Nurses get ready to embark on their career across The Territory

The Northern Territory has welcomed 82 graduate nurses to hospitals in Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine.

The Northern Territory has welcomed its latest batch of graduate nurses set to embark on their careers in the medical industry across the state.

A total of 82 graduate nurses have come into the system with 50 of them at the Royal Darwin Hospital and another 26 at Alice Springs Hospital and a further five at Katherine Hospital.

RDH chief nursing and midwifery officer Mish Hill said graduate programs played an important part of filling vital roles in the nursing industry for the NT and there was plenty of opportunity in the NT.

“We’re very excited today to welcome our new graduates,” she said.

“I would encourage any new graduate to come and to commence a program in the Northern Territory, the opportunities in terms of your career development are unlimited.

“The diversity of care and the diseases that you will see here, you won’t see anywhere else in the country. So, it’s a wonderful development opportunity.”

Nicole Norman and Mish Hill as NT Health are excited to see the grad nurses in actions Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The graduates will embark on a 12-month program, with two six-month rotations through areas including surgery, emergency, renal service, mental health services and midwifery among others.

Director of nursing and midwifery Nicole Norman said there had also been a change to the program for those graduates who wanted to specialise in a specific area.

“So those that want to specialise in mental health, they could do a 12-month program, which gives them additional learning sets for that specialised area,” she said.

“We offer those in the emergency department, in theatre, in renal, and we’re starting them in pediatrics and our special care nursery as well.”

Grad nurses working on one of the hospital dummies. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

These dummies have played an important role in the graduates training. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Minister of Health Selena Uibo it was important for the health system to have these type of programs in place.

“These nurses will be based in regional centres and in Darwin and they will be able to learn from our experienced team of nurses and midwives,” she said.

“All graduates have the opportunity to apply for employment in the Territory and 85 per cent of graduates from the most recent cohort were employed with NT Health following completion.”

Kaly Vania who is one of the graduates stationed at RDH said she was looking forward to taking this next step in her career after coming up through an Registered Undergraduate Student of Nursing program.

“It’s going to be an exciting journey,” she said.

“Before I was in more of an assistant role, it was me assisting nurses the best that I could but now it will be me helping and managing my own patients.”

Beatrice Orji, Ambrose Tsang and Katy Vania are three of the graduates joining the program. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Ambrose Tsang is another graduate who has already had hands-on experience and he said his colleagues are what inspired him to chase this career here in the NT.

“I was in a personal care assistant role at the Royal Darwin Hospital and the team was so supportive,” he said.

“Being a PCA allowed me to work with the other nurses and allied health and that really encouraged me to choose to work in the NT.

“My first career was in sports science and through that I worked with allied health and through them I worked with nurses and I really found my passion for nursing by talking and working with them.”

Fellow graduate Beatrice Orji started her journey into nursing in her home country of Nigeria and said she was keen to help others.

“When I came into Royal Darwin Hospital as a PCA, I didn’t really waste time,” she said.

“I saw medicine as something I can do well and that it would be beneficial to others and for me.”