Rural nurses valued more than ever
ighteen recent nursing graduates of La Trobe University in Mildura are now working in rural and regional communities, from Mildura to Robinvale, Gippsland to Shepparton.
Of the 20 graduates who completed a Bachelor of Nursing in 2020, 15 are employed at Mildura Base Public Hospital.
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Professor John Dewar AO said the new nurses will be play a vital role in the health of rural and regional communities for many years to come.
“Regional communities are always in need of qualified, career-ready nurses who truly understand the needs of regional people,” Professor Dewar said.
“We’ve never been more acutely aware of this, as we manage the ongoing effects of the global pandemic.
“These graduate nurses have trained in Mildura and are now taking those skills back into rural communities, which is exactly what we always hope will happen,” Professor Dewar said.
The campus has just welcomed 38 new nursing students who began their studies this month.
A new Diploma of Health Sciences is also being offered for the first time in Mildura in 2021, enabling eligible students to move seamlessly into degrees in nursing, health science and social work upon completion.