Australian College of Nursing

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Emerging Nurse Leader program

Applications for the 2023 intake

Start your application now for a chance to become one of our next Emerging Nurse Leaders. The opportunity to apply for the prestigious program is an exclusive benefit for ACN members and the program is offered free of charge to successful applicants. You will need to be logged in to your ACN member account to access the application form.

If you are not yet a member of the ACN Tribe you can join now to become eligible to apply.

Applications will close on at 11:59pm AEST on Tuesday 14 June 2022. If you have questions or need assistance with your application, contact us via leadership@acn.edu.au or at 1800 061 660.

Note: You will need to log in to your account before applying. If you do not have an existing account, please register and follow the prompts.

Document checklist

As a heads-up, please see the below document checklist that you will need to submit with your application:

ENL Program Stages 1 & 2

Curriculum vitae of applicant.
x 2 Endorsement letters from professional nurses, e.g., line manager, mentor, referee, clinical educator/facilitator, academic lecturer. (Letters should address the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the person as a good candidate for the program).*
Proof of current enrolment in course of study (if applicable).

ENL Program Stages 3-5

Curriculum vitae of applicant.
x 2 Endorsement letters from professional nurses, e.g., line manager, mentor, referee, clinical educator/facilitator, academic lecturer. (Letters should address the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the person as a good candidate for the program).*

*Endorsement letters are not required for current enrolled ENL’s

About the program

If you are an ambitious go-getter looking for an opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone to advance your career and become the best nurse leader you can be then look no further! The Emerging Nurse Leader (ENL) program will help you develop your leadership skills and confidence through unparalleled access to high profile nurse leaders, mentoring, career coaching and professional development opportunities. The program is self-paced and self-driven, meaning you will get as much out of the program as you put in. Participants will be required to independently complete a range of activities in order to accrue the points required to complete the program.

Program benefits

ENL mentoring program

Invitations to exclusive ACN events

Networking with high profile nurse leaders

Full registration for the ACN National Nursing Forum

Opportunity to build a profile within the profession

ACN Leadership workshops

Career coaching

Professional development webinars

Program outcomes

Identify and have a greater awareness and understanding of their own leadership qualities, through self-assessment and ACN professional feedback
See an improvement in their own leadership confidence and effectiveness
Have developed a social, ethical and professional understanding of contemporary health care environments to provide nurse leadership within the health care context
Have a growing understanding of the socio-political environment of nursing
Have a better understanding of change mechanisms within the profession of nursing and health sector
Be better equipped to understand the development of nursing policy, research and education and its influence on the profession and broader health environment

Program overview and eligibility

The program is divided into five stages reflecting the challenges and opportunities nurses face as they progress through their leadership journeys. Each stage extends over a period of nine months and participants are welcome to enter at the program stage that corresponds to their career level.

To be eligible to apply for the 2022 program intake applicants must be current ACN members and meet the following criteria in January 2022:

Stage 1

Empowered to LEARN

Students completing a Diploma of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing (final year), Nursing Masters or Nursing Honours year

Stage 2

Empowered to GROW

Enrolled nurses or registered nurses in their first year of practice

Stage 3

Empowered to REACH

Enrolled nurses or registered nurses in their second or third year of practice

Stage 4

Empowered to ACHIEVE

Enrolled nurses or registered nurses in their fourth or fifth year of practice

Stage 5

Empowered to LEAD

Enrolled nurses or registered nurses in their sixth year of practice

Meet our 2022 ENL Cohort

We are delighted to introduce the exceptional nurses who have been selected to participate in our 2022 Emerging Nurse Leader (ENL) Program.

Over a period of nine months, these up-and-coming nurse leaders will receive invaluable opportunities to develop their leadership skills and confidence, including mentoring, coaching, professional development and more. Each ENL has a unique journey and background into and through the nursing profession. You can learn more about what makes these leaders tick by checking out their photos and short bios.