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Quirindi HSC students kick-start their nursing careers
Two forward-thinking students will leave school with a nationally-recognised nursing qualification and a few extra dollars in their pocket thanks to a unique initiative available through Hunter New England Health.
In 2008, two new trainees from Quirindi signed up for a Certificate III in Health Service Assistance being offered as a joint venture with Hunter New England Health, TAFE and the Department of Education and Training.
The certificates will enable the students to enter the paid workforce while learning ‘on the job’ for a qualification which counts as credit towards their final HSC result.
Quirindi Community Hospital Health Service Manager Luke Sams said the school-based traineeships would not only give students in nursing a head-start to their career but provide another avenue by which the Area could attract and retain nurses.
“We are very pleased with this program, it’s enabling school students to discover how fulfilling and rewarding a career in nursing can be,” Mr Sams said.
“By providing the vocational education Hunter New England Health is helping young people in our communities to get a taste of what interests them, while helping them to make career decisions and giving them a head start in the career of their choice,“ he said.
“We view these trainees as a way of ‘growing our own’ nurses with students being able to continue their studies as trainee enrolled nurses or undertake the Bachelor of Nursing at a university.”
Each week the students work at the hospital to complete the practical part of the course spending 100 days in employment over two years of the program. The Trainees provide direct patient care under the supervision of a registered nurse.
At the conclusion of the school-based traineeship some of the programs most dedicated students could be offered further training and employment opportunities.
Contact: Kylie Dawson
Phone: (02) 6767 7136 or 0408 667 299
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