EIT has been offering the Bachelor of Nursing degree for over 40 years.

The School of Nursing has seen one of the biggest run on study places in its history. 86 new students have enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing programme with more than 120 having applied for a study place.

Five of the 86 new students are male, while 25 students identify themselves as either Māori or Pasifika. The School was also thrilled to welcome 40 Year 13 scholarship recipients.

Head of School of Nursing, Clare Buckley is delighted to see that the Bachelor of Nursing degree remains one of the flagship degrees EIT has to offer. “After running over 40 years at EIT, it’s still pulling in the students,” she says.

She puts the popularity down to a number of factors. One large factor is last year’s nurses’ strike and its outcome that dominated the news for much of 2018. In the end the outcome saw nurses agreeing on a decent pay rise and a genuine commitment to improving working conditions, including proving safe staffing levels and improved patient-nurse ratios.

“I think the strike has raised the profile of being a nurse as a professional career and highlighted that nursing is a valued profession,” says Clare. “People got a better understanding of what it means to work as a nurse. It is a profession for life for bright and dedicated people.”

Another factor may be that the nursing curriculum at EIT has been reviewed and modernised in order to keep it contemporary and relevant to modern New Zealand healthcare. Significant changes have been made around how the programme is delivered.

“We have incorporated the latest technology and use of simulations,” explains Clare. For example working with mannequins which can simulate medical conditions or emergencies such as a cardiac arrest. “That gives our students a realistic experience and teaches them the core skills they need.”