Nurse graduates ready to develop skills

The graduates who will spend the next year nursing locally are front row, from left, Deborah Hickford, Shannon Purcell, Stephanie Edwards, Maree Archer; middle row, Tessa Haami-Jones, Kayla Jackson, Michelle Turner, Rachel Goldsworthy, Michelle Bray and back row, Rebecca Matthews, James Cable, Desmond Tunua, Precious Hungwe, Moana Witehira. Absent from the photo is Ngaire Hurunui. Photo/Supplied

Fourteen newly qualified nurses joined the Whanganui District Health Board's two-year-long nursing graduate programmes this week.

Aged in their 20s, 30s and 40s, the group will spend 2014 developing their skills in their chosen area of nursing with the WDHB's hospital, community, primary or mental health services.

Apart from one graduate who studied in Auckland, 13 of the 14 graduates studied at Whanganui UCOL's School of Nursing.

WDHB director of nursing Sandy Blake said given the limited number of dedicated new graduate positions and the WDHB's rigorous interview process, acceptance on to the programmes is special.

There is no guarantee of a permanent job with the WDHB at the end of the year but the valuable experience the graduates gain will put them in a strong position to apply for roles locally, nationally and possibly, internationally.

Among this year's graduates are Des Tunua who is joining the WDHB's mental health service and James Cable who is joining the Medical Ward.

Mrs Blake said it was encouraging to see a growing number of men choosing to pursue a nursing career.

"We don't have large numbers of male nurses in Whanganui so to have Des and James in our graduate class is wonderful."

"I'm also delighted that we have graduates of all ages and different ethnic backgrounds wanting to work across the services the WDHB provides. The health sector offers a myriad of openings for nursing graduates so it will be interesting to see where our 14 programme participants move on to."