Nursing Services
Nepean Hospital
| Telephone: | (02) 4734 2000 |
| Facsimile: | (02) 4734 2904 |
| Location: | Great Western Highway, Kingswood |
| Postal address: | PO Box 63 , Penrith NSW 2751 |
Located 60kms from the Sydney GPO at the foot of the beautiful Blue Mountains, Nepean Hospital is a 490 bed tertiary referral hospital. Services offered include maternity, gynaecology, neonatal and adult intensive care, emergency, day-surgery, diagnostics, paediatric, surgical, coronary care, rehabilitation and mental health. Also on the Nepean Hospital campus are a Tresillian Family Day Care Centre, Menopause Service, Nepean Cancer Care Centre, Diabetes Service and the Wentworth Centre for Drug & Alcohol Medicine.
Nepean Hospital is a teaching facility of the University of Sydney for medical students and the University of Western Sydney for nursing. In addition the hospital provides teaching facilities for medical, nursing and allied health training for a number of other universities in Australia and overseas.
Nepean Hospital serves the community of the Penrith local government area, which has a resident population of over 178,000 people. This area has a higher crude birth rate than the state average and a generally younger population than the rest of NSW*.
In 2004 a major redevelopment of the Emergency Department was completed providing a state-of-the-art facility and improving the flow of patients through the ED. Included in this redevelopment was the implementation of the Emergency Short Stay Unit for patients requiring short term observation or care but not requiring hospital admission. Plans for the redevelopment of the older “North Block” of Nepean Hospital are currently being prepared.
*Data from ABS Regional Statistics, 2004.
Nursing Services:
Nepean Hospital has a good skill mix of Registered and Enrolled Nurses. The majority of our Enrolled Nurses are accredited in medication administration. Enrolled nurses joining Nepean Hospital are encouraged to undertake the medication administration course to gain accreditation in this area.
Midwives are employed to service Delivery Suite, Antenatal & Postnatal Wards, the Domiciliary Midwifery Program and Women & Children’s Outpatient services.
Nepean Hospital has in place an Undergraduate Nurse Program. Undergraduate Nurses commence the program as a group intake and are given an extensive 5-day orientation. The Undergraduates provide a valuable resource to the hospital, adding to our workforce and providing basic patient care and one on one patient supervision. In return, the hospital supports and nurtures these future Registered Nurses providing experience and opportunities for learning.
Nepean Hospital offers nurses the opportunity to work in the medical, surgical, women & children’s health, mental health or critical care divisions. Nurses may choose to rotate between different wards within their division to gain experience and provide a varied working environment.
Nepean Hospital also offers employment in Nurse Bank or Casual Pool for nurses requiring greater rostering flexibility.
Staff Benefits:
Nepean Hospital is located at the foot of the Blue Mountains in the Penrith Valley. This location allows access to bush walking, rock climbing and sporting venues as well as restaurants, cafes and all the advantages of a major metropolitan centre. Nepean Hospital is close to both Penrith Lakes and the Nepean River accommodating water sports and recreational activities. The Penrith area offers affordable housing and the opportunity for a relaxed lifestyle.
At Nepean Hospital, new staff undertake a health service orientation, complemented by unit specific orientation support. Staff have access to ongoing education and support throughout their employment with us. Clinical Nurse Educators are available in the majority of clinical units and wards.
Flexible rostering is available. Nurse Unit Managers are supportive and available for staff consultation.
Staff at Nepean Hospital have access to an on-site Staff Counsellor to assist in the management of personal, as well as work related issues. This service is provided without charge to members of staff.
Nepean Hospital accepts new graduate nurses into our successful New Graduate Program. This program provides support, mentorship and learning and development opportunities for new nurses.
Nurses wanting to return to nursing after a period of absence are accommodated in our Reconnect Program allowing a supported return to the nursing profession.
Nepean Hospital values its nursing staff and will support nurses to gain specialty skills, undertake further education and provide opportunities for skilled, interested nurses to relieve in managerial positions.
What benefits provided to nursing employees eg orientation, on going education, mentorships, research opportunities, new grad programs. What makes this facility/ service attractive and or unique for potential employees eg unique services or conditions or clinical practice opportunities.
Nursing Highlights:
In recent years Nepean Hospital has seen substantial growth and development in clinical services and activities, including increased theatre activity, admissions, diversity of clinical specialties and emergency department presentations.
Nepean Hospitals’ eight room Operating Suite performs surgical procedures in most speciality fields. The Emergency Department was extensively redeveloped in 2004 and now offers state of the art facilities and equipment, including the ‘world first’ Virtual Critical Care Unit (ViCCU). A 24 bed Aged Care Unit was commissioned in 2004, including 6 Stoke Unit beds allowing specialised care in this area.
Specialty clinical units include respiratory, coronary care, antenatal, post-natal, paediatrics, orthopaedics, vascular / plastics, emergency, operating suite, oncology and gastrointestinal.
Nursing staff at Nepean Hospital are supported by Clinical Nurse Educators, Clinical Nurse Consultants in specialty fields and proactive Nurse Unit Managers. Nurses with appropriate skills and experience in a clinical field are encouraged to apply for Clinical Nurse Specialist status.
Nepean Hospital can support nurses to gain specialty skills in areas such as intensive care, emergency, operating suite, mental health and women and children’s health.
At 490 beds, Nepean Hospital offers all the advantages of a large metropolitan hospital allowing experience in speciality areas and trauma, while still being small enough to support and nurture our nursing staff.
Transport and Parking:
Nepean Hospital can be accessed by train to Kingswood Railway Station. The hospital is within walking distance of Kingswood Station.
Parking is available on-site for a nominal fee.
