Rotary Club of Sale
Rural Nursing Scholarship 2021
Federation University, Gippsland Campus, Vic
Final Rural Placement – Bairnsdale Regional Hospital
Post Grad Placement – Central Gippsland Health, Sale
Why do I wish to do rural and remote training?
One of my main endeavours to continue being a rural nurse for my graduate position has come from working at Central Gippsland Health for the past 2.5 years. Along with completing placements throughout my studies at hospitals such as Barinsdale Regional Hospital and Central Gippsland health, both have given me broad exposure into the variety of work that I can e involved in.
I believe you experience so many different aspects of nursing in a small hospital and I have found that I have become multi-skilled quite quickly. Rural hospitals give you a strong opportunity to develop your career as the support and education is wonderful, with educators eager for me to learn and do rolls where I have found in larger hospitals harder to come across.
I have lived within Gippsland my whole life and hope that I am given the opportunity to stay and grow with my current workplace or a town close by for my graduate position. My biggest aspiration is to further my studies after completing my graduate year and this scholarship will be a huge help in assisting me with my goal of becoming a midwife and being able to give even more back to the rural hospital that gives me the opportunity to continue my career.
I love and appreciate my hometown and I would be thrilled to be part of the Rotary Club as it will give me the opportunity to see another aspect of the community.
Final (University) Rural Report
My last ever placement for my nursing degree, I was in at Bairnsdale Regional Hospital (BRH) throughout my 6 weeks at BRH I was rotated through theatre, Short Stay Unit (SSU) and High dependency unit (HDU), spending 2 weeks in each setting. The knowledge I gained during my final 6 weeks as a student nurse, was amazing and I am so grateful for my time I received on each of these departments.
I was very nervous at the beginning of my placement as I was going into 3 different places where I’d have to quickly adapt and learn a wide range of skill mix, however I have had experience as an Enrolled Nurse for 2.5 years at a similar rural hospital. I believe that my past experience helped give me my basic nursing skills such as communication, advocating for my patients and working with multidisciplinary teams.
I am very grateful I for my placement as I was paired with amazing preceptors along my 6 weeks, I found I have taken something from each one individually. My first few days in each department was definitely challenging as I had to meet new staff and learn a new process, I was fortunate enough with my background experience to easily adapt and try my hardest to show initiative.
I was lucky enough to see a whole range of things, in theatre I received really great feedback, I had some stressful days where I worked alongside the highly trained Doctors and nurses where I felt I had to try my best to impress.
SSU was where I spent my second 2 weeks of placement and I found I picked up the routine and caught the hang of things within the first 2 days, once again I received great feedback from all my preceptors.
Lastly, I spent my final 2 weeks in HDU which was a place I had not worked yet, and it was very interesting looking after some very unwell patients and being exposed to different sorts of medications. Overall, I had a great experience at BRH and really enjoyed my final placement, I really hope to casually work at BRH in the future.
I am now in my first week of my graduate year at Central Gippsland Health, currently working in Critical Care unit, I believe I was very fortunate with my placement as it all links into the department I am in now.
Post Grad Rural Placement Report
I finished my grad year at Central Gippsland Health (CGH)at the start of February, I finished my last rotation in Wilson Lodge which was a good experience as I love working in aged care, my roles involved working on the floor attending to the residents ADL’s and also doing in charge shifts. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to complete my grad year at CGH as I have learnt so much and feel I have grown as a nurse.
I was lucky enough to get a contract on the Surgical Ward at CGH which I have already been working on on the department for over a month now. I am really enjoying working there as some great opportunities have already arisen, I have been pushed out of my comfort zone and love feeling confident and capable as the amazing staff make you feel a part of their team.
I have already been exposed to so much my role in surgical includes, pre and post operative patients, drainage tube management, hospital in the home including COVID hospital in the home, attending to wounds, medical patients, palliative care etc. I love working on surgical as it has such a broad range of patients and every day is a challenge! I am continuously learning and so grateful that I have the opportunity to be a part of the surgical ward.
I am so grateful for my scholarship I was lucky enough to be granted and this has been such a help over the past 12 months, it has definitely helped me achieve my goals as a nurse.