They’re fresh out of university and might just save your life one day.
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Griffith Base Hospital welcomed its latest round of graduate nurses last week. During their year in Griffith, they will complete two six month rotations.
Natasha Walsh, Melinda George, Laura Gaffey and Annabel Locke are four of Griffith’s five graduate nurses.
Working across different departments, each nurse agreed while the year ahead was daunting, they were keen to make a difference.
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Laura Gaffey is a Griffith resident who moved back to town to be closer to family. She’s already seen some familiar faces on the wards.
“I went to university in Woolongong, but I moved back to be closer to my family,” she said.
“There have already been some family around. I had an Uncle come through on my first day.”
More than 2,400 graduate nurses and midwives are starting in hospitals across the state – with around a third kicking off their careers in rural and regional hospitals.
“It’s different from being on the ward as a student. You have the responsibility now. You have to know what’s what.”
Leeton’s Natasha Walsh has been travelling back and forth each day for work. After years of study, she says she’s excited to be out on the wards.
“After all these years of study, being able to step out on your own is the most rewarding thing,” she said.
”We’re really well supported here. Everyone has been fantastic.”
Each nurse was assigned a mentor to help them settle in.
Nurse Educator and “surrogate mother” for the graduate nurses Mandana Mayahi-Neysi said emphasis was placed on support structures for new nurses.
“They’re fantastic. They’ve adapted very fast and done very quickly,” she said.
“All of the staff have been fantastic in supporting them too.”
Member for Murray Austin Evans was just one of many welcoming the new recruits.
“I wish all our new starters the best of luck with their careers and again welcome the invaluable contribution they make to our health system,” he said.
“This year there is a record number of graduate nurses and midwives - we have 51,000 nurses and midwives working in the NSW public health system – an all-time high – but we’re working hard to boost this vital workforce even further.”