Geraldton Universities Centre (GUC) and the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) celebrated10 years of successful partnership delivering a supported Bachelor of Nursing program in Geraldton.
It’s a partnership that has produced 152 registered nurses for the Mid West region, with a further 10 to complete by the end of the year.
Professor Linda Deravin, UniSQ Head of Nursing and Midwifery travelled to Geraldton for the celebration.
“Our partnership with GUC has shown what is possible when you blend UniSQ’s quality, accredited Nursing program with local expertise, health services and facilities to provide on-ground teaching and learning support and local clinical placements for students,” Prof Deravin said.
“GUC recruits well credentialled and experienced Nursing academic staff in Geraldton to provide tutorial support for our online units and deliver the clinical intensives for students to develop their nursing skills – it’s very hand on. They also broker the important relationships with local health services for clinical placements and ensure we have all the facilities needed, hiring Central Regional TAFE’s nursing simulation laboratories where required for example.
“The result is an excellent retention rate through to completion for local students. Indeed, one of the GUC students received the faculty medal. That’s the top Nursing graduate in the country for UniSQ that year.”
GUC Nursing Acdemic Coordinator Dr Steph Millns Sizer said on the back of the reputation the UniSQ supported course had developed locally, demand from students had continued to grow.
“Such is the local interest in nursing, UniSQ applied to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) this year to increase the number of new students GUC can admit into the program to 40,” Dr Millns Sizer said.
“We’ve already offered 31 people the opportunity to apply for 2025 and its only October! That’s enrolled nurses upskilling to registered nursing, who receive a year’s credit going straight into second year, and students commencing nursing from first year.”
“And the great thing is, the students that study local stay working locally when they graduate staffing our hospitals, doctors’ surgeries and agencies. For many, they’ve developed relationships with their first employer while completing their clinical placements locally.”
GUC Director Natalie Nelmes said the UniSQ Bachelor of Nursing offers a range of entry pathways from TAFE Certificate IV and Diplomas to bridging programs to ATAR entry.
“This means we see students of all ages and backgrounds coming into the nursing course. In fact, half the students are first in their family to go to university and two thirds of students are over the age of 25 on entry, “ Ms Nelmes said.
“GUC is really big on support and always say it’s not where you start but where you finish. This sentiment is reflected in our most recent student survey where 85% or more of our students said GUC makes them feel safe and welcome while also making it easier for them to stay studying and working in our community. 92% of Nursing students found our nursing facilities valuable or extremely valuable as well as also very highly rating the support they receive from their Academic Coordinator.”
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