‘Nursing Needs You’ Campaign Returns to Southland

Media Release

1 June 2010

 
 
Successful ‘Nursing Needs You’ Campaign Returns to Southland
 
 Southern District Health Board’s unique “Return to Nursing” Competence Assessment Programme will run another course in Southland in August 2010, with a call going out to all nurses who are interested in returning to the workforce to register their interest.

Nurse Educator, Nursing Entry to Practice and Competence Assessment Programmes, Rosalie Wright, says the Competence Assessment Programme (CAP) offers registered and enrolled nurses currently out of practice the opportunity to update clinical skills and theory knowledge in order to work again in a clinical setting.

This programme is an excellent opportunity to up skill and return to nursing on a full time, part time, or casual basis” Ms Wright says.

“The course will support you to build up your knowledge and confidence again for a successful return to the clinical workforce.”

“Whether it has been five years or twenty-five years since working, the nursing workforce needs you!”

The accredited programme is based on the Nursing Council of New Zealand’s (NZNO) requirements of 40 hours theory and at least 15 mentored clinical shifts, with theory classes running Monday-Wednesday from 9.00am-3.00pm.  It can be completed in a full time (5 weeks) or part time (up to three months) timeframe.

Nurses are matched with a senior nurse mentor for their clinical placements, which take place throughout a variety of wards in Southland Hospital and in some community based placements with appropriate support.

The programme was first trialled by the Southland DHB in 2002, in an effort to combat the national nursing shortage and to boost numbers for the DHB’s full time and casual nursing pool. Ms Wright says that the initiative has proved to be a wonderful success with 68 nurses having completed the programme since its inception.

Following the formation of the Southern DHB on 1 May, (as a result of the merger of Southland and Otago DHBs) Southern DHB is continuing to run the CAP programme in Southland. In Otago a CAP programme is run by the Otago Polytechnic.

The closing date for the August course is 9 July 2010.  More information can be found on the Southern DHB website at www.southerndhb.govt.nz, under the heading ‘Join Our Team, or contact rosalie.wright@sdhb.govt.nz.

ENDS

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