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| Current Graduate Year Nurses |
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Nursing Career Opportunities
WRHS offers a range of different nursing careers. Whether you are looking for a new graduate program, post graduate study or wanting to test yourself with a Discovery Program we should have something suitable for you! If you are interested in employment at WRHS please contact Heather Paech, Operations Manager on (02) 60517597, heather.paech@wrhs.org.au
Graduate Nurse Program
The Wodonga Regional Health Service Graduate Nurse Program is highly sought after and very well supported, and provides a friendly environment for new graduate nurses in their transition to the role of Registered Nurse, Division 1. We promote quality patient care & professional excellence for our new graduates.
WRHS run two programs per year commencing in January and August, with an intake of 6 per program. We offer a choice of hours of employment: either .8 EFT (4 days per week) or 1 EFT (5 days per week).
Rotations available: All grads spend approximately the first six months in Medical /Rehabilitation and Surgical Units. All grads are able to rotate to:
- Emergency Department (2 months),
- Day Procedure Unit (2 weeks to 1 month),
- Perioperative Suite (up to 3 weeks),
- Midwifery (1 week),
- High Dependency Unit (1 week),
- District Nursing Service (1 week).
There is also the opportunity to rotate to Community Mental Health if interested. The length of rotations can be individualised for each graduate, with special interests catered for.
Program Structure: The program commences on a Wednesday with 3 days organisation orientation. The following Monday is a dedicated day of orientation to the unit (medical or surgical) with an allocated supernumerary preceptor. The next two weeks are spent on the first unit in a supernumary capacity with a trained preceptor. Following that the grad has their own patient load and is supported by the nurse in charge, other RNs, the grad coordinator and other educators. When changing to the next unit (Medical or Surgical) there is a one week supernumary period with a preceptor to orientate to the new unit. When rotating to Emergency, there is a one week supernumary period, Day Procedure has two days supernumary and all other specialty rotations are completely supernumary.
What support do you receive in the program?
- A dedicated graduate nurse coordinator who is there for you, non judgemental and wants you to succeed.
- Access to Clinical Support nurses and other educators.
- Staff who are willing teachers and supportive of new grads. Most RNs have completed preceptorship training.
- Approximately 9 weeks of supernumary time across the year.
- Five paid graduate nurse study days: input into the content of these days is welcomed.
- A focus on education throughout the organisation: extensive inservice sessions to attend.
- 24 hour access to the clinical skills centre 7 days a week to practice clinical skills.
- Regular debriefing sessions specifically for graduate nurses.
- If you make a mistake, you will be supported in learning from it, not punished.
- You are encouraged to take 2 weeks leave during the program, with the option of more leave over Christmas / New Year. The rest of your leave entitlements accrue.
- A graduation ceremony and afternoon tea to celebrate your achievements at completion of the program.
Entry to the January program is through the Victorian Nursing Computer match system. The computer match process commences in July of the previous year with the applicant sourcing all information and entering the process online. Applications to the Health Service are usually forwarded by the end of July and interviews are held in September. The computer match is usually completed mid October and offers of positions are then made for the following January program. To access the Nurse Computer Match service go to: www.computermatching.pmcv.com.au
The August program is advertised in the newspaper and on the website. Universities who are completing undergraduate nursing programs in July are also notified of this opportunity for their students. Those students who are completing their undergraduate nursing degree in July and who are looking at the August graduate program at Wodonga Regional Health Service do not need to apply via the computer match system. Applicants are interviewed and appointed in June.
What do I have to do to successfully complete the program?
- Complete all mandatory education – CPR, No Lift, Infection Control, Manual Handling, Fire and Emergency codes, Prevention of Bullying and Harassment & Privacy and Confidentiality. This is completed at orientation.
- Complete the following learning packages: Medication administration, documentation, & IV cannulation.
- Complete performance reviews with the grad nurse coordinator at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months achieving a satisfactory standard.
- Attend study days.
- Attend 12 or more inservice education sessions over the year
- Attend a quality meeting and participate in a quality activity at a unit level.
- Present or co-present an inservice session on a topic of interest.
- Why should you choose the Wodonga Regional Health Service Graduate Nurse Program?
- It provides a solid background in medical and surgical nursing along with rotations to specialty areas. This allows a new graduate to get a picture of how the whole organisation works together to provide quality patient care, and also to identify any areas of nursing the may be of interest for further studies.
- Very high level of support from all staff.
- You will be encouraged to learn and develop throughout the year.
- You will be given honest feedback about your performance and strategies for improvement if required.
- Excellent employment opportunities at the end of the program.
- Fantastic opportunities for further study as we support staff studying Post graduate Certificates/Diplomas in Midwifery, Rural Critical Care, Emergency Nursing, Perioperative Nursing, & Palliative Care among others.
- Discovery programs available for High Dependency and Emergency Department post program.
- We are a member of the Hume Region Nurse Educators Group and are able to access a large number of courses and study days at very low cost. E.g. First Line Emergency Care Course, Wound Management Course, Leadership courses and a diverse range of one day workshops.
- Salary packaging available.
- Comments from Graduate Nurses 2007
- “Staff were fantastic, very supportive and helpful.”
- “Loved the study days, we did great stuff like ECGs, Path results, Cannulation, going through the handover sheets discussing conditions and care”
- “I soon realised the grad nurse coordinator was not there to intimidate me, but to encourage and support, who was always available at any time, who went out of her way to help in any way possible, emotionally and professionally”
- “I found out that there was no such thing as a stupid question and I gained more sustainable knowledge because of it”
- Previous grads told me that they thought their grad year at WRHS was fantastic, so I busted my boiler to obtain a grad position at this hospital. Well worth it”
Further enquiries may be directed to: Christine Thwaites, chris.thwaites@wrhs.org.au or phone (02) 60517443.
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Student Midwife Program - Paid Model
Post Graduate Diploma in Midwifery
This course enables Registered Nurses Division one, to gain Midwifery Qualifications.
The program runs in conjunction with Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga Campus and is run in a distance education mode. Students are required to attend two residential blocks of a week each, one in February and one in July. Students study through the university for one academic year.
NB-There is some flexibility with students being able to study over 18months after special consideration by the Nurses and Midwives Board of NSW.
WRHS provides the clinical component of this course. This a paid employment model with students being employed by WRHS to work within the Maternity Unit for no less than one calendar year at 4 days a week.
Clinical rotations cover all areas within the Maternity Unity including Antenatal, Postnatal, Birth Suite, Special Care Nursery, Domiciliary and Antenatal Classes.
Incorporated into the program is extensive in-service education.
Support for students is provided by the Program Coordinator, the Clinical Nurse Support Midwife, trained preceptors and experienced midwifery staff. Many of the current midwives were past students of the program and can provide valuable assistance to the students throughout the course. Evaluations from past students have been very positive.
- “The support and education was fantastic throughout”
- “For anyone interested in midwifery this was a valuable program”
- “Fabulous course”
WRHS currently has two intakes per year, one commencing in February and one commencing in July. The number of student Midwives accepted for each program varies from 4 – 5 per program.
An Information Evening is run the first week of August and the first week of March each year in the Antenatal Room of Wodonga Regional Health Service for those interested. If you are unable to attend and would like further information and tour the unit please contact the program coordinator.
Applications are direct through the hospital, with advertisements in the Local papers, Metropolitan papers, the WRHS and Charles Sturt University internet sites twice a year, in August and March.
Joint registration is required in both NSW and Victoria, for those students wishing to enter the Charles Sturt University Program. Acute experience, as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) is a prerequisite for the course. Applicants selected will be required to attend an interview.
Fees are payable to the university. Commonwealth Supported Places / scholarships are available to assist with fees.
Ongoing employment opportunities as a registered midwife are available upon successful completion of the program and performance review.
Further information may be obtained from the program coordinator/Midwifery Educator:
Raylene Hare, raylene.hare@wrhs.org.au (02) 60517239 or go to the following CSU link:
www.csu.edu.au/student/contact
Discovery Program- Critical Care Areas
The Discovery Program provides a structured program of support and in–house education for approved Division One nurses whilst working in High Dependency, Perioperative Service and Emergency Department. The program is designed to meet the needs of the beginner or returning practitioner. It is not designed to replace a post graduate Critical Care/ED or Perioperative course.
The aim of the programme is to assist new or returning nurses make the transition into critical care areas by providing:
- A structured programme which addresses key clinical concepts and skills relevant to the area.
- Introduction to the role of the Division One Registered Nurse in the particular environment.
- Resources and support structures for the program participants.
- Dedicated Clinical Support Nurse in the three areas to coordinate the program and staff member.
It is hoped that provision of this programme will encourage participants to pursue further studies and qualifications in critical care and the Perioperative area, which will in turn, assist in providing staffing security for these areas in the future.
For further information regarding the WRHS Discovery Program contact:
Post Graduate Studies
WRHS is committed to support the ongoing professional development of nursing staff. Current post graduate studies being undertaken by WRHS nursing staff include;
- Critical Care (ED & HDU) Graduate Certificate and Diploma– Deakin University
- Midwifery- Graduate Diploma- Charles Sturt University
- Perioperative Graduate Certificate & Diploma
- Palliative Care- Graduate Certificate
- Master of Nursing Science
All students are entitled to apply for post graduate study leave and other support.
For further information regarding post graduate study opportunities at WRHS contact:
Debbie Gleeson, Staff Development Coordinator, (02) 60517435, debbie.gleeson@wrhs.org.au
