Northern NSW Local Health District - live the life and jumpstart your nursing and midwifery career.

Traditionally defined by Clarence, Richmond and Tweed Rivers, Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) brings together 300,000 residents residing in an area of 20,732 square kilometres. 

The Bundjalung, Githabul, Gumbaynggirr, and Yaegl Nations are traditional custodians of the land covered by the District.

Our footprint extends from Tweed Heads in the north to Tabulam and Urbenville in the west and to Nymboida and Grafton in the south. It’s all about the lifestyle!

Our region is blessed with beautiful, world-renowned natural resources, stunning beaches and lush hinterland, the climate is astounding, and our history of strong community connectivity makes us unique and loved.

It’s all about your nursing/midwifery career!

Our health district delivers a broad range of health services in state-of-the-art facilities, with access to general and specialist services. Staff are connected to best-practice patient care throughout Australia thanks to a growing network of training opportunities and relationships with local and metropolitan tertiary education providers.

About Northern NSW Local Health District GradStart Program

GradStart is a statewide campaign that facilitates recruitment of new graduate registered nurses and midwives and matches them to a suitable position. GradStart is coordinated by NSW Health Nursing and Midwifery Office in collaboration with (NNSWLHD Our Nursing and Midwifery Service (OurNAMS).

New to practice registered nurses and midwives are an integral part of our nursing and midwifery workforce. Each year hundreds of new to practice nurses and midwives choose to start their professional career with NNSW LHD. The NNSW LHD GradStart Program provides you with a structured program within which you will be supported to develop your clinical practice, leadership, professional knowledge and skills.

GradStart Eligibility

You can apply for a position in our 2025 GradStart Program if you:

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  • are completing your nursing and midwifery degree between June 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025
  • will meet all the requirements to become a registered nurse or midwife with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) before the agreed date that you’ll start work
  • Hold Australian citizenship or gold a visa that allows ongoing full-time employment in Australia.

Note:

1. Completion means that you have received your final results from your education provider that allow you to apply for registration as a nurse or midwife.
2. You can start your application for registration with the NMBA up to 6 weeks prior to completing your studies.

To be eligible for a Northern NSW GradStart Program, students MUST apply through the NSW Ministry of Health website: www.health.nsw.gov.au/nursing

Applying for GradStart

To be eligible for a position in the NNSW LHD GradStart Program, candidates must apply through the NSW Health website.

For further information about the NSW Health GradStart program including how to apply and the GradStart handbook – click here: GradStart 2025 

General information

Accommodation

There are a variety of accommodation options available throughout Northern NSW in our regional centres and the beautiful villages that surround them. For those working in the northern end of our District, those options extend into Queensland. Some of our facilities can offer short-term accommodation to help you move to our region.

Getting around the District

Please be aware that there are limited public transport options in the more rural and remote locations in our District. A driver’s license and access to your own transport are highly recommended if you want to access all that our local area offers.

Social Activities

Northern NSW is renowned for its natural beauty: from lush green mountains to our spectacular coastline that boasts some of the best surfing beaches in Australia! You will be spoilt for choice with the range of things for you to do outside work: great food; theatres; music festivals; universities and outdoor activities. We are a short drive to the Gold Coast and Brisbane when you need a big city fix.

Northern NSW is serviced by a number of airports including Ballina-Byron; Gold Coast and Coffs Harbour.

Northern NSW LHD GradStart Nursing

NNSW LHD Grad Start Program offers flexibility and options in relation to where you work and how many hours per week you work. The Program offers you a permanent position with a choice of part-time or full-time hours. Most graduates will be required to work a 7-day rotating roster, including morning, evening and night shifts. Shift patterns will vary according to the unit / hospital to which you are allocated. Depending on your Program location, you may rotate through 2 or 3 units or remain in the one unit for the length of your Program.

NNSW LHD GradStart Registered Nurse Program commence in February, March, and May 2025. All graduates can discuss their rotation preferences prior to allocation.

Registered Nurse GradStart programs are available in the following locations:

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• Clarence: Grafton Base Hospital and Maclean District Hospital 
• Tweed/Byron: Byron Central Hospital, Murwillumbah District Hospital and Tweed Valley Hospital 
• Richmond: Ballina District Hospital; Lismore Base Hospital and Casino District and War Memorial Hospital
• Multi-Purpose Services: Nimbin and Kyogle.

Northern NSW LHD Registered Nurse GradStart Program

The program includes: 

• Online corporate orientation
• Clinical and workplace orientation
• Paid study days
• Some sites offer rotations across a wide range of clinical specialties to support career development and future specialisation.

Our Graduate Nurses are supported to:

• Reflect and identify their individual learning and development needs
• Enhance their self-directed and lifelong learning skills
• Develop and maintain a professional portfolio that demonstrates attainment of clinical competencies and continuous professional development

Support during the program:

• All graduates should be allocated a preceptor to support them during the first few months of the Program.
• We have a team of dedicated registered nurses and clinical nurse educators who will work with you and provide clinical leadership and mentoring.
• Our managers are committed to providing a work environment that is supportive, responsive to your individual needs and designed to enhance consolidation of your knowledge, skills and attitude as a new to practice registered nurse.

 

Midwifery GradStart

Midwifery GradStart positions are being offered in the following locations in 2025:

Grafton Base Hosptial 
Lismore Base Hospital
Tweed Valley Hospital

Rotations include:

• Antenatal Clinic
• Birthing Unit
• Postnatal Unit with an opportunity to experience Midwifery in the Home
• Special Care Nursery

We offer permanent full-time or part-time positions. Graduates work a 7-day rotating roster, including the requirement to work morning, evening, and night shifts.

Orientation and Educational Support

All graduate midwives will attend a three-day orientation to the NNSW- LHD. 

You will receive an additional two-day orientation to the Maternity Service – Women’s Care Unit where you will meet the amazing team of midwives and become familiar with where you will be working.

During your orientation period you will be given a plan for your Program. You will have some supernumerary time in each new area to become familiar with the location and to allow supervision of your clinical practice in a new environment. 

As part of our Mentoring in Midwifery program, you will be allocated a mentor. Your mentor may not necessarily be working beside you but will be someone you can meet with to reflect on your practice, celebrate your achievements as well as for learning opportunities. 

There will be opportunities to attend a number graduate study days (5 in total) throughout the year. The study days will include the mandatory Perinatal Safety Education required for foetal and maternal safety. There may be the opportunity for additional study days depending on areas of interest and skill development. 

You can also request to attend other education sessions offered at other Maternity facilities across the District. We offer many of these sessions virtually to enable you to attend sessions without travelling. 

Your on-going clinical education and support is provided by the whole Maternity team including the midwives, Clinical Midwifery Educator, Clinical Midwifery Specialists, Clinical Midwifery Consultants and Obstetricians. As a team, we are committed to providing you with the best transition possible into the Midwifery profession. 

Mental Health GradStart Program

NNSW LHD Mental Health GradStart Program is offered at:

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  • The Tweed Hospital
  • Byron Central Hospital
  • Lismore Base Hospital

The Program commences in February 2025 and offers permanent part-time positions (32 hours per week only) with the opportunity to work additional hours as available. GradStart participants will have an opportunity to rotate through several different clinical settings, including Acute Inpatient, Sub Acute, Child and Adolescent and Community Mental Health.

All Graduates are required to work a 7-day rotating roster, including morning, evening, and night shifts.

The NNSW LHD Mental Health GradStart Program is delivered in collaboration with Southern Cross University providing structured learning and group activities on key mental health topics. Fortnightly Education days will be held at Byron Central Hospital.

Throughout the Program participants are assessed on their learning in various ways including written assignments and oral presentations to peers. In addition to experiential and structured learning, participants will be supervised and mentored throughout the Program. A certificate of completion will be issued to participants on satisfactory completion of the Program content. The Program aims to prepare participants to undertake higher degree study in the clinical specialty mental health such as Graduate Certificate or Masters.

Contact

NNSWLHD GradStart Coordinator:  Narelle Al-Manro  Nurse Manager, Nursing and Midwifery Workforce  Email: Narelle.Al-Manro@health.nsw.gov.au