As a nurse or midwife with Canberra Health Services, you’ll be entitled to professional development leave every year to maintain and develop your professional skills, competency and practice standards.

You can also apply for access to:

• nursing scholarship schemes
• study assistance
• conference attendance.

As a tertiary teaching hospital, we place strong emphasis on research and education. We offer a range of education programs and offer support for furthering your career through external study. This includes:

• paid study leave
• financial help.

In addition, the ACT Health Chief Nurse and Midwife Office Nursing and Midwifery Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme provides financial help towards course tuition fees to support studies in a clinical, education, research or leadership and management area.

This paid student role works under direct or indirect supervision of a registered nurse or midwife and aims to help students gain essential clinical experience while undertaking an approved Bachelor of Nursing or Bachelor of Midwifery program of study. The role supports development of core nursing and midwifery skills across all domains of practice, improving confidence working with patients and carers in the health system, along with clinical knowledge and skills.

This approach is designed to ensure Undergraduate Student Nurse and Midwives (USN/Ms) are clinically capable and confident to transition into the first year of registered practice and offers a smooth transition into the Graduate Program at CHS.

The CHS Nursing and Midwifery Resource Office educators support USN/Ms with orientation, clinical skills learning and assessment, and placement within supportive work environments where they are part of the care team, undertaking core duties aligned with their university program of development, although it’s not linked with university clinical placements or count towards required clinical placement hours in a program of study.

The employment model allows for casual, temporary or permanent employment options, and managers will support paid or unpaid leave from the workplace in order to attend clinical placements and course requirements.

USN/Ms can work a rotating shift roster across 7 days per week and increase or decrease hours of work throughout the course of study to meet work-life balance needs. Night duty work is available after 3 months of employment and is not compulsory.

How to apply

Annual application processes will be advertised and promoted via university communications.

To qualify for a position, you must be undertaking a Bachelor of Nursing or Midwifery and registered as a student with AHPRA. You must have completed your first year of study (full time equivalent) and have a clinical supervisor provide a referee report with your application.

Our assessment is based on your application, referee reports, and satisfactory academic history.

If you have any questions, please contact us at CHS.NMROEDU@act.gov.au or phone 0403 095 639.

Our Graduate Nursing and Midwifery Programs are designed to support your professional growth and help you make a meaningful impact in health care.

Gain diverse clinical experiences across various settings over 12 months. Our programs offer extensive orientation, ongoing professional development, and daily support from Clinical Development Nurses or Midwives.

Choose from streams at Canberra Hospital and North Canberra Hospital, with opportunities in midwifery, mental health, sub-acute care, Alexander Maconochie Centre, forensic mental health, community nursing, inpatient and outpatient areas and more.

For more information visit the Graduate Nursing and Midwifery Programs page.

There’s a range of area specific specialist foundation programs across CHS. The programs are open to newly graduated nurses in our Graduate Program and experienced nurses wishing to move into more specialised roles.

Intensive Care: Develop critical care skills through a structured 6 or 12 month program, including workshops and hands-on training.

Emergency Department: Prepare for the fast-paced ED environment with a comprehensive 12-month program covering acute and paediatric care.

Paediatrics and Neonatal: Focus on the unique needs of young patients with dedicated programs in paediatric and neonatal care.

Mental Health: Equip yourself with essential skills to provide compassionate care to clients experiencing mental health challenges.

Perioperative: Gain expertise across the perioperative unit with a tailored 12-month program, from anaesthetics to the post anaesthesia care unit.

Visit the Specialist Foundation Programs page for more information.

The program aims to support Enrolled Nurses and Registered Nurses who are transitioning into the acute care setting by providing a supportive environment to consolidate and develop clinical knowledge and skills.

Visit the Novice Nurse Consolidation Program for more information.

We have a range of flexible working and leave arrangements to support our team members, including:

• flexible work hours
• non-standard shifts
• home based work on a short or long-term basis
• part-time work
• job sharing
• purchased leave
• annual leave provisions
• long service leave
• leave without pay.

We are a family friendly employer and provide a vacation childcare subsidy in certain circumstances and have breastfeeding facilities and policies relating to transfer to a safe job during pregnancy.

We take the health and wellbeing of our team members very seriously. We provide a range of services to help our staff, including the Wellbeing Index App which supports individuals by monitoring your wellbeing over time.

ACT nurses and midwives are supported in their wellbeing with access to effective Clinical Supervision as a core component of professional practice and development (Clinical Supervision Framework for ACT Nurse and Midwives, ACT Health Directorate 2022).

Speaking up for Safety

Speaking up for Safety is a program that empowers and encourages staff to communicate patient safety concerns respectfully and confidently to colleagues. If someone speaks up for safety - regardless of their position within the organisation, all staff involved will stop and consider the practice that they are undertaking and receive the concerns voiced in a professional manner.

Respect at Work

We are committed to maintaining a positive work environment and a safe, healthy workplace free from inappropriate behaviour.

We all have a responsibility to make sure we are aware of and comply with, the standards of behaviour expected. We have a strong support network and policies in place for you to speak to someone if you witness or experience inappropriate behaviour.

Employee Assistance Program

The Employee Assistance Program gives each team member six free professional and confidential support sessions per year for you and members of your immediate family.