What is a registered nurse?

A registered nurse (RN) looks after people of all ages in a wide range of settings.

They promote health, prevent illness and care for ill, disabled and dying people.

An RN works with patients and clients in a:

• hospital
• community
• a residential setting.

They play a crucial role in a healthcare team. They can assess people with acute, chronic and complex health conditions, plan and provide their care and then evaluate it.

RNs work in all clinical specialities, as well as in education, management, research and policy roles.

Nurses are regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), which is responsible for:

• practitioner registration
• professional standards, codes and guidelines
• notifications and complaints handling in relation to the profession
• overseas-trained practitioners who wish to practise in Australia
• accreditations standards and courses of study.

An RN is different from an enrolled nurse (EN). ENs usually have a 2-year diploma or advanced diploma, while RNs have a 3-year Bachelor of Nursing degree. ENs are part of a healthcare team and care for patients under the supervision of an RN.

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is an RN who has been endorsed as an NP by NMBA. NPs operate at an advanced level and are authorised to prescribe medicines.