National code: HLT54121

Diploma of Nursing

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Overview About this course

Become an enrolled nurse and make a difference to your community in this skills-shortage industry. Launch your career in a range of health care settings including acute, aged care, rehabilitation and mental health under the supervision of a registered nurse.

Outcomes What you'll gain

Learning outcomes

Through a mixture of theory and practical course work, learn to:

  • Care for a person with complex needs

  • Assess client health and analyse health-related information

  • Understand anatomy and physiology

  • Understand and implement infection control

  • Administer medication

  • Effectively communicate with patients and colleagues

  • Implement, monitor and evaluate nursing care plans

  • Tend and manage wounds in the clinical environment

  • Work within legal and ethical parameters

Course outcomes

Gain practical experience and develop specialist skills that give you an advantage in the job market.

  • Real world experience with 400 hours of clinical work placement to provide insight and experience into different types of nursing

  • Experience in industry-standard clinic rooms

  • Scenario skills work to manage your time, productivity and patient care

  • Confidence in interviewing patients and practicing the key principles of nursing practice: assessment planning, implementation and evaluation

Suitability Is this course right for you?

Entry requirements

This course requires evidence of previous experience or study before you can enrol

  • Before you begin your application, please use our nursing self-assessment tool to ensure you can meet all entry requirements.

  • There are 4 steps to be considered for entry to this course:

  • (1) You must demonstrate that you meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia's (NMBA) English Language Skills (ELS) registration standard by providing evidence and declaring that English is your primary language or providing a valid ELS test result. Note: You must meet the NMBA English language requirements before you enrol with TAFE NSW.

  • (2) You must demonstrate that you meet the academic entry requirements by providing evidence that you have completed HSC / Year 12 (or equivalent), or a Certificate III qualification (or above).

  • (3) You must complete a RU Ready / Basic and Key Skills Builder (BKSB) assessment. This will be arranged through your TAFE NSW campus; details will be provided throughout the application process. You must achieve an English language and math result of Exit Level 3 or above.

  • (4) Submit an application form. Enquire now to receive your application form.

Completion requirements

During your study you’ll need to provide your teacher with the following evidence:

  • For the Diploma of Nursing, you must be at least 18 years old for your first work placement. You also need to provide evidence of your:

  • (1) Working with Children Check (WWCC)

  • (2) Australian National Police Record Check (NPC)

  • (3) NDIS Worker Check (NDISWC)

  • (4) Vaccination and health screenings

  • (5) Anything else your work placement provider needs

  • If successful in gaining a place in the course, the student must provide evidence of having received, or of an application to receive, the above checks and vaccinations at orientation.

  • You are required to meet the 10 Enrolled Nurse Standards for Practice which provide the core practice standards required by Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia which must be observed and achieved during work placement.

Entry recommendations

To be prepared for this course, we recommend that you have:

  • Interpersonal skills

  • The ability to work rotating shifts in your career as a nurse

  • You must have a reasonable level of fitness and flexibility to carry out manual lifting

  • Certain aspects of assessment rely on your physical ability to perform two minutes of uninterrupted CPR on adult and infant manikins at floor level, and respond to an emergency where there may be a risk to life. If you are unable to meet these physical requirements, you will not be able to complete this course.

TAFE NSW is committed to meeting the learning needs of every community. Meeting these needs can mean there are additional entry requirements at different campus locations. Check your preferred location for further requirements. If you need help preparing for study, contact us to find out how we can support you.

Pathways Future career and study options

Career pathways

Our graduates go onto roles like:

Enrolled Nurse

Enrolled Nurses provide nursing care to patients in a variety of health, aged care, welfare and community settings under the supervision of Registered Nurses.

  • Full-time share Full-time workers usually work 35 hours or more a week (in all their jobs combined).

    57%

  • Employment size Employment size is the number of workers who do this as their main job.

    6,900 workers

  • Average age This is the average age of all workers in this job.

    45 years

  • Weekly pay Median earnings are shown for full-time, non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate, before tax or any amounts that are salary sacrificed. These figures are a guide to earnings only and should not be used to determine a wage rate.

    $1,130

  • Average full-time The average full-time hours that people in this role work each week.

    41 hours

  • Skill level rating Skill level ratings are based on the range and complexity of job roles. In general, the higher the skill level, the more formal education and training, previous experience or on-the-job training needed to be good at the job.

    High

  • Gender share

    88% female

  • Future growth The Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business estimates the likely change in number of workers in this role, or industry, over the next 5 years. Future growth is the likely percentage change compared to all other job roles.

    Strong Growth

Licensing

This program of study is subject to accreditation by ANMAC (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council) and approved by the NMBA (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia). You need to be a registered practitioner to apply for jobs in the industry. Completion of an NMBA approved Diploma of Nursing program will make you eligible to apply to the NMBA for registration as an Enrolled Nurse. Visit the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. A graduate application must meet the registration standards for enrolled nurses as outlined by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Note 1: TAFE NSW will only grant credit for HLTENN units completed with a provider accredited by ANMAC, and recognised as an approved program of study by the NMBA in accordance with the Enrolled Nurse Accreditation Standards. Visit AHPRA. Note 2: TAFE NSW registers all qualifying students with AHPRA. We must notify AHPRA if a student undertaking clinical training has an impairment that may place the public at substantial risk of harm.

Study pathways

Take your study further with other courses offered at TAFE NSW:

Previous study 1 Course

Begin here to gain experience and confidence in this study area.

Further study 0 Courses

Advance your skills to take your career to the next level

The Diploma of Nursing does not have any post-graduate courses.

Related study 2 Courses

Strengthen your expertise and gain specialist skills to expand your employability.

Your experience counts

At TAFE NSW, we recognise your previous study and work experience. You can apply for recognition of prior learning or a credit transfer with any of our courses. If you're successful you'll get your qualification faster.

Units Units taught in this course

Courses are made up of a combination of both core and specialty units. In the Diploma of Nursing qualification, you’ll need to successfully complete 25 units of competency, including 20 core and 5 speciality units.

Please note, not all specialty units are offered at every TAFE NSW location. It is highly recommended that you check with your preferred campus for information about the specialty units offered at that location.

Core units are central to the job outcomes of a particular industry or occupation. These are the units industry has agreed are essential to be capable and qualified at a particular study level.

  • Work with diverse people CHCDIV001

  • Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety CHCDIV002

  • Reflect on and improve own professional practice CHCPRP003

  • Confirm physical health status HLTAAP002

  • ... 5

TAFE NSW services Facilities and support

TAFE NSW provides support services across all campus locations and online. Whatever your needs or circumstances, we have the people, resources, counselling and facilities to support you in focusing on your studies.

  • TAFE NSW Disability Support Service

  • TAFE NSW Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) support

  • TAFE NSW Aboriginal Support; Learner support (ABE)

  • TAFE NSW Careers, Counselling and Pathways Service

  • TAFE NSW Libraries

  • Scholarship programs – be supported as you explore your talents and fulfil your potential

  • Read&Write literacy and study support software is available free for all TAFE NSW students to use while studying on campus and at home

  • LinkedIn Learning – an online resource which offers innovative courses and tutorials to improve your personal and professional skills

  • Student associations – get social with our student community

Study options Find a location to enrol

Choose from the below study options and locations to discover what works with your lifestyle. Heart your favourites and compare courses.