Far West Local Health District collaboration to support workforce development.

Jennifer Cooper, a Clinical Nurse Educator from Broken Hill Hospital, can’t speak highly enough about her learning experience at Sydney Education.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity and experience,” she said.

“The team from Broken Hill have been fantastic and so have the educators here, and I have gotten a lot out of it, in all the different aspects that we’ve addressed.”

She is one of eight nurses who has just completed the second block of Sydney Education’s new Clinical Nurse Educator Residential School.

The Residential School is a two-week intensive training session, broken into two blocks, where Clinical Nurse Educators from Far West Local Health District join instructors in Sydney to enhance their skills as educators.

Content was planned in collaboration with Far West Local Health District and utilised existing Sydney Education courses such as Teaching on the Run and Challenging Conversations, as well as workshops designed specifically for this group.

Sydney Education is also providing follow up support for the attendees through clinical supervision groups and workplace coaching.

Practical activities include developing and delivering small group teaching as well as simulation teaching activities.

Joseph Worgan, a New Graduate Support Clinical Nurse Educator, agrees with Jennifer’s sentiment and says there are opportunities to apply the learning when he returns to Broken Hill.

“There are really good sessions on challenging conversations and facilitating a simulation that are really beneficial,” he said.

“The training really homed in on practical skills.”

Far West Local Health District has a small number of Clinical Nurse Educator positions available across its facilities and found staff who are new to these positions need extra support.

The Residential School is just one of many opportunities open to staff at both locations under the Districts’ active learning and development collaboration.

“It’s important for cross pollination of ideas and understanding that we’re part of a larger organisation that is supportive and caring of staff,” Jennfier said.

Aleisha Scanlan, Nurse Educator from Sydney Education has been leading the program and has really enjoyed the collaboration with Far West.

“It has been a great opportunity establish relationships with a rural health district and to share skills, knowledge, and resources. Lots of my colleagues at Sydney Education were involved in this program and we look forward to our partnership continuing.”

Sydney Education is Sydney Local Health District’s centre for continuing education, offering a wide range of learning opportunities for staff, and programs across eight different areas including clinical practice, communication and relationships, and leadership and management.