NSW Context

Organisations wishing to provide recognised courses leading to enrolment as a nurse in NSW must be recognised by the Nurses and Midwives Board. It is recommended that organisations seeking approval of courses for the pre-enrolment education of enrolled nurses should contact the Nurses and Midwives Board to obtain detailed information about the requirements (outlined in the Information for Education Providers document - http://www.nmb.nsw.gov.au/Education-of-Enrolled-Nurses/default.aspx).

 A summary of the key components of advice for training providers from the Nurses and Midwives Board follows: In order to be eligible for enrolment, students completing courses approved by the Nurses and Midwives Board must be able to demonstrate Australian Nursing & Midwifery Council’s Competency Standards for the Enrolled Nurse 2002.

(For more information go to: http://www.nmb.nsw.gov.au/Competency-Standards/default.aspx)

Pre-enrolment nursing courses must provide a broad theoretical foundation in nursing and prepare the student to deliver patient care across the life-span, across the health illness continuum, in both acute and chronic stages of illness and/or disability, within clinical fields of medical/surgical nursing, mental health nursing, aged care nursing and community nursing.   

The following units must be included in the curriculum for accreditation in NSW:

• HLTEN502A Apply effective communication skills in nursing practiceHLTEN507A Administer and monitor medications in the work environmentHLTEN501A Analyse health informationHLTEN520A Contribute to the care of mothers and babies
• HLTEN505A Contribute to the complex nursing care of clients

If a pre-enrolment course is at Diploma level the following unit of competence must also be included in the curriculum:

• HLTEN520AContribute to the care of mothers and babies.

 Where clinical experience is undertaken in student status:Where students are not employees, their clinical experience is to be undertaken in student status.  This requires that they are supernumerary to staff requirements at all times and are therefore not required to undertake workplace commitments for the employer concurrently with clinical practice.  In this circumstance the clinical learning experience must consist of a minimum of 600 hours in a period not exceeding two (2) years.    This must include:

• An initial clinical placement of a minimum of 114 hours (ie three weeks) full-time experience in basic nursing care;Two clinical placements, in different locations, each of 76 hours in acute care nursing and including care of a perioperative patient, during which the student follows patient care, for at least one patient, through from the pre-operative to post-operative stare; and
• minimum of 76 hours experience in each of two other areas of nursing from the options submitted in the curriculum document. Other areas of nursing may include, but are not limited to, medical and surgical sub-specialties, aged care nursing, mental health nursing, community nursing, developmental disability nursing, rehabilitation nursing, palliative care nursing, perioperative nursing, indigenous health nursing, maternal and child health nursing and paediatric nursing

If part of the required clinical experience is undertaken during paid employment in a facility, then that part of the experience requires completion of double the number of hours that would have been required if the student were supernumerary.  Where students are part of the workforce, clinical experience is to be a minimum of 874 clinical hours in a period not exceeding two years.  Clinical facilities: Training providers must provide details about the criteria and process to be used in selecting, monitoring and liaising with clinical facilities at which students will obtain clinical practice.  Training providers must provide details of arrangements made for students to complete prescribed examinations as approved by the Nurses and Midwives Board.  Alternatively, the organisation may provide evidence that it has negotiated access for students to undertake prescribed examinations conducted by an organisation approved by the Board for this purpose. 

 Immunisation: Health workers and learners undertaking work placement in NSW Health facilities must comply with the assessment, screening and vaccination requirements of Policy Directive PD 2007_006.  

 Criminal Record Check (CRC) and Vulnerable Person:  Health workers and learners undertaking work placement in NSW Health facilities must comply with Employment Screening Using Criminal Record Checks Policy Directive PD2005_552