Media Release 07 Jan 2008

New Nursing Graduates Welcomed at Royal North Shore

Busy Royal North Shore Hospital will receive up to 128 new graduate nurses at the end of January.

NSW Premier, Morris Iemma, made the announcement at a press conference held at RNSH last week. A record 1,600 new graduate nurses will start work in hospital wards across New South Wales, with RNSH getting the largest single group.

“We feel privileged to receive these new graduates,” said Jan Tweedie, Acting Director of Nursing at RNSH.

“I have met a number of them personally and I feel confident that they will enjoy their time with us”, said Jan.

University-based nursing training requires nurses to serve a ‘graduate year’ on the wards. The new nurses will work in a number of different wards, units and departments including paediatrics, burns, theatres and orthopaedics.

“While many new graduates know where they are heading in their nursing career, many choose a ‘rotation’ of up to four departments during this year,” explained Jan.

“The rotation provides a great opportunity to explore different career pathways throughout the hospital.”

The new nurses receive guidance throughout the year from program co-ordinators, nurse educators, clinical nurse educators and clinical experts who will offer assistance and advice. They have the opportunity to meet and care a wide variety of patients not only from the North Shore but from all over NSW and the Pacific rim.

The new ‘grads’ join the ranks of more than 2000 experienced nurses at RNSH who plan and provide patient care.

Across the world, nurses provide the majority of health services. In some countries they provide 80 percent of both acute and preventative health care.

Nursing is seen as the most ethical and honest profession of all, according to the Morgan Poll. Nursing has sustained this rank every year since being included in the survey from 1994.

Ryde, Manly and Mona Vale Hospitals each received 12 new graduate nurses.

For interviews with RNSH nurses who have just completed their graduate year
contact Emily Saker on 9926 8313 or 0404 054 160.

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