Diploma of Nursing – Become an Enrolled Nurse

The cost of a nursing diploma can vary greatly between institutions and across states. Due to the growing demand for health professionals, and in light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, most state governments are offering substantial subsidies on nursing qualifications. In fact, in some states, you can even study a Diploma of Nursing absolutely free!

Unsubsidised, an enrolled nurse course would cost you anywhere between $15,000 – $35,000 – with universities tending to charge a higher fee, than RTO’s and TAFE. With the various subsidies available, you will find that in most states, you can study a diplom in nursing for less than $15,000, if not for free. Note, this obviously depends on the educator you choose.

General 

The requirements for entering a Diploma of Nursing will vary by institution. However, there are some consistent admissions criteria set across most education providers.

• You must be at least 17 years old when commencing, or be 18 when you graduate.
• You must:
  • have successfuly completed Year 12, or equivalent, OR;
  • hold a relevant Certificate III or higher qualification, OR;
  • be 21 years or older (for students wanting to apply for mature age entry).
• You must be eligible to obtain a Blue Card if required.
• You must meet specific immunisation requirements (i.e. COVID-19).

English Language Standards
To practice safely in Australia, nurses must have strong English language skills. It is essential that a nurse can communicate effectively with patients and other health professionals to ensure accurate information is conveyed and clear health records are kept. To demonstrate your proficiency with the English language, most education providers will ask you to either

1. Submit a declaration stating that your primary language is English, and that you have completed a minimum of 2 years between grades 7 and 12. This education must be completed in a country that natively speaks English, such as Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA etc.
2. Achieve the minimum English language standards set by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).

Selection Criteria

Some nursing institutions will only accept a limited number of students into their program each term or year. This means that it can get quite competitive amongst those wishing to gain entry to the most popular nursing courses. For this reason, although you may meet the entry criteria and language requirements for your chosen course, you must still be selected by the institution from the pool of applicants. Generally speaking, selection criteria is predominantly based on your academic performance (i.e. your ATAR score). With those scoring higher more likely to be selected for the program first.

Traditionally, a nursing diploma is completed on-campus or in a workplace setting as part of mandatory placement. That said, more and more nursing educators are now offering a mixed format where students can study a portion of their Diploma of Nursing online. Unfortunately, there are no enrolled nursing courses that are 100% online, as it is a very practical course that requires field training and experience.

The Diploma of Nursing can be studied as a full-time or part-time course, although options for the latter are more limited.

An Australian diploma in nursing is typically made up of 20 core units that are more-or-less the same across education providers. This ensures that the education of Australian nurses is consistent from institution to institution, and to maintain a high standard of nursing care. In addition to the core units, you will study 5 electives of your choice. Electives tend to vary between education providers, and may be a key differientiator for you in determining where you choose to study.

Here is a list of different subject areas that you might expect to study within your nursing diploma:

• confirming physical health status
• basic anatomy and physiology
• principles of wound management
• analysing and responding to health information
• infection control and prevention
• medications and intravenous administration
• caring for patients with acute, chronic, and mental health conditions
• clinical assessment and implementing nursing care plans
• applying communication skills in nursing practice
• end of life care and palliative approach
• practice nursing with the Australian health care system
• applying nusing practice in the primary health care setting
• working with diverse people
• implementing and evaluating nursing care
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural safety

As you progress through this course, you will gain both theoretical knowledge and practical experience. When you study a Diploma of Nursing, you will be required to complete 400 hours of mandatory work placement, where you will gain the necessary hands-on experience to be a nurse in a range of healthcare settings, such as:

• public hospitals
• private hospitals
• GP clinics
• aged care facilities

This placement opportunity provides you (and future employers) with the confidence to hit the ground running when you enter the nursing workforce. Placements are generally coordinated and facilitated by the education provider, but it is recommended that you check with the individual institution.

The Diploma of Nursing is a faster (but less skilled) alternative to the 3-year Bachelor’s degree, which enables you to become a RN. For this reason, many nurses begin their careers as enrolled nuses to get a feel for the job before committing to further studies. For those who do not meet the more stringent entry criteria of a degree, they can use an enrolled nurse course as a pathway into the Bachelor’s.