Graduate nurses have a wide range of opportunities across the health sector, and we encourage them to explore all options for their first role.
Health New Zealand has confirmed today that we will be offering around 1800 roles to upcoming graduate nurses over the next year, with the first job offers going out this week.
Chief Nurse Nadine Gray congratulates those who have sat exams this week.
“Many graduate nurses naturally look first to hospital roles, but there are exciting opportunities right across the health system that provide valuable experience and the chance to make a real difference in people’s lives,” she says.
“Nursing offers diverse career pathways. Alongside hospital-based positions, aged care and primary care is a great place for graduate nurses to start and build their careers, with more than 300 graduate registered nurses employed in primary care over the past year.”
This is also essential to building a sustainable long-term workforce across the health sector, Gray says.
“More than 60 percent of practising nurses work outside hospitals in primary, community and aged care settings, and these roles offer excellent foundations for a long and rewarding nursing career. My own first nursing job was in aged care, and was the best start to a fulfilling career in nursing.”
Health NZ continues to support graduate employment across the sector, including funding to help primary and community providers employ up to 400 graduate registered nurses this year.
Health New Zealand is committed to employing graduate registered nurses and graduate enrolled nurses in the coming year. Recruitment will occur across the year and be spread nationwide to cover all specialties, including emergency departments, medical and surgical services, and mental health and addiction services.
“Whether you begin your career in a hospital ward, a community health service, primary care clinic or rural setting, your first role is the beginning of a professional journey that can take you in many different directions,” Gray says.
Nadine Gray says keeping recruitment comparable to last year, and higher than historic levels, reflects Health NZ’s commitment to building a strong pipeline of experienced and specialist nurses who have trained in New Zealand.
“We remain focused on continuing to grow the workforce so New Zealanders can access timely, quality care – and supporting locally-trained nurses. I want to congratulate all nurses on completing their studies and look forward to welcoming them into the health workforce this year,” says Gray.