About our program

The Graduate Nurse Program (GNP) at Austin Health is well established and takes between 300-400 graduate nurses each year across all our streams.

Our graduate nurses participate in a well-structured and highly supportive program that offers many learning and development opportunities across our four sites.

We believe that graduate support and education is everyone’s business, and this is the culture that we foster at Austin Health.

The nursing education and ward teams strive to achieve best practice clinical learning environments for our graduate nurses, ensuring we deliver the best patient experiences and develop our early career nurses for a robust career in nursing.

Program streams

• General stream

  Participate in a well-structured and highly supportive program that offers many learning and development opportunities.

• Mental health stream

  Work in a supportive environment in a range of mental health settings with a focus on consumer-centred high quality care.

• Combined stream

  A specialised program for nurses who are passionate about both general and mental health nursing.

• Perioperative stream

  A specialised program for nurses who are passionate about perioperative nursing.

What we offer

• Dedicated Graduate Coordinator
• Dedicated Graduate Nurse Educator
• Two rotations (6 months each)
• Large variety of acute and specialty rotations
• Opportunities to work in High Dependency Units
• Comprehensive orientation program
• Supernumerary time each rotation
• Dedicated study days for each stream
• Online learning
• Structured reflective practice

Benefits of working at Austin Health

We offer a range of benefits, including salary packaging, wellbeing programs and staff discounts.

A safe and inclusive workplace

We are committed to supporting our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce, by providing an inclusive environment where all cultures are valued and respected. We have a number of initiatives in place to support this commitment.

As a member of the Victorian Aboriginal Graduate and Cadetship Network there is a dedicated support and guidance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates. 

For more information please contact: graduatenurseprogram@austin.org.au

2024 Graduate Nurse Program information sessions

If you are interested in a future career at Austin Health please book into one of our information sessions.

Online information session

This session will cover all four program streams offered at Austin Health.

Face to face information sessions

These sessions will cover all four program streams offered at Austin Health. Due to limited capacity in our lecture theatre it is essential that you book your space in advance to avoid missing out.

Mental health information session 

This session is for the mental health stream only and will not cover information on the general, combined or perioperative streams.

How to apply

Applications for our 2024 Graduate Nurse Program will open on 6 June 2023.

We are currently updating our application process to provide a more streamlined approach.  These details will be available by Monday 22 May 2023. 

Application requirements

More information

Stay up to date

Here's how you can stay up to date with everything that's happening:

• Follow the Instagram handle @austinhealthgnp
• Follow Austin Health's Graduate Nurse Program on Facebook
• Email graduatenurseprogram@austin.org.au

• Program FAQS

  Find answers to frequently asked questions about our graduate programs for nurses.

Beyond the graduate year

Austin Health provides a wide range of opportunities beyond the Graduate Nurse Program, with more than 92 per cent of graduates staying on with Austin Health after completion.

• Transition to specialty practice programs

  Learn about our programs for registered nurses in specialty clinical areas.

• Nursing postgraduate programs

  Find out about our range of postgraduate programs for registered nurses.

Contact us

Graduate Nurse Program

Email: graduatenurseprogram@austin.org.au

Facebook: Austin Health Graduate Nurse Program

Instagram: @austinhealthgnp