Board-endorsed Enrolled Nurse Scope of Practice
Board-endorsed Enrolled Nurse Scope of Practice statement
What was this consultation all about?
The Enrolled Nurse (EN) Scope of Practice was last considered by the Nursing Council in 2012. Since this time there have been calls for another, comprehensive review that would provide an opportunity to examine and consider what the EN ‘is’, what ENs do, and what role ENs play in the Aotearoa New Zealand health system.
The EN profession itself is concerned that the scope is too limiting and does not reflect the potential value of enrolled nursing practice.
The Council’s fundamental role is to protect the safety of the public by ensuring that nurses are competent, safe, and fit practitioners. The scope and expectations of nursing have increased significantly over the last few decades, and regulation, practise, and employment arrangements must keep pace with these changes. A variety of strategic and system-level barriers exist for the Enrolled Nurse workforce, and this is seen as an opportunity to provide feedback that is crucial to helping us understand how the Enrolled Nurse scope supports the utilisation of Enrolled Nurses across our health system as well as any implications of the proposed changes.
This proposed scope statement has been developed by a design group which includes members from the Council, the NZNO Enrolled Nurse Section, Te Poari o Te Rūnanga O Aotearoa, as well as educators and employers of Enrolled Nurses. Concepts have also been tested through a broader sector reference group and wider stakeholder engagement.
How was this consultation conducted?
The Council carried out formal consultation from 13 December 2022 until 13 February 2023. In addition to this the Council sought to engage with key stakeholders including the following groups
- ACC
- Central Nurses Executive New Zealand
- Design Group Māori Roopu
- Directors of Nursing
- EN Section
- Midland Nurses Executive New Zealand
- Ministry for Disabled people
- Northern Nurses Executive New Zealand
- Nursing and professional Services NZNO
- Pacific Fono
- South Island Regional Nurse Executives New Zealand
- Te Pōari
- Te Whatu Ora – Waitaha Canterbury Nursing leadership Group
- Aged Care
Commissioner and principal Advisor
- Te Whatu Ora Nursing programme lead
- Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury ARC facilities
- Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury Workforce Development team
To assist submitters in their decision-making process, the Council provided a comprehensive technical document. You can download this below.
EN Scope Review Technical Background
Submitters to the consultation were asked to submit via the provided submission survey or as a written submission.
Consultation Document
What did we hear from the consultation?
The Council received a total of 389 submissions: 337 of these were individual survey submissions, and 52 were written submissions using the consultation template. A summary analysis of the consultation can be downloaded below, and those submitters who have agreed to have their written responses made public are included at the end this page.
Consultation Feedback
Support for new Enrolled Nurse Scope Statement
Te Āo Māori and Te Tiriti perspectives
No organisation that specifically identifies as a Māori Health Service provider or as operating primarily within a Te Ao Māori perspective or health model, responded to the consultation. However, 45 of the 337 individual responses (13%) were form submitters who identified as Māori. These respondents were primarily in favour of the new proposed Scope Statement with 30 (67%) Māori respondents supporting the proposed Scope Statement.
Views from Pacific Respondents
No organisations that specifically identified as a Pacific Health Service provider or as operating primarily with a pacific perspective or health model, responded to the consultation. 23 (7%) of respondents identified with one or more Pacific identities of which 14 (61%) of Pacific respondents supported the new proposed Scope Statement.
Enrolled nurse and sector perspectives
326 submitters chose to provide the Council with information about their APC status. The majority of these submitters identified as Enrolled Nurses, with 250 (77%).
APC status of survey submitters
Enrolled Nurses were more supportive of the proposed scope change. Of the 250 identified Enrolled Nurses, 181 (72%) were in favour of the proposed scope statement.
What has the Council decided?
The Council has taken into consideration the feedback provided as part of the consultation process. It has agreed to implement the New Scope Statement following high levels of support from respondents. The New Scope Statement has been launched on 23 May 2023. The new Scope will be gazetted and come into effect in early 2024, when accompanying education standards and competencies are completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
The council has added several Frequently Asked Questions in relation to the new Enrolled Scope of Practice. If you have any questions you would like responses to, please email them to
[email protected].
New Enrolled Nurse Scope of Practice FAQs
Below are the written submissions we received for this consultation and which we have been given permission to publish:
Ali Ward
Anonymous Organisation 1
Anonymous Organisation 2
Anonymous Organisation 3
Capital & Coast, Hutt Valley Te Whatu Ora
College of Nurses Aotearoa
Directors of Mental Health Nurses
Grace Corbett
Health & Disability Commissioner
Midlands EN Section
MIT Te Pūkenga
New Zealand Aged Care Association
New Zealand Nurses Organisation
North Charitable Trust
Nursing and Midwifery Board Australia
Nursing Education Tertiary Sector
Office of the Chief Nurse
Southern EN Section
Southern Cross Healthcare
Te Aka Whai Ora & Te Whatu Ora Workforce Leads
Te Pūkenga
Te Whatu Ora Directors of Nursing Group
UCOL Te Pūkenga
Whanganui-Central Te Whatu Ora