Grad nurses complete aged care experience
12 months on, Bupa’s graduate RNs are preparing for careers in aged care.
Bupa’s first intake of graduate nurses with the head of learning and development, Margaret Ryab (far left).
Nurses in the first intake of Bupa Care Services’ graduate nurse program are close to completing their 12 months of aged care specialisation.
On their final placement now, the 16 graduate RNs have spent the past year learning about assessment, care planning, dementia and leadership.
Bupa’s head of learning and development, Margaret Ryan said the graduate RNs had learnt a lot about the sector through the program.
“We have got some very motivated young people who have a real interest in aged care as a career and that has probably been reinforced through the program,” she said.
“It has more than met our expectations in that way.”
The graduate nurse program is being run in conjunction with the College of Nursing in an attempt to attract recent nurse graduates to the sector.
Participating graduates are provided with a combination of theoretical lectures and hands on clinical experience.
They are also given the chance to commence a three year postgraduate certificate in aged care with funding from Bupa.
Program participant, Alma O’Leary the course had been a huge learning curve, providing opportunities to hone her leadership skills and coping mechanisms.
Ms O’Leary has worked in aged care since leaving school in 2002 and she is currently working as a registered nurse at Bupa Roseville.
“I am interested in caring for people with dementia, wound management and education. I derive a lot of personal satisfaction from being able to make a difference to a person’s life through the care I deliver,” she said.
Ms Ryan said the course had also helped the graduate RNs to think about the options available to them in aged care.
“They have had a real vision of where they can go within the industry,” she said.
“A lot of them are now already thinking about whether they want to be a care manager or a general manger.
“Obviously they are not ready for that yet but they can see a career path within aged care which perhaps wasn’t so clear before.”
Bupa is currently conducting interviews for 25 new RNs to join the program in 2011.
