The modern day nursing education is quite different to the old based training model. Today, nurses learn from theory behind actions, procedures and decisions, before gaining the experience of performing the action or duty of nursing. In contrast, the hospital based model was based on the Nightingale system where the educational needs of the trainee nurse took second place to the service needs of the hospital. The limited theory component of the course was given by doctors and other health care workers (Matron) at the hospital and not by educators in classrooms, which is the modern day practise. The major learning environment for trainee nurses of the old school of training was the clinical setting. The theory component of the course was always seen as less important than the actual clinical component and consequently, learning by doing and learning by trial and error became features of the old school teaching practise (Russell 2005). Today, learning through tertiary education, such as classroom lectures and clinical demonstrations, gives a more recognised foundation to acquiring the skills and knowledge that is required in the hospital setting (Koutoukidis,Stainton & Hughson 2013, pp.4-19).
1b When did the Diploma of Nursing become the nationally recognised entry level qualification for Enrolled Nurses in Australia? Why did this occur?
The diploma of nursing was nationally recognised in 2010. It coincided with the establishment of the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Authority (AHPRA) (AHPRA 2012). This was essential as previously, each state had different systems and standards and this was not practical for national management .This was evident when enrolled nurses (EN) would transfer jobs between states and find that the skill sets were not equal. The scope of practise for EN’s was different for each state and recognition for standardisation