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 hospital, general medical practices, community, aged care, and welfare areas.
The Diploma of Nursing will equip you with the clinical skills, competencies and knowledge to work as a Division 2 Enrolled Nurse registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
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 eight terms, each comprising 10 weeks. The course requires 400 hours (10 weeks) of mandatory Placement Experience, in four separate blocks.  Clinical Placements are a requirement of the AHPRA registration process. As a 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.
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
HLTENN037Â 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
Our state-of-the-art Simulated Nursing Laboratory is located at one of our Melbourne campuses (168 Exhibition Street).
The lab provides our students with the opportunity to learn how to handle a variety of situations in a safe environment and develop the critical thinking and decision-making skills required in the profession. Students will use cutting-edge interactive mannequin technology designed to simulate the treatment of patients in a real-world environment.
The labs also offer video recording from fixed cameras with live video streaming capabilities for further interactive learning. Every simulation session is recorded so that students and nurse educators can review student actions and continually improve performance.
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.
Academic Requirement
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 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:
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:
Please see NMBA ELS Registration details 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.
You must complete an 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.
You may be able to shorten the length of your chosen course by factoring in skills acquired through work, life experiences or 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:
Immunisation
You will be required to provide an immunisation record before commencing professional experience placement showing you have received the following immunisations:
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:Â 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. Â 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.
Academic Requirement
English Language Requirement
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 a NMBA-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:
If this does not apply to you, please see the International tab for additional requirements or contact admissions.
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.
You must complete an 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.
RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
You may be able to shorten the length of your chosen course by factoring in skills acquired through work, life experience or qualifications obtained from 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:
Immunisation
You will be required to provide an immunisation record before commencing professional experience placement, indication that you have received immunisations for:
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:Â 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. Â 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.
Other requirements to be met prior to commencing professional experience placement:
Immunisation
You will be required to provide an immunisation record before commencing professional experience placement showing you have received the following immunisations:
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:Â 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. Â 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.
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.
View all dates here.
Full tuition fee:Â $15,000 (1st year) and $14,000 (2nd year)
Materials fee: $1,500
Enrolment fee: $200
Full tuition fee: $23,100 (2 years)
Enrolment fee: $200
Materials fee: $1,500
You may be eligible for  VET Student Loans. This is an Australian Government loan scheme that helps eligible students pay all or part of their tuition fees for diploma, advanced diploma, graduate certificate and graduate diploma programs.
To be eligible for a VET Student Loan, you will need to meet the VET Student Loans entry requirements. For more information on VET Student Loans, see the downloads section, above.
Vet Student Loans will not be approved for students who do not meet eligibility requirements. VET Student Loans give rise to a HELP debt that continues to be a debt to the Commonwealth until it is repaid.
For more information on VET Student Loans, please see our VET Student Loans section.