A RECORD mid-year intake of 24 new graduates will begin their careers with the South West Hospital and Health Service this week.
Together with the 28 new graduates who joined the health service in February – 26 nurses and two midwives – this year’s full annual intake of 52 nursing and midwifery grads is also a record annual intake, according to South West HHS acting executive director of nursing and midwifery services Jeff Reeves.
He said this year’s record mid-year and annual intakes underlined the strong interest in nursing positions in the South-West.
“It’s wonderful to be welcoming these new graduates to the region and I’m sure that they will enjoy rewarding careers,’’ Mr Reeves said.
All 24 new August graduates will undergo a week’s orientation at Roma Hospital before being assigned to health facilities throughout the region, working in a variety of areas including acute medical, surgical, emergency, maternity, aged care, and community and primary health.
Mr Reeves said the continuing scale of the twice-yearly nursing and midwifery graduate intakes underlines how attractive the health service is being viewed by new grads as an area in which to pursue their careers.
“Our diverse and thriving communities are a major attraction for graduates wanting to start their careers in a friendly and welcoming environment offering many opportunities for professional and personal growth and development,’’ he said.
Mr Reeves said the South West HHS’s 12-month graduate program had been reviewed in 2023 and was now aligned with the endorsed graduate certificate level by Central Queensland University for the graduates’ future career pathway.
He said one of this year’s August graduates had undertaken her studies and training locally whilst employed by the health service in another role.
“We all know the difficulties experienced in rural regions in attracting and retaining staff, whether clinical or non-clinical,’’ he said.
“By supporting and providing opportunities through our Growing Our Own program for school-based trainees and cadets, as well as our own staff seeking to progress their careers, we are, in effect, actively developing our own workforce.’’
Roma resident Rosie Jackson, who once worked on a station in the Channel Country, is part of this year’s August graduate intake.
Originally from Brisbane, Ms Jackson relocated to Roma in 2023 when she took up an enrolled nurse position at Roma Hospital and then began studying for her registered nursing degree through the University of Southern Queensland.
“I studied externally full-time whilst working as an enrolled nurse at Roma Hospital. This was only manageable through the excellent support of my nurse unit manager at the hospital,’’ said Ms Jackson, who has been posted to Roma Hospital.
Ms Jackson said nursing was an occupation that had always stood out to her as a career during high school in Brisbane.
“I found learning about the body and health interesting. I enjoy face to face connection, and I didn’t see myself enjoying an office role,’’ she said.
“I finished school and began nursing study straight away. However, in my second year of study I decided to treat myself to a ‘mid-degree gap year’.
“This turned into four years of station and stock camp work on stations in the Kimberley, the Northern Territory and the Channel Country. A few broken bones and enough time spent missing my family later, I was ready to return home.
“I resumed nursing study as I enjoyed the brief experience I had and believed, and still do, that there are nursing opportunities in both metro and remote settings, and everywhere in between.
“I wanted the best of both worlds and have been very fortunate to find my middle ground by nursing in Roma.’’
The 23 nurse graduates will be posted initially to Roma Hospital and Westhaven Aged Care Facility (4), St George Hospital (4), Charleville Hospital (4), Cunnamulla Multipurpose Health Service (2), Mitchell MPHS (2), Surat MPHS (2), Quilpie MPHS (1), Injune MPHS (1), Augathella MPHS (1), Dirranbandi MPHS (1) and the Waroona Multipurpose Centre (1).
The new midwifery graduate will be posted to Charleville Hospital.
PHOTO: Roma’s Rosie Jackson….from bone-breaking station work in the Channel Country to a career in nursing.
POSTED: Monday, August 17, 2026