years away. Nurses who are completing CAP programmes can train to become interRAI assessors while waiting to receive their annual practising certificates (APC) from the New Zealand Nursing Council. 

During training and until the CAP student is allocated their APC number, they work under the direction of a supervising registered nurse who is interRAI-competent. 

The supervising registered nurse takes overall responsibility for the assessment, and marks it complete in the software. 


Training for enrolled nurses

Enrolled nurses can train to become interRAI assessors. They complete interRAI assessments under the supervision of a registered nurse.