Graduate Nursing and Midwifery Program

"In 2020, I was fortunate to obtain a graduate nurse position at the Townsville University Hospital (TUH) Renal Unit. I was excited to embark on my new career and was filled with nervous anticipation. I once read that being a graduate nurse was like learning to ride a bike with 13 wheels, while simultaneously playing the drums, and completing a crossword puzzle! This was true, and to make things more interesting, the COVID-19 pandemic was added to the mix.

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Some days things went to plan and some days I felt so overwhelmed that I questioned my ability to be a nurse. I made it through, and I attribute that largely to the support I received while participating in the Graduate Program. The team, along with the renal unit and clinical partners, were amazing as they helped me navigate my challenging first year of practice. The Graduate team provided a safe, supportive environment that facilitated interactions with other graduates where we could share our experiences without judgement. If I felt overwhelmed the team would follow up with phone calls and informal drop-in chats on the ward.

The more I learned, the more my confidence in my own practice increased. The graduate program offered a multitude of education forums, tailored to suit individual work environments.

The graduate year presented many challenges. The education and support received throughout the program facilitated personal and professional enrichment and growth and enabled me to transition from a novice nurse to a more confident practitioner."

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"Beginning my clinical practice as a newly graduated registered nurse, during a once-in-a-generation pandemic, in one of the busiest regional emergency departments in Australia, isn't what I had expected when I started studying as as nurse. After putting on those scrubs with a badge that read ‘Registered Nurse’ for the first time, a deep understanding of the ‘imposter syndrome’ phenomenon sank in!

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However, the structure of the Graduate Nurse/Midwifery Program at Townsville University Hospital (TUH) meant that these feelings were short-lived. The support I received from the TUH Clinical Integration Team and the Emergency Department staff was outstanding.

I benefited from attending tutorials presented by senior nursing staff from across the hospital and sharing in experiences from specific clinical areas with other graduate nurses during reflective sessions. Support provided by experienced Clinical Integrators in the department, after one phone call, was also very reassuring.

The thing I am most grateful for during my graduate year was the amazing support from the whole team in the Emergency Department. The entire team - from the Nurse Unit Manager right through to the Clinical Nurses, Doctors, Allied Health staff and Administrations officers - was amazing. Everyone supported me and made me feel welcome and included as a team member. Being included as a member of this amazing team – and the incredible breadth of learning that comes with it – has given me confidence on the career-long journey to proficiency."

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"After graduating university I was overwhelmed and anxious about starting a new career, especially within health care during a pandemic. Due to the support of the Graduate Program at the Townsville University Hospital, I can reflect on my first year of nursing and think about what an amazing, positive experience it was.

The program gave me the tools and support I needed to navigate the challenges a beginning nurse could face. The large number of hands-on-training opportunities and educational forums made available to me, as part of the graduate program, enriched my learning. They helped me to become more clinically skilled than I expected during my first year of practice.

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The reflection sessions, emotional support and debrief the staff on the Graduate Program team provided gave me foundational coping skills that I will carry with me through the rest of my career.

Working for a hospital and completing a graduate program that is so focused on my success has been an amazing way to start my career in nursing and I’m excited to see where it takes me."

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