Student Enrolled and Registered Nurses (1 Viewer)

[Riona]

Hi. I'm just wondering if there was any difference between your duties as a student nurse when doing the Enrolled Nursing course at TAFE, and as a student nurse completing a Bachelor of Nursing degree at university to become a Registered Nurse? Thanks

 

[vodkacrumble]

enrolled:
- you get PAID
- you are NOT supernumery so you do have to actually work
- do everything the RNs do (except for giving some types of meds)
- full 8hr day, 5 days a week. some nightduty is complusary in your final block.

registered:
- no payment
- supernumery, so you can bugger off to inservices/theatres/other departments if something interesting is happening (this can also depend on the facilitator, though)
- do everything the RNs do up to your skill level (eg. some unis won't let you do IV meds until 3rd year)
- depending on the uni, you may only do 8hr shifts in 3rd year. in smaller blocks, or split 2/3 days a week. night duty is unlikley unless you request it yourself.


but if you're wondering about the 'dirty' work, everyone has to do it at some point so you have to just deal with it.

 

[Riona]

Well, I'm considering doing the Enrolled Nursing Course through TAFE and then going on to do the Accelerated ENS course at UTS, instead of doing a three year Bachelor of Nursing Course at University. However, I wouldn't like to do it if the practical work I were to do, as a Trainee Enrolled Nurse and Enrolled Nurse, weren't going to be relevant to the same sort of thing I would be doing as a student Registered Nurse; when it is my ultimate goal to become a Registered Nurse and then build up with postgraduate study from that.

I am thinking now of maybe not applying for University anymore and getting a lot of clinical experience by going to be an Enrolled Nurse; if I'm going to do something I want to do it the best possible way I can and a lot of clinical experience to make me more competent in the field sounds very appealing. I'm a bit torn between the two options of TAFE and Uni though, for various reasons. I know it will all come through in the end though.

I know that nursing is considered by many a "dirty" job, but I'd sincerely like to help people and have always loved science.

 

[vodkacrumble]

the quickest way you can do the EN+RN route is 4 years, because even if you go into the march intake UTS won't let you start the accelerated course until the year after you finish.

however, there are lots of advantages.
as i mentioned, you get paid (even while you're at TAFE and not actually on the wards), get more clinical time, skip a year of HECS fees and you're pretty much guaranteed a flexible job to pay your way through uni.

personally, although i did the whole 3 years at uni, i wish i'd done the EN+RN route. but because i worked through uni as an AIN in a hospital i think i turned out okay.

 

[Riona]

Hmm, I'm wondering if I can work part time as a Trainee Enrolled Nurse in a hospital and attempt a Bachelor of Nursing Degree at the same time?? I remember reading something about it before but I'm not too sure and I'm wondering if anybody could clear it up for me.

 

[vodkacrumble]

well for one you would have no time to do it (when you're at TAFE your're there mon-fri, 8hr a day, and then you do 40hr week on the wards during placement).

secondly, why would you want to? you'd be paying for a year of HECS for no reason.

 

[White Rabbit]

Hmm, I'm wondering if I can work part time as a Trainee Enrolled Nurse in a hospital and attempt a Bachelor of Nursing Degree at the same time?? I remember reading something about it before but I'm not too sure and I'm wondering if anybody could clear it up for me.

Nah you cant, you're tied into a 12 month contact with your hospital, and usually can't work anywhere else. Plus, it's impractical, the TEN course is more demanding than Uni, there'd be no way you'd be able to do both.

I'm doin my TENs as we speak, and goin to UTS in 2008 if i get in, if not, off to UWS. feel free to PM me if you have any questions about then TENs