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Winter 2003

HACSU EN Sub Committee – Up and Running

The new HACSU Enrolled Nurse Sub Committee is now up and running and has had its first meeting.

The subcommittee was established by HACSU enrolled nurse members following the re-emergence of enrolled nurses as one of the growth areas of nursing.

HACSU Southern Region Nursing Industrial Officer, Leanne McDougall, said the subcommittee had a broad agenda because "ENs as a group within nursing had been allowed to languish for many years".

"A decade or more ago the role of the then Tasmanian Auxilliary Nurse was all but abandoned and there was a big push for these nurses to upskill and become RNs."

"There were a large number of those nurses who did not want, or did not have the chance, to go down that path."

"Most of those people have since been unsupported and been allowed to languish. They have been deskilled or there are many who do have skills that are unrecognised."

"In my view there is no doubt with financial pressures we will be seeing more Ens employed. It is vital that they are properly supported."

"That will be a key role for the HACSU EN Sub Committee."

There was a plethora of issues raised at the inaugural meeting of the HACSU EN Sub Committee, including;

• ongoing professional development and education,
• communication issues and communication barriers between ENs, RNs and management,
• EN salary rates,
• recognition and accreditation of skills and experience,
• current training structures,
• administration of medications,
• understanding of supervisory issues by RNs,
• understanding of supervisory roles between Ens and carers,
• staffing ratios within aged care,
• issues of lack of respect shown to ENs,
• issues of portability of EN qualifications between Australian states,
• issues involving striking the right balance between hospital-based experience and tertiary-based training.

The HACSU EN Sub Committee have formal terms of reference around which they will work.

These terms of reference will allow the subcommittee to address all of the above issues.

The terms of reference include furthering the industrial relations objectives of ENs, as well as professional development interests.

The HACSU EN Sub Committee will act as a resource for ENs and provide a forum for issues to be raised.

The Sub Committee will promote the role of the EN as a valuable member of the nursing team.

Through this HACSU subcommittee ENs views can also be represented at a variety of forums, including the Nursing Board of Tasmania and training providers.

The HACSU EN Subcommittee will also ensure a strong voice for ENs at all levels of HACSU decision-making.

There will be a maximum of 9 people on the subcommittee and any HACSU member who is an enrolled nurse will be able to nominate for one of these positions.

The subcommittee will meet every second month or more often if that is required.

Contacts for the HACSU EN Sub Committee are as follows.

• Daphne McDougall Royal Hobart Hospital
• Maxine Cobern Tyler Village
• Merylyn Eiszele Campbell St, Mental Health South
• Lesley Carroll Mersey Hospital
• Bev Guy Maranatha, Launceston
• Barbara Habner Maranatha, Launceston