Large intake of nursing gradates employed at Te Whatu Ora

In the latest intake of new nursing staff at Te Whatu Ora in Taranaki WITT Te Pūkenga nurses make up 85% of the new nursing employees.

“We’re particularly proud of this cohort of nurses as they have navigated their entire degree around the constraints of COVID-19 – they’ve had lockdowns and various disruptions to the delivery of their training and placements,” says WITT Te Pūkenga Deputy Director Lead Nursing Helen Lelean.

“We also had 92% of this group pass their state final exams which is a great reflection of their tenacity.”

Gill Campbell, Te Whatu Ora Taranaki interim hospital lead, said it was wonderful to see the range of people that have chosen nursing as a career. The nurses hired range in age from 21 to 50 years.

This year there are 68 third year students, 18 more than last year, who will be looking for work at the end of the year when they have successfully completed their Bachelor of Nursing (Level 7).

“This year we have another large cohort we expect will help go some way to filling the world-wide shortage of nurses.”

WITT Te Pūkenga nursing graduates have accumulated at least 1100 hours of clinical placement in aged residential care, acute care (hospitals), mental health, community and transition by the time they have completed their Bachelor of Nursing degrees and graduate.

“Clinical placement is an important part of the degree as it provides hands-on learning to complement the classroom learning and also provides graduates with a good idea of the field of nursing they would like to work in when they complete their studies.”

Photo credit: Taranaki Daily News