What does an enrolled nurse do?
Enrolled nurses have varied duties, ranging from providing physical and emotional care to more complex tasks such as issuing medication. Enrolled nurses can work in a number of very different clinical environments, for example, surgical, emergency, aged care, operating theatre, paediatrics or community health.
Working under the supervision of a registered nurse, an enrolled nurse is part of a multidisciplinary medical team. Their daily tasks include helping patients with personal care, such as washing and getting dressed, assisting with meals or feeding tubes, taking specimens, monitoring patient vitals and issuing medication.
Enrolled nurse skills and qualifications
To be successful as an enrolled nurse, an individual needs to be:
- empathetic and caring towards patients
- organised and have excellent communication skills
- able to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment
- resilient and able to spend long shifts on their feet
- professional with a strong work ethic
- happy to work as part of a team to achieve the best patient outcomes
Enrolled nurse experience requirements
Enrolled nurses complete a clinical placement as part of their theoretical education. Employers can therefore rest assured that even newly qualified enrolled nurses they hire will already have some hands-on practical experience.
In general, enrolled nurses are supervised by registered nurses and continually learn on the job. For higher-level care environments, employers may want to recruit an enrolled nurse with more extensive experience gathered over several years on the job.
Enrolled nurse education and training requirements
Working as an enrolled nurse in Australia requires at least a completed Diploma in Nursing. This is a two-year course that can be completed at TAFE or another registered training organisation. As part of the Diploma, budding enrolled nurses also complete a clinical placement to gain practical experience.
Once qualified, student nurses must apply to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia to be registered as a practising enrolled nurse, and this registration must be renewed every year.
Enrolled nurse salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for an enrolled nurse is $67,423 per year. Salaries for enrolled nurses can vary significantly depending on the employer and location. Some hospitals, especially private ones, may offer higher salaries than others, and enrolled nurses in smaller towns such as Newcastle or the Gold Coast are reporting much higher salaries than those in major cities such as Melbourne or Sydney.
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Enrolled nurse job description FAQs
What is the difference between an enrolled nurse and a registered nurse?
Although registered and enrolled nurses work in similar environments, the scope of their work is quite different. Qualifying as an enrolled nurse requires a two-year Diploma of Nursing, while registered nurses need to complete a three-year Bachelor’s of Nursing.
Registered nurses generally have more responsibility than enrolled nurses. Both have practical duties, but registered nurses also handle more complex patient care and take on more of a leadership-, management- or research-focused role.
What career progression opportunities do enrolled nurses have?
Enrolled nurses typically have a number of career progression opportunities. An enrolled nurse can change the setting they work in and move, for example, from an aged care facility to a large private hospital, which will likely pay a higher salary.
In addition, enrolled nurses can go on to complete a Bachelor’s of Nursing in order to progress to the more senior role of registered nurse. After that, there may be opportunities to work in educational or research roles.
Can I hire an enrolled nurse with an overseas qualification?
Candidates who have qualified as a nurse overseas will need to have their qualifications recognised by and then register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Once they are registered as an enrolled nurse there, you can be confident that they are suitably qualified to work in the role in Australia. A valid work visa is, of course, also necessary.
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