“They’re all incredibly supportive of one another, enjoying regular catch ups making them fell they’re not alone in this journey,” Leanne Allen, Nurse Educator, Calvary Kogarah Hospital, said.

“The February group essentially became like mentors to the two nurse graduates who joined us in May last year.”

Former Home Care worker Janak Aryal, was part of the second cohort and joined his fellow nurse graduates just as they began their placement in the inpatient rehabilitation unit.

“When I first started, the other nurse graduates were so helpful and friendly. It has been such good support from the other grads,” Janak said.

Compared to other hospitals in Sydney that traditionally take large intakes of nurse graduates each year, Calvary Kogarah Hospital offers just six nursing graduate placements.

“By taking on a small number of nurse graduates, we are able to make our program more personalised. We work one-on-one with our graduates to help them achieve their goals and provide an additional layer of support,” Ms Allen said.

“I’m in touch with our nurse graduates about where they’re up to constantly and we catch up once a month to discuss any concerns or questions they have. We have an open door relationship with one another.”

Calvary Kogarah Hospital was Alyssa Myer’s first preference for her placement because of the hospital’s focus on palliative care.

“I feel like I’ve been given a lot of learning opportunities by being at a more specialised hospital. I really like how the staff here are able to provide the support you really need when you’re a new grad,” Alyssa said.

“I had quite a few palliative care patients while I was working as an Assistant in Nursing. Being exposed to that made me realise it was an interesting specialty. Being able to provide comfort for the patient and their family is so important and rewarding,” Alyssa said.

Palliative care was a new experience for fellow nurse graduate Sajan Rana.

“I didn’t realise how much I would enjoy working in the palliative care unit. It is such a supportive environment. The families are so thankful and the patients are grateful for the care you are giving to them,” Sajan said.

“It was quite a daunting experience in the first few weeks but the support from the nurses and the team really helped me find my feet.”

Ms Allen said support was part of the fabric of Calvary Kogarah Hospital.

“Calvary Kogarah has a culture that is very supportive and is the reason I joined. Everybody knows each other and for our nursing graduates that is so valuable in their first year,” Ms Allen said.

Another four nurse graduates will join Calvary Kogarah Hospital in February.