TY - JOUR
T1 - University after VET
T2 - The challenges faced by the Enrolled Nurse
AU - Logan, Patricia Anne
AU - van Reyk, David
AU - Johnston, Amy N
AU - Hillman, Elspeth
AU - Cox, Jennifer L
AU - Salvage-Jones, Judith
AU - Anderson, Judith
N1 - Includes bibliographical references.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - In Australia, many Enrolled Nurses (EN) complete vocational education training (VET), undertake clinical work, and then progress into a tertiary, Registered Nurse (RN), program. Transition into university for ENs is typically into the second year of degree programs, with credit awarded for first year courses including basic bioscience subjects, predicated on recognition of prior learning. However, in educational literature ENs report that their prior study left them feeling unprepared for university and that VET, even coupled with work experience, may not adequately reinforce foundational science knowledge sufficient to support direct entry to second year biosciences. Moreover, bioscience subjects are internationally acknowledged as central to nursing students’ ‘science anxiety,’ and are ‘gate-keeper’ subjects in pre-registration programs, providing critical underpinning of theoretical knowledge for many other subjects. Indeed, a recent (2015) Australian government report on pathways into higher education highlighted concerns around modes of transition into university, citing significantly lower success rates for students from a low socio-economic status (LSES) background who frequently enter the tertiary sector via vocational pathways. This paper will explore, using a case study approach, the issues of transition from vocational training to the university programs across multiple Bachelor of Nursing (BN) programs (tertiary institutions) in both rural and metropolitan contexts from several Australian states. It will highlight challenges reported by these EN students that limit their capacity to engage in traditional tertiary programs including concomitant shift work requirements. ENs are typically female, mature age students with carer responsibilities, who study in isolation, online and via distance learning, further compounding issues of tertiary transition. The paper will describe a multi-institutional project designed by a multidisciplinary academic team, to enhance transition skills and build academic resilience for these ENs, to assist with their engagement and success in their BN studies.
AB - In Australia, many Enrolled Nurses (EN) complete vocational education training (VET), undertake clinical work, and then progress into a tertiary, Registered Nurse (RN), program. Transition into university for ENs is typically into the second year of degree programs, with credit awarded for first year courses including basic bioscience subjects, predicated on recognition of prior learning. However, in educational literature ENs report that their prior study left them feeling unprepared for university and that VET, even coupled with work experience, may not adequately reinforce foundational science knowledge sufficient to support direct entry to second year biosciences. Moreover, bioscience subjects are internationally acknowledged as central to nursing students’ ‘science anxiety,’ and are ‘gate-keeper’ subjects in pre-registration programs, providing critical underpinning of theoretical knowledge for many other subjects. Indeed, a recent (2015) Australian government report on pathways into higher education highlighted concerns around modes of transition into university, citing significantly lower success rates for students from a low socio-economic status (LSES) background who frequently enter the tertiary sector via vocational pathways. This paper will explore, using a case study approach, the issues of transition from vocational training to the university programs across multiple Bachelor of Nursing (BN) programs (tertiary institutions) in both rural and metropolitan contexts from several Australian states. It will highlight challenges reported by these EN students that limit their capacity to engage in traditional tertiary programs including concomitant shift work requirements. ENs are typically female, mature age students with carer responsibilities, who study in isolation, online and via distance learning, further compounding issues of tertiary transition. The paper will describe a multi-institutional project designed by a multidisciplinary academic team, to enhance transition skills and build academic resilience for these ENs, to assist with their engagement and success in their BN studies.
KW - Nursing
KW - Bioscience
KW - Transition
KW - Prior learning
KW - Online package
U2 - 10.14297/jpaap.v5i2.281
DO - 10.14297/jpaap.v5i2.281
M3 - Article
SN - 2051-9788
VL - 5
SP - 73
EP - 84
JO - Journal of Perspectives of Applied Academic Practice
JF - Journal of Perspectives of Applied Academic Practice
IS - 2
ER -