Graduate Nurse Program (GNP) 2026 - Mental Health Stream
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- Graduate Nurses, registered with PMCV’s Allocation and Placement Service (APS)
- Permanent employment
- Full time and part time opportunities available (0.8 EFT, 0.9 EFT and 1.0 EFT)
Austin Health is the major provider of tertiary health services, health professional education and research across three campuses in the north-east of Melbourne and statewide. We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our goal to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives.
About the Graduate Nurse Program
An exciting opportunity currently exists for enthusiastic graduate nurses to join Austin Health in our Mental Health Graduate Nurse Program in 2026. We offer a well-supported Graduate Nurse Program including a structured orientation program, ongoing paid study days, educational opportunities and supernumerary days. Our service has a strong focus on consumer centred, recovery focused, high quality care.
Our dedicated Early Career Nurse Coordinator and our Mental Health Nursing Education and Training Team are available to assist and support graduate nurses in this transition year for the duration of the program. Graduates are also supported by area preceptors and their managers. We are committed to provide a supportive program, with a focus on reflective, contemporary evidenced based mental health nursing practice that will provide the structure you need to become an exceptional mental health nurse.
Graduate Nurse Program aim: Empowering early-career nurses to develop their skills, achieve their goals, and build long-lasting careers at Austin Health while delivering safe, patient-centered care.
About the role
The graduate nurse program is a 54-week program, and upon successful completion, we offer ongoing employment in our Clinical Advancement Program, which is an additional supported year with two further six-month rotations across a variety of mental health bed based and community services. Recognition of prior learning will be applied at the successful completion of the graduate nurse program towards postgraduate studies in mental health nursing with select universities.
About you
You will be someone who enjoys working as a part of a supportive team committed to excellence in patient care. You’ll have an interest in self-development and education, and actively seek out opportunities to grow your skillset.
You’ll further bring with you:
- Registered Nurse registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
- A patient focused approach to care
- A positive approach to ongoing self-education and skill development
- A flexible, innovative team-oriented approach to service delivery
- A positive approach to change and diversity
- Commitment to quality, best practice and environmental safety
- A commitment to successfully completing the 12-month Graduate Nurse Program, including all educational, professional, and clinical hurdles
Please note: you will be required to attach copies of the following documents to your online application:
- Austin Health Personal Details Form
- Resume - (maximum 2 pages) including list of all clinical placements, and two clinical referees (one from mental health placement where possible)
- Clinical Appraisal 1 – most recent acute placement
- Clinical Appraisal 2 – mental health placement (if unavailable most recent acute/subacute or specialty placement)
- Academic Transcript - (an official university transcript, most up to date & include marking key)
Our benefits
Working at Austin Health means enjoying a strong sense of purpose, engaging in meaningful work every day. Our people also receive a variety of rewarding benefits, including:
- Greater take-home pay through generous salary packaging, for living expenses, meals, and holiday accommodation.
- A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounted fitness memberships and special offers on health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program.
- Onsite childcare at Austin Hospital, easy access via public transport and car parking options.
- Mentoring and career development opportunities.
Work with us!
We are committed to cultural safety and health equity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People. We celebrate, value, and include people of all backgrounds, genders, identities, cultures, bodies, and abilities. We welcome and support applications from talented people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, people with disability, neurodiverse people, LGBTQIA+ and people of all ages and cultures.
If you feel this role is right for you, we encourage your early application. Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. What matters most is your passion, your drive and your willingness to learn and contribute. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the closing date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad prior to the advertised closing date.
All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working With Children Check. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the Graduate Nurse Program Coordinator at graduatenurseprogram@austin.org.au
Interested in finding out more about this opportunity? Read the position description for further details.
