Notice Type
General Section
Notice Title

Notice of Replacement Scope of Practice and Related Qualifications Prescribed by the Nursing Council of New Zealand for Enrolled Nurses

This notice, pursuant to sections 11(1) and 12(1) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003
("the Act"), is the Notice of Scope of Practice and Related Qualifications Prescribed by the Nursing Council for Enrolled Nurses (2010) and comes into force on 31 May 2010.
The scopes of practice and related qualifications for
Nurse Assistant and Enrolled Nurse, published in the Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, 15 September 2004, No. 120, at pages 2959 and 2960, are revoked by this notice under sections 11, 12 and 14 of the Act.
Scope of Practice - Enrolled Nurse
Enrolled nurses practise under the direction and delegation of a registered nurse or nurse practitioner to deliver nursing care and health education across the life span to health consumers in community, residential or hospital settings.
Enrolled nurses contribute to nursing assessments, care planning, implementation and evaluation of care for health consumers and/or families/whanau.
The registered nurse maintains overall responsibility for the plan of care.
Enrolled nurses assist health consumers with the activities of daily living, observe changes in health consumers’ conditions and report these to the registered nurse, administer medicines and undertake other nursing care responsibilities appropriate to their assessed competence.
In acute settings, enrolled nurses must work in a team with
a registered nurse who is responsible for directing and delegating nursing interventions.
In some settings, enrolled nurses may coordinate a team of health care assistants under the direction and delegation of a registered nurse.
In some settings, enrolled nurses may work under the direction and delegation of a registered health practitioner*.
In these situations, the enrolled nurse must have registered nurse supervision and must not assume overall responsibility for nursing assessment or care planning.
Enrolled nurses are accountable for their nursing actions and practise competently in accordance with legislation, to their level of knowledge and experience.
They work in partnership with health consumers, families/
whanau and multidisciplinary teams.
*A person who is registered under the Act eg midwife, medical practitioner, occupational therapist.
The Nursing Council competencies for enrolled nurses describe the skills, knowledge and activities of enrolled nurses.
Qualifications
New Zealand Graduates
Successful completion of an 18-month programme in enrolled nursing at level 5 on the New Zealand Qualification Authority - National Qualifications Framework accredited by the Nursing Council; and
a pass in an assessment of the Nursing Council competencies for enrolled nurses by an approved provider; and
a pass in an Examination for Enrolled nurses.
Nurses From Overseas
Registration with an overseas regulatory authority; and
an international qualification that is equivalent to a prescribed qualification.
Overseas applicants may also be required to:
pass an assessment of the Nursing Council competencies for enrolled nurses by an approved provider; and/or
successfully complete a programme approved by the Nursing Council for the purpose of assessing competencies for enrolled nurses.
Dated at Wellington this day of 5th day of May 2010.
CAROLYN REED, Registrar, Nursing Council of
New Zealand.