The university graduates have spent the last three years studying a comprehensive nursing program, and are enthusiastic about starting work at Goulburn Base. Goulburn locals Kate Lawson and Janine Graham both studied aborad, with Ms Lawson travelling to Launceston to study at the University of Tasmania, and Ms Graham studying via distance education at Charles Sturt University.

Sherry Nguyen left behind the busy metropolitan hospitals of Sydney to move to Goulburn and take up a grad position. The new grads said they were looking forward to the extra opportunities that the program presents.

“I think it’s a good opportunity to be exposed to primary health care. Because it’s not such a big hospital, a lot of different things are done here, so it’s good exposure to a range of different cases,” Ms Lawson said.

“It’s only about one-in-four registered nurses that graduate who get the opportunity to take up a grad position, so they’re pretty sought-after positions,” she said.

The nurses will work four different rotations over the next 12 months, including in the medical and surgical wards, the Bourke St Health Service, Intensive Care, Theatres and Emergency.

“This is our learning opportunity to work under close direction and guidance for 12 months,” Ms Graham said. “We’ve got access to nurse educators who are there all the time to assist us with things we’re not confident with doing, so there’s a lot of support there as well,” she said.

Overall, 15 new nurses from across the Southern NSW Local Health Network (SNSWLHN) area started work last week.

SNSWLHN Chief Executive Dr Max Alexander said the new nurses are supported by a highly developed education program.

“Every nurse is immediately networked with local management and educators so they always have someone for clinical or personal support when needed,” Dr Alexander said. “We provide a variety of clinical options to ensure transitional registered nurses gain the best range of experience during their first year of service,” he said.