Nadine Gray: Health New Zealand Chief Nurse on the organisation meeting its nursing target with 1800 roles offered to graduates
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Will Health New Zealand meet its 1,800 graduate nursing placements target this year?
Health New Zealand will be meeting its new nursing target for the third year in a row. The plan is to, or second year in a row I think it is, the plan is to offer 1,800 placements to grads each year and I think they're going to tick that box, Nadine Gray is the Chief Nurse at Health New Zealand and is with us. Very good morning to you. Good morning Mike. What does the 1,800 actually do? Does it just replace people? Is it churn or are you growing the pie?
Look I'd say it's all of the above. So we have churn every year and so some of it's replacing and you know also it is
What does offering 1,800 placements actually mean for staffing — replacement or growth?
coming into new roles right across the health system, both in hospitals and community.
How does the grad numbers, how many graduates you have versus the offers, dovetail? Do you basically offer everyone a job or not?
We go through your normal recruitment processes where people have to be screened and interviewed. You know, the graduates themselves have to take up the offers. Some may not, depending on whether it's the right clinical setting for them. So, yeah, normal recruitment processes before, you know, formal offers are made.
Right. But in general, if I study as a nurse, can I be reasonably confident there will be a job for me in New Zealand in the health service if I want one?
That's right, you are. And I'd say looking at how well we've done over the last year and what we're looking at in the year coming, most of the grads that have come out of all of our universities and polytechs have secured roles.
Good. Do they generally stay or is there a lot of flight overseas?
Our average sort of years of service, if you like, in our hospitals is about eight years for an RN. So it's normal for nurses to want to go and do work overseas.
How are graduates recruited and will every nursing graduate get an offer?
I did myself. And, you know, New Zealand nurses do return home. So I would say that's probably one of the great things about being a nurse is that you can work overseas.
That's, of course, very transportable. What's the expectation of your average graduate? I mean, do they go, I want to be in Auckland or Christchurch or close to home or mum or dad or whatever, or you stick them in a psych ward in Masterton?
No, there's always choice around, you know, offers that are made and generally a grad will put in their preferences and we try to do our best to match them. But, you know, it's not always possible and, you know, what I say to our grads that are out there is, Your first job is just that.
Can new nursing graduates be confident of finding a job and where will they work?
It's a first job and it's a long, long career. And I've had many changes myself. So, yeah, you know, take that first job.
Do nurses stay in New Zealand long-term or leave for overseas experience?
Once you get experience, you know, you're employable.
Yeah, exactly, precisely. Nice to talk to you, Nadine. Nadine, great. It's all to do with budget, of course. I mean, at the end of the day, if you've got the money for 1,800 placements, that comes back to the government and their attitude, I guess. For more from the Mike Hosking Breakfast, listen live to Newstalk ZB from 6am weekdays or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
Will Health New Zealand meet its 1,800 graduate nursing placements target this year?
0:00–0:30
2
What does offering 1,800 placements actually mean for staffing — replacement or growth?
0:30–1:36
3
How are graduates recruited and will every nursing graduate get an offer?
1:36–2:10
4
Can new nursing graduates be confident of finding a job and where will they work?
2:10–2:18
5
Do nurses stay in New Zealand long-term or leave for overseas experience?
2:18–2:38
Speakers
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