It’s the dawn of a new era at QEII Hospital, where over 100 ready-to-launch nursing graduates flocked to explore career offerings at the 2024 Nursing Graduate Open Day on 11 July.
Welcoming applicants from universities across SEQ, the annual event offers soon-to-be grads a taste of nurse life at QEII ahead of August applications.
Almost 40 staff from throughout QEII’s specialties and other Metro South Health services were at the ready with interactive stalls, activities and advice to help the soon-to-be grads navigate the wealth of opportunities on offer. Resident therapy dog Finley was also onsite to offer calming cuddles with the excited grads as they weighed up their options.
QEII was the obvious choice for nursing students Olivia (left) and Grace (middle), after mutually successful placements sealed the deal for the friends.
“I was here for my last placement and had an overwhelmingly positive experience at Ward 4B,” said Olivia.
“The team was the best team I ever worked with. They were really supportive and reassuring, so I’m thinking I’d like to apply to work at 4B for my post-grad.”
“I’ve been here on nursing placement and also had a very positive experience,” agreed Grace.
“I like that QEII is a smaller hospital. There’s a greater sense of community because everyone knows each other. The staff I worked with really made my experience that much better,” she said.
Graduate Support Program Coordinator Renee Langridge says the event is an integral phase in the transition from student nurse to graduate nurse.
“With QH nursing graduate applications closing in early August, the event provides a unique opportunity for prospective graduate applicants to come to QEII, check out our facilities, get a feel for the work environment, and talk face-to-face with current grads and nursing staff about what it’s really like to be a nurse, and how we will be there to help them navigate this next step in their nursing career,” she explained.
Renee and her team at the Graduate Support Program, who recently won the 2024 QEII International Nurses’ Day Team of the Year Award, were also on hand to offer their support to attendees.
“We’re here to inspire the future nursing workforce and share how we will support them throughout their graduate year, providing training, support, and being their all-round cheer squad,” Renee said.
As QEII looks forward to growing its services over the next few years, Renee says now is the time to build a strong nursing workforce.
“QEII is expanding, and our workforce needs to grow with it. That starts with nursing graduates. QEII is a great place to complete your graduate year in nursing – we are a medium-sized facility where everyone knows your name, though we still have plenty of opportunity to provide a solid foundation in nursing knowledge and skills as students transition to new nurses. The education and support available here is second to none, with a strong focus on culture and QEII’s team spirit.”
Special thanks to our external partners at QSuper, QNMU, Australian College of Nursing and CQU.
A warm welcome to students who came from far and wide to represent the following universities:
- Griffith Uni – main education partner for clinical placements
- QUT – main education partner for clinical placements
- UQ – main education partner for clinical placements
- CQU – main education partner for post graduate certificate
- Curtin
- ACU
- SCU
- USQ