News
10 year partnership boosts nursing workforce
May 28, 2018
A Queensland collaboration which has produced more than 1,500 nursing staff is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
The partnership - between one of Australia’s leading health care employers and Queensland’s largest, most experienced and trusted provider of industry relevant nursing training - was developed initially as a workforce planning strategy.
Ramsay Health Care’s Greenslopes Private Hospital requested a “Grow Your Own Workforce” strategy with TAFE Queensland Gold Coast Region Nursing educators.
“The partnership was designed to address the skills shortages in the health sector and provide Ramsay with the well-trained, highly-motivated employees the company needs to operate efficiently. It was also in recognition of how to utilise the Enrolled Nurse workforce in line with significant scope of practice changes put in place by the nursing council at the time,” says Director of Faculty CSH and Nursing, Executive Leader Health and Nursing, Debbie Blow.
The collaboration between TAFE Queensland Gold Coast Region and Ramsay Health Care commenced in April 2008 with the delivery of the Diploma of Nursing on site at Greenslopes Private Hospital (GPH), one of Australia’s largest private teaching hospitals.
GPH was innovative in implementing strategies for planning its future workforce and wanted to pursue the growing trend of greater utilisation of the Enrolled Nurse workforce.
TAFE Queensland Gold Coast Region’s nursing educational team will commence training the 22nd group of Enrolled Nurses in July 2018. A total of 1,540 nursing staff will have been trained by the end of this year’s intake. Training takes place twice a year in January and July with 35 students per group.
“Many of the initial students who were trained in 2008 are still working at GPH and will be credited for long service leave for their commitment to the RHC workforce,” said Ms Blow.
“The specific goal of GPH was to successfully continue to grow their workforce.”
TAFE Queensland Gold Coast Region expanded their course offerings to deliver the Certificate III in Health Services Assistance. The partnership has continued to grow from strength to strength with the Advanced Diploma of Nursing specifically developed and tailored for GPH staff requirements,” she said.
GPH is renowned as a world-class tertiary and teaching hospital with a comprehensive range of inpatient and day services. It is also well recognised as a leader in research in the private health care sector in Australia and is the only private hospital to boast a fully-fledged clinical school on campus.
“The integrated model of training on offer at GPH prepares students for the reality of a career in health care. Hospital employees contribute significantly to the theoretical and clinical learning of the students throughout the duration of the training program,” said Terry McLaren, Director of Clinical Services at Greenslopes Private Hospital.
“The students have the opportunity to rotate through areas and gain valuable experience through exposure in clinical areas as opposed to block placement. Students also get to know the staff and understand the culture of the hospital, which we believe improves their ability to “hit the ground” running when they graduate.”
“GPH nursing staff mentor the students and include them as part of the nursing team. We find this of great value as the student nurses grow, qualify and then become permanent employees,” said Ms McLaren.
A graduate transition program is provided after graduation to ensure a smooth transition to the GPH workforce.
The success of the 10 year relationship has seen the Diploma of Nursing program rolled out at 19 Ramsay Health Care hospital locations around Queensland. The partnership also includes up-skilling training for existing employees in areas such as Intravenous medications, Mothers and babies and Certificate IV TAE.
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