New nurses join the frontline

SIBLINGS Kealy and Aish Tupper are two of Bendigo Health’s new graduate nurses excited to begin their careers.

Last week, the health service welcomed 130 graduates to its nursing and midwifery programs where they will use their skills and enhance their confidence and knowledge.

Aish Tupper said she was looking for something more hands-on after completing a year of biomedical science, and decided on nursing.

“I just loved it,” she said. “Hands-on patient care, obviously it was a bit difficult during COVID times not being able to interact with other students, and that’s where I really relied on my sister.

“We could speak with each other about assignments and help each other out.”

Kealy Tupper had a slightly different path into nursing, working for seven years as a beauty therapist before deciding on a change of career.

“It’s nice having someone so close and to bounce things off each other, especially in a grad year,” she said.

“It can come as a bit of a shock you’re on your own doing nursing for the first time so it’s nice to share stories and share experiences with each other and gain support.”

Both sisters said they’re most excited about getting practical time on the wards, with Kealy starting in the surgical ward and Aish in rehabilitation.

Chief nursing and midwifery officer Carol-Anne Lever said nurses at Bendigo Health might have more opportunities for growth than at other hospitals.

“All these guys have come from far and wide, we’ve got people from Mildura, from Melbourne and all points in between,” she said.

“We do attract people to our hospital, it’s a great health service to work in; there’s heaps of opportunity and a great skill mix.

“If you have an experience at the Alfred, you don’t get to look after paediatrics, if you go to the Royal Melbourne you don’t get to look after gynaecology and obstetrics, they’ve got an eye and ear hospital in Melbourne, we see all those things here at Bendigo Health so you get that exposure.”

Some graduate nurses have experience in the workforce as part of Bendigo Health’s COVID response, where they’ve helped with screening, vaccination and concierge in the emergency department.

“They’ve basically been employed in Bendigo Health working within their scope as student nurses and they now become our graduate nurses which is a really awesome way to grow our own workforce,” Ms Lever said.