Rotations we offer

When allocating clinical rotations we take into consideration applicants’ areas of clinical interests combined with their ability and undergraduate placements. This allows graduates to build confidence and consolidate clinical knowledge and skills to facilitate their growth as a member of our nursing teams. 

All graduate registered nurses rotate 6 monthly, during their 12 month graduate program, to either a medical, surgical or specialty areas or sub-acute. 

All the rotations listed below are available to Graduate Nurse participating in the Aboriginal Graduate program and the RN Graduate program.

Participants in the Care of the Older Person program rotate between Ellerslie and GEM (Fitzroy & Kew).

All graduates in the Enrolled Nurse Transition to Practice Program rotate 4 monthly through three rotations over 12 months commencing in residential care, then transitioning to sub-acute at GEM or Rehab (Kew or St Vincent’s on the Park) then ending in a medical or surgical ward (Fitzroy). 

Clinical Areas

Cardiothoracic

High Dependency Area

4 East is a 20 bed ward with 4 Respiratory medicine beds. The patient mix includes cardiac patients from the Intensive Care Unit that may have temporary cardiac pacing.
Patients are admitted from home for procedures such as CAGs, valve replacement, PPM insertions and thoracic surgery including VATs pleurodesis, lobectomies and pneumonectomies. All the beds on this unit have cardiac monitoring, as patient conditions can change quickly, so assessment skills will become refined.

Colorectal/Gastroenterology/Urology

Surgical Unit

7 West is a 25 bed busy acute ward with a variety of complex patients requiring procedures such as TURP’s and prostatectomies, the medical and/or surgical management of bowel diseases and conditions such as pancreatitis and ascites.

Coronary Care & Cardiology

High Dependency Area

4 West is an 18 bed ward that comprises 6 CCU beds and 12 Cardiology/Respiratory beds.

The ward specialises in cardiology patients who have undergone coronary angioplasty, post-acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, endocarditis, heart failure, arrhythmia management and pacemaker insertion.

We also care for respiratory patients with exacerbation of chronic conditions including asthma and COPD, sometimes needing non-invasive ventilation.

Our nurses are highly skilled clinicians, many of whom have post graduate qualifications in cardiac and critical care. 4 West is an incredibly supportive nursing environment where you will have many opportunities to expand your knowledge in an acute environment.

Day Procedure Centre

This is a busy unit which has a throughput of approximately 60 patients a day. The DPU comprises (admissions, recovery room, endoscopy suite, and minor procedures room) where you will see procedures such as gastroscopies, colonoscopies, lithotripsy, angiograms, day surgery cases and ECT.

It is a great place to consolidate your time management, patient assessment skills and organisational skills.

You will learn about managing sedated patients, acute pain and post-op care.

Dialysis Unit

St Vincent’s Nephrology Service provides a full range of dialysis services for patients experiencing acute and chronic renal failure. It caters for a wide range of patient needs including acute, satellite and home services, as well as pre-dialysis assessment and education and work up for transplantation.

On-site dialysis is provided at St Vincent’s, Fitzroy and St George’s, Kew. The service also offers supportive care for St Vincent’s & Mercy Private and Peter McCallum Cancer Centre (PMCC) and supports satellite dialysis services in Sale, Werribee, Warrnambool, Swan Hill, Kyabram and Shepparton.

The main Dialysis Unit is a 15-chair community facility where you will appreciate the role and importance kidneys play as a major body system.

The Dialysis Unit also has a Home Therapies Unit –the teaching for both home haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis is undertaken in the community unit and at home.

You will have the opportunity to spend time in the acute Dialysis Unit in the inpatient building and gain experience with dialysis access, education, sterile techniques and state-of-the-art dialysis technology.

Ear, Nose & Throat, Plastics & Vascular

Surgical Unit

5 West is a 29 bed ward and a microsurgery unit renowned for being world leaders.

The ward specialises in surgery of head and neck cancers requiring reconstruction, AAA repairs using endoluminel grafts, vascular bypass surgery, skin grafts, reconstruction following mastectomies, free flaps, amputations, and replants of digits and limbs.

Ellerslie Unit

The Transitional Care at St Georges is a 34 bed inpatient unit and also has a 7 chair day respite service for clients who have carers that work or study. Patients on the Ellerslie Unit have a wide range of conditions including dementia, neurological, orthopaedic and cardiac conditions.

The Ellerslie Unit facilitates patient’s transition from acute care to the sub –acute setting and eventually discharge to the community.  Ellerslie nurses are highly skilled in assessment, consultation, liaising with relevant parties and referral to ensure patient’s needs and goals are accurately met.

In this post-acute care setting, promotion of “life out of hospital” is paramount and begins with comprehensive discharge planning on day one of admission.

Emergency Department

The Emergency Department is a challenging, dynamic learning environment with a great variety of patient presentations. It has 38 cubicles including resuscitation, acute, fast track, and short stay.

There is a strong emphasis on team work and being a member of a multidisciplinary team. During your rotation in the emergency department it is anticipated that you will develop strong assessment skills, learn to prioritise care and work as part of a multidisciplinary team.

The skills you develop during your rotation will be of value in any environment.

General Medicine

Medical Unit

8 East is a 24 bed unit consisting of four medical units and four GEM beds. Our patients have varied and complex medical conditions providing a great introduction into other speciality areas such as neurology, neurosurgery, cardiology, respiratory, endocrinology, oncology, gerontology, palliative care and infectious diseases.

We are the primary discharge destination for ICU medical patients and we embrace a multidisciplinary team approach to patient assessment, evaluation and discharge planning to provide optimal patient outcomes.

8 West is a 24 bed ward which provides a multidisciplinary assessment of General Medical patients admitted via Emergency and ICU. The General Medicine unit includes 4 cardiac monitored beds and 4 GEM plus sub-acute beds.

The unit is a dynamic environment with a high patient turnover and a patient population with diverse and complex medical conditions.

Geriatric Evaluation & Management (GEM)

St Vincent's on the Park

This sub-acute unit has 22 beds and provides an excellent opportunity to consolidate your skills as a clinician in a friendly and positive environment.

It is a busy ward, admitting patients with medical and post-surgical conditions/ co-morbidities, e.g. orthopaedic, cardiac surgery, respiratory disease, unstable diabetes, delirium, renal impairment and neurological conditions.

The multidisciplinary approach to care ensures patients achieve optimum health and function prior to discharge. GEM Fitzroy rotations do not include night duty

Kew

GEM Unit Kew at St George's is a 30 bed Geriatric Evaluation and Management unit for patients with complex health issues including respiratory, endocrine, cardiac and chronic illnesses common in the older population. The multidisciplinary approach to patient care focuses on optimising health and function prior to discharge.

Bonuses of this rotation include working in a well established multidisciplinary team, attendance at team information and planning meetings, opportunities to develop skills and knowledge specific to elder care, extension and application of pharmacology knowledge

Medical Imaging Department

This weekday only rotation involves the areas of Medical Imaging, CMMI, MRI and Angiography.

Nursing experience and education incorporates department competencies, and patient care from pre-assessment through to procedure and recovery care.

Graduates will work alongside Radiographers and Doctors to perform procedures such as biopsies, drainages, cardiac stress tests and lumbar punctures. Learning is well supported in this multi-disciplinary team, with opportunities to develop clinical and organisational skills in patient-focused nursing.

Mental Health

St Vincent's Mental Health (or Inner East Mental Health Service) provides psychiatric services to people who are aged between 16 and 65 and living in the cities of Yarra and Boroondara.

Graduate nurses could rotate through the acute adult in-patient service (AIS), community mental health services and aged mental health.

Neuroscience

Surgical Unit

10 West is a 24-bed, acute surgical ward, with facilities for monitoring epilepsy. Common surgical procedures include craniotomies, tumour resections, spinal surgery, drainage of haemorrhages, and clipping of aneurysms.

The nursing is challenging, requires a multidisciplinary approach and learning is supported by ward based education sessions. The neurosciences teams are committed to the professional development of nursing staff and Graduates.  

Oncology, Haematology & Palliative Care

Medical Unit

A 28 bed ward located across the 6 floor, patients are admitted for a variety of conditions, including acute leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, primary and metastatic tumour disease, autologous stem cell transplantation, palliation and islet cell transplantation.

The nursing team is highly skilled, enthusiastic and committed to quality patient care. We pride ourselves on our friendly approach and dedication to our patients. 

Operating Suite 

The Operating Suite will be offering a 12 month graduate pilot program in 2022, commencing in January.

Anaesthetics

Rotation within anaesthetics will reinforce your anatomy and physiology knowledge whilst you gain experience with all surgical specialities. You will become familiar with acute care skills such as invasive monitoring of patients, respiratory assessment, pain management and care of epidural/IV infusions.

Your organisational skills improve very quickly and there is plenty of support with optional learning packages available.

Perioperative

The operating suite consists of 12 theatres and performs more than 9000 operations per year. During this rotation you will rotate through each specialty theatre and learn what an instrument and circulating nurse role involves.

You will learn how to set up instruments and what they are used for, assist the surgeon with procedures and gain great knowledge of both aseptic and sterile techniques. Dexterity, good organisational skills and teamwork are crucial in this environment. You will develop an increased understanding of patient conditions/procedures.

Orthopaedics

Surgical Unit

9 East is a 24-bed surgical ward, caring for patients undergoing elective (joint replacement surgery) and emergency orthopaedic procedures, we also have a number of beds allocated for the care of rheumatology patients. It’s a very supportive team environment, fun and fast paced. There are regular local education sessions held on the unit, and local competencies to complete.

9 West is a 20-bed unit specialising in orthopaedic oncology. The unit cares for patients requiring surgical intervention for tumours of the musculoskeletal system and orthopaedic trauma, and has endocrinology beds. The nursing teams are dynamic with a focus on providing Graduate support and education to ensure best patient outcomes.

Palliative Care

Caritas Christi Hospice

Caritas Christi provides care to patients and their families with progressive diseases that are not responsive to curative treatment. Diagnoses include cancer and end stage organ failure.

It can be a very rewarding rotation for Graduate nurses, where they can gain skills in assessing and managing pain and other symptoms, using syringe drivers, and communicating with patients and their families while assisting them with their psychological, emotional and spiritual concerns. The model of care encourages holistic assessment by the multidisciplinary team. Graduates are encouraged to attend regular staff support sessions and a Palliative Care education program.

The program assists in consolidating knowledge on topics such as pain and symptom management, caregiver needs, and spiritual, pastoral and ethical principles.

Rehabilitation Unit

St Vincent's on the Park

We admit patients from all inpatient units, with the exception of ICU and Emergency. This enables the nursing team to develop a wide knowledge of both surgical and medical conditions, consolidate time management skills and develop excellent discharge planning skills. We take many of our patients within days of surgery or within the first week post stroke.

This helps the patient achieve maximum functional return in daily activities. Many of the patients still require acute care such as IV hydration/antibiotics, tracheostomy care, catheterisation, peritoneal dialysis, suture removal, and nasogastric care. We are a large multidisciplinary team with a strong teaching focus.  

Kew

The 30-bed Rehabilitation Unit at St George’s Health Service (Kew) admits patients recovering from a variety of illnesses including stroke and other neurological conditions and total hip joint replacements as well as a wide variety of medical or post surgical illnesses.
You will develop broad medication knowledge, consolidate time management and develop excellent discharge planning skills in liaison with the multi-disciplinary team.

Other experiences will include blood transfusions, bladder ultrasounds, ECGs, catheterisation, wound care, suture removal, IV hydration/antibiotics and nasogastric care. Bonuses of this rotation include a broad range of clinical experiences and minimal night duty.

Specialist Clinics

This rotation offers Graduates an opportunity to experience all specialties of St Vincent's, including medical and surgical. The environment is diverse, varied and assists in the learning and practice of specialist skills including plastering, assessment techniques, complex dressings and wound care.

The clinics are a Monday to Friday service.

Specialty Medicine

Medical Unit

Stroke, Renal, Neurology, Dermatology & General Medicine

10 East is a 24-bed ward with a co-located 4 bed inpatient dialysis treatment area. Nursing staff care for patients with a variety of medical conditions, ranging from acute stroke, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy to acute renal failure.

There is also an opportunity to care for renal transplant patient’s pre and post operatively and a strong multidisciplinary team approach to patient care.

Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery/Hepatobiliary Surgery/Dept of Surgery-Breast & Endocrine

Surgical Unit

7 East is a busy, fast paced 28-bed ward with 2 main surgical units. The patient mix varies between short stay/high turnover and high dependency.

The team is focused on excellent standards of care and work hard to achieve the right patient outcome. 7 East nurses are hard working, friendly, supportive and encouraging. There is a strong commitment to staff development, ongoing education and teamwork.