Nursing...more than you can imagine!
If you are considering a career in health why not take a closer look at nursing and you may discover that a nursing career can be a whole lot more than you ever imagined.
Just a Nurse? (by Suzanne Gordon)
I'm just a Nurse.....
- I just make the difference between life and death.
- I just have the educated eyes that prevent medical errors, injuries and other catastrophes.
- I just make the difference between healing, coping, and despair.
- I just make the difference between pain and comfort.
- I'm just a nurse researcher who helps nurses and doctors give better, safer and more effective care.
- I'm just a professor of nursing who educates future generations of nurses.
- I just work in a teaching hospital managing and monitoring patients who are involved in cutting edge experimental research.
- I just educate patients and families about how to maintain their health.
- I'm just a geriatric nurse practitioner, I just make the difference between staying in their own home and going to a nursing home.
- I just make the difference between dying in agony and dying in comfort and with dignity.
- I’m just central to the real bottom-line in health care.
Don’t you want to join us and be ‘just a nurse’ too?
Back to top^
Registered and Enrolled Nurses..What's the difference?
Although both registered nurses and enrolled nurses care for sick, injured or convalescing patients, there is a distinct difference in the focus of their work.
Registered nurses (RNs) have university training and specialise in a long list of clinical areas such as critical care, emergency, theatre or mental health, and can also study to become midwives and child health nurses. They are also responsible for the supervision of ENs. Advanced nursing care may include drug administration (giving needles), or defibrillation (resuscitating using 'paddles'),
''Enrolled nurses (ENs) manage general patient care and rely on registered nurses for advanced nursing care. ENs assist patients with ADLs (activities of daily living - things you do every day, like eating, drinking and showering), provide wound care management and other basic nursing care. ENs may be accredited to provide Advanced nursing care including drug administration.
For more information on nursing and midwifery in South Australia go to the NursingSA website.
Back to top^
What do Registered Nurses (RN's) do?
Registered nurses assess, plan, provide and evaluate preventative, curative and rehabilitative care for patients in a wide variety of settings. These include public and private hospitals, nursing homes, the community and home-based services, and in industry:
- provide physical and technical nursing care and support for patients
- make sure patients receive treatment prescribed by doctors and other health professionals
- provide emotional and psychological support and information to patients and their families
- supervise, or carry out, nursing care of patients
- observe, monitor, assess, report and document patients' conditions and responses to treatment
- give medication in accordance with sound working knowledge of legislation and pharmacology
- monitor and adjust medical equipment used in patient care and treatment, some highly technical and complex
- prepare patients for operations or provide post-operative care such as wound care and nutritional management
- assist in the rehabilitation of patients
- assist with patients' discharge planning
- provide first aid, assist in routine medical examinations, give advice on health matters and maintain sickness and accident records (where employed by large industrial or commercial organisations)
- answer questions and provide information to patients and families about treatment and care
contribute to the clinical training of nursing students
- supervise enrolled nurses and other hospital staff
Back to top^
What scores to I need to qualify for tertiary study in Nursing?
To qualify for tertiary study in nursing (2009) you will need to obtain the following TER (Tertiary Entrance Rank) or ENTER (Equivilent National Tertiary Entrance Rank) scores.
While this may change in 2010 the information below will provide you with a good idea of what you need to aim for.
For the exact score you will need for 2010 please check with the relevant university.
Back to top^
What do Enrolled Nurses (EN's) do?
Enrolled nurses, under the direction and supervision of a registered nurse, assist in the provision of acute, preventative, curative and rehabilitative nursing care in hospitals, aged-care facilities, the community and other health care settings.
Enrolled nurses may perform the following tasks:
- assist with initial and ongoing health assessments and maintenance of patients
- observe, measure and record patients' temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure and, when necessary, blood sugar levels
- report changes in patients' condition
- attend to patients' hygiene and comfort needs by assisting with bathing, showering, dressing and bed-making
- assist patients with meals when required
- assist patients in rehabilitation exercises and programs
- assist in the care of wounds
- assist in emergency situations
- assist in providing education on health and lifestyle issues
- maintain a safe environment and assist in prevention of injuries.
A Diploma of Nursing (Enrolled/Division 2 Nursing) can be undertaken through TafeSA at the Mount Gambier campus
Back to top^
Nursing Careers in the South East (presentation)
Back to top^
Nursing Careers in the South East Regional Community Health Service(presentation)
Back to top^