We encourage you to register your interest for the 2025 ENL program to find out as soon as applications have opened.

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 2024 program intake applicants must be current ACN members and meet the following criteria in January 2024:
Stage 1
Empowered to LEARN
Students completing a Diploma of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing (final year), Nursing Masters or Nursing Honours year
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
Meet our 2023 ENL Cohort
We are delighted to introduce the exceptional nurses who have been selected to participate in our 2023 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.
NurseClick
For further information contact ACN Leadership
e: leadership@acn.edu.au
t: 1800 061 660