Graduate entry Master of Nursing program launches at Westmead

The University of Sydney has been teaching its Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry) program at its Camperdown campus since 2006.

Students based at the University’s Westmead campus will have access to a range of clinical placement experiences across western Sydney, including the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, as well as the same rural and international placement opportunities offered to students at its Camperdown campus.

“I think it’s a great idea to offer nursing education here in Westmead,” says Lauren Whalan, a University of Sydney graduate working in the emergency department of The Children's Hospital, Westmead. “It means people wanting to study nursing will have access to high quality education at a prestigious university right here in western Sydney.”

Lauren, who grew up in Merrylands, completed a Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Nursing program in 2011. She began work as a registered nurse in 2012 at The Children's Hospital, Westmead.

“The move to offer our Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry) program at Westmead is a great opportunity for students who already have a first degree, and who live in western Sydney, to undertake nursing education and seek future employment within their own community,” says University of Sydney’s Dean of Nursing, Professor Donna Waters.

The Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry) program is open to university graduates from any discipline – no prior health background is required. The degree is offered on a two-year full time or four-year part time basis, with graduates eligible to apply for registration as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

“The high demand for places, and for our graduates, means the University can now offer the Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry) program at two campuses – Camperdown and Westmead,” says Professor Waters.

“Students enrolled at the Westmead campus will be at the centre of a very exciting expansion of the University's longstanding commitment to western Sydney and it is great that nursing students have the opportunity to learn with our medicine and dentistry students already located here.”

“Expanding the university’s nursing education program to Westmead makes sense,” says Lauren’s nursing colleague, Miranda Ageyemang.

Working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at The Children's Hospital, Westmead, Miranda began nursing two years ago after completing the University of Sydney’s combined Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Nursing program.

“When I studied nursing I did clinical placements across western Sydney, including at Westmead, Liverpool and Nepean Hospitals. Offering lectures and tutorials at Westmead from 2016 means nursing students will have a more convenient and integrated learning experience.”

Western Sydney Local Health District Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery Joanne Edwards said the Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry) program was a great opportunity for students to work and study in the west.

“The health sector in western Sydney is growing rapidly,” she said. “Offering this program means residents can largely complete their course requirements at Westmead and, ideally, be able to gain employment in their home suburb.”

The new cohort of Master of Nursing (GE) students will be the first to benefit from the newly commissioned Westmead Clinical Simulation Laboratory, a purpose-built clinical simulation facility.