New placements to help nursing students from northern Adelaide and regional areas gain essential hospital experience closer to home will be introduced, in an effort to strengthen the nursing workforce and reduce the financial strain on students.
An additional 150 placements will be offered to undergraduate nursing students studying at UniSA within the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN). The Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network (BHFLHN) and Yorke and Northern Local Health Network (YNLHN) are also set to provide more placement opportunities.
The new program comes following an evaluation by UniSA which revealed about 66% of the university’s undergraduate nursing students live within the catchment areas of NALHN, BHFLHN, and YNLHN. Currently, nursing students from all universities have to travel long distances, or move somewhere else temporally, to complete their clinical placements.
Students will have also have new opportunities to work as assistants in nursing, in addition to completing their clinical placements, which will not only help them earn an income, but will also allow them to gain even additional hospital experience.
Starting in 2025, the program will expand to include midwifery students, other universities, and more Local Health Networks across the state.
“Our nurses and midwives are the beating heart of our hospitals. Initiatives like these are part of our plan to support the workforce as well as those who are working their way towards the start of their nursing career,” Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Adjunct Associate Professor, Jennifer Hurley said.
“We are thinking outside the box when it comes to attracting and keeping our nurses and midwives by collaborating with colleagues across the state, and with our university sector.
“The development of these programs demonstrates the huge commitment and passion of our nursing and midwifery leaders at NALHN, YNLHN and BHFLHN.
“Our future nursing and midwifery workforce is in good hands.”
The new placement opportunities represent a significant steps toward improving the training and support of nursing students and early career nurses in SA, ultimately strengthening the state’s healthcare workforce.
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