Diploma of Nursing

Course Overview

This qualification prepares you for work as an enrolled nurse working under the supervision of a registered nurse. The course covers the application of skills and knowledge required to provide nursing care for people across all areas of the health sector. Enrolled Nurses (commonly referred to as an EN) provide nursing support and care to patients within their scope of practice in a variety of health settings including hospitals, general medical practices, community services, aged care, and other health care areas. 

The Diploma of Nursing will equip you with the clinical skills, competencies and knowledge to work as an Enrolled Nurse registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Upon completion you will be able to apply for registration with the Australian Health Professionals Registration Authority (AHPRA) which provides licensure for you to work as a nurse.  

Course Structure

To receive this qualification, you must complete 25 units: 20 core and 5 electives. Students attend college 20 hours per week. 

The course is conducted over 6 terms, each comprising 10 weeks. This course satisfies the practical experience requirements and offers 440 hours (11 weeks) of mandatory Placement Experience, in 5 separate blocks. Placement is organised by Acknowledge Education in collaboration with our industry partners. It is undertaken during the term as 8 hour shifts in 2-3 week blocks however there may be exceptions to this depending on availability. Clinical Placements are a requirement of the AHPRA registration process. As an Acknowledge Education student, you’ll get to immerse yourself in the day-to-day work of a nurse by completing professional practice hours through work placements with our industry partners. 

Units

Core

CHCDIV001 Work with diverse people
CHCDIV002 Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
CHCPRP003 Reflect on and improve own professional practice
HLTAAP002 Confirm physical health status
HLTAAP003 Analyse and respond to client health information
HLTENN035 Practise nursing within the Australian health care system
HLTENN036 Apply communication skills in nursing practice
HLTENN037 Perform clinical assessment and contribute to planning nursing care
HLTENN038 Implement, monitor and evaluate nursing care plans
HLTENN039 Apply principles of wound management in the clinical environment
HLTENN040 Administer and monitor medicines and intravenous therapy
HLTENN041 Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice
HLTENN042 Implement and monitor care for a person with mental health conditions
HLTENN043 Implement and monitor care for a person with acute health problems
HLTENN044 Implement and monitor care for a person with chronic health problems
HLTENN045 Implement and monitor care of the older person
HLTENN047 Apply nursing practice in the primary health care setting
HLTINF006 Apply basic principles and practice of infection prevention and control
HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care
HLTENN068 Provide end of life care and a palliative approach in nursing practice

Elective

CHCPOL003 Research and apply evidence to practice
HLTAID011 Provide first aid
BSBMED301 Interpret and Apply medical terminology appropriately.
HLTENN057 Contribute to the nursing care of a person with diabetes
HLTWHS006 Manage personal stressors in the work environment

The Nursing Simulation Laboratory is located at one of our Melbourne campuses (168 Exhibition Street).

The lab provides our students with the opportunity to learn how to practice in a variety of situations in a safe environment, with current equipment and to develop the critical thinking and decision-making skills required in the role. 

The labs offer high fidelity mannikins and video recording equipment to further enhance interactive learning.  

Academic Requirement

• 18 years or older

• Completed Year 12 or equivalent

English Language Requirement

You must be able to demonstrate that you meet the requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s (NMBA) English language skills registration standard as a mandatory requirement for enrolment in this course. Proof of this English language competency can be achieved in two ways:

Pathway 1 – Primary Language Pathway

Your primary language is English and you have undertaken and satisfactorily completed at least six years of primary and secondary education, including at least two years between Years 7 and 12. Your supporting qualification relevant for this pathway was taught and assessed solely in English in one of the following NMBA-recognised countries:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Anguilla
• Australia
• The Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Bermuda
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• Canada
• Cayman Islands
• Dominica
• Falkland Islands
• Gibraltar
• Grenada
• Guernsey
• Guyana
• Isle of Man
• Jamaica
• Jersey
• Malta
• New Zealand
• Republic of Ireland
• Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
• South Africa*
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United Kingdom
• United States of America
• US Virgin Islands

Other recognised countries may be approved by the NMBA from time to time and published on the NMBA website. The NMBA reserves the right at any time to revoke their approval of a recognised country.

If you studied in one of these countries, you must provide a certified copy of a letter from your education provider(s) with the following details:

• Confirmation of the month and year you commenced and complete these courses

• Confirmation of whether you were enrolled into these courses part time or full time

• Confirmation of whether you undertook these courses face-to-face or online

• Confirmation that these courses were taught in English

Pathway 2 – English Language Test Pathway

You have validly achieved the required scores in one of the approved English language tests, specified in the NMBA’s English language skills registration standard, within 24 months of the course commencement date:

• IELTS (academic module): Minimum overall score of 7 with a minimum score of 7 in listening, reading, speaking and 6.5 in writing

• OET: Minimum score of B in listening, reading, speaking and C+ in writing

• PTE Academic: Minimum overall score of 66 with no band less than 66 in listening, reading, speaking and 56 in writing

• TOEFL Internet based test (iBT): Minimum total score of 94 with a minimum score of 24 in listening, reading, writing and 23 in speaking

• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) or Proficiency (CPE): Minimum overall score of 185 with no less than 185 in listening, reading, speaking and 176 in writing

Please see Registration standard - English language skills for more information.

Pre-Training Review

You will be required to undertake a pre-training review which aims to identify your training needs through questions on previous education or training, relevance of the courses to you as a learner, and relevant experience.

Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) Test

You must complete an Acknowledge Education online Language, Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (LLN) and achieve level four (4) in both literacy and numeracy. If you complete the ACSF assessment tool, you must achieve a minimum exit level three (3) for both literacy and numeracy. Please see the VET Assessment of Language, Literacy and Numeracy Skills Policy for further information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be able to shorten the length of your chosen course by providing evidence of prior qualifications obtained through prior formal studies or training. Australian Qualifications Framework qualifications and statements of attainment issued by another registered training organisation will be recognised by Acknowledge Education.

Please see our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy for more information.

Other requirements to be met prior to commencing professional experience placement in the course in Term 3:

• COVID-19 Vaccination Record

• Immunisation Record endorsed by a healthcare professional (please see below).

• National Police Record Check and/or Police clearance from country of residence

• Working with Children Check

Certificates required and Validation periods 

Please note that certificates have different currency periods. The following currently apply:  

• First Aid – valid for 3 years (which you will obtain during this course) 

• CPR – 1 year (which you will obtain during this course) 

• Hand Hygiene Australia Certificate – to be obtained each year (which you will obtain during this course) 

• Police Clearance 3 years (VIC 12 months) 

• Working with Children Check 5 years (VIC only) Blue Card (volunteer)      

• NDIS Worker check 5 years 

• Respiratory mask fit testing – valid for no longer than 18 months  

Additional and specific requests may also arise from Host Health Agencies where placement is undertaken. This may include the requirement to undertake online induction materials and/or provide proof of current competency in specific tasks such as manual handling.   

Inherent requirements of the completing a nursing course.  

Acknowledge Education supports the following lists the following as   inherent requirements and essential abilities listed by AHPRA, in recognition of the knowledge and skills needed to safety and effectively practice as a registered health professional. These include: 

• Ethical conduct 

• Communication 

• Cognitive abilities 

• Physical and Sensory Abilities 

• Behavioral stability 

• Compliance with regulations. 

Immunisation

You will be required to provide an immunisation record before commencing professional experience placement showing you have received the following immunisations:

• Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DTPa) – ADT booster every 10 years following childhood immunisation

• Hepatitis B – Documented history of 3 injections and evidence of blood levels > after vaccinations

• Measles/Mumps/Rubella – documented 2 doses of measles containing vaccine (for those born in or after 1966) or documented positive serology

• Varicella Zoster virus (Chicken Pox) – documented course of 2 injections or documented positive serology

• Tuberculin status – as required

• Hepatitis A

• Influenza for the current year

National Police Record Check

You must obtain a National Police Record Check at your own expense prior to commencing work placement. For further information refer to: https://www.police.vic.gov.au/national-police-records-checks. If you have any disclosable outcomes you will be advised to speak to the Course Coordinator. A disclosable outcome may also influence your ability to undertake work placement and therefore you may be unable to complete the course.

Information about your criminal history will not be released without your written consent other than for law enforcement purposes.

You are responsible for notifying the Course Coordinator of any infringement or change in status with regard to disclosable outcomes on your police record.

Working with Children Check

The Working with Children (WWC) Act 2005 introduced mandatory screening processes for people who volunteer or work with children. You must hold a current WWC, which is valid for 5 years from issue, before attending any professional practice experience. Failure to obtain this will result in cancellation of the work placement.

You are responsible for notifying the Course Coordinator of any infringement or change in status with regard to the WWC.

The WWC is free if applied for as a volunteer (i.e., student) but the free WWC is not valid for employment. Please see the Working with Children website for more information.

The Diploma of Nursing at Acknowledge Education is accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) and approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). ANMAC helps protect the health and safety of the Australian Community as the independent accrediting authority for nursing and midwifery education under Australia’s National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. ANMAC is also the skills assessing authority for nurses and midwives seeking to migrate under the Australian Government’s General Skilled Migration program.

Upon commencement of enrolment Acknowledge Education has an obligation to register students with the AHPRA. 

A graduate from a Diploma of Nursing program approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) is able to apply for registration with the NMBA as an enrolled nurse (Division 2).

This qualification is also a gateway to a bachelor’s course in nursing. Students may be eligible for credit points of exemption and can enter directly into the second year of a three-year degree, and work as an enrolled nurse while completing the bachelor’s course.

2 intakes/year commencing in 2026