Aim/Objective: The transition from enrolled nurse to registered nurse is, not only a critical stage in nursing careers, but also an established pathway in the profession. Despite its significance, this transition has been under-researched, as evidenced by findings obtained from a scoping review that informs this study. This study aimed to explore the complexities of this role transition and shed light on the unique challenges faced by enrolled nurses as they navigate their journey towards becoming registered nurses.
Methods: This study employed a concurrent mixed-methods approach to explore the role transition of enrolled nurses at one Australian university in 2022 and 2023. Data were collected via focus groups, individual interviews, and surveys. Demographic and survey data were analysed using descriptive frequencies, while open-ended survey responses underwent summative content analysis. Thematic analysis was applied to interviews and focus groups.
Results: Four key themes were identified: Clinical Role Confusion, Educational Dissonance, Identity Crisis, and Placement Paradox. These themes were further substantiated by the content analysis of the survey. Clinical Role Confusion was highlighted by 38% of students grappling with increased responsibilities, indicating the complexity and autonomy expected in the registered nurse role. Educational Dissonance emerged, with 17% facing higher academic expectations and 4% experiencing a gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Identity Crisis was evident as 21% of students struggled with being a student again, affecting their professional identity formation. Lastly, Placement Paradox reflects the disparity between academic learning and clinical experiences, and the difficulty in applying registered nurse knowledge while adhering to the enrolled nurse scope.
Conclusion: This study highlights the diverse forms of confusion that enrolled nurse students face as they make the transition to registered nurse positions. This emphasises the importance of incorporating comprehensive educational methodologies and customised clinical experiences to facilitate an efficient transition for prospective nurses.
Keywords: Nursing transition; Enrolled nurse, Registered nurse, Clinical role confusion

Roles and titles do not make a leader, rather behaviours reflect leadership qualities that can be used to influence others. These behaviours can be learned and developed through formal leadership programs and supportive organisational culture. Formal postgraduate leadership education is advocated for healthcare leaders, as it interweaves theory, practice, and reflection, to promote skill development. Despite its potential benefits, formal postgraduate leadership education has been challenged as having translational gaps between the educational delivery and subsequent application of leadership principles and behaviours in clinical practice.
In response to local needs, a School of Nursing in a regional Australian university partnered with a Local Health District to deliver a 12-month leadership program, the Effective Leadership (in Health) Program. This interdisciplinary program has been operating since 2008 and enables shared learning, networking, diversity in expertise and opinion, and harnessing leadership potential across health disciplines. The program is co-facilitated by an academic lead and a skilled facilitator from the Health District.
This presentation will share findings from a mixed method study that explored how postgraduate leadership education is translated into practice and how leadership practices and behaviours are sustained following completion of the Effective Leadership Program. The research identified that lessons learnt from formal innovative leadership education are retained over time by healthcare providers. This is important for nursing staff and other healthcare providers who are leading teams and overseeing care delivery, ensuring consistent impact over time of enacted leadership behaviours and practices. Such transformational leadership can enhance nurses and other disciplines commitment to innovative and person-centred approaches.

It is widely accepted that an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce supports better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander care recipients. Despite this, the ongoing impacts of colonialism, including the impediments of individual and institutional racism, limit the participation and advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at all levels of nursing and midwifery education and practice. This reality warrants paradigm shifts in the way nursing and midwifery education, policy and practice are envisioned, designed, and delivered across nursing and midwifery systems. The Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives’ (CATSINaM) advocacy leadership is setting a transformative change agenda calling on nursing and midwifery leaders to act boldly as allies and accomplices to embed favourable conditions that empower and uplift our communities and firmly back our rights to self-determination.
Australian universities have considerable jurisdiction and influence over nursing and midwifery workforce growth and development, including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce. They must invest in better relations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, which involves being informed by and accountable to us regarding investment in our self-determination and nation-building. Our success in this space is bound to the ability of Australian universities to truly serve our communities. Partnerships based on place-based relational approaches and accountabilities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and professional groups are key to forming the necessary conditions for nursing and midwifery education, practice and research.
This paper will elaborate on CATSINaM’s understanding of a relational approach, how we inform the necessary conditions for culturally safe nursing and midwifery through our advocacy leadership, and how, in partnership with allies and accomplices, we can transform the university sector to be better relations to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities they are designed to serve.

Aim/Objectives: Projected shortages in nursing and midwifery workforce, exacerbated by the impact of Covid-19, have prompted implementation of innovative education models that promote student retention, and transition to practice. This review of international literature evaluating existing paid student employment models in nursing and midwifery aimed to determine elements of quality, student outcomes, any impacts on workforce, and potential economic benefits.
Methods: The integrative review method developed by Whittemore and Knafl (2005) was used. Seven research databases were searched for studies published up until November 2023. Inclusion criteria were primary studies reporting an evaluation of a paid clinical placement model for student nurses or midwives who are enrolled to study with a higher education provider while also employed by a service provider from the perspective of students, midwives, nurses, educators, clinical facilitators, service providers, patients, families, community members, or higher education providers. Grey literature was also searched to locate evaluations of paid nursing or midwifery student employment models reported via government or professional platforms.
Results: Following removal of duplicates, the titles, and abstracts of 3854 articles were screened against the inclusion criteria and 92 articles were retained for full text review. A final sample of 20 articles was included in the review. This paper will present the range of paid student employment models prevalent in nursing and midwifery education globally and provide an overview of frameworks used to evaluate paid employment models. The impact on student outcomes and components that contribute to student recruitment and retention will be highlighted.
Conclusion: Paid student employment models offer potential to promote student retention in nursing and midwifery education that can address workforce shortages. This literature review illuminates the types of paid student employment models in practice, elements of quality and potential student and workforce impacts.
Reference: Whittemore, R., & Knafl, K. (2005). The integrative review: updated methodology. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 52(5), 546–553. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2005.03621.x