Clinical settings available

During the program, the first-year registered nurse has the opportunity to consolidate practice in the clinical setting. Clinical settings include:

• Perioperative service stream (anaesthetics, recovery, scrub/scout and day stay) (The Children's Hospital at Westmead)
• Recovery (Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick)
• Adolescent surgery/medical
• Oncology/Haematology
• Burns/Plastic surgery
• Neuroscience
• Cardiothoracic
• Surgical
• Orthopaedic
• Medical
• Isolation/Infectious diseases
• Day stay/Medical and surgical
• Cardiac, renal and liver transplants (The Children's Hospital at Westmead)
• Renal transplants (Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick)
• Neonatal intensive care (The Children's Hospital at Westmead)
• Gastroenterology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology
• Emergency department
• Paediatric intensive care unit

Participants are given an opportunity to indicate their ward preferences during the 12-month program.

Honours program

Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network offers first-year registered nurses the opportunity to undertake their honours program while continuing to work as a first-year registered nurse. Participants in the GradStart Program are employed by Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network on a permanent contract.

The Hospitals will support program participants through the provision of study leave to attend their university commitments and participants are encouraged to apply for nursing scholarships at the hospital.

The honours program is supported by the Nursing Research Unit who assist participants with their project through supervision, regular meetings and workshops. Honours program participants will have the opportunity to rotate through general and specialty areas in the hospital.

All positions the GradStart program at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network are made via the NSW Ministry of Health: Nurses and Midwifery Office (NaMO).

NaMO have online online modules available to watch to support students through the application and recruitment process. 

No applications outside of this process will be considered.

Employment details

Participants in the GradStart program are employed by Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network on a permanent contract with the opportunity to move to a different clinical area after 12 months of employment subject to availability and manager’s approval.

Placements are determined based on workforce needs to ensure the best fit for both the graduate and the organisation.

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Nurses Registration

All participants must be eligible to apply and be granted their NSW Nurses Registration prior to commencement of the program. Failure to meet this criterion will prevent the first year registered nurse from applying for and commencing the program.

Immunisation status

All participants must be fully vaccinated prior to commencing the program at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network. An offer of employment will only be confirmed to the successful applicant when evidence of protection against the specified infectious diseases and TB screening is provided and accepted by Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network.

Annual leave

Annual leave will be available during the program.

Uniform

Nurses at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network are provided with a uniform package. It is expected that GradStart participants will wear the uniform in full, as professional presentation is considered essential for all staff.