Edith Cowan University forges new deal with St John Of God Bunbury Hospital for hands-on learning for nurses

Regional WA’s biggest tertiary education provider has forged yet another deal to cement Bunbury and the South West region at the forefront of higher education options within a critical-skills shortage sector.

Edith Cowan University has secured a new partnership with St John of God Bunbury Hospital that will allow second-year nursing students studying at the ECU’s Bunbury campus the opportunity to work at St John of God Bunbury Hospital as assistants in nursing (AINs).

The hospital has already recruited eight students from ECU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery as AINs to provide hands-on nursing care to patients under the supervision of senior nurses.

This new deal comes just weeks after ECU announced a deal with the State Government and the City of Bunbury to create a creative technology innovation hub to to support local, national and international creative industries such as gaming, software development and film production.

In early June ECU officially launched a 20-year memorandum of understanding it had signed with the Shire of Boyup Brook at the the Rylington Park Institute for Agricultural Training and Research, which will allow students, academics and leading agricultural scientists to conduct long-term experiments within the context of a working farm.

This latest deal with ECU adds on to this framework of contributing to higher education qualifications while helping students deal with real-world problems.

ECU’s regional associate Dean of Nursing, Associate Professor Deborah Kirk, said the University had long understood the importance of learning in the workplace.

“This partnership expands on this by allowing our students to ‘earn as they learn’, and is one of many opportunities we have in place with St John of God Bunbury Hospital,” Professor Kirk said.

“It’s another example of how our students benefit from ECU’s many partnerships with industry, particularly in the South West where we are helping boost the region with several industry agreements across a number of sectors.”

St John of God Bunbury Hospital chief executive Jeffrey Williams said the partnership helped students develop their confidence and skills in caring for and communicating with patients and families in hospital.

“The roles expose students to the hands-on nature of nursing and gives them the confidence to speak with and care for patients and their families, and familiarise themselves with the clinical care needed to work as a nurse in hospital,” he said.