Nursing & midwifery students and graduates are stepping into the future

Ask an expert: Top tips to thrive in your graduate year 

We asked some experienced colleagues to share their hard-earned wisdom with incoming graduates. 

Q&A: Final year nursing student Connor Dwyer 

Connor shares how he worked through ADHD to reach his final year as a nursing student.  

Meet Penny, our pet photo competition winner!  

See Sally Pender’s very stylish pup Penny, the winner of our 2024 photo competition.  

Take a look at the helpful information and resources Ahpra’s Nursing and Midwifery Board provides for students. 

Our website also offers many resources for students and graduates who are learning to balance demanding careers with their personal health and wellbeing.   

Tips and tools for student nurses and midwives 

Nursing and midwifery are challenging fields of study that place significant demands on students, but support is available.  

Check out some of these helpful resources — here are just a few examples!  

• Students: Join your university nursing and midwifery society: In 2021, Notre Dame NURSOC leaders Ruby Tilley and Annabelle Leonard wrote for us about how their society was working to offer students a vital source of support.  
• Exams — preparation and performance: Exam time can be daunting, so preparation is key. It’s a good idea to start getting ready at the very beginning of semester. Check out our tips to prevent cramming and minimise stress.  
• Clinical placement — hands-on learning: Experts describe clinical placement as the time “where theory comes to life and ... you actually learn how to be a nurse or midwife”. It’s a crucial yet intimidating time in your career, so make sure you are prepared! 
• Yarning with Lesley Salem, the first Aboriginal Nurse Practitioner: Many students struggle with the academic demands of nursing and midwifery. Remember: one day you can be a fantastic clinician and provide first-class care for your patients even if you struggle with essay writing, exams, or other challenging parts of academic life. Check out this podcast episode with Lesley Salem, who struggled through her undergraduate degree due to mild dyslexia and now dedicates her career to improving care for chronic illness in rural and remote communities.

Tips and tools for graduate nurses and midwives 

The graduate year is exciting but challenging. It’s common to find yourself juggling the demands of the job with the demands of your own mental and physical health. It’s an important time to make your wellbeing a priority. Check out the tips and resources on our website, from people who have been there!  

• Podcast: A Graduate Coordinator’s advice for new grads with Joanne Purdue: NSWNMA Senior Professional Officer Joanne Purdue was a whole hospital nurse educator and ran a new graduate program for eight years. She shared her wisdom with the podcast in 2023.  
• Podcast: Stories of the graduate year with Francis and Robyn: Recent grads Francis and Robyn joined the podcast to share the highs and lows of their grad year. 
• Our tips to thrive in your grad year: Celeste Pinney shared the importance of nutrition, exercise, and advocating for a safe roster.  
• Communication skills: Communication is one of the major issues many grads contact us about. Check out these tips to communicate effectively with your colleagues and create better outcomes for yourself and your patients.  

Our new Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator Esther Bacon has been hard at work preparing new podcasts for our community, so we’ll have exciting episodes for you in the coming weeks and months! In her first episode, she will speak to proud Wiradjuri woman and paediatric nurse Amber Wighton on her experiences navigating study later in life, the mental load of a graduate year, and her top tips for thriving. Stay tuned for this new episode coming soon!  
 
Our previous podcast hosts, Mark Aitken, Elle Brown and Celeste Pinney are busy at work on the Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia (NMHPA), an expansion of the groundbreaking NMHPV program that has been helping nurses in Victoria for years and was instrumental in the creation of our own Nurse & Midwife Support program. We’re so excited about the work they’re doing, and encourage you to check out the NMHPA socials to keep up with this fantastic resource. You can find them on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.  

Enjoy the newsletter! We hope you will find our top tips from three experienced professionals helpful. Thanks so much to Connor Dwyer for chatting to us about his experiences as a final year nursing student. You should also check out last year’s photo-competition winning pup, Penny. And just a reminder—our service is available to all nurses and midwives across Australia, including graduates and students, 24/7. We’re here for you on 1800 667 877 or by email.