what is an enrolled nurse?
As an enrolled nurse, you work alongside medical health practitioners and registered nurses to provide patient care. Your duties include measuring and recording patients' vital signs and monitoring their progress. For instance, you check for behavioural changes and appearance and keep the appropriate medical records. You report any urgent changes to a registered nurse for further treatment. You also provide wound care, like cleaning and dressing wounds. Aside from medical tasks, you assist patients with personal hygiene, like bathing, dressing and using the bathroom.
Aside from your medical responsibilities, you interact with patients’ families and provide emotional support. You answer questions and address any issues or concerns they have. If you want to undertake extra duties, you may need additional training. For instance, additional training is required if you want to administer medicine and feed patients through stomach feeding tubes.
As an enrolled nurse, you work closely with patients, which means you need empathy and compassion to excel in the role. You should also be able to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment and be physically fit to spend long shifts on your feet.
view rolesaverage enrolled nurse salary
The average remuneration package of an enrolled nurse is $68,000 per year. Your earnings fluctuate based on experience and qualifications. When you are starting out as an enrolled nurse, you start with a salary of $65,000 per year. Your experience and expertise boost your remuneration, and you can take home over $70,000 annually.
what factors affect the salary of an enrolled nurse?
Your expertise and skills determine your remuneration. For instance, when you have a diploma qualification, you earn less than those with higher qualifications. Your experience also plays a role in determining your remuneration. If you have entry-level experience, you handle basic patient care duties. However, enrolled nurses with a few years of experience and additional qualifications perform advanced duties.
Aside from experience, your location also influences your earnings. When you work in metro areas, you are likely to be an enrolled nurse in a busy hospital or clinic. The high demand for nurses in major cities improves your remuneration prospects. Smaller towns have a lower demand for enrolled nurses, lowering the earning potential in the area.
Working for a smaller hospital attracts a lower remuneration package compared to working for a bigger healthcare facility. Large hospitals have complex responsibilities and more resources to pay better salaries.
Want to know what you will earn as an enrolled nurse? Check out what you are worth with our salary checker.
types of enrolled nurses
While enrolled nurses practise general patient care, they can specialise in different clinical areas. For instance, an enrolled nurse in oncology works with cancer patients. Your job is to monitor their progress, take vital signs, and report to the doctor or registered nurse. You also support patients and their families and explain various medical procedures.
As a paediatric enrolled nurse, you work with children from infancy to teenage years. Your job is to perform physical examinations and explain the tests that the registered nurse will administer. In orthopaedics, you assist orthopaedic registered nurses in casting broken bones, administering pain medication and managing bone issues.
working as an enrolled nurse
Are you interested in working as an enrolled nurse? Let's explore the duties, work environments and career opportunities associated with the role.
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enrolled nurse job description
Some of the common duties and responsibilities of enrolled nurses include:
- providing basic patient care: as an enrolled nurse, you provide nursing care. For instance, you administer the prescribed medication and check the symptoms and vital signs of patients. You also manage the medical equipment used in in-patient care to monitor patients’ progress.
- assisting with personal hygiene needs: as an enrolled nurse, you assist patients with personal grooming, such as showering or getting dressed. If they have mobility issues, you help them get on wheelchairs or assist them with toileting. You dress patients' wounds and get them what they need to be comfortable in the hospital setting.
- keeping patient records: as an enrolled nurse, you record patients' progress and track their vital signs. When a patient arrives at the hospital, you retrieve their medical records and update them with the current treatment plan. Keeping accurate patient records makes it easy to identify changes in a patient’s condition and provide the best care.
- educating patients and families: as an enrolled nurse, you explain treatment procedures and the diagnosis to a patient's family. You educate them on the impact of the diagnosis on their lifestyle. For instance, you help them manage medications and also provide instructions for post-surgery care.
- providing emotional support: as an enrolled nurse, you reassure patients and their families when they receive bad news about the diagnosis. You also offer emotional support to help them navigate the healthcare journey.
- providing first-aid in medical emergencies: as an enrolled nurse, you provide first-aid to patients in medical emergencies while waiting for the registered nurse or doctor.
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work environment
Enrolled nurses work in hospitals, private clinics and other healthcare facilities. As an enrolled nurse, you can work in aged care homes, schools and community centres. Companies with in-house medical facilities may also hire enrolled nurses to work with their doctors and registered nurses. That means you will work in a corporate setting for a company in the manufacturing, mining or consultancy sector. In hospitals and private clinics, you spend most of the day in sterilised hospital environments dealing with patients. Since your duties involve cleaning and dressing wounds, you wear gloves and use other protective equipment.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include registered nurses, doctors and lab assistants. You might also be working in close proximity to general nurses and paediatric nurses, as well as other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, pharmacy assistants, pharmacists and paediatricians.
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work schedule
Enrolled nurses in full-time positions work in shift schedules. That means you are likely to work between eight and twelve hours. Since shifts are rotational, you sometimes work early mornings or night shifts. You also work on holidays and the occasional weekend. Additionally, when the hospital has emergency situations to handle, you may be required to work overtime.
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job outlook
As an enrolled nurse, you have access to a range of education and development opportunities. For instance, you can complete a bachelor’s in nursing and become a registered nurse. As you gain experience and additional qualifications, you can progress your career to a nurse administrator or nurse manager position. Alternatively, specialise in your field of interest, like paediatrics, oncology, or orthopaedics and explore careers in the field.
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advantages of finding an enrolled nurse job through randstad
Finding your enrolled nurse job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as an enrolled nurse is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Thousands of people earn a permanent contract every year with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.
education and skills
You require educational qualifications to become an enrolled nurse in Australia. The minimum requirement for enrolled nurses is a diploma in nursing. The course takes 12 months to complete and involves a clinical placement to improve your work experience. If you meet the requirements set by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), pursue a diploma in nursing at a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) or registered training organisation (RTO).
When you complete the training and clinical placement, apply to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency or the NMBA to work as an enrolled nurse. To work as an enrolled nurse, you should renew the application annually.
enrolled nurse skills and competencies
Some of the skills and qualities of enrolled nurses include:
- communication skills: as an enrolled nurse, you regularly interact with patients, doctors and other nurses. You require good communication skills to pass along information to patients or nurses. Your active listening skills help you find out a patient's symptoms and understand their concerns. Aside from verbal and written communication skills, you should possess positive nonverbal communication.
- interpersonal skills: as an enrolled nurse, you collaborate with various professionals in the hospital. Your interpersonal skills help you interact with others in a positive manner and collaborate with them in various duties.
- teamwork skills: as an enrolled nurse, you work as part of the medical team that provides comprehensive patient care. It is important to work as a team to provide the best patient care. Your teamwork skills help you cooperate and communicate with others, enabling you to handle any medical issue that arises.
- empathy: as an enrolled nurse, you work with patients facing life-threatening conditions and in extreme pain. You should empathise with your patients and show compassion as they struggle with various health issues.
- attention to detail: as an enrolled nurse, it is important to be detail-oriented and meticulous in patient care to avoid medical mistakes. For instance, you ensure vital signs are recorded in the charts accurately and observe patients to identify changes in their conditions.
FAQs about working as an enrolled nurse
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of an enrolled nurse.
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what are the duties of an enrolled nurse?
As an enrolled nurse, you provide nursing care to patients. Your duties include measuring and recording vital signs, assisting with personal hygiene tasks and providing wound care. You also maintain patient records and review medical history.
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are enrolled nurses in demand in Australia?
Enrolled nurses are in demand due to the increasing number of aged care facilities in Australia. You can improve your employment prospects by advancing your skills and gaining additional qualifications, which will allow you to perform complex medical procedures.
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what qualifications do you need to be an enrolled nurse in Australia?
The minimum requirement for becoming an enrolled nurse in Australia is a diploma in nursing. To improve your nursing experience, the course includes clinical placement. You should also register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
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how many hours does an enrolled nurse work in Australia?
As an enrolled nurse, you work an average of 38 hours a week. In a full-time position, you work in shifts of up to 12 hours, while in a part-time role, you cover for other nurses and may work only a few hours weekly.
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is working as an enrolled nurse a stressful job?
As an enrolled nurse, you spend the day on your feet and work in highly stressful situations. In emergency situations, working as a nurse can be stressful. However, collaborating well with others and methodically performing your duties helps you minimise stress.
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how do I apply for an enrolled nurse vacancy?
Applying for an enrolled nurse job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for vacancies in your area. Then send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.
