2. Courses
  3. Career Profile Examples
  4. Job Profile: Nurse (Enrolled)

Nurse (Enrolled)

Note: Completion of a TAFE SA course does not guarantee an employment outcome. Formal requirements other than educational qualifications (eg licensing, professional registration), may apply to some occupations.

Job Prospects
Future growth over the next 5 years is moderate.
Salary
Median weekly earnings: $1,426
Source
Department of Employment’s Job Outlook website 2020
Brief
Enrolled nursing is an exciting and rewarding career that provides many opportunities. Enrolled nurses are employed in hospitals, community health services, residential care, private homes (home care), factories, schools, medical practices and pathology services. Enrolled nurses are employed on a full time and part time basis.

There are currently around 4,900 enrolled nurses employed in South Australia. Over half are employed part-time and most work in the health and community services industry. Most persons in this occupation are female and over half are employed in the Adelaide metropolitan area. Over half of persons in this occupation are over the age of 45.

TAFE SA courses that may be relevant for: Nurse (Enrolled)

Accredited (Award)

  • Introduction

    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.

    Influencing and Personal ContactMedical

  • 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 and also meet the NMBA's English language skills registration standard.

    TAFE SA offers a Diploma of Nursing. A pathway course is the Certificate IV in Preparation for Health and Nursing Studies.

    Studying at TAFE SA is one of the easiest and most successful pathways towards a University Degree. Dual offer courses are available to TAFE SA with both Flinders University and ADelaide University in the Diploma of Nursing/Bachelor of Nursing (Pre-registration).

    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.

    English Language Skills:

    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.

    Further information can be found on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia website at http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/

  • 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, perioperative 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.

  • Nature of the Job

    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. ENs 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.

  • Typical Physical Working Environment

    Enrolled nurses may be required to work shifts involving nights, weekends and public holidays.

    Enrolled nurses must have good communication skills and be able to demonstrate tolerance, patience and tact in dealing with people of different backgrounds, ages and cultures. They need to be able to follow instructions precisely and able to work as part of a team. It is essential that they are mentally and physically fit.

  • Typical Occupational Example

    NURSING CAREERS NOT NARROW
    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 further information, contact:

    Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
    GPO Box 9958, Adelaide, SA 5001
    Ph: 1300 419 495
    Website: www.ahpra.gov.au

    The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
    Website: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au

    Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA Branch)
    PO Box 861 Regency Park BC, SA 5942
    Ph: (08) 8334 1900
    Fax: (08) 8334 1901
    Website: www.anmfsa.org.au

    Australian Nursing Federation (National)
    PO Box 4239 Kingston, ACT 2604
    Ph: (02) 6232 6533
    Fax: (02) 6232 6610
    Email: anfcanberra@anf.org.au
    Website: www.anf.org.au