TAFE Qld GC representatives Kim Meade, Maxine Hilditch, Sheree Ferguson and Debbie Blow with
Greenslopes Private Hospital representatives Terry McLaren, Kylie Geake and Tracy Boswell.
Nursing workforce milestone
6 | GPH News – August 2018 Greenslopes Private Hospital is celebrating a 10 year
partnership between Ramsay Health Care and TAFE
Queensland.
The collaboration, which was designed
to grow the nursing workforce,
has produced more than 1,500
staff (including more than 600 at
Greenslopes).
Since 2008, the two organisations
have worked together to deliver the
Diploma of Nursing, and have expanded
the arrangement to include Certificate
III in Health Services Assistance and
an Advanced Diploma of Nursing
specifically developed for Greenslopes
Private Hospital staff requirements.
“Greenslopes Private Hospital has
always been innovative in implementing
strategies for planning its future
workforce and as a result has seen a
greater utilisation of the Enrolled Nurse
workforce,” said Debbie Blow, Director
of Faculty CSH and Nursing at TAFE
Queensland Gold Coast.
Terry McLaren, Director of Clinical
Services at Greenslopes Private
Hospital, said the integrated model of
training on offer at the hospital 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 Ms McLaren.
“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.”
“Our nursing staff also 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 hospital
workforce.
The success of the relationship has
seen Ramsay Health Care and TAFE
Queensland form a partnership
agreement for the state. The partnership
program includes a range of clinical
and non-clinical qualifications for new
and existing workers in areas such as
intravenous medications, mothers and
babies and Certificate IV Training and
Assessment.
In July 2018, TAFE Queensland began
training the 22nd group of Enrolled
Nurses.