Gold Coast Health has welcomed more than 170 Newly Qualified Nurses (NQN) and Newly Qualified Midwives (NQM) to its workforce.
Among the cohort includes three Enrolled Nurses and 15 midwives.
A further 122 Registered Nurses (RNs) will bolster staff numbers in General Medical and Surgical areas, and 27 RNs will support mental health areas.
Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Patient Experience, Matthew Lunn, said the 171-strong cohort will boost Gold Coast Health’s capacity to provide excellent care to our growing community.
“This continued expansion of our workforce will provide support to our latest infrastructure offerings such as the Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit (SMHRU) and H-block, as well as builds well into the future,” he said.
“As a learning organisation, we are committed to supporting the professional development of staff through our Transition to Specialty Pathways, which provide nurses and midwives with opportunities to upskill in a range of specialty areas.”
The NQN and NQM cohort commence on clinical units across Gold Coast Health from 2 February, after completing their two-week orientation period.
In orientation, NQNs and NQMs undertake mandatory and requisite training as well as specialised training specific to the clinical areas where they will work.
NQN Lilli-Ella has already been working at Gold Coast Health as an Enrolled Nurse for the past three years.
“I've completed previous placements here throughout my studies and also had the opportunity to work on a surgical unit as an Enrolled Nurse which confirmed that this was where I wanted to continue my career,” she said.
“My dream is to work in the operating theatre. My graduate year was spent on the endoscopy and gastroenterology wards which I loved.
“My experience so far has been incredibly positive, with the supportive teams and positive workplace culture inspiring me to stay.”
Griffith University graduate Mikayla is one of the 15 NQMs joining Gold Coast Health and said she has never looked back from midwifery.
"I went to a presentation looking into the role of a midwife during a presentation at Griffith University's Open Day, and I knew that midwifery was the career for me," she said.
"I was always really interested in women's health, and it felt like everything just clicked after that presentation."
Mikayla will add further support to birthing services at Gold Coast University Hospital and community midwifery services, including Midwifery Group Practice and Waijungbah Jarjums, our one-stop service providing care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families during the first 2,000 days of infancy.
“I’ll be working in the Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) where I will be supporting women through their entire pregnancy journey,” she said.
“I did my student placement with MGP and loved it.
“I’m feeling a mix of excitement and nerves, but looking forward to finding myself as a midwife and experiencing this next chapter.”
We are thrilled to see what this cohort brings to our health service.
