New Zealand Diploma in Enrolled Nursing

Enrolled nurses work as a vital part of the health care team in a range of acute health care settings, such as hospitals, community services, and medical centres, or in aged care settings. Enrolled Nurses can have a variety of roles from general nursing through to specialised roles working in collaboration with Registered Nurses (who retain further responsibility for critical thinking and clinical decision making). 

Applications are encouraged from applicants from diverse backgrounds who are seeking to be employed in health care.

School Leavers
NCEA Level 2, 80 credits total or the equivalent. This includes:

• 10 credits in NCEA English/Literacy Level 1 plus
• 12 credits in NCEA Mathematics/Numeracy or Pangarau Level 1 as well as 
• A further 58 credits at Level 2 or above in each of English, Mathematics, a science related subject and one other of choice

Mature Applicants (20 years of age or older)
Successful completion of the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation or an equivalent programme of study at  NZQA Level 4 within the past five years.

The Head of the School of Nursing has a responsibility to ensure that all applicants meet the requirements to enter a nursing programme. As this is the beginning point of fitness for registration, in accordance with section 16 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act, guided by the Nursing Council of New Zealand, applicants whose first language is not English must achieve a score of 6.5 in an IELTS assessment (or equivalent) in each category: reading, writing, listening and speaking in one sitting prior to acceptance.

Interview
For your group interview, you will have 30 minutes to complete a numeracy assessment. You can expect 30 questions. Download a sample of 10 questions here, which are reflective of the types of questions you can expect.

Specific Admission criteria

All applicants must:

• Hold a current first aid certificate (Red Cross Comprehensive or St John’s Workplace). This first aid certificate must be current at the time the programme starts
• Provide a completed medical declaration and/or evidence of a current health certificate indicating ability to practice safely from a registered health practitioner
• Submit a New Zealand Police Consent to Disclosure of Information form with their application, which will be sent to the Police Licensing and Vetting Service if the applicant is accepted into the programme. This is returned in confidence to the Nursing Head of School .  Information on the New Zealand Vetting Service is available from their website
• Provide two testimonials and/or character references attesting to the candidate’s suitability for working in Health Care
• Be prepared to attend an interview
• Provide a confidential report from the institution where a candidate is applying to transfer to another institution

Additional Requirements

The following are required for all successful applicants:

• Relevant evidence of health screening to meet various Health Authority and Institutional requirements. MRSA clearance is required by most clinical practice areas.

English Language Requirements

Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following:

The Head of Nursing has the designated authority, autonomy and responsibility for decisions on students' entry into the nursing programme

NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, and/or

An International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A-level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English, or

Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA), or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL), or

Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school Years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school Years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction, or

Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school Years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction, or

Successful completion of a Bachelors’ Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters’ Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States, or

Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment:

IELTS test - Academic score of 6.5 with no band score lower than 6.5

TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 590 (with an essay score 5.5 TWE

TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 79 (with a writing score of 21)

Cambridge English Examination - C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 176.  No less than 169 in each skill

OET - Minimum of Grade C+ or 300 in all sub-tests

NZCEL - a) Expiring Level, b) Current: a) Level 5 (Academic) or (Professional), b) Level 5

Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score minimum of 58 in each band, in one sitting, with no band score lower than 58.

Language Cert - C1 Expert IESOL (LRWS) with HIGH PASS and no less than Pass in each skill or C2 Mastery IESOL (LRWS) with PASS and no less than Pass in each skill

Trinity ISE – ISE III with no less than pass in any band

The English language requirements for this programme are higher than the minimum set by NZQA, therefore, applicants who have achieved NCEA Level 3 University Entrance may be required to provide evidence of English language skills.

GRADUATE OUTCOMES

On successful completion of the New Zealand Diploma in Enrolled Nursing programme, graduates will be eligible to sit the NCNZ registration examination for Enrolled Nurses. Once this examination is passed, graduates may work as a beginning level Enrolled Nurse and deliver nursing care in a variety of health care settings under the direction and delegation of a registered nurse.

Graduates will work within the scope of practice of an Enrolled Nurse and be able to:

• Safely apply knowledge and skills to deliver patient/client care across a range of health care settings
• Competently assess health status and perform appropriate interventions in a manner that supports best health outcomes for clients
• Establish, maintain and conclude therapeutic, interpersonal relationships
• Work collaboratively and communicate in oral, written and electronic mediums relevant to the interdisciplinary health care team
• Apply professional judgement, accountability and responsibility in ensuring that nursing practice and conduct meets professional, ethical and legal requirements and standards
• Practise in a manner that is culturally safe and promotes health, autonomy, self determination and quality of life
• Be responsible for own ongoing professional development to maintain competence
   

Frequently Asked Questions

I have a criminal conviction – do I need to declare it?
Yes. All criminal convictions must be declared to the Head of School of Nursing before the course commences. Some criminal convictions may prohibit you from continuing your training.

I don’t have sciences or maths – does that matter?
Yes. Nursing is heavily based in the sciences and it is recommended that you have undertaken some studies in both.

Is there a list of recommended text books?
Yes. This is sent out with your acceptance letter.

Do I need a current first aid certificate?
YES you do. You must have a current basic life support certificate. This is required before you start (if possible).

Do I require any diagnostic testing?
Yes. In order to protect both yourself and other patients. You will be sent a laboratory form with your acceptance letter.

Do I need to have had the covid vaccine and booster?
Yes as part of the health profession this vaccine is mandated.

To satisfactorily complete the New Zealand Diploma in Enrolled Nursing (Level 5), and be awarded this qualification the student must successfully achieve:

A minimum of 180 compulsory credits in accordance with the Programme schedule for the New Zealand Diploma in Enrolled Nursing (Level 5).

Please Note: Students failing to attend for 80% of the timetabled programme hours may forfeit Zero Fees entitlement

This qualification does not lead to the Bachelor of Nursing, but if you choose to progress to the Bachelor of Nursing programme recognition of prior learning can be offered for a portion of the Bachelor of Nursing Year One Programme.