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Guideline for the Development of Post-Enrolment Medication Courses
Prior to 2003 the education of enrolled nurses in New South Wales did not include the administration of medications. Enrolled nurses who have not previously been educated in medication administration may wish to undertake a further course in order to have their practising certificates endorsed by the Board.
This document describes the Nurses and Midwives Board requirements for the post-enrolment educational preparation for enrolled nurses to administer medications in New South Wales.
In non-hospital settings, any enrolled nurse, who has been assessed as competent by the supervising registered nurse, may administer medications that have been dispensed and labelled by a pharmacist for an individual. However in "hospital" settings where medications are administered from ward stock, enrolled nurses may administer medications only if the Board has endorsed their practising certificates. The Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2002 defines “hospital” to mean a public hospital, public institution, private hospital, nursing home, day procedure centre or residential centre for persons with disabilities. In regard to administration of medications listed in Schedule 8 of the Poisons List, the Regulation defines a nurse as a registered nurse and therefore does not permit enrolled nurses to administer Schedule 8 medications in hospital settings. In administering medications, enrolled nurses must comply with the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act.
Organisations/institutions wishing to conduct a post-enrolment medication administration course may submit a curriculum to the Board for consideration. Institutions, which are not already recognised by the Board to conduct education programs, must satisfy the Board that the institution satisfies the “Standards for Recognition of Organisations Providing the Theoretical Education for Enrolled Nurse Education” except that the requirement for accreditation by an accrediting Government department or statutory authority may be waived.
Curriculum Requirements
In developing curricula, course developers must refer to the Board document titled Information for Education Providers of Courses Leading to Eligibility for Enrolment as a Nurse in New South Wales issued May 2007.
The curriculum must ensure that:
1) the ANMC Enrolled Nurse Competency Standards, October 2002, can be developed and
demonstrated in regard to the administration of medications; and
2) students have an enrolled nurse qualification at Advanced Certificate Enrolled Nurse (NSW),
Certificate IV level, or higher on either:
i) entry to the course; or
ii) completion of the course.
Course developers must permit students to extend their scope of practice to that of recently educated enrolled nurses. Therefore, course developers need to identify the knowledge and skills of the student cohort on entry and show how the course will enable students to achieve the required levels on completion of the course.
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