12.08.2020, 11:37
A Unique Opportunity for Student Nurses
In partnership with the University of Southern Queensland, Serco Australia is offering professional placements for nursing students at Southern Queensland Correctional Centre (SQCC).
The initiative pairs students with experienced mental health nurses and involve a variety of workplace experiences that typically include assisting with medical and mental health assessments and medical rounds, attending medical emergencies, supporting self-harm risk assessments and interventions, and sitting-in on meetings.
In August a second intake of five students have joined the programme whicch will see them complete a 120-hour clinical rotation by the end of October.
SQCC Health Services Manager Brie Brown, explains: “There is a high prevalence of mental disorders for individuals in custodial settings, so these placements offer students a unique opportunity to gain an increased understanding of mental health.
“Being a correctional facility, the students benefit from an accelerated learning experience. So much can happen in a short time and no day is the same.”
University of Southern Queensland School of Nursing and Midwifery Associate Lecturer in Mental Health, Rhonda Dawson, adds: “The opportunities Serco has provided to our students have extended their mental health knowledge in a different setting to where they would normally have been placed.
“The placements have equipped our students with valuable skills and practical experiences and Serco has been a great support to them.”
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