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Author	Saying hello and asking for advice
brett5141 (offline) Joined: May 2007 Location: Posts: 1	Sun May 06, 2007 4:05 pm Hi Everyone, I have just found this site and was hoping to gain some advice from anyone who can help, sorry if this is long winded i will try to keep it clear. I currently work as a sales rep but am finding it fairly unfulfilling, having recently seen a career counsellor and sitting some of their tests one of the top reccomended careers for me was to become a nurse! Although i had not actually thought of this much if at all, all of a sudden it makes so much sense. My main problem with my career at the moment is that i would really love to go to work and at least have the possibility of making a positive difference to someone life, that may sound corny but its the truth. I have spoken to quite a few family and friends about this and to my surprise they were all really positive about the idea of me nursing and thought i would be great at it, i love dealing with all types of people, find it easy to get along with people and most circumstances and really enjoy working in a team environment. My main queries are as follows and if anyone can answer one or all of these it would be greatly appreciatted. I only studied until year ten, i have been told that i could study at certificate four at Chisolm tafe and this would allow me to be an enrolled nurse, is this correct? What is an enrolled nurse and what are their main job roles? Is it possible to go on and study to become a registered nurse part time if i have been working as an enrolled nurse? Whats the pay like?? Is it possible to do some work experience to get an idea of the conditions and the work to make sure it is for me. If anyone thinks of anything else which i may need to know i would be grateful. Thanks in advance Brett

Darren (offline) Joined: Mar 2005 Location: Adelaide Posts: 179	May 06, 2007, 05:53 pm Hi Brett, welcome along, I hope you get some of the right information you need here that helps you decide what is right for you. Nursing certainly isn't for everyone, it can often be a difficult job, physically and emotionally. That said however, it is also a rewarding career - as you mentioned, you are always making a difference in people's lives, often at their most difficult times. >I only studied until year ten, i have been told that i could study at certificate four at Chisolm tafe and this would >allow me to be an enrolled nurse, is this correct? It is correct that you can obtain a Cert IV at TAFE that will result in an Enrolled Nurse qualification. You would be best to check directly with TAFE regarding their entry requirements, but there is likely to be a way. > What is an enrolled nurse and what are their main job roles? ENs or Div 2 in Vic are nurses that are enrolled on the Nursing Register, as opposed to being registered. They work under the supervision of Registered Nurses, or Div 1 in Vic and could be described as the more "hands on" nurses. This page gives a bit of an overview. and gives some broad pay rate info. > Is it possible to go on and study to become a registered nurse part time if i have been working as an enrolled > nurse? Absolutely, many registered nurses have followed this path. You can study a Bachelor of Nursing full-time, part-time and even externally. > Is it possible to do some work experience to get an idea of the conditions and the work to make sure it is for me. One aspect of nursing is in aged care and it is more likely that you would be able to get some volunteer time in there than an acute hospital. But there is no harm in ringing your nearest hospital to see what they can do for you. Another path for you to consider is to do a Cert III in Aged Care and then follow that with a Cert IV in nursing. The advantage of this path can be that you might be able to find an organisation who is offering scholarships for people to do these courses and work for them at the same time. You could check the papers or ring some aged care facilities in your area. Good luck with you decision making! Darren

Rotator Cuff (offline) Joined: May 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 85	May 07, 2007, 11:47 am Brett5141 It is a good move to do some volunteer work before considering going into nursing, particularly aged care, as it can be very mentally and physically hard work(bit like a workout at the gym). Even though all aged care facilities have a "no lift policy" there are times when you have to left somebodies arm, leg etc if they have had a stroke. I think that some people go into aged care and think that it is a walk in the park. When they realise that it is not, they leave! I did volunteer work before considering aged care, and it is certainly the way too go. I have been an AIN for almost three years now, and thoroughly enjoy my work, even though some of our Residents can be very demanding. Aged care nursing is not for everyone, so give it a go, and you might be pleasantly surprised. Rotator Cuff

tropicana (offline) Joined: Mar 2007 Location: Posts: 62	Jul 06, 2007, 12:35 am It is a good idea to try and get some experience. Where I am there are patient care assistants that help out. Many of them have gone on to become either ENs or RNs. And yes, you can do you RN externally; I did, though of course I had to do my practicuums with the rest of the group. As universities become more computerised, there is the development of 'virtual classrooms' where you can interact in real time with other external students.

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Saying hello and asking for advice