Hi all, i'm looking into actually doing the Diploma EN course via distance education with the Gold Coast TAFE after talking about it for about 7 years. I've been on the website and printed out the course info, but I have a couple of questions I'm hoping someone can help me with?? I posted this message on the Enrolled Nursing board before I realised there was a whole Student Nursing board!
So my questions are:
1. The course is full time over 18mths - how many hours of study/course work would this be per week on average? I work full time and have two kids and am trying to work out whether I would actually have the time to devote to study.
2. With regard to the clinical placements, the course info says that participants are required to complete 80hrs after the theory units in Semester 1, 160hrs in Semester 2 and 160hrs in Semester 3. Is there a time limit as to how long you can take to complete each block of hours? For example, would I need to take 2 weeks off work in semester 1 to complete 80 hours of clinical placement, and then 3 weeks off for the following semesters? Or could I do clinical placements on a casual basis, say 10 hours per week over the semester?
Does anyone know of any other places that offer the Dip EN course via distance learning, perhaps with the option of completing it part time rather than full time? I so want to do this - i'm approaching 30 and cant stand the thought of being stuck in a horrid office job for the next 30 years of my life - i want to do something i'm passionate about! But i'm totally freaked out by the very real possiblity that I wont have the time to commit to this particular course on a full time basis, in addition to working full time.
I've investigated the Bremer TAFE and they don't seem to offer the course via distance anymore, and I can't find anything on the SA TAFE site about distance either. Doing it part time face-to-face just isn't an option as I cant take 2-3 half days off work to attend classes, and i can't find anywhere near me that offers any sort of evening or night school.
Sigh....I get so excited about finally doing this and then reality jumps up and smacks me in the face!
