Graduates ready to start year at RGH

The latest crop of nursing and midwifery graduates started at Rockingham General Hospital last week, eager to put three years of study into practice.

RGH graduate program co-ordinator Kate Marwood said the 10 students, most of whom live in and around the Rockingham area, would spend the next 12 months gaining hands-on experience as part of the final component required for their degrees.

Mrs Marwood said graduate registered nurses Joanna Okolie, Catana Palise, Lesley-Ann Kelly, Moreblessing Ndhlovu, Rebecca Lund, Natalie Gregory, Jo-Anne Belovedet, Danielle DeJonge, Marion Oliver and Laura Judd, as well as graduate registered midwifes Tracy Woods and Rachel Witzand were all qualified nurses, and the program would serve as a transitionary period into their nursing careers.

“The graduates are a really lively bunch and it’s only their first week,” Mrs Marwood said.

“They will each work in two different wards over the next 12 months — we try to accommodate their ward preferences.”

Mrs Marwood said there were more than 50 applications for the 10 available places and the chosen graduates, from Notre Dame, Murdoch and Curtin universities and University of Western Australia, were chosen through an interview process last year.

Rockingham registered nurse Laura Judd said she felt a little nervous, but excited about the year to come.

Ms Judd said she was pleased to win a place at Rockingham General Hospital.

“We have the most up-to-date training and have a lot to offer — but we also have a lot to learn,” she said.

A RGH spokeswoman said hospital staff looked forward to working with the graduates.