With a recent media story reporting that New Zealand’s Enrolled Nurses (EN) are struggling to find jobs, because only around 30% of 2024 graduates found work in the sector, Southern Institute of Technology School of Nursing (SoN) graduates bucked the trend with 60% of their 2024 EN graduates gaining employment.
According to Health New Zealand (HNZ) figures, from the 196 students 2024 graduates, about a third have found jobs (68), and approximately one fifth (44) of these have been hired by HNZ. The story focused on North Island centres and cited an over-recruitment of nurses and tight budgets in DHBs as reasons, suggesting that tertiary institutes will need to address this issue with students to maintain their programmes and enrolment numbers.
SoN Programme Manager, Fiona Soper, said there was more to the higher success rate of SIT’s EN graduates. “For example, our 100% pass rate for State Finals (the final exam nurses must pass to practise in New Zealand), it’s also important to recognise this because the November 2024 national pass rate was 64%.”
One of the reasons SIT Nurses usually sat well above the national average was the quality of SIT’s programmes and their structure, which benefitted the students’ development, she stated. “It starts them out at the foundation level; they start right at the basics, to ensure we can see the students manage the foundation skills and are capable of progressing to the more technical aspects of Nursing.” Describing herself as a passionate and very firm supporter of Enrolled Nursing, Mrs Soper has been informed through firsthand experiences working as a Nurse and a Rest Home Manager, and emphasises “I can see the value in it.”
There were numerous reasons why the EN employment rate was not at 100%, Mrs Soper added. “It’s not just due to job availability, there are other mitigating factors and that’s relevant as well,” such as graduates with young families who may not be able to enter the workforce immediately. The 18-month period it takes to qualify as an EN was appealing to these students. She sees different ages and reasons for EN training. “It’s not [just] school leavers; I have students in their fifties…people who are seeking a complete career change.”
“It’s the design of the programme, the quality of the programme, and our ongoing positive interactions with our stakeholders,” which are the key elements in creating successful outcomes, Mrs Soper stated. “We have such a good rapport with our stakeholders in aged care and the DHB, they are very supportive and there to help guide and nurture the students.”
“All SIT Nurses are taught that every placement is a job interview. They need to demonstrate that professional responsibility from day one; people always remember our students,” noting attributes such as “they were always early, or they always wanted to help.”
Having the pleasure of seeing graduates who’d gained employment succeed in the workforce, gave Mrs Soper a sense of completion and satisfaction. “… you get them in, trained, graduated and employed, then I see them on the ward doing an amazing job (and) it’s almost like I get to say, my job here is done.”