Nursing
Nurses are important members of the health care team and their primary role is providing patient care. In order to be an enrolled nurse you need to develop skills to communicate with people, have knowledge of contemporary nursing practice, law and ethics, anatomy and physiology, acute and chronic health disorders, clinical nursing skills and medication management. Enrolled nurses, under the direction and supervision of a registered nurse, assist in the provision of preventative, curative and rehabilitative nursing care in hospitals, aged-care facilities, the community and other health care settings. Enrolled nurses are second level nurses who provide nursing care according to their level of training and the registering authority's licence to practise. They are a skilled and integral part of the nursing team.
The course will cover: effective communication skills in nursing practice, contribute to client assessment and developing nursing care plans, implement and evaluate a plan of nursing care, contribute to the complex nursing care of clients, apply principles of wound management in the clinical environment; administer and monitor medications in the work environment, apply reflective practice, critical thinking and analysis in health; apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice, implement and monitor nursing care for consumers with mental health conditions, implement and monitor nursing care for clients with acute health problems, implement and monitor nursing care for clients with chronic health problems, implement and monitor nursing care for older clients; apply understanding of the Australian health care system, apply first aid, work effectively with culturally diverse clients and co-workers, work effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, comply with infection control policies and procedures, contribute to WHS processes; plus 5 elective units. 400 hours of Professional Experience Placement will be required.
Studying nursing at TAFE South Australia is one of the easiest pathways towards a University Degree. Credit Transfer is the formal recognition that parts of a TAFE South Australia course are equivalent in content and level to parts of some University courses.
Education Requirements
To work as an enrolled nurse (EN) you must be enrolled with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) on completion of your studies. To enrol with the NMBA you must possess the ability to meet the physical demands of nursing work, in particular the requirements of manual handling.
Prior to completing any clinical placements students will need to obtain a satisfactory National Police Certificate and meet the Department of Health's immunisation requirements.Students may be required to work shifts involving nights, weekends and public holidays.
On application for registration as a nurse, applicants are required to provide evidence to demonstrate they meet the NMBA's English language skills registration standard. This evidence includes completion of their secondary education taught and assessed in English to the requisite level required for entry into a nursing program AND a nursing program taught and assessed in English. If the applicant is unable to provide this evidence, they will need to complete one of the following tests of English language proficiency:
- Occupational English Test (OET) – minimum level B pass in each category; or
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic – minimum score of 7 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking). Results must have been obtained within two years prior to applying for registration.
Career Path
Enrolled nurses are able to build on their training in specific nursing areas. They can specialise in parent craft, community nursing, rehabilitation nursing, wound management, preoperative nursing, personal care assisting in aged care, and disability nursing. Enrolled nurses may be entitled to special entrance conditions when applying to undergraduate registered nurse courses. The Diploma of Nursing qualification provides a pathway into both the Bachelor of Nursing (the qualification for Registered Nursing), or Bachelor of Midwifery (direct entry). Job prospects for enrolled nurses are available in general, special and psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes, hostels, extended care facilities and occasionally in community service settings.
Enrolled nurses provide care for patients under the supervision of a registered nurse. This may include assisting a person with bathing or dressing, attending to wound care, assisting with meals, taking specimens, assisting a person with moving around and assisting with medication. EnrolleEnrolled nurses need effective communication skills, a non judgemental attitude, they need to be compassionate caring people, to respect differences, to be professional in their manner and relate to people across the lifespan – babies to elderly people – and to people with physical and mental health needs. As an enrolled nurse be prepared for challenges, excitement and a great sense of job satisfaction.
Enrolled nurses are employed in hospitals and residential care facilities, the remainder working in a variety of areas, including medical, mental health, and pathology health services. Enrolled nurses can also work in doctors’ surgeries, youth and women’s shelters or school clinics. In community health centres enrolled nurses assist with immunisation and health care screening, provide health care information to parents and families, adults and the aged. Community health nurses also provide educational programs to schools and the community, on things like health and nutrition, and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s).
For more information about Nursing courses visit their course website: here
