Applications open for new graduate nursing positions as workload pressures worsen at Port Macquarie Base Hospital

While more hands on deck will help ease the pressure on nursing staff in our hospitals, President of the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) Port Macquarie Base Hospital branch Mark Brennan said it's getting more difficult to retain more senior staff.

"New graduates are great, but when they employ them, they are in their first year out of university and they have very little experience of being on the wards," he said.

While experience must be gained, Mr Brennan said having less senior staff is putting further pressure on nurses.

"You need educators to teach new grads and at the moment we are so short staffed on the wards that the educators are being pulled out of their educational job and being put on the floor to take a patient load," he said.

"Before a new grad can give any type of medication or perform nursing tasks, they have to pass a competency test and these are run by the educational staff."

The MNCLHD opens applications for new graduate positions each year and is standard practice across each hospital.

The applications are for permanent employment with a supported program offering rotations through specialty areas and study days. There are positions available for nurses at Coffs Harbor, Macksville, Bellingen, Port Macquarie, Kempsey and Wauchope. Midwifery positions are also available at Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour.

"I think there are around 20 new grad positions at Port Macquarie Base Hospital and we usually have around 50 positions available for new grads each year," Mr Brennan said.

"However, we now have 90 full-time equivalent nursing positions vacant at Port Base. They just cannot attract nurses to Port Macquarie, or any regional hospital, because of the working conditions."

The nursing and midwifery new grad positions will remain open until February 1, 2023.

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