Australian Nurse Teachers Society

Hi Julie,

I am currently facilitating Enrolled Nursing Students from Southbank Tafe and they only can monitor IV infusions. Gold Coast TAFE has an elective (HLTEN507A) ,Administer and monitor medications in the work environment.

Our hospital policy does not allow Enrolled Nurses to administer IV meds even if they have taken this elective.

Hopes this helps

Amanda Campbell

Hi Julie,

Yes we do.  The majority of EN graduates that start at my workplace have completed the module as part of their Diploma.  We have a relationship with the local TAFE to provide the theory while they complete all their placements at our site so we are able to ensure that they have gained the required experience to achieve the competency.  It just seems accepted as part of the program - an extension of the base medication module and not an additional module to complete later.  Having said that we have also recruited a recent graduate from Melbourne who had not completed the course in her Diploma however we enrolled her in an online course and she completed it without any concern in the first 3 months.

I really think it works because the students only have placements within one organisation and they complete 28 weeks of placement in four blocks over the 18 months.  They are only committed to three days per week whether it is during TAFE blocks or placement so they often work as AINs on the other days as well.  Basically this means that they are well practiced with their time management and assessment skills before they are registered so undertaking IV meds as well is not a difficult task for them.

regards

Lisa Gatzonis

Hi Julie

I am a nurse educator at GippsTAFE in Victoria. All our Diploma of Nursing students (EN) complete the Intravenous Therapy unit as part of their Diploma. We have found this beneficial as they graduate with the ability to be employed into the acute sector.

My husband is NUM at Cabrini Hospital and he employs graduate EN's. He finds those with IV endorsement are brilliant as they are able to work a night duty with one other RN and they can be allocated a post operative patient without needing a second nurse to back them up.

I had my reservations about EN doing IV medications and infusions. but times are changing!! I think if educated sufficiently and with high standards for completing this unit the EN can be equiped to manage an IV. After all they are under supervision when checking bags and medications. And the hospital policy must support this too!

Hope this helps, Meagan

I’m not a member but I can give a response to part of this question. I work at a public hospital in SA which faciliate studies with TAFE for our nursing staff.

The current Diploma of Nursing (Enrolled / Division 2 nursing) offers an elective unit ‘Administer and Monitor IV medications in the nursing environment’. This is also offered as an elective to the Upskilling Diploma students (those who are practicing as an EN – hospital certificate to Diploma qualification) and the Advanced Diploma of Nursing  students (Enrolled / Division 2 nursing).

Once they have completed this module – which is comprised of both theory and practical assessments, the ENs advised their line manager of their new knowledge and skills in this area and discuss ways they can incorporate these skills into their clinical area. It is at the manager’s discretion as to whether they can practice in this capacity.

Hope this provides some answers.

Also from SA   In agreement with the last reply   There are only LIMITED Graduate EN Programs available in SA metro areas.   All our ENs who have completed a Diploma are expected to be able to administer IV Therapy and most medications excluding IV medications

The IV Medication modul;e is an elective within the Advanced Diploma and is varied between hospitals and organisations. We have 3 levels of EN in SA: Certificate (limited medication administration), Diploma (medication administration and IV Management but NOT IV administration) and Advanced Diploma (may NOT have completed the IV medication module)

Karen Simunov (Nurse Education Facilitator / Graduate EN Program Coordinator