Gradstart in Western Sydney LHD

GradStart is a 12-month rotational program that offers graduate nurses and midwives the opportunity to work in multiple facilities and specialties across WSLHD including:

• Auburn Hospital
• Blacktown and Mt Druitt Hospital
• Westmead Hospital
• Drug Health
• Mental Health
• Integrated and Community Health
• Women’s Health
• Maternity Services

GradStart registered nurses engage in two six-month clinical rotations and registered midwives will have three clinical rotations. Gradstart participants attend District and ward/unit orientation sessions, complete five supernumerary shifts and participate in structured education support days and reflective clinical supervision.

GradStart participants are supported by preceptors, clinical educators and a team of dedicated nursing and midwifery staff.

GradStart nurses and midwives are employed on a full time or part time basis with shift work, including morning, afternoon and night shifts as well as weekends, being a requirement of employment.

While applicants have the option to submit a preference for working in a specific area or facility, it is important to note that preferences cannot be guaranteed.

WSLHD provides first-year registered nurses (RNs) with an opportunity to participant in a specialty program and educational pathway designed to facilitate a career in midwifery.
The Pathway into Maternity Services (PiMS) is a 12-month specialty program that offers graduate registered nurses the opportunity to work in specialty practice areas of Women’s, Paediatrics and Neonatology Health services within WSLHD.
Over the 12-month speciality program, graduate RNs will rotate through supportive learning environments where they will develop their knowledge, skills and professional practice while transitioning through the health services. This transition allows RNs to merge their existing skills and experiences with the specialised knowledge required for midwifery practice in their second year of registration while undertaking the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery.
The pathway consists of ward rotations, manageable education and training steps to support RNs transition into the MidStart program.
The WSLHD PiMS program is designed to support RN career development and enrolment into the NSW Health MidStart Program during the second year of registration.
Should participants opt not to transition into the MidStart Program upon completing GradStart, they may be re-allocated out of maternity services into a vacant RN position within WSLHD.

GradStart Q and A (PDF 252.48KB) (pdf)

To be eligible for a WSLHD GradStart Program, students MUST apply through the NSW Health GradStart website.

If you have any enquiries about our programs, please do not hesitate to contact us WSLHD-GradStart@health.nsw.gov.au

ABOUT US
Auburn Hospital is affiliated with the University of Notre Dame as a teaching hospital that serves a culturally diverse population demographic, with 67% of patients coming from a non-English speaking background. Auburn Hospital provides a comprehensive range of clinical services including:

• Emergency Department
• General medical (including cardiology, endocrinology and neurology)
• General surgical
• Paediatric day-only surgery
• Short-stay medical
• Surgical
• Maternity Services and newborn care for lowrisk births including community midwifery and caseloads
• Satellite renal dialysis

GRADSTART AT AUBURN HOSPITAL
The GradStart program at Auburn Hospital provides graduates with an ideal opportunity to cultivate essential foundational skills encompassing clinical proficiency, time management, medication administration, surgical, medical, peri-operative and critical care skills.

Auburn Hospital fosters a nurturing environment for GradStart registered nurses and midwives - empowering them to provide excellent patient care in collaboration with patients, carers and their families.

The GradStart program offers two rotations for registered nurses and three rotations for registered midwives within a welcoming and supportive environment, with educational opportunities for skill development, professional growth and career advancement.

GRADSTART FRAMEWORK
The WSLHD GradStart program comprises of specialised initiatives tailored to support the integration of registered nurses and midwives into the clinical workforce and foster their development as proficient and confident practitioners. The GradStart Orientation Framework includes:

Supernumerary shifts
Facilitated study days
Educational support
Preceptorship
Clinical supervision
"Auburn hospital serves one of the most cultural and linguistically diverse population groups in Australia with over seventeen key languages spoken in the local community."
 

ABOUT US
Blacktown Mount Druitt Hospital is affiliated with the University of Western Sydney and is tertiary care facility, recognized for its exceptional standards in patient care, healthcare professional education, pioneering research, and dedication to the delivering of exceptional healthcare services to the local population.

Blacktown Mt Druitt Hospital provides 24-hour emergency services, intensive and high dependency care (Blacktown), speciality sub-acute, medical and surgical care, obstetrics, paediatrics, newborn care, rehabilitation, inpatient acute mental health and community health services and palliative care.

GRADSTART AT BLACKTOWN MT DRUITT HOSPITAL
The GradStart program at Blacktown Mt Druitt Hospital offers recent graduates with an excellent opportunity to cultivate fundamental skills in an acute care environment. This encompasses acquiring clinical expertise in surgical, medical, perioperative and critical care fields as well as developing proficiency in time management and medication administration. The GradStart program at Blacktown Mt Druitt Hospital offers for registered nurses and three rotations for registered midwives across various areas including:

• Intensive care unit
• Emergency Department
• Paediatrics
• Aged care
• Cancer services
• Palliative care
• Imaging and catheter lab
• Medical and surgical
• Women's health Operating Suite/Recovery/ Anaesthetics
• Maternity services with all risk models of care from high acuities to midwifery group practice, MAPs and community clinics, post natal care and special care nursery and midwives

GRADSTART FRAMEWORK
The WSLHD GradStart program comprises of specialised initiatives tailored to support the integration of registered nurses and midwives into the clinical workforce and foster their development as proficient and confident practitioners. The GradStart Framework includes:

• Orientation
• Supernumerary shifts
• Facilitated study days
• Educational support
• Preceptorship
• Clinical supervision

ABOUT US
WSLHD's Drug Health Services offers support in addressing drug and alcohol issues for individuals, families and the wider community.

The Drug Health Services' priorities are to provide equitable services to all members of the community including marginalised groups, and provide access to all levels of service from population-based strategies designed to prevent substance abuse in the first instance, to outpatient individual and group programs, and inpatient detoxification services to help those with severe dependence issues.

GRADSTART AT DRUG HEALTH
The GradStart program at Drug Health offers recent graduates with an excellent opportunity to develop skills within the community health setting.

GradStart participants work within all WSLHD hospitals and various community health centres, delivering treatment and assistance to individuals impacted by substance misuse.

New graduate registered nurses will have the unique opportunity to develop specialised skills in drug and alcohol assessment, working with clients experiencing suicidal ideation, managing various states or intoxication or withdrawal and the administration and management of pharmacotherapies.

The GradStart program at Drug Health is a 12 month placement where participants will have the opportunity to rotate through various departments within the service.

GRADSTART FRAMEWORK
The WSLHD GradStart program comprises of specialised initiatives tailored to support the integration of registered nurses into the clinical workforce and foster their development as proficient and confident practitioners.

The GradStart Framework includes:

• Orientation
• Supernumerary shifts
• Facilitated study days
• Educational support
• Preceptorship
• Clinical supervision

ABOUT US
Integrated and Community Health (ICH) partners with a broad range of stakeholders to provide patient centred care and respond to the dynamic needs of the community.

ICH is passionate about the delivery of the right care, at the right time, in the right place to ensure sustainability, capability and capacity of the service now and into the future.

Community Health nursing within Western Sydney Local Health District provides a range of services to all members of the community living within the Auburn, Holroyd, Parramatta, Hillis District and Blacktown Local Government Authorities.

GRADSTART AT INTEGRATED AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
TThe GradStart program at ICH offers recent graduates with an excellent opportunity to develop essential skills within the community health setting. This encompasses gaining clinical expertise in holistic assessment, multidisciplinary care, clinical decision making, case management, skills in inter­agency collaboration as well as developing proficiency in time management and working autonomously. The GradStart program at ICH offers two rotations across various areas (or 12 months in one clinical area), including:

• Hospital in the Home
• Chronic and Complex Care
• Child and Family Health

GRADSTART FRAMEWORK
The WSLHD GradStart program comprises of specialised initiatives tailored to support the integration of registered nurses and midwives into the clinical workforce and foster their development as proficient and confident practitioners. The GradStart Framework includes:

• Supernumerary shifts
• Facilitated study days
• Educational support
• Preceptorship
• Clinical supervision

ABOUT US
WSLHD's Mental Health Services offer comprehensive support to individuals of all ages experiencing various mental health illnesses and disorders.

Services encompass prevention, early detection, early intervention, triage. assessment. acute and sub-acute care. as well as diverse levels o† treatment and ongoing community support.

Inpatient nursing care is available at Blacktown and Mt Druitt, Westmead, and Cumberland Hospitals.

GRADSTART AT INTEGRATED MENTAL HEALTH
The GradStart program provides recent graduates with a valuable opportunity to cultivate skills in the mental health domain, addressing the escalating needs posed by increasingly complex mental health issues.

Participants will be able to engage with diverse age demographics, spanning from the elderly to adults, adolescents, and mothers and babies

Through these interactions, new graduate nurses will acquire valuable experiences I in specialised mental health nursing competencies. These include skills in identifying domestic violence through screening, performing delirium and cognitive assessments, safeguarding children, and providing support for clients with suicidal ideation.

GRADSTART FRAMEWORK
The WSLHD GradStart program comprises of specialised initiatives tailored to support the integration of registered nurses into the clinical workforce and foster their development as proficient and confident practitioners.

The GradStart Framework includes:

• Orientation
• Supernumerary shifts
• Facilitated study days
• Educational support
• Preceptorship
• Clinical supervision

ABOUT US
Westmead Hospital is affiliated with the Sydney Medical School at the University of Sydney and serves as a major teaching hospital and principal referral centre for western Sydney.

Westmead Hospital is renowned for its comprehensive, highly specialised and complex services provided to not only the local community but also at the statewide and national level.

Currently undergoing a major redevelopment program, Westmead Hospital will be one of the largest clinical, education, research and training precincts in Australia.

GRADSTART AT WESTMEAD HOSPITAL
The GradStart program at Westmead Hospital offers recent graduates with an excellent opportunity to cultivate fundamental skills in an acute care environment.

This encompasses acquiring clinical expertise in surgical, medical, perioperative and critical care fields as well as developing proficiency in time management and medication administration. The GradStart program at Westmead Hospital offers two rotations for registered nurses and three rotations for registered midwives across various areas, including:
 

• Intensive care unit
• Emergency Department
• Paediatrics
• Aged care
• Cancer services
• Palliative care
• Imaging and catheter lab
• Medical and surgical
• Women's health
• Operating Suite/Recovery/ Anaesthetic

Maternity services with all risk models of care from high acuities to midwifery group practice, practice, MAPs and community clinics, post natal care and special care nursery and midwives

GRADSTART FRAMEWORK
The WSLHD GradStart program comprises of specialised initiatives tailored to support the integration of registered nurses and midwives into the clinical workforce and foster their development as proficient and confident practitioners.

The GradStart framework includes:

• Orientation
• Supernumerary shifts
• Facilitated study days
• Educational support
• Preceptorship
• Clinical supervision

Jefferson is the A/Nurse Educator and GradStart Coordinator at Auburn Hospital. Jeff has a diverse clinical background in various specialties including mental health, medical, surgical, palliative, paediatrics and critical care (i.e., emergency department). In addition to his substantive role as Clinical Nurse Educator and previous A/Nursing Unit Manager role, Jeff is also one of the co-leads of Auburn Hospital's Standard 5: Comprehensive Care Committee.
He is passionate about education and quality improvement with one of his quality projects, the ABCS Mental Health Observation Chart, being recognised in the 2023 WSLHD Quality Awards and winning the Excellence in the Provision of Mental Health Services Award. Jefferson is committed in ensuring that the new graduates in the hospital receive support, guidance, education, supervision and safe learning environment as they navigate the challenges in their first-year nursing profession.
 

Reshma Vahora is Nurse Educator for Mental Health Services at WSLHD.
Reshma started her career as a mental health nurse and has worked in acute settings both inpatient and community. She has held several seconded/permanent positions including Clinical Nurse Educator, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Nurse Unit Manager, Nurse Educator and Nurse Manager of education within mental health services.
Her passion for Mental Health Nursing and education led her to complete a master’s degree in Mental Health Nursing and move to her lifelong goal to be part of education and training. Reshma is passionate about preparing nurses to be successful and compassionate Mental Health Nurses.
 

Jonathon is a Nurse Educator and the GradStart Coordinator for Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals. He is also the facility coordinator for nursing student's clinical placements at Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals.
Jonathon has worked as a nurse in various roles in WSLHD. This includes Clinical Nurse Educator, Clinical Nurse Consultant and most recently as Nurse Educator. He has extensive clinical experience in emergency and paediatric nursing. Jonathon is passionate about embedding education and research into clinical practice. This passion has led him on a journey of professional development with post-graduate qualifications and specialised training in simulation-based education. He is excited to support New Graduate Nurses as they transition into clinical practice.
 

Carol is the Education Coordinator for Integrated and Community Health (ICH) and manages a team that provides education services to a wide range of staff across multiple sites at WSLHD. Carol has worked in a variety of clinical settings including: Intensive Care, Midwifery, Justice Health and Community Health, holding various positions (CNS, CNC3 and Nurse Manager).
The ICH Education Team are enthusiastic about providing education and support to the GradStart program. The team works with ICH managers, clinicians, and clinical specialists to ensure the clinical and professional development of new Graduates.
Carol is passionate about education and in particular working with subject matter experts to develop effective education programs/learning materials and competencies. Carol sees education as key in ensuring staff are knowledgeable, skilled, and confident to deliver quality care to the community.
 

Joy commenced her nursing career as a Registered Nurse in the Intensive Care Unit, where she developed a strong foundation in critical care, teamwork, and clinical excellence. Her passion for teaching and mentoring led her to transition into nursing education, where she has held several roles including After-Hours Clinical Nurse Educator, Transition-to-Practice CNE, and now, Grad Start Nurse Educator/Coordinator at Westmead Hospital. In this role, Joy coordinates and supports large cohorts of Graduate Registered Nurses, guiding them through their transition to practice, orientation, and competency development across diverse clinical settings. She also oversees and supports student nurses during their placements.
Joy is passionate about supporting and empowering early-career nurses to grow in confidence and capability. She takes pride in building supportive, inclusive learning environments where graduates feel valued and inspired to deliver safe, high-quality patient care. Her approach centres on collaboration, professional growth, and the belief that every nurse deserves the opportunity to thrive and find purpose in their career.
 

Karen Johns commenced her nursing career as a Registered Nurse in 1992. She has worked in a variety of clinical areas including the Emergency Department, surgical and medical wards. In 1993, Karen commenced her Graduate Diploma in Midwifery with the University of Sydney at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. She has over 25 years of Birth Unit experience and has been involved in Midwifery education for 11 years, initially at Auburn Hospital as a Clinical Midwifery Educator then moving to Westmead as a Midwifery Educator in 2016.
Karen has post graduate qualifications in Midwifery, Child and Family Health, Education, and practised as an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant for 10 years.
Karen is passionate about Midwifery, supporting women, education, and supporting student midwives and newly graduated midwives. Karen has been a Midwifery Educator at Westmead Hospital for 9 years and is a proud Mentor in Midwifery facilitator (MiM), striving to create a supportive and nurturing environment for student midwives, early career midwives and all members of our midwifery team.