NEWS

SIT | Te Pūkenga Enrolled Nursing graduates are consistently among the best in New Zealand with the latest Nursing Council exam pass rates remaining high.

SIT Enrolled Nursing graduates had another successful year in 2023, based on their State Final Examination results from the Nursing Council, which allows them to practise as nurses in New Zealand. December 2023 national exam results saw SIT’s New Zealand Diploma in Enrolled Nursing class of 2023 achieve a perfect pass rate of 100%, exceeding the national average pass rate of 86.9% by more than 13%.

Acting Head of School of Nursing (SoN) and Post Graduate Programme Manager, Karyn Madden, is thrilled with the results, citing a combination of factors which she believed had facilitated the success. “It’s having skilled staff, also the willingness of students to learn.” She added the support SIT’s SoN received from industry was invaluable. “Clinical placements are essential in nursing students learning and developing a full skill set.” 

Enrolments in the New Zealand Diploma in Enrolled Nursing were looking very healthy for 2024. “We’ve got a large cohort of enrolled nursing students due to start later this month. The numbers are bigger than last year, so it’s great news,” Mrs Madden said.

She thought the increase in numbers could have been due to the amount of time it took to train as an enrolled nurse. “More people are recognising the value of the enrolled nursing diploma. You can gain an excellent qualification in a shorter period of time (18 months), and be out working as an enrolled nurse in the sector.”

Mrs Madden also mentioned the scope of the enrolled nurse is currently under review with Te Kaunihera Tapuhi o Aotearoa, Nursing Council of New Zealand, and is due to change in the near future. “Our enrolled nurses play an essential role in the healthcare sector. We celebrate with our graduates and wish them every success in their new career,” she said.