Graduate Study Days
Human Simulator Centre
Nursing Forum
Local Education
Health Service Wide Education
St Vincent’s Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) – ACU
Graduate Mental Health Nursing Program
There are four compulsory graduate study days during the year which you are paid to attend. The topics have a strong clinical focus and are based on feedback from Graduates. We try to incorporate as many practical elements as possible to assist with transfer and application of learning back to the clinical settings. Presentations include: wound management, ECG interpretation, IV fluids, tracheostomy care, access devices, blood transfusion and many more. During the year we incorporate time in our Human Simulator Centre on three of the four study days.
A bonus of study days is the chance to catch up and debrief with fellow Graduates. Under the Victorian Nurses Award you are entitled to a fifth paid study day and are welcome to join any of our other study days, courses or programs, or enrol in a professional development activity offered externally.
St Vincent’s state of the art human simulator is housed within our education centre which is fully equipped with the latest multimedia and virtual training technology. We have two functional SIM rooms. Our mannequin ‘ Vincent’ provides staff with the opportunity to expand their skills in a safe learning environment.
The mannequin mirrors as close as is currently possible, the physiological and pharmacological reactions of a human. He breathes, has pulses and can respond to medications, CPR, defibrillation, intubation, ventilation and many other procedures.
All graduates need to attend a minimum of 10 Nursing Forums within the 12 months of employment. Each week a presenter will discuss a topic related to nursing practice and knowledge, which is relevant to all nurses. Attendance at Nursing Forum accrues 45 minutes to Continuing Professional Development time. Nursing Forum is held every Thursday.
There are regular education sessions occurring in all clinical areas, usually in double staffing time. All wards have an education calendar so you can see what is coming up of interest, and you can attend sessions in other units. Examples of topics include: oxygen therapy, PICC lines, patient conditions/case studies, medication updates and clinical trials/research.
As a major teaching organisation, we have an extensive range of programs available during the year for nursing staff to further their professional development. St Vincent’s can offer you numerous education opportunities after your graduate year. These range from workshops to postgraduate studies. Further details can be found at
Continuing Education.
St Vincent’s Hospital in partnership with the St Vincent’s Centre for Nursing Research (SVCNR) offers nursing staff the opportunity to complete their Honours following their Graduate Nurse year. The Program allows Division 1 Registered Nurses to undertake research in an area in which they are practising and is conducted under supervision from academic staff at Australian Catholic University and SVCNR. For further information about our Honours Program visit our website at
www.svcnr.edu.au or contact: Professor Linda Worrell-Carter (03) 9288 3721
St Vincent’s Mental Health Unit has a unique and highly specialised Graduate Nurse Program to address the needs of new practitioners in Mental Health. The program is 52 weeks with 2 rotations and clinical placements will be provided in the acute adult in-patient service, community mental health services and aged mental health. The program commences in February each year. For further information or an informal visit, please contact: Terri Hunt, Clinical Nurse Educator, (03) 9288 4122 or email
terri.hunt@svhm.org.au
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