Nine out of the ten new nurse graduates that joined Central West Health this week
Ten new nursing graduates will start work with Central West Hospital and Health Service from 4 August with a week’s orientation at Longreach.
Central West Health Executive Director Healthcare Access and Coordination Karen McLellan said the August graduates brought to 23 the number of nursing graduates who had joined the health service this year, following an intake of 13 graduates in February.
This was one more than the 2024 total graduate intake of 22.
“Our new registered nurses will work in clinical areas including our hospital wards and emergency departments, as well as in primary health care,’’ she said.
“The graduates will be posted across our four major hub facilities – Longreach and Blackall hospitals and Barcaldine and Winton multipurpose health services.
“After six months at their initial location, they will then have the opportunity to work in another facility for six months. Longreach will rotate with Winton and Blackall will rotate with Barcaldine.
“They will be able to learn on the job and translate the skills they’ve learnt at university into better outcomes for patients across our region.’’
Ms McLellan said Central West Health was being regarded as an increasingly attractive area for new nurses to launch their careers.
“We are very excited to welcome our new graduates as they began their careers,’’ she said.
“As a health service, we are committed to providing training opportunities for graduate nurses. They are an important part of our team, and we value the contribution they will make.’’
Dalton Davis, one of the new nurse graduates starting work at Longreach Hospital, came to nursing after an earlier career in warehousing.
“I always had the feeling that I wanted to do something where I could help people,’’ he said.
“I thought initially that I wanted to go into paramedicine but I was a Year 9 school drop-out and didn’t know then if I would be able to make it into university.
“Then in the period before COVID, I started visiting my wife Jessica, who was a nurse at the Children’s Hospital, and taking coffee for her and her colleagues and generally chatting with people there.
“I found that I really loved getting to know people and you wouldn’t really get that to the same extent in paramedicine.
“So then, my wife said, why don’t you try to become a nurse.
“So I went on and completed a tertiary preparation program – equivalent to Year 12 – before starting my nursing degree with the University of Southern Queensland.’’
Several years later, after completing his nursing degree late last year and formally graduating early this year, Mr Davis has achieved his goal.
But while waiting for his new career to start, he, wife Jessica and their three children have already been putting roots down in Longreach.
“We were living in Ipswich and decided to sell our house, preparatory to leaving. But it sold much more quickly than we expected, so we moved to Longreach much earlier than expected in December last year,’’ Mr Davis said.
“I’ve joined a church group and we’ve been really getting to know the community.’’
Mr Davis said both he and Jessica were originally from rural towns, himself from New South Wales, and were keen to get out of the city and start a new life.
“We’re really looking forward to making a life here in Longreach,’’ he said.
Ms McLellan said the 12-month graduate transition program for new nurses involved theoretical and practical assessments.
“Graduate nurses are provided support and mentorship by experienced staff to help make the transition from studying at university to life in the workforce,’’ she said.
“They have chosen a rewarding and fulfilling profession that provides many pathways for career development and is a fabulous way of serving the community in which we live.
“We hope their first year of practice in the Central West will open their eyes to the opportunities and diverse range of professional experiences available in our region and opt to continue their career with us in the future.’’
For further information contact:
James Guthrie
Principal Media Officer, Rural and Remote Qld
Media Unit, Strategic Communications
Department of Health
(07) 3708 5379
Jim.Guthrie@health.qld.gov.au