General News
14 April, 2023
Plea for nurses
RECORD high demand for qualified nurses across south west Victoria, with staffing shortages hitting particularly hard in aged care, has opened the door for training with almost guaranteed careers waiting.
South West TAFE’s Diploma of Nursing will again be offered as a free TAFE course in 2023, with regional health services saying capable graduates are virtually guaranteed a job as enrolled nurses (ENs) to combat the shortfalls.
The next South West TAFE intake for Diploma of Nursing students is set to begin in mid-2023, with both Warrnambool and Hamilton campuses to hold information sessions and zoom sessions in coming weeks.
Portland District Health (PDH) executive director of nursing, midwifery and aged care Ros Nagorcka said there were plenty of nursing jobs in the region and further afield.
“There are great career opportunities in nursing,” she said.
“Endorsed enrolled nurses are an integral part of our service, working in aged care, sub-acute, acute and theatre and we are constantly on the lookout for more staff.”
Ms Nagorcka said the TAFE Diploma of Nursing provided a great grounding for a rewarding career in healthcare.
“Once you have become an enrolled nurse, you can go on to become a registered nurse and the opportunities are endless,” she said.
South West Healthcare executive director nursing Gaynor Stevenson said nursing and healthcare as an industry was well and truly in the public spotlight due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The industry has gone through an enormous amount of change in a relatively short-time which has created a number of new and interesting career paths and opportunities for people to explore,” she said.
“If you are looking for meaningful work that is connected to people and our community, is varied from day-to-day and provides flexible working hours, nursing is an excellent option.” People and culture executive Sheron Cook said South West Healthcare was about to embark upon an exciting phase of development and growth with more than $400 million worth of redevelopment projects underway.
“This means there will be a steady supply of local jobs and opportunities for career progression in the years to come for ENs and RNs,” she said.
“Students will have increased access to state-of-the-art training opportunities and graduate work experience that is on-par with many larger health services, right here in the south-west.
“Demand for nursing graduates in healthcare and aged care continues to grow, and at South West Healthcare we will continue to offer opportunities to support working enrolled nurses to continue their education if they wish to become a registered nurse.
“Both ENs and RNs play a vital role in providing a balanced and diverse workforce and excellent care to our community.”
As a Free TAFE course, students can save up to $10,000 by enrolling in the Diploma of Nursing.
Information sessions will be held at the Warrnambool campus on Wednesday, April 19 or Wednesday, May 10 at 12.30pm and 5.30pm.
Zoom sessions will be held on Thursday, April 20 and Thursday, May 11, also at 12.30pm and 5.30pm. For more information visit https://www.swtafe.edu.au/nursing-info-sessions.
