Nursing and Midwifery Services

Nursing for New Graduate Nurses at Blue Mountains District Memorial ANZAC Hospital

Contact Details
Contact Officer	Freya Schuster, Nursing Personnel Officer
Telephone	(02) 4734 2506
Facsimile	(02) (02) 4734 2506
Staff Educator
Telephone	(02) 4784 6521
Facsimile	(02) 4784 6989
Email	penneld@wahs.nsw.gov.au
Hospital Location	Great Western Highway, Katoomba
Hospital Postal Address	Locked Bag 2, Katoomba NSW 2780
Hospital Website	Website

Blue Mountains District Anzac Memorial Hospital (BMDAMH) is located at Katoomba, which is in the scenic Blue Mountains area of NSW, 100 kilometres west from the centre of Sydney. The hospital is situated mid-way between the village of Leura and the township of Katoomba on the corner of the Great Western Highway and Woodlands Road.

The hospital enjoys strong links with the local community and is very fortunate to be the beneficiary of the internationally renowned Leura Garden Festival celebrated annually in October.

Katoomba has endless opportunities for exploration in the beautiful bush that surrounds the town and many historic points. Katoomba has many established galleries and boasts many local artists. The town also has good shopping facilities and many good schools in and around the town.

Our services include:

We provide a range of general inpatient services including obstetrics & gynaecology, paediatrics, general medicine and surgery, geriatrics and palliative care. The hospital’s emergency department treats over 16,000 patients a year.

Inpatient services are supported by onsite pathology, medical imaging and pharmacy departments as well as a wide range of allied health services such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, nutrition and dietetics and social work.

Outpatient clinics and services operating at the hospital include aquatic physiotherapy, dental, antenatal, psychiatry and sexual health.

The hospital and the services we provide have evolved and developed greatly over the years, to keep pace with the changes in the Blue Mountains population. Recent years have seen the opening of the new emergency department, operating theatres, hydrotherapy pool and the introduction of the world first virtual critical care unit in partnership with CSIRO.

The hospital has recently completed an extensive redevelopment program with a new women & children’s health block, kitchen, loading dock, mental health unit, swing ward, dental clinic and helipad.

Nursing services include:

medical/surgical unit
rehabilitation/palliative care unit
women’s and children’s health unit
mental health unit
operating theatre
day only unit
emergency department
outpatient clinics

Start date:

The proposed commencement dates/months are early February and early July 2008.

Accommodation available/type:

At Blue Mountains Hospital , on-site accommodation is available in the Nurses' Home. Note: Limited short-term only.

Transport description:

Katoomba is easily reached by train (2 hours from Sydney Central Station) as well as car via the M4 motorway and the Great Western Highway.
The hospital is a one kilometre walk from either Leura or Katoomba railway stations. There are also bus stops outside of the hospital for the local bus service, which connects to both Leura and Katoomba train stations and shopping centres.
Limited car parking is available in Woodlands Road which is adjacent to the hospital. Additional parking is located in the hospital’s car park.
Public timetables and fares are available via the Transport Infoline.

First Year Registered Nurse Program:

First year registered nurses are offered an initial 12 month appointment that includes experience in acute medical and surgical nursing, critical care, including high dependency and emergency and an option to work in perioperative nursing and rehabilitation.

Career paths are available in medical and surgical nursing and emergency/critical care to suitable applicants.

Access to a wide range of onsite training and specialty courses are available including a comprehensive initial induction, study days and study leave.

Nursing Highlights:

Virtual Critical Care Unit (ViCCU ) access to state of the art technology for patient transfers
New Graduate Program
Reconnect Program
Undergraduate employment opportunities for 2nd and 3rd year nursing students

Mentoring programs for nurses who wish to pursue management career

Contact information:

If you require further information on this health facility, contact Freya Schuster, Nursing Personnel Officer, Ph: (02) 4734 2506, Fax: (02) 4734 2505 or Email: schustf@wahs.nsw.gov.au .

Alternatively contact the Staff Educator, Ph: (02) 4784 6521, Fax: (02) 4784 6989 or Email: penneld@wahs.nsw.gov.au .

The following table represents the estimated number of new graduate positions available at each facility:

Sydney West Area Health Service facilities conducting New Graduate Programs

Facility	Intake Numbers
SW - Auburn Hosp (June Intake)	6
SW - Auburn - Midwifery	4
SW - Blacktown H & Mt Druitt H (Feb Intake)	20
SW - Blacktown H & Mt Druitt H (March Intake)	20
SW - Blacktown H & Mt Druitt H (May Intake)	5
SW - Blacktown H & Mt Druitt H -Midwifery FEB	2
SW - Blue Mountains DM H (Feb Intake)	5
SW - Blue Mountains DM H (Sept Intake)	2
SW - Lithgow HS (Feb Intake)	2
SW - Lithgow HS (August Intake)	2
SW - Nepean H (Feb Intake)	28
SW - Nepean H (March Intake)	15
SW - Nepean H (April Intake)	15
SW - Nepean H - Midwifery (Feb Ba Mid)	5
SW - Area Mental Health Services (Feb Intake)	17
SW - Westmead Hosp (Feb Intake)	55
SW - Westmead Hosp (May Intake)	25
SW - Westmead Hosp (Sept Intake)	25
SW - Westmead Hosp - Midwifery (Feb Intake Ba Mid Grads)	4
SW - Westmead Hosp - Midwifery (May Intake Ba Mid Grads)	4
SW - St. Josephs (Feb Intake)	4
Total	271

Last updated: 6th June, 2007