Nursing roles
Current vacancies
Jessica Ollis
Registered Nurse/Clinical Nurse Specialist, Short Stay Surgical Unit
“I’ve worked at Barwon Health for 11 years. I started as a graduate nurse, then as a casual nurse for a year before I applied to work in the Short Stay Surgical Unit and I have been here ever since. I co-ordinate the graduate and student nurses on my ward and have completed extra training to help me manage these tasks. I am excited to be moving to a brand new ward with all new equipment in the Youang Surgery Centre. The development of a new ward gives us opportunities for change and growth - we are currently recruiting new staff to assist with this. We want new staff to feel comfortable and we treat all new members how we would want to be treated ourselves. Our ward is fantastic and I have always felt very fortunate to be able to work with the team. Everyone - including nurses, ward clerks, PSAs, medical and allied health staff - works together to provide the best care for our patients. I love my role. Working in the Short Stay Surgical Unit allows me to see diverse patients with a wide variety of care needs. It’s very rewarding to be there, assisting in the recovery of patients post-surgery. I also love Geelong and Barwon Region as it has some of the best places to eat and drink and is a growing and vibrant city. We are surrounded by many beautiful vineyards that I enjoy taking my friends to see and the beaches are only moments away, so on hot summer day I enjoy heading down to Ocean Grove for a swim or a walk.”
Emily Cannard
Anaesthetics Recovery ANUM/Clinical Nurse Specialist GVC
“I have thrived with the support of Barwon Health. Within 12 months I was given the opportunity to step into a preceptorship role to mentor undergraduates, grads and our grad specialist. I developed a real passion for education and this led onto my role as the clinical support nurse of the main operating theatre and Gretta Volum Centre (GVC). Since stepping up into a leadership role as an ANUM of GVC, there is never a day without a challenge that drives my passion for providing safe and quality services to our patients. Barwon Health is very community focused and driven which I think is important in a town like Geelong. We are becoming bigger, our growing population becoming more complex and Barwon Health has a real focus on the future as well as the present.”
Fran den Dryver
EEN Admissions Discharges and Scrub Scout Pilot Program
“I started my career at Barwon Health in 1994 – 27 years ago – as an enrolled nurse. Barwon health has continued to support my career development over the years of my employment, including my medication endorsements and my recent undertaking of the EEN pilot program – a program enabling enrolled nurses to upskill into the role of scrub/scout nurse. This program has been a highly rewarding experience and a highlight of my career. The role has involved learning a new range of skills which has been challenging, however, being supported by the clinical nurse specialist team and clinical nurse educator has been invaluable during this time. I have loved working closely with theatre staff, the surgeons and proceduralist.”
Stephanie Tan
Clinical Nurse Specialist Scrub/Scout GVC
“As an international nurse, the transition to working in a different country was challenging, but the support I received from Barwon Health was tremendous. The positive environment helped me settle in and feel that I belonged within the unit which I believe makes Barwon Health different from other organisations. They have also made me feel valued and important by honouring my roster request and flexible working arrangement. As a working mum, it is important for me to achieve work-life balance and be able to contribute to the workforce without sacrificing being a mother. Barwon Health has enabled me to do both. My career development has also been supported by providing me with study leave and academic leave, which enabled me to take advantage of the in-services and lectures provided by the organisation. When I did my post-graduate certificate, the encouragement and support that I received from the NUM and ANUMs was monumental in helping me achieve my career milestone. My most rewarding experience at Barwon Health would have to be the opportunity to mentor student nurses, graduate nurses and junior nurses and see them flourish into confident and full-fledged nurses.”
