ausgal

I'm one of the late bloomers into nursing. I always wanted to work in healthcare but I married young and had 4 children. They were my priority and I worked unfulfilling retail jobs to help meet but still be there enough for the children. I am now completing my last lot of clinical rotations to become an endorsed Enrolled nurse(similar to your LPN) in Australia. It is a calling for me as I have a heart to reach & care for people esp. having a chronically sick son. I'm not in for the money as I got paid just as well in retail. Caroline

Can someone explain what exactly an LPN does? It seems the system here in Australia is different. We have RNs, EENs(Endorsed Enrolled Nurse), ENs(Enrolled nurse) & AINs(assistant in nursing). The RNs have a university degree, the EEN & EN have a TAFE college certificate 4 but EENs are endorsed to give medication & AIN have a certificate 3 from TAFE. If you have a credit average for your EN course you can get into university to do the RN course. Certificate 4 is like 1st year university. I have a Distinction average, so hope to get into university next year.

hi I'm a Trainee Enrolled Nurse in Australia which is similar to your LPN. Also now we do medications & become Endorsed Enrolled Nurses when we finish. I get paid by while I do my study. I have two blocks of TAFE(8 & 7 weeks each). Plus I have an 8 week clinical in hospital between the blocks & then 30 weeks of clinicals after my 2nd block. We rotate to different wards around our base hospital. To be a RN here you have 3 years of university. If you do well with your EEN course you can get exemption from the first year of university. It is a good way to do your RN study here in Australia plus you can work as an EEN while studying.