Glowing report for WITT from Nursing Council

WITT has received a glowing report following a recent Nursing Council audit of the first cohort to graduate from its Enrolled Nursing programme.

Helen Lelean, Head of Nursing at WITT, says it is “extremely pleasing” to have received the positive feedback from the Nursing Council of New Zealand | Te Kaunihera Tapuhi o Aotearoa on its first assessment of WITT’s Enrolled Nursing diploma, launched in 2023.

The report commended WITT’s School of Nursing’s Enrolled Nursing programme for:

• Maintaining a cohesive high-performing team in a challenging tertiary education environment, under the leadership of Helen Lelean.
• The Diploma of Enrolled Nursing team establishing a highly supportive learning environment for ākonga.
• Collaboration between lecturers and clinical partners.
• A high level of satisfaction with the programme experience and outcomes from graduate feedback.

The Nursing Council’s report said, “There is clear evidence of a strong relationship between WITT’s leadership and the School of Nursing, particularly reflected in the contributions of Helen Lelean, the Head of School. Her leadership has ensured that the School of Nursing continues to thrive in a complex and uncertain educational environment.”

The 18-month long diploma enables graduates to register with the Nursing Council of New Zealand and to practice in a wide range of clinical settings. It can be a pathway into the more advanced three-year Bachelor of Nursing programme, with Enrolled Nursing graduates required to complete two years of the bachelor's degree from 2027.

Nurse training and education has been central for WITT since its inception more than 50 years ago. The Diploma and Bachelor are flagship qualifications today along with other certificate level health programmes and a micro-credential in trauma informed care.

The Nursing Council report also praised the “small size of the cohorts (17-20) [which] supports strong engagement and facilitates personalised learning, both in the classroom and clinical environments.”

It noted ongoing efforts to improve the integration of the delivery of Te Tiriti o Waitangi content and embedding of cultural competencies in teaching.

Helen says Māori tikanga and an emphasis on cultural communication and capability will be included in new curriculums for the diploma and bachelor's qualifications launched nationally next year.

WITT will open a brand-new nursing simulation centre in A Block at the end of Semester Two.

“Moving from C Block where it is currently based, the expanded centre allows for simultaneous teaching across the nursing and health programmes and means an enhanced experience for our ākonga,” says Helen.

“WITT has a longstanding history of delivering top-rate nurse education which has and remains critical to contributing to local health services. We take pride in staying ahead with the latest teaching developments and ensure that our graduates confidently provide the best level of nursing care to their patients.”

Caption: (left to right): Alex Negron (Simulation Manager); Andrea Nicholson (nursing lecturer); Bryar Lovell (nursing science lecturer); Helen Bingham (seated); Coral Tamblin; Heidi Richmond; Cadence Azad (nursing lecturers); and Helen Lelean, Head of Nursing.