Nursing and Midwifery Graduates start Careers with Far West LHD 2021
A record 33 new registered nurses and midwifery graduates will begin working in the Far West Local Health District this year. Across the state, more than 2,500 graduates will launch their careers at 130 public health facilities this year.
The 32 new graduate registered nurses (RNs) and one graduate midwife (RM) will begin their employment with Far West LHD in its Rural and Remote Transition to GradStart Registered Nurse / Midwife Program. The 2021 cohort is the largest since the program began. The LHD employed 30 new graduates in 2020.
The Far West LHD always takes great pleasure in welcoming new graduate nurses and midwives to the District, said Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery at the Far West LHD, Ms Dale Sutton.
'The new graduates are beginning their nursing and midwifery careers with us and this is an exciting time for them and for the District,' she said.
The 2021 graduates will experience clinical practice in: Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit/Critical Care Unit, Medical and Surgical wards, Mental Health, Community Nursing, Maternity, Paediatrics, Primary Health Care, Operating Theatres and the Sub-Acute Rehabilitation Unit.
Nurses beginning work in the Far West have the opportunity to experience both rural and remote nursing through the GradStart program. The program places nurses in Broken Hill, Wentworth, Dareton, Ivanhoe, Wilcannia, Tibooburra and Balranald.
Ms Sutton said the benefits of the GradStart program is that it exposes graduates to different clinical skills, thereby improving their nursing and midwifery knowledge and clinical skill development.
'They also gain first-hand experience of working in our remote facilities and living in our communities, which is invaluable as it helps encourage recruitment of nurses to our region.'
The graduates will undergo orientation this week featuring practical and classroom activities. They will also meet staff and mentors/ supervisors who will support their transition from undergraduate university student to Registered Nurse / Midwife. They will begin work in the facilities soon after.