National Enrolled Nursing Advisory Council (NENAC)
TAFE Directors Australia (TDA) established the National Enrolled Nursing Advisory Council (NENAC) in August 2020. The council brings together experts from across Australian TAFEs in education and training to better represent and advocate for enrolled nursing education.
Ensuring the quality of the education and training experience for enrolled nurses and keeping up the supply of appropriately qualified enrolled nurses will be vital to both the health sector and to the broader economy, especially as the population ages. The call on new capabilities expected of Enrolled Nurses requires contemporary education and training approaches, reflecting local, national and global health priorities beyond that which is prescribed within national training packages.
The advisory council will share better practice approaches in enrolled nursing education across the network of TAFEs and in doing so will ensure the best possible outcomes for education and vocational preparation of enrolled nurses. As with all better practice, the focus is on shared learning and continuous improvement. This is critical in preparing students to meet the dynamic and increasingly complex environment in which they will operate.
NENAC will provide learned insights and strategic advice to both regulatory and core nursing and midwifery organisations on relevant policy and education matters relating to enrolled nursing, including courses that transition into and from enrolled nursing programs. NENAC will lead and represent those who provide education to enrolled nurses and promote the public image of enrolled nursing.
For further information, please contact NENAC Chair, Gabrielle Koutoukidis, at gabrielle.koutoukidis@holmesglen.edu.au or TDA at memberservices@tda.edu.au.
NENAC Submissions and Documents
| Date | Submission |
|---|---|
|
October 2020 |
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|
Septemeber 2020 |
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May 2023 |
Gabrielle Koutoukidis - Chair
Dean Health Science, Youth & Community Studies - Holmesglen Institute
Gabrielle Koutoukidis is the Dean, Faculty Health Science, Youth & Community Studies at Holmesglen in Victoria, with qualifications in nursing, midwifery, education, public health and management.
Gabrielle is a Registered Nurse and Midwife with extensive experience in midwifery, community health, indigenous health and education – both in enrolled nursing and Bachelor of Nursing, which includes over 20 years working within TAFE. Gabrielle has a very strong background in management, leadership and partnership building skills. She previously worked as a Nurse Policy Officer for the then Nurses Board of Victoria where part of her role was to both develop and inform policies and guidelines in relation to the nursing profession. Gabrielle was also a member of the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council – Enrolled Nurse Accreditation Committee for over nine years including being Chair of this committee for over four years. Gabrielle is also an editor and contributor of Tabbners Nursing Care & Theory 8E, which is a major nursing textbook for the Diploma of Nursing both nationally and internationally, as well as editor for Essential Enrolled Nursing Skills: For Person-Centred Care Workbook 2E.
Current Role:
Dean, Faculty Health Science, Youth & Community Studies at Holmesglen. Role and responsibilities include:
- Provide educational leadership to Faculty staff and strategic advice to the Directorate in relation to all programs and services offered by the Faculty of Health Science and Community Studies (HSYCS).
- Initiate, plan, promote and manage the programs, services and activities of the Faculty of HSYCS in both the recurrently and non-recurrently funded areas.
- Participate in senior management policy development and strategic planning for the Institute.
Qualifications:
- Diploma in Applied Science, Nursing
- Bachelor of Nursing, Midwifery
- Graduate Diploma in Advanced Nursing, Education
- Master of Public Health
- Diploma of Business
- Vocational Graduate Certificate in Business Transformational Management
- Doctorate in Education (Research)
Debbie Blow - Deputy Chair
Director of Faculty CSH&N, Executive Leader Health & Nursing - TAFE QLD
Deb Blow RN BN Grad Dip Crit Care Grad Dip FET GAICD has worked in the health industry for over 30 years. Over this time, Deb worked as an aged care worker before going on to become an Enrolled Nurse and then a Registered Nurse. Deb has worked in a diverse range of areas including; aged care, surgical, emergency, peri-operative and critical care in public, private and rural / remote settings prior to transitioning in to the university and then VET sector.
Currently, Deb works as a Director of Faculty and Executive leader in health and nursing for TAFE Queensland. Her expertise and focus have been on supporting organisations to ‘grow their own workforce’. Deb also holds roles on National committees such as strategic ANMAC Accreditation Committee and the Nursing and Midwifery Strategic Reference Group. Deb was a director on the board for the Gold Coast Primary Health Network and Queensland’s Health and Community Services Workforce Council. Deb has also represented TAFE Directors Australia in Commonwealth appointed expert advisory groups in the health, aged care and nursing industry
TDA Representative
Dr Teressa Schmidt
Director, Policy & Governance
Dr. Teressa Schmidt has more than 25 years experience in vocational and higher education, covering a broad span of educational, academic, consulting, and senior leadership positions. Most recently, she held the role of Deputy Dean VET at CQUniversity Australia. Teressa has also been involved in research focused on learning and teaching and the VET teaching workforce, particularly the qualities and capabilities required by adult and vocational education teachers and how these are developed.
