Nursing careers are now more accessible in Bass Coast and South Gippsland with the help of Bass Coast Health (BCH) and Federation University.
BCH has welcomed the first Federation University Nursing students in an exciting partnership which will see Bachelor of Nursing students undertake their educational learning activities at Wonthaggi Hospital – now a flexi-campus of FedUni.
The first year Bachelor of Nursing students are now at BCH after FedUni obtained accreditation from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council to undertake their program at BCH.
The first year Nursing students are currently enrolled through Federation University’s Berwick campus however, from 2024 students will directly enrol in the Wonthaggi Blended campus.
The nursing program is located in the BCH Learning and Development team’s tutorial room and clinical skills lab. Students can also attend the Bass Coast Country Universities Centre in Wonthaggi to receive study assistance and access online lectures and tutorials.
The future plan is to have 20 students across each of the 3 Bachelor of Nursing year levels undertake their clinical unit studies at BCH.
Student Lucy Veal of Wonthaggi was bubbling with enthusiasm about her new adventure.
“It’s the most amazing opportunity. I won’t have to travel to Berwick and I’ll have all the support of the Learning Skills Advisor Program through Country Universities Centre to learn academic skills,” she said.
“I’ve always wanted to be a nurse to help people.”
BCH Learning and Development Acting Co-Manager Daniel Baker said, “This is a wonderful partnership with Federation University and Bass Coast Country Universities Centre.
“We hope the students have a positive experience and would love to work with us when they finish their training in three years’ time.”
Learning and Development Acting Co-Manager Mandie Heffernan said, “We hope to have 30 students across both first and second year in 2024 and in 2025 we hope to expand our enrolment to 60 students. In the year 2026 our plan is to have 20 local graduates.
“BCH is focused on growing our own talent to meet our future workforce needs and this university partnership plays a significant role in that.”
The students will be able to complete most of their placements at BCH and take part in the Registered Student of Undergraduate Nursing (RUSON) program that enables them to work in certain nursing roles.
Bass Coast Country Universities Centre Centre Manager Andrea Evans-McCall was thrilled to witness the transformative impact the centre is having on the community.
“With the recent accreditation of Wonthaggi Hospital as a training site for Nursing students at Federation University, our centre’s role is poised to expand even further,” she said.
“We are proud to contribute to the local educational landscape by offering unwavering support to students, thereby nurturing a skilled workforce that will undoubtedly make significant contributions to the field of healthcare. The journey ahead is bright and the possibilities are boundless as we continue to champion education, opportunity and excellence within our community.”
Associate Professor Grainne Lowe and Professor Georgina Willetts from FedUni are keen to build upon this further into the future.
“It is very exciting for Federation University to be partnering with Bass Coast Health through an innovative and impactful solution, capable of enhancing the local communities through sustainable workforce development,” they said.