Aboriginal students looking to work in the health sector will have the chance to receive financial and professional support in a cadetship program aimed at increasing the number of Indigenous nurses.
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Successful cadets in the program will receive a study allowance of $600 each fortnight while undertaking a university nursing or midwifery degree; $500 support allowance each semester; access to an Aboriginal mentor, cadet coordinator and additional clinical support; and up to 12 weeks of paid employment in a local public hospital or Justice Health facility.
While there are only three Aboriginal nurses recorded as Orange hospital employees, the manager for workforce capability for the Western NSW Local Health District Lesa Towers said Indigenous practitioners are “crucial to the patient journey”.
The evidence suggests in location where we have strong Aboriginal representation we have strong positive feedback about the experience [of hospitalisation]
- Lesa Towers
She said while the ratio of Aboriginal health workers is low, there could be more Indigenous nurses at any one time in Orange, as practitioners often worked on rotation from different locations.
Miss Towers said more Aboriginal practitioners would support the health districts goal to allow patients to receive more culturally appropriate care.
“The evidence suggests in location where we have strong Aboriginal representation we have strong positive feedback about the experience [of hospitalisation],” she said.
“At times when the experience has not been as positive they felt it could’ve improved if they’d had Aboriginal staff included in their patient journey.”
There are a total of 16 Aboriginal skilled and unskilled staff identified as working across the Western NSW Local Health District, which takes in 42 facilities across Orange, Dubbo, Bathurst, Mudgee, Cowra, Parkes, Forbes and peripheries.
While the numbers may be larger when taking into account Indigenous workers on rotation, Miss Towers said the number is still too low.
Applications for cadetships are open until January 25. More information at www.health.nsw.gov.au.
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