I'm torn between EN or RN course need help from people in the 'know'

Thank you for your response Castor. The TAFE told me that just this year they have added courses to the Div2 course so that EDs can administer medications, IVs and I think also injections. Do you think that would make a big difference to EDs gettting work? I guess for me, going down this track I can start working in 18 months and then possibly go to Uni part time to become a RN rather than wait until next year and then it will be 4 years before I can start working. I feel like I'm too old to wait that long but if the TAFE course is not going to get my career on the right track then maybe I shouldn't..........

Hi Pricilla,

I did think about doing RN externally but only looked at Universities in QLD or NSW (I live on the Gold Coast), none of them offered mid year intake. Do you know if I did it with CDU if I would have to travel to Darwin for exams or placements?

Hi Gemstones

I completed my EEN'S at Gold Coast Tafe last year and I have now just started my RN'S at uni. I found the tafe course good and it gave you quite a bit of practical experience. I found the great thing about doing the tafe course first is that you can work as an EEN while studying to become an RN and it only takes 3 1/2 years in total compared with three years if you go straight to uni because most uni's give you credit for the first year of the course. The scope of practice is wider for an RN, however tthe scope of practice for an EEN is expanding and can now work in a number of different areas. As an EEN you can do medications including injections as well as wound care and quite a bit more depending of where and what area you choose to work.

Hope that helps. Good luck with your decision.

hi,
its a pity there are still people in this industry who are being so negative about EN's. i know there are good and bad examples of everything but these days things are changing alot for EENs. its not the same now as it used to be for EN's. i work for an agency and frequently now hospitals are requesting an RN OR an EN, and they are interchangeable= the person in charge is happy to have either bcos the ENs are also doing medications and things that they werent doing 10yrs ago. ENs in other countries have been way more advanced than in this country for a LONG time....finally australia has woken up to the fact that EN's are being undertrained and under- utilised for what the health system really needs and requires.

infact ENs now have a much greater scope of practice, and so this is actually a fantastic time to consider becoming an EEN as there are such big changes happening. recently i was told that due to all the changes in the EN scope of practise that basically the only difference between the two will be that RNs will be moving into 'management' and 'paperwork' roles, while ENs will remain hands on. Finally the powers that be have realised that widening the EN scope of practice will be of HUGE benefit to the health system..

as a mum of 2 children, id suggest that entering the education system via TAFE would be a really great place to start. its a different kind of learning environment to Uni, and i think is better in many ways (ive been to both TAFE & Uni so have experienced the 2 environments from a students point of view). once you qualify as an EN you can start working and then if you decide to do the RN course it'll only take you 2 years, or you could even do it by distance somewhere like charles darwin uni and do it part time if you want to. i know someone who is currently studying there and has lots of good things to say- and she has 2 very little kids.

dont be put off by negativity about being an EN, its an exciting time now to be training as an EN, and its a great place to enter the nursing profession, even if you choose down the track to continue on and be an RN. while your studying RN you'll already be a nurse and able to work while you learn.

good luck!

Hi there, I amalso in my 30's with two wonderful children. I was torn last year in which way to go. I had people telling me to do my RN and other people and myself to go to tafe. I ended going to Uni and I started this year. Let me tell you it was the best choice I made. The problem was I kept telling myself that it would be to hard, but it isn't, and the support you get is really good. If I was you I would consider going to uni. The other benifit as well is that you actually can go less then what you do at tafe. I only go 2 days a week, mind you they are full days, but it suits me better then the 3 days. I was looking at the gold coast distance ed one last year, but decided to not do it as I felt that it might be way to hard to try and teach myself, as it is a pretty full on course. I wish you all the best in which ever way you go, it is a great course.

HI

I attend ACU at banyo. The good thing is you can arrange your timetable to suit, but you need to get in quick. It is such a great uni. The other thing that I do now is some of the lectures I don't attend as they put it on the net so you can watch it from the comfort of your house. The main ones I go to is Biology as I find it quite a diffuicult subject and the lect seems to explain it better in person. I have a 6 year old and a 4 year old girl and boy

. I am very surprised how much easier it is then I thought it was going to be, well I should say 3 out of the 4 subjects lol. My way of looking at it was I will give it a go, if it is too hard then I can always go back to tafe.