Aged Care Nurses Celebrated at Graduation

Five recently qualified nurses and four Amana Living nurses graduated from the 2021 Amana Living Graduate Program for Health Care Professionals at an event on 10 February.

The program is unique in WA, offering education, mentoring and work placements at Amana Living so nurses can gain valuable clinical practice in an aged care environment, supported by experienced mentors.

It is delivered at the Amana Living Training Institute in partnership with Edith Cowan University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery.    By participating in the program, the nurses are developing their clinical and leadership skills and gaining access to new career pathways.

The program was launched in 2019, pre-empting the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety which supported the growth of job roles for aged care nurses, and the need to highlight opportunities for nurses to advance in clinical and managerial roles in the aged care sector.

Stephanie Buckland, Chief Executive Officer, Amana Living, said: “We are constantly seeking ways to provide staff with ongoing development opportunities, so Amana Living has a workforce both now and into the future that is engaged, motivated and supported in working to its fullest potential.

“This is why we created the Amana Living Healthcare Professional Graduate Program. We wanted to help recently graduated nurses develop into first class clinicians who specialise in caring for older people in a range of environments, while providing career advancement opportunities for nurses working at Amana Living.

“It’s been fantastic to witness graduates’ growth in confidence and their progression as clinical practitioners. They’ve all embraced the opportunities presented and utilised the tools the program has given them to meet the challenges in a very diverse aged care space. Highly trained clinicians continue to be a tremendous asset as we respond to growing healthcare needs and crises like the pandemic, contributing to the safety and wellbeing of all residents and clients.”

In addition to honouring the 2021 graduates of the program, the intake for the 2022 program was welcomed.  Ten recently qualified nurses were selected for their passion for aged care, commitment to providing care and services that meet need the needs of residents and clients, and delivering them at a high standard supported by quality, evidence based practice.  

The new intake has commenced the nine-month program that will see them take part in classroom learning combined with practical experience, including rotations across Amana Living’s residential care, home care and corporate business units.  The graduate program provides a pathway to several positions within Amana Living including service manager, clinical nurse consultant, clinical care coordinator, case manager, therapy manager and therapy specialist.

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