Eighteen Hawke's Bay District Health Board graduate nurses celebrated completing their Nursing Entry to Practice programme (NEtP) yesterday.
The programme accredited by the Nursing Council of New Zealand supported new graduates during their first year of nursing by helping them to develop confidence in nursing practice as well as independence in clinical reasoning and decision making.
HBDHB NEtP nurse educator Donna Foxall said the students were well supported during their first year of nursing both within the DHB and through a range of teaching and learning environments with the Eastern Institute of Technology - Te Aho a Māui.
They were employed with providers across the Hawke's Bay health sector in secondary services, aged residential care, primary health care and Māori health.
"Hawke's Bay District Health Board acknowledges their commitment and passion to the profession and towards achieving better health outcomes and improving the lives of our local communities," Ms Foxall said.
"Our graduates have gained more knowledge, grown in clinical confidence, learnt multiple new skills and become important team members in their chosen area of work."
The stand out graduate and person awarded Graduate of the Year was Lyllani Preston.