Graduate Nurse Program Leongatha & Korumburra 2027

Information for the 2027 program

Bayside Health Regional Graduate Nurse Program is a unique and exciting program, which will give first year Registered Nurses exposure to a diverse range of clinical experiences within a rural health service.

Our program aims to assist you to develop the critical thinking, time management and practical skills required to consolidate your practice as a Registered Nurse, within a positive and supportive team environment. We are committed to supporting and developing our nursing and midwifery workforce, and seek to retain our graduates for ongoing employment at the successful completion of their graduate year. We offer numerous opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

Why come to our campuses at Leongatha and Korumburra?

Leongatha is a town with a population of approximately 5700 located in the heart of South Gippsland and is just under a 2 hour drive from the Melbourne CBD.

Korumburra is a 15 min drive from Leongatha (closer to Melbourne) and has a population of approx. 4600.

With easy access to beautiful beaches including Inverloch and Waratah Bay, and the rugged beauty of Wilson’s Prom, both Leongatha and Korumburra are great bases from which to explore our region.

The surrounding South Gippsland towns provide an additional array of varied dining and shopping options, including café, breweries, vineyards and restaurants as well as local farmers markets nearly every weekend of the year. If you are a cyclist or just love walking you will appreciate the Great Southern Rail Trail accessible from both Leongatha and Korumburra.

Find out more about what our wonderful region has to offer at visitgippsland.

Program structure

The 52-week contract runs from 1 Feb 2027 to 30 Jan 2028.

There will be an online information session held on Tuesday 26 May 2026 from 4-6pm.

Register now

Contact us at education@gshs.com.au for any enquiries or further information.

Face-to-face interviews for interested candidates will be conducted from late July/August 2026.

We run the following Nurse Graduate Programs:

Acute Graduate Nurse Program
Aged Care Graduate Nurse Program
Midwifery Graduate Nurse Program

What to expect in the graduate nurse program

On commencement of your Graduate year there will be a 2 day orientation program covering many different topics including some practical competencies.

You will have at least 2 supernumerary shifts at the start of you rotation (more when starting in a specialty area).

You will have another day scheduled for organisational orientation.

Graduates will be offered two rotations through clinical areas, including an acute medical/surgical placement and a specialty area such as Theatre, District Nursing, or Urgent Care (with experience in Chemotherapy).

Please see PMCV website for other Graduate Nurse Program options offered at Regional Care Group.

Throughout the year, clinical educators will be available to meet regularly to provide ongoing clinical support. Nurse Unit Managers oversee the teams, and experienced nurse/midwives provide guidance and support. Each rotation will have a designated preceptor to mentor and support graduates.

All Graduates are entitled to paid professional development leave to attend study days conducted on or off the campus. This allows them to engage with educators and other specialist staff, as well as attend regionally provided seminars.

One popular study day is the 'Recognition and Response to the Clinical Deterioration' delivered by Simon Plapp, which has received positive feedback from staff.

Additionally, as part of the program, Graduates are entitled to 5 weeks of annual leave which is accrued throughout the year.

During your graduate year

The education staff here are committed to providing tailored support for graduate nurses. This includes establishing clear learning objectives, consolidation of clinical skills and regular Graduate Nurse debrief sessions.

As the graduate year progresses, we will also facilitate discussions about career progression and potential employment opportunities within our organisation

How to apply

To be considered for the Allocation and Placement Service (APS) through the PMCV website, potential graduates must ensure they meet all the essential criteria.

To register and take part in the APS process, applicants are required to submit the following documents via email to education@gshs.com.au:

A CV with placement history including 2 health professional/clinical referees
Copy of most recent academic transcript
Passport sized colour photograph
2 most recent acute clinical placement appraisals

The deadline for applications is Monday 13 July 2026 at 5.00pm.

More information

Email: education@gshs.com.au
Phone: (03) 5662 5502

Staff Educators
Shareen Bickerton (Clinical Nurse Educator)
Virginia Bolge (Clinical Nurse Educator/Graduate Nurse Program Coordinator)
Linda Fiddelaers (Midwifery Educator)
Janet Kolotelo (Aged Care Educator)