Enrolled endorsed Nurse in final semester and needing to embark on a research project

gwenith, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2006

A good place to start is your state registraton council relating to standards and boundaries of practice - here is Queenslands

http://www.qnc.qld.gov.au/upload/pdfs/practice_standards/Guidelines_for_RNs_&_ENs_regarding_the_Boundaries_of_Professional_Practice.pdf

The key word used in the Queenland guides is "assist".

lucylou1 · Jan 11, 2006

Thanks Gwenith for your reply. I will take a look at that link. Question If your and Rn and i an EEN working in oncology, what task would you supervise and direct me in. Please make it good. Would love to know that it could be wound care...... I wish to define my question to a specific task. My assessment item will cover all aspects of an oncology unit. I have to write it from an EEN perspective. Thanks so much for taking the time.

froghair · Jan 11, 2006

when you say "endorsed enrolled nurse" are you meaning division 2 nurses which used to be called enrolled nurses out here? div 2 nurses are able to undertake different tasks depending on which state you are in.

lucylou1 · Jan 12, 2006

Hi froghair, Yes would be the same except our title has change to en meds enrolled nurse + medication endorsed. I am aware of the role and standards, the scope of practice. I dont work as an een at this stage, i am to research an area that an een can work in. I just need to define this area. I dont seem to be making my self clear. Thanks girls.

froghair · Jan 12, 2006

i would say that being in its early stages the een would be more inline to be placed in aged care facilities but in time they would migrate into acute areas of nursing

lucylou1 · Jan 13, 2006

Hi there. when i started my course which was two and half years ago, i am studying part time and work fulll time. I notice that most work would be within aged care, i notice and had a hunch that things will change. I have seen job vacancies for the een in sleep disorder units, oncology and many more. I have a few friends working in different hospitals one in peri operative and the other in general. I am pleased to see that aged care is not the only area that the een is able to work in. I plan to take on further studies, and i know the experience is needed and can only be a bonus to work in areas other than aged care if i wish to succeed.

gwenith, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2006

I work in ICU and we have one Endorsed EN working with us and she is invaluable!! She is our support person and although her role does have a lot of ordering and cleaning it also encompasses organising feedback on our evaluation of equipment. She audits infection control practices. She assists in care with showers and medication checks.

Enrolled nurses are used in far more places than just aged care!!!

lucylou1 · Jan 18, 2006

Hi Gwenith, Thanks, its good to hear a positive vote of confidence. I had a comment passed to me today about een's in hospitals. The comments left me determined to learn more and be invaluable. I was told that i would not know equipment and procedures and that i would possibly be told that i am stupid by RN's for the fact that i really have only completed the first year of nursing in which an Rn completes far more. I get this and respect this point. I realise that my knowledge at this stage is very limited. I would like to be apart of a graduate program when i complete my studies to get an idea of what the real world is all about.... I suppose my attitude is that i want to find what interest me, then take the initiative and learn what is required. The een' course gives me a base, there after its up to me to keep learning and researching area's to build my knowledge. I really do hope that there is a good attitude out there for the een working with qualified staff.... Sorry It just played on my mind. People dont just take these courses and run with the attitude that they know it all. Most of my student friends are somewhat shaking in their boots about their future chance of working in a hospital and having that feeling they maybe in deep water. But experience can only come by getting in there. I just hope we are favoured rather than seen as useless.

Thanks Just needed to share that....

gwenith, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2006

ANY hospital worth it's salt will tailor your clinical to match your experience. They will preceptor you the first few days and usually give you patient assignment in keeping with where you are. This might mean that for the first while you may get allocated the more "nursing home" type patients in a medical ward but this does change over time. There are places for EN's out there and it is only a matter of looking.

BTW if I EVER hear an RN tell an EN they are stupid - that RN would get teh biggest earful they have ever had!!! Some of the BEST nurses I have ever worked with are EN's - why because they DON'T want to be in charge - they want to care for thier patients.

lucylou1 · Jan 18, 2006

:) Thanks...........

GreenEyes48 · Jan 9, 2008

Hello,

I am doing my EN through TAFE (South Australia) and here it is called a Diploma of Nursing - it takes 18 months to complete. There are two clinical placements included in the course - 140 hours in aged care and 240 hours in acute care.

We do medication accreditation although once we go into the work place, we do have to meet the facility's requirements.

The class that preceded mine were all employed within a week of graduation/registration. ENs appear to be used in all areas of hospitals from A & E to kidney dialysis to oncology. It is no longer aged care only for ENs.

We don't do a research project. What we do is a 2-day community health project. We are holding a Health Expo at the campus of the TAFE where the majority of students are young people. We will cover subjects such as diabetes, sun safety, safe sex, drug and alcohol awareness, healthy eating etc.

GreenEyes48