Enrolled nurse transition

This newsletter clarifies for enrolled nurses and employers what will happen if individual enrolled nurses do not complete the enrolled nurse transition requirements by 1 July 2011. 

A new scope of practice for enrolled nurses came into effect on 31 May 2010.  The Council set transition requirements for nurses to move into the new scope and a number of transition processes have been /are being put in place by employers and schools of nursing around the country.  For more information on the new scope of practice and transition requirements please click here.

All enrolled nurses who complete the transition will be able to practise in the new scope of practice without restrictions. 

Although the Council set a timeframe of thirteen months for the transition period before any condition would be included in an enrolled nurse's scope of practice, this does not mean that those nurses are precluded from completing the transition into the new scope of practice any time after this period.

Enrolled nurses who do not make the transition by 1 July 2011

From 1 July 2011 enrolled nurses (excluding New Zealand educated nurses previously titled nurse assistant) who do not complete the transition will have the condition "may only work with health consumers with stable and predictable health outcomes" included in their scope of practice. 

This is the limitation included in the previous enrolled nurse scope of practice that is not included in the new scope of practice. This condition should not make any difference to their present employment but may restrict them from taking on additional responsibilities that are within the new scope of practice. 

For continuing competence purposes the enrolled nurse with this condition will need to be assessed against the competencies for nurses in the enrolled nurse scope of practice but will not be expected to meet the seven new competencies (2.2, 2.3, 2.6, 3.2, 3.3, 4.2 and 4.3).

This condition can be removed at any time subject to a satisfactory competence assessment against all eighteen competencies, including the new competencies, for enrolled nurses.

Enrolled nurses who were previously New Zealand educated nurse assistants

These enrolled nurses are not required to make the transition by 1 July 2011 as they are required to complete an education programme at a School of Nursing.  The Council is aware that it will take these nurses longer to complete requirements.  These nurses will continue to have a condition specifying their area of practice included in their scope of practice until they complete further education.  However, they will not be able to take on increased responsibilities in these settings until they have completed further education.

For continuing competence purposes these enrolled nurses will not be expected to meet the seven new competencies until they have completed further education.

Carolyn Reed