Nursing and midwifery careers at 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 Western Sydney LHD 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 6-month clinical rotations and registered midwives will have 3 clinical rotations. 

Gradstart participants: 

• attend district and ward/unit orientation sessions
• complete 5 supernumerary shifts
• participate in structured education support days and reflective clinical supervision.

GradStar 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 understand that we can't guarantee preferences.

Check your eligibility and apply now.

The Western Sydney LHD GradStart program includes specialised initiatives designed to support the integration of registered nurses and midwives into the clinical workforce and foster their development as capable and confident practitioners. The GradStart Orientation Framework includes:

• supernumerary shifts
• facilitated study days
• educational support
• preceptorship
• clinical supervision.

You can download the WSLHD GradStart program framework (PDF 4.95MB).

About us

Auburn hospital serves one of the most cultural and linguistically diverse population groups in Australia with over 17 languages spoken in the local community and 67% of patients from non-English speaking backgrounds. It is a teaching hospital partnered with the University of Notre Dame. The hospital offers a wide range of clinical services to meet the needs of its patients 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 low-risk births including community midwifery and caseloads
• satellite renal dialysis.

GradStart at Auburn Hospital

The GradStart program at Auburn Hospital gives new nurses and midwives a great chance to build key skills in areas like clinical care, time management, medication administration, surgery, medical, peri-operative, and critical care.

Auburn Hospital creates a supportive environment that helps GradStart nurses and midwives grow in confidence and deliver excellent care alongside patients, carers, and families.

The program includes: 

• 2 rotations for registered nurses
• 3 for registered midwives. 

Graduates also benefit from a friendly and encouraging workplace, with learning opportunities to improve their skills, grow professionally, and plan their career path.

About us

Blacktown Hospital and Mount Druitt Hospitals are tertiary care centres. They are partnered with Western Sydney University and are recognised for their high standards in:

• patient care
• education and training for health professionals
• innovative medical research
• commitment to delivering quality healthcare to the local community.

Blacktown and Mt Druitt Hospital provide: 

• 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
• palliative care.

GradStart at Blacktown and Mt Druitt Hospitals

The GradStart program gives newly registered nurses and midwives the opportunity to build their skills in a supportive, acute care setting. You will develop clinical experience in areas such as:

• surgical care
• medical care
• perioperative services
• critical care.

You will also gain skills in time management and safe medication administration.

The GradStart program at Blacktown and Mt Druitt Hospital offers rotations for registered nurses and 3 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 and 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.

About us

Westmead Hospital is one of the largest hospital complexes in the southern hemisphere and serves a population of over 1.5 million people. It is a major teaching hospital and referral centre in western Sydney. It is partnered with the Sydney Medical School at the University of Sydney.

The hospital is known for delivering complex and specialised care to the local community and people across NSW and Australia.

Westmead Hospital is currently part of a major redevelopment. When complete, it will be one of Australia's largest precincts for clinical care, education, research and training.

GradStart at Westmead Hospital

The GradStart program at Westmead Hospital is designed for recent graduates. It offers a strong foundation to build clinical skills in an acute care environment.

Graduates learn and develop skills in:

• surgical and medical care
• perioperative and critical care
• time management
• safe and effective medication administration.

Registered nurses complete 2 rotations. Registered midwives complete 3 rotations. These may include placements in:

• the intensive care unit
• the 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.

About us

Western Sydney LHD Drug Health Services supports individuals, families and the community with drug and alcohol concerns. Drug Health services also support the Children's Hospital Westmead to care for children of clients attending services within the district.

We offer services that are:

• fair and inclusive, including for people from marginalised communities
• available at different levels, from early prevention to specialist care.

Our services include:

• community-based programs to prevent substance use
• outpatient support for individuals and groups
• inpatient detox programs for people with complex needs.

GradStart at Drug Health

The GradStart program at Drug Health is a 12-month opportunity for new graduate registered nurses to build skills in a community health setting.

As a GradStart nurse, you will:

• work across Western Sydney LHD hospitals and community health centres
• support people affected by drug and alcohol use.

You will have the opportunity to develop skills to:

• assess drug and alcohol use
• support people experiencing suicidal thoughts
• manage intoxication and withdrawal
• deliver and monitor treatment using pharmacotherapies.

GradStart nurses rotate through different areas of Drug Health Services, gaining experience across the full range of care we provide.

About us

Integrated and Community Health (ICH) works with a wide range of partners to deliver patient centred care. We adapt our services to meet the changing needs of the community.

We focus on delivering the right care, in the right place, at the right time. This approach helps build a strong, sustainable and capable health service for now and the future. Community Health nurses provide a range of services to all members of the community living in:

• Auburn
• Holroyd
• Parramatta
• The Hills District
• Blacktown.

GradStart at Integrated and Community Health

Our GradStart program is a great opportunity for recent graduates to build strong foundations in community health nursing.

As a graduate, you will develop key skills in:

• holistic assessment
• multidisciplinary care
• clinical decision-making
• case management
• inter-agency collaboration
• time management
• working independently.

You can complete 2 rotations across different service areas or spend 12 months in one clinical area. Areas include:

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

About us

Western Sydney LHD's mental health services represent the largest service of its kind in NSW. It provides mental health support for people of all ages. Services are available for people living with a wide range of mental health conditions.

We offer care that includes:

• prevention
• early detection and intervention
• triage and assessment
• acute and sub-acute care
• ongoing treatment and support in the community.

Inpatient nursing mental health care is available at:

• Blacktown Hospital
• Mount Druitt hospital
• Westmead Hospital
• Cumberland Hospital.

Gradstart at Integrated Mental Health

The GradStart program gives new nursing graduates opportunities to develop the skills in mental health that are needed to care for people with increasingly complex needs.

As a GradStart participant, you'll work with:

• older people
• adults
• adolescents
• mothers and babies.

You’ll learn how to:

• recognise and respond to domestic and family violence
• assess cognitive health and delirium
• support people at risk of suicide
• safeguard children.

Each year, our midwives care for women and families during the birth of around 10,000 babies. With birth rates continuing to rise, this number is expected to grow.

We aim to provide the right care, at the right time, in the right place for every woman and her family.

Our services include:

• midwifery-led continuity of care for women with normal pregnancies
• highly collaborative interdisciplinary team care required for women experiencing complexity in their pregnancy or high-risk fetal conditions.

All care is guided by the principles of woman-centred care, clinical best practice, and supporting women to make informed choices about their health.

Becoming a midwife

If you are a registered nurse, you can become a registered midwife by completing the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery. This is a tertiary qualification that leads to dual registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Once qualified, you can work anywhere in Australia as a registered midwife.

Clinical placements at Western Sydney LHD

Western Sydney LHD offers 12-month clinical placements for students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery. During this placement, you will:

• gain experience in a wide range of clinical midwifery settings
• develop the skills and knowledge needed to complete your qualification
• meet the clinical requirements for registration as a midwife in Australia.

You will be employed as a registered nurse and student midwife on a 12-month temporary contract. This includes:

• working 32 hours per week
• a rotating 7-day roster
• pay at your current registered nurse level.

Positions are available at:

• Auburn Hospital
• Blacktown Hospital
• Westmead Hospital.

There are 2 separate application processes for MidStart:

1. MidStart is the process supported by NSW Health Nursing and Midwifery Office (NaMO) to coordinate the process of applying for a studnet midwife placement in NSW Health Hospitals.
2. Enrolment in an approved University Graduate Diploma of Midwifery via University Admissions Centre

Currently we work in partnership with:

• Western Sydney University
• University of Technology Sydney
• Charles Sturt University

Find out more about the Midstart application process and scholarships

The Western Sydney LHD Nurse Bank offers permanent work for registered nurses and midwives. You can choose full-time or part-time roles. This role supports your career development as a Registered Nurse or Midwife and offers an exciting way to expand your experience in acute care.

You’ll work across several hospitals in Western Sydney, including:

• Westmead Hospital
• Blacktown Hospital
• Mount Druitt Hospital
• Auburn Hospital.

The Nurse Manager of the Nurse Bank will assign nurses or midwives to backfill temporary vacancies, such as maternity leave, across these hospitals.

As part of the Nurse Bank, you’ll:

• work in a variety of clinical areas
• join different unit-based teams
• receive support from nursing and midwifery unit managers (N/MUMs)
• get access to education teams
• build your skills and confidence in new settings.

The Nurse Bank is supported by our senior clinical multidisciplinary staff, unit based clinical nurse educators, a supportive network of nurse educators including a clinical nurse educator working across all facilities within Western Sydney LHD with a focus on the Nurse Bank.

Nurse Bank includes:

• corporate and workplace orientation
• paid educational support days
• a wide range of specialties to support career development and future specialisation.