Thanks 90323 for the info. I think for me it's the not knowing exactly what the workload for the Diploma is like - that is what I am afraid of that if I discontinue with the Bachelor to do the Diploma & then I find it is even more of a heavier work load, I would probably have regrets. Four assessments per unit is roughly what we get at uni as well (give or take) and we have 24 units. From everything I have read so far, most people seem to do the Diploma as a pathway to the Bachelor degree and don't usually go the opposite way, hence my hesitation & indecisiveness.
Summerly, so have you made any decisions? Are you in your first year as well? What uni are you at? Good luck with this hard decision!
MissyA, thanks for your helpful reply! That's very disappointing to hear that there were hardly any grad spots in the hospitals. I have to say that my biggest worry, whether I study EN or RN, is the ability of attaining a grad spot. I've heard & read about the grad spot shortages - although I don't believe WA is as bad as some other states? At this point I think my preference is to work in a hospital as one of my areas of interest is paediatrics. So with this in mind, this is why making the decision is so hard. I would hate to study for the next 3-4 years only to find I am unemployable as a RN at the end. But I would also be disappointed if I didn't get a grad spot in a hospital once I completed the EN Diploma. So can I ask, are you going to go study RN in the future?