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EN Placements

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Author EN Placements

deanne1984

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  • Joined: Dec 2012
  • Location:
  • Posts: 7

Fri Jan 04, 2013 5:01 pm

Does anyone know how many (and how long ) EN nursing placements are?

And is it flexible? as you have a long time to complete the hours needed? So the ability to do weekend shifts etc?

nurse8

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  • Joined: Jul 2010
  • Location: Melbourne
  • Posts: 4

Jan 07, 2013, 12:48 pm

Hi Deanne, I am studying EN at the moment, the placements are in the first year, 3 weeks at the end of the first semester in Aged Care (all in one block)  2 weeks mental health and 2 weeks sub-acute(rehab).  You do the Acute (2 weeks) during the second year usually at the end of the course as you have to learn your IV and catheter units.  Weekends are out as you have to be with a clinical teacher at all times and they don't work weekends.  You also have to do the shifts you are told - some AM and some PM but no nights.  There isn't much flexibility from my experience although we told there would be.  The only consideration given was if the placement was too far away from your home and you just couldn't get there, they would try to get somewhere else for you.  Using excuses like "I have children" and I have to work" are generally met with loud laughter as they tell you "This is what you signed up for" - basically "suck it up princess"  I've spoken to other students from other colleges and they seem to all be the same.  If you get sick on placement you have to make up the hours at the end of the course so you can decide not to go on the placements at the allocated times but they can get nasty about this and decide not to give you a pass.  I know some people who are still studying after two years (18 month course) because they made bad decisions.  My advice - do what they tell you, it's only for 18 months, get the family to help if you can and save some money for the times you can't work which will be most of it - it's a very demanding course but well worth it and will be one of the most rewarding things you ever do.  Best of luck, you'll be fine.

deanne1984

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  • Joined: Dec 2012
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  • Posts: 7

Jan 10, 2013, 07:10 pm

Thank you!! That makes me feel much better :)

Im just very stressed at the moment because my employer has issues with giving staff annual leave if they dont have enough accrued (which i dont). But knowing that you cant do placements on weekends (which ive been told by another EN too) helps a bit because i can work in my current job on weekends and take less annual leave days so i can complete placement between Mon-Fri.

I have a spot in CDU for RN but with all the placements that need to be done, its just not practical. Id rather become an EN then study in my own time and become an RN later. Im sure my patience is really going to be pushed in the next 18 months as ill still be working full time and studyign full time. Im very excited to be finally doing this but I cant wait until the end!

Do you know roughly what months the placements are in? Port Adelaide Tafe have been very vague in giving me information as its probably not set in stone yet but from what i gather, the aged care placement is in August, the health and community placement is at the end of this year or possibly early next year and the last placements at the end of the course.

Renay

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  • Joined: Jan 2013
  • Location: Sydney Australia
  • Posts: 11

Jan 12, 2013, 09:52 pm

Hello ,

I have been looking at studying Diploma of Nursing (EN / Division 2 ) for 2 years, i have been an AIN for nearly 4 years . I am 44 and time is ticking lol , i am wanting to know  Can i study this course in the evenings at any colleges in Macarthur, Liverpool , Campbelltown or what  area Sydney ? If not can i study part time at a tafe or campus or would this have to be done online . I have looked into this many times but would like to confirm what i already know , and other peoples input would be very helpful .  

What TAFE's or other places can i look into , i would love to be able to obtain a scholarship given my situation , i have to work , have a teenage daughter , and have no family support, i have read here a quote : you signed up for this , " suck it up princess " , which i am willing to do to an extent hence why i ask the questions :)

If anyone has successfully completed this course or still studying , with the same or similar circumstances to mine please contact me , has any useful information and tips would be very much appreciated , and i would love to know how this was completed and tips if you are studying online . As i would rather be in a class room environment .

Thanks so much in advance :)

Renay :)

Bec86

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  • Joined: Jan 2012
  • Location:
  • Posts: 1

Feb 22, 2013, 12:07 am

Hi Deanne

i finished the theory part of the diploma of nursing at port Adelaide at the end of last year, the aged care placement was in my second semester and was for 3 weeks, there is a community placement which I think is meant to be 10 days or equivalent and then there is the acute placement which is 5 weeks And that is towards the end of your last semester. The dates will vary and if you do it in your allocated block, you should know well in advance so you can plan leave but I was unable to do my acute placement in my allocated slot as I was getting married So I was placed into the next block available and am about to start this in a week and only found out for sure last week so I'm lucky my current work is good and will let me go! Students don't work weekend or nights so you can only do it during the week and its in full blocks, 3weeks then 5weeks.

 I studied on/off campus full time while also working full time. It was a lot of work, studying minimum of 2 hours a night and on weekends, more when we had exams and assignments due but it was well worth it, the 18months went so quick. The lecturers were amazing, all the ones I had were currently working as nurses so the perfect people to teach really! After I applied I went  to the nurses expo at the convention centre and one of the course coordinators was very good but ttold me I should have applied for on campus, on/off campus, part time and full time for both to give myself a better chance, I had only applied for full time on/off campus, I had a cert III, sace (yr 12) and got high 90s in my tabs test and got in Just applying for one luckily. I've heard of people getting knocked back though so I'm sure it's competitive!

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