UnitingCare hospitals Graduate Nurse Program

Gather all the information you need to make an informed decision about your application and hospital choice. Please visit the hospital website you are interested in to read specific information regarding the Graduate Nurse Program and the key intake dates. It is very important that you do your research before you submit your application online.

We also recommend having your CV and cover letter ready to upload. You will need your graduation dates and study dates.

You will be able to lodge your application online via our electronic recruitment system when applications open for each hospital (you can create a profile beforehand). Applications will include your CV and cover letter, as well as selection criteria.

Please be sure to provide a valid email address. Each hospital will review all applications and let you know if you have been successful in progressing to the next stage. You can view and update your details or withdraw your application up until the closing date via our e-recruit system, under “View Application History”. You will need your username and password to re-access your member profile.

Closing dates for applications can be found on the Graduate Nurse Program page of each hospital.

As a Registered Nurse or Enrolled Nurse applicant, you will need to:

• Have successfully graduated your study and be eligible to register with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Agency (AHPRA) prior to commencement of the program.
• Be able to undertake up to 12 months’ full-time or part-time employment.
• Be a current Australian citizen or permanent resident; New Zealand citizen; or other visas with full working rights (such as waiting for a graduate visa grant). No sponsorships are available for student visa holders.
• Display effective interpersonal skills and be able to build rapport with a diverse range of people.
• Demonstrate commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Be willing to embrace the values of UnitingCare.

The recruitment process includes the following steps:

• Application.
• Shortlisting tasks.
• Selection day/face-to-face interview and exam.
• Pre-employment screening.
• Offer of employment.

Candidates who meet our selection criteria will be asked to complete the following shortlisting tasks:

• Verbal reasoning (Stage 1) – Candidates must meet a minimum requirement to progress.
• Logical reasoning (Stage 2) – Candidates must meet a minimum requirement to progress.

During a graduate selection day, you may participate in activities designed to assess your competence, job fit and organisational fit for the role, such as:

• Welcome session.
• Clinical knowledge assessment – In order to work effectively and successfully as a nurse with UnitingCare hospitals, a certain level of clinical competence (knowledge and skills) is required. Your clinical competence will be evaluated in a short written assessment. This assessment is timed.
• Group exercise (Wesley applications only) – During this activity, you will meet with a group of your colleagues to problem solve a required set of criteria. You will be provided with all the information and materials you need on the day to participate in this activity. You will be assessed on your contribution, so it is important you actively participate. You will also be assessed on your preparation and self-reflection, so it is important that you provide a well thought through response. The group exercise will assess your capability to build relationships, work as a team and achieve objectives.
• Behavioural/motivational interview – You will meet with two interviewers who will ask questions that focus on motivational fit (what motivates or demotivates you at work); career fit (career or development goals); and customer/patient focus (ability to offer excellence customer service, with examples).

Preparation is essential for a successful selection day. If you are not familiar with UnitingCare or the hospital, do some research to glean more about our culture, values, vision and mission.

If you are an internal candidate, it is important you participate in the activities and answer interview questions as if the interviewer/assessor does not know you – you should give as much information as possible.

UnitingCare hospitals are focused on creating a Towards Zero Harm environment for all employees. As part of this strategy, preferred candidates are required to participate in the pre-employment health assessment and immunisation screening:

• Immunisation Screening Questionnaire – UnitingCare hospitals endeavour to ensure workplace health and safety requirements are met in order to protect workers and our patients from exposure to vaccine preventable diseases. As part of this duty of care, UnitingCare needs to ensure that the infectious disease risk to staff and patients is managed. Accordingly, UnitingCare requires job applicants to participate in a pre-employment Immunisation Health Assessment. On completion of the Immunisation Screening Questionnaire Form, the pre-employment questionnaire and evidence will be sent to the Staff Infection Control Coordinator at the relevant hospital, who will determine whether an applicant is required to undergo further screening/vaccinations prior to commencement.
• Functional Capacity Assessment (Procare) – assesses whether a person is capable of performing the inherent requirements of the stated position for which an applicant is applying.
• Reference checks – some hospitals may ask you to provide two referees. Preference would be at least one reference from a clinical placement.
• Right to work check – we will run a check that assesses whether you have full rights to work in Australia.

You will be advised of the result of your application after the recruitment process is completed. You will be advised in writing via email one of the following outcomes:

• You have been successful.
• You have been placed on a second round offers list for any offers which may become available.
• You have been unsuccessful.

Positions will be allocated by merit, where the best applicants are selected following a competitive process. This means applicants considered to be the most capable of performing the duties of the position are selected.

For applicants who are deemed suitable for employment but are not allocated a position because of the number of positions available, a second round offer list for employment will be created for opportunities that arise when further placements become available. You will be notified via email if your application has been held for second round offers.

Due to the number of applications, feedback will be offered, if requested, only to candidates who have attended the selection day. In accordance with privacy laws, applications can only be discussed with the applicant.

Examples of evidence are a copy of an Australian passport, Australian birth certificate, Permanent Residency visa or an Australian Citizenship Certificate. Examples of evidence for New Zealand citizens is a copy of a New Zealand passport. If the name on any of your documents is different from your application form or AHPRA registration, you must also provide evidence of name change, e.g. Marriage, Divorce or Change of Name Certificate. (Please do not assume that we will know you are an Australian citizen.)

If you are offered a position, you will have 48 hours from receipt of your contract in which to accept the offer.

Your contract and employment paperwork will be sent to you via email from our centralised recruitment team. You will need to return this written contract and employment paperwork within 48 hours of receiving the contract. Once it is returned, you will be provided with an employee number required for ordering of uniforms, etc. The Clinical Education team from your hospital will also remain in contact with you regarding hospital specific information, key dates, etc.