About 1200 trainee nurses graduating this year will benefit from a simplified application process for new graduate nursing positions at District Health Boards (DHBs) from August 2012.
The ACE (Advanced Choice of Employment) online recruitment tool, matches the work preferences of graduating nurses with those of the employing DHBs.
It makes the process much simpler for graduating nurses and also reduces the time DHBs spend reviewing applications.
Previously nursing graduates sent off multiple job applications meaning several DHBs were processing an application for the same graduate and in some cases multiple DHBs offered them a position.
The old process resulted in some graduates accepting a position at a DHB that was not their first choice because they did not want to miss out.
On the other hand, some graduates accepted positions only to pull out at the last minute because they were subsequently offered a job from their preferred DHB.
Online facility
Nurse graduates will now submit one application online which can go to a few DHBs which they will rank in order of preference.
The DHBs receive the applications and rank the graduates in order of preference. The tool then matches the graduates and the DHBs preferences.
Around 85% of nursing graduates are offered a position in a hospital, mental health, aged care or community health service. Graduates who are not selected will return to the talent pool of candidates.
The tool will also help us gain a national picture of graduate numbers by providing better information about our graduates and where they find work.
This is important information for improving workforce planning and matching supply and demand.
The ACE recruitment tool, in place for graduating doctors since 2003, has been specially modified for graduating nurses.
Health Workforce New Zealand has funded the modification of the tool and DHBs are working together to introduce and support the use of the tool nationally.
Voluntary Bonding
Graduate doctors, nurses, midwives, medical physicists and radiation therapists have until July 13, 2012 to register their interest in joining the Government’s ‘Voluntary Bonding Scheme.’
The fourth intake (2012) opened on June 15 and is open to applicants who have completed their qualification and whose last year of study was in 2011.
This scheme continues to attract great interest from graduates and is improving access to health services in vulnerable communities and isolated areas.
Hundreds of doctors, nurses and midwives who have chosen to work in hard to staff communities and specialities are now starting to reap the benefits through payments from this Scheme.
The Government has approved payments totalling over $2.7 million, about half of which has already been paid out to graduates who have completed their first three years on the Scheme.
So far 278 graduates have had their applications approved with about 460 graduates yet to apply for payment.
The Scheme encourages newly-qualified doctors, nurses and midwives to start their careers in hard to staff communities and specialties by offering payments to student loans after a three to five year bonded period.
The Government has decided to expand the scheme to include Radiation Therapists and Medical Physicists, as part of the drive to reduce waiting times for cancer treatment and retain key frontline health staff.
Radiation therapists and medical physicists are in demand worldwide.
Keeping these specialists in New Zealand is essential to providing better, sooner, more convenient cancer services to our communities.
Tony Ryall is Health Minister of New Zealand
