News
International Nurses Day: development programs rolled out at Hollywood Private Hospital
May 12, 2022
Nurses will have more development opportunities at Hollywood Private Hospital with the expansion of the Ramsay Nursing and Midwifery Academy announced on International Nurses Day (May 12).
Ramsay Health Care’s Chief Nurse and Clinical Services Director, Dr Bernadette Eather, said the aim of International Nurses Day was to recognise the important role nurses play in health care.
International Nurses Day is held on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the foundational philosopher of modern nursing.
Dr Eather said Ramsay is investing in nursing with two new programs offered through the Ramsay Nursing and Midwifery Academy: a Nurse Unit Manager (NUM) Leadership Pathway Program and an Undergraduate Cadetship Program.
“The NUM Leadership Pathway Program will provide professional development, mentorship and leadership training opportunities to our entire Australian cohort of nurse and midwifery unit managers – which totals more than 500 people. These frontline leaders play a critical role in patient care while also serving as people and business managers,” Ms Eather said.
“We have also created the Undergraduate Cadetship Program, which is designed to support enrolled and registered nursing cadets during their undergraduate studies, offering them relevant employment opportunities and a guaranteed graduate interview on completion of their studies.
“Ramsay Health Care nurses are committed to providing excellent health care for their patients, and we’re committed to helping them grow their skills and excel in their nursing careers.”
The Ramsay Nursing and Midwife Academy originally launched in 2021 with four foundation programs:
- Nursing Leaders of Tomorrow Program - To support nurse unit managers (NUMs) with a formal upskilling course to develop them as leaders and reach their goals of obtaining senior nursing positions. 20 nurse managers were part of the first round of this program, including two from Hollywood Private Hospital.
- Graduate and Intern Fellowship Program - A two-year program to train, coach and support new nursing graduates to help them build a career with Ramsay and provide opportunities to specialise in their chosen area of nursing. Across the country, about 550 new graduate nurses started at Ramsay Health Care hospitals in the first graduate intake of 2022, including a record 41 graduates at Hollywood Private Hospital.
- DCS Mentorship Program – To orientate, induct and mentor our newer Directors of Clinical Services (DCSs) who are central to the success of our organisation. Currently 30 future senior leaders are being mentored with more than 50 formal mentorships to be available in the near future.
- Back to the Bedside Program – Aimed at removing red tape to allow nurses to spend more time at the bedside with patients. Ramsay will soon roll out new audit software to significantly reduce the workload of bedside audits, giving nurses time back in their shifts to attend to patient needs.
Clinical Risk and Quality Manager Suzanne Craigie participated in the Nurse Leaders of Tomorrow Program and said she was gaining valuable insights and has been applying her new skills when working with her team.
“I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity to grow my career as a nurse leader at Hollywood,” Ms Craigie said.
Clinical Nurse Manager Siobhan Flaherty said a highlight of the program was the Ramsay Nursing Leadership Forum in Brisbane in March.
“The lectures and workshops that are a part of the program helped me improve my managerial skills, from building teams to promoting positive attitudes,” Ms Flaherty said.
Hollywood Director of Clinical Services Karen Gullick said it was important to pause on International Nurses Day and recognise the contribution our nurses have made in the last year, in a particularly challenging environment.
“We are very grateful that so many of our nurses have been able to work additional hours in the face of national workforce shortages in healthcare,” Ms Gullick said
“Due to the nurses’ willingness to step up, we have been able to provide care for many patients, whose healthcare journeys could have otherwise been disrupted.”
Hollywood Private Hospital Clinical Nurse Manager Siobhan Flaherty and Clinical Risk and Quality Manager Suzanne Craigie are participating in the Nursing Leaders of Tomorrow Program.