Extra nursing staff have begun work at the Royal Adelaide Hospital this week, providing support for their frontline colleagues, including in COVID wards and the Emergency Department.
Fourteen theatre nurses are now assisting in the RAH’s 12 COVID wards, providing hygiene, nutrition and hydration care for patients and covering meal breaks.
In addition, about 60 graduate nurses started their careers at Central Adelaide this week, under the Transition to Professional Practice Program (TPPP), which provides newly graduated nurses with an opportunity to gain experience, knowledge and clinical skills as they take their first steps in their professional life.
CALHN’s Workforce Nursing Director, Scott King said the new staff have been well-received.
“Registered nurses who normally work in operating theatres have offered to assist because there is a decline in activity in their normal area, so they have come out to help on the COVID wards,” Scott says.
He said they were leveraging their theatre experience and applying it to the inpatient setting.
“After an orientation and briefing, the nurses paired up in teams of two and supported COVID wards including providing patient care.”
Central Adelaide’s first TPPP intake for 2022 also began this week.
Alexandra was among the newly graduated nurses to begin at the RAH this week.
“I’m very excited to be starting work in the Emergency Department and starting my career during a pandemic,” Alexandra says.
We know our CALHN staff will make them feel welcome as they begin in these challenging times and we are grateful for their support.
Read more stories about CALHN’s COVID-19 response here.
