Registered Nursing and Registered Midwifery Graduate Programs
Step One
Step Two
In 2027 we will have the following Graduate Nursing and Midwifery positions available:
Enrolled Nurse Graduate Programs
Step One
Women's and Children's Services offer a 12 month midwifery graduate program to support newly qualified midwives to consolidate their knowledge and skills in caring for women and babies throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal journey.
The graduate year is supported by the midwifery education team, the broader midwifery group and the medical team within the service.
Graduates participating in this program gain confidence, feel a genuine part of our multidisciplinary team and develop competence as a midwife at the end of their graduate year. Graduate midwives are offered structured study days throughout the year to consolidate their theoretical foundation in midwifery.
Caseload Midwifery Program
New in 2026 Bendigo Health are proud to be offering a new Graduate Midwifery Program with a focus on caseload midwifery care.
Graduates will participate in a 12-month program to support their consolidation of new knowledge and skills in caring for women and babies throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal journey. Graduates will rotate between birthing suites and women’s ward, and MAMTA (BHs caseload midwifery service).
Graduates participating in this program gain confidence, feel a genuine part of our multidisciplinary team and develop competence as a midwife at the end of their graduate year. Graduate midwives participate in structured study days throughout the year.
As of 2025, Bendigo Health and Dhelkaya Health are partnering to deliver a collaborative Graduate Midwifery Program experience.
Graduates will rotate between organisations, spending six months at each. At Bendigo Health graduates will consolidate knowledge and skills in caring for women and babies while working in Birthing Suites and Women’s ward – as a level five regional referral centre.
During the rotation at Dhelkaya Health, graduate midwives will provide local pregnancy, labour and birth and early parenting care as part of the Midwifery Group Practice (caseload) care team. Dhelkaya Health is a Level 2 maternity service caring for healthy women with normal pregnancies.
For more information about this new program, visit the Dhelkaya Health website.
Do I get to rotate through the different areas in maternity?
Yes. You will rotate through Birth Suite, Women’s Ward and Women’s Clinic, which includes midwives clinic, assessments and midwifery home care. The amount of time you spend in each area will vary.
When does the Graduate year commence?
Your graduate year will commence in February or March and runs over a 12 month period.
Graduate Nursing and Midwifery Careers Evening
Friday 8 May, 2026 5pm - 7pm
Book your place: https://www.trybooking.com/DAZRF
BH applications open for all graduate registered nursing and midwifery positions – Monday 1 June, 2026 10am
BH applications close – Wednesday 1 July, 2026 5pm
PMCV closing date for change of preference – Friday, 4 September 2026
Allocations and Placement match results available – Wednesday 16 September, 2026
Enrolled Nurse Graduate Program (General) – Direct applications to Bendigo Health opening and April for August 2026 commencement and October for February 2027.
Enrolled Nurse Graduate Program (Mental Health) - Direct applications to Bendigo Health. Interviews will be conducted in August/September 2026 for commencement in October 2026.
Am I employed part time?
All streams are employed at 0.8 FTE, meaning you work 8 shifts at 64 hours per fortnight. Staff in the Perioperative/Perianaesthetic Stream are employed at 66.5 hours per fortnight, which equates to 7 shifts per fortnight.
What shifts do I work during the Graduate program?
Nursing is a 24/7 career, so depending on the rotation, you will work a combination of day, evening, night, weekend and public holiday shifts. Some rotations do not require you to work evening or night shift and pnly operate from Monday to Friday.
Change to PMCV application process - In line with updated PMCV guidelines, our Perioperative/Perianaesthetic Stream is now incorporated within the Nursing Stream for the application and preference process. Applicants should select the “Nursing” stream when applying through PMCV. To be considered for the Perioperative/Perianaesthetic Stream, please ensure you complete the relevant documentation within your application on our hospital recruitment platform (SuccessFactors), clearly indicating your interest in Perioperative/Perianaesthetic.
Providing a unique opportunity in perioperative and perianaesthetic nursing, a specialty Interventional Suite Graduate Nurse Program is offered at Bendigo Health. The 12 month program offers two six month rotations in Theatre (scrub/scout) and Day of Surgery Admissions (DOSA) or Anaesthetics and Recovery.
Support is provided by the nursing education team, nurse unit managers, and nursing and interprofessional colleagues.
How many rotations do you get and do I get to choose where I go?
There are two rotations of six months each. Rotations are ‘coupled’ according to the specialty area that graduates are successful in gaining.
DOSA (Day of Surgery Admissions) is linked with Perioperative specialty (operating theatres, scrubbing and scouting roles)
Perianaesthetics is linked with PACU (Post Anaesthetic Care Unit) care of patients.
When does the Graduate year commence?
The graduate program will commence in February 2026.
How many study days are there?
There are four. These are paid days and are included in your rostered hours.
The General Stream Graduate Program provides an opportunity for graduate registered nurses to experience a mix of acuity and diversity across settings by undertaking two six month rotations. You will be able to nominate your preferred rotation areas, including inpatient wards, critical care, community settings, surgical units, and mental health.
Recognising the important role nurses play in all settings, graduates are provided with guides and opportunities to develop and consolidate knowledge and skills that are both unique and transferable to any area of nursing practice, laying strong foundations for career progression beyond the graduate year.
During the graduate program you will work 0.8 EFT. Support is provided by the nursing education team, clinical support nurses, nurse unit managers and nursing and interprofessional colleagues. On successful completion of the program, graduates are employed in an ongoing capacity within the organisation.
How many rotations do you get and do I get to choose where I go?
You will have two rotations of six months each. These areas include acute and subacute inpatient, community and mental health.
When does the General Stream Graduate year commence?
The General Stream Graduate Nursing program has two intakes. These intakes commence in February and March 2026.
How many study days are there?
There are four compulsory study days, two per rotation in the General Stream graduate program. These are paid days and are included in your rostered hours.
Bendigo Health offers a combined Registered Nurse/Registered Midwife graduate program.
This program is specially designed to support the transition of dual registered graduates as they transition into the roles of nurse and midwife at Bendigo Health. Graduates will experience two six month rotations in nursing and midwifery to provide the opportunity to explore and develop in each profession.
The midwifery rotation will focus on the consolidation of knowledge and skills in caring for women and babies throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal journey. The nursing rotation will focus on the consolidation of knowledge and skills in caring for either neonatal or adult inpatients in an acute clinical setting.
Graduates will be supported by the nursing and midwifery education teams and clinical support staff, as well as the broader departmental teams. Study days during each rotation will provide the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills.
On successful completion of the program, graduates are employed in an ongoing capacity within the organisation.
How many rotations do you get and do I get to choose where I go?
You will have two rotations of six months each.
Within your midwifery rotation you will focus on the consolidation of knowledge and skills in caring for women and babies throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal journey. The nursing rotation will focus on the consolidation of knowledge and skills in caring for adult inpatients in an acute clinical setting.
When does the RN/RM graduate year commence?
Graduates in this program will commence in February 2026.
How many study days are there?
You will attend a range of paid study days relevant to each of your rotations. These include orientation, Foetal Surveillance Education Program, NeoResus and PROMPT (obstetric emergencies), plus additional study days with the General Stream Graduate Program.
Change to PMCV application process - In line with updated PMCV guidelines, our Critical Care Stream is now incorporated within the Nursing Stream for the application and preference process. Applicants should select the “Nursing” stream when applying through PMCV. To be considered for the Critical Care Stream, please ensure you complete the relevant documentation within your application on our hospital recruitment platform (SuccessFactors), clearly indicating your interest in Critical Care.
The Critical Care Graduate Program provides an opportunity for graduate nurses to experience a mix of acuity within different departments of the Critical Care Division. Graduates will experience two six-month rotations from Cardiac Catheter Laboratory (CCL), Emergency Department (ED), and Ward 6A (Short Stay Observation Unit/ Assessment and Treatment Unit/ Cardiac).
Graduates will each have a supernumerary clinical experience in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). During this time graduates will receive supported exposure to caring for critically ill patients. This may include providing care to patients receiving invasive therapeutic interventions (e.g. ventilation, haemofiltration, inotropic support).
Graduates will be supported in all areas to develop and consolidate clinical knowledge and skills within their scope of practice relevant to the needs of patients in their care. Support is provided by Clinical Nurse Educators, Clinical Nurse Consultants, Nurse Unit Managers, nursing and interprofessional colleagues.
During the graduate program you will work 0.8 EFT. Support is provided by the Learning, Education and Development team, clinical nurse educators, nurse unit managers and nursing and interprofessional colleagues. On successful completion of the program, graduates are employed in an ongoing capacity within the organisation.
How many rotations do I get and do I get to choose where I go?
Each graduate in this program will have the opportunity to preference a rotation to CCL or ED – as well as experience a rotation to 6A. This will provide you with the opportunity to consolidate your nursing skills within a ward, as well as gain exposure and support within a high acuity clinical department – working within your scope of practice.
When does the Critical Care Stream Graduate year commence?
The Critical Care Stream Graduate Nursing program commences in February 2026.
How many study days are there?
There are four compulsory study days spread across the program. These days will be linked in to the General stream program – promoting networking opportunities. These are paid days and are included in your rostered hours.
Bendigo Health is passionate about facilitating the professional development of all nurses and are excited to offer a supportive graduate program for newly graduated Enrolled Nurses.
Graduates in the Enrolled Nurse Graduate Program (General) commence in residential aged care to consolidate nursing knowledge and skills, before utilising these transferable skills to progress to a second six month rotation in an acute or sub-acute inpatient department.
On successful completion of the program, graduates are offered ongoing employment at Bendigo Health.
Registered and enrolled nurses also have the option to specialise in mental health. See Mental Health Graduate Program section below for more information.
How many rotations do you get and do I get to choose where I go?
You will have two rotations of six months each. These areas include residential aged care, acute and subacute inpatient departments.
How many study days are there?
There are four compulsory study days, two per rotation in the Enrolled Nurse Graduate Program. These are paid days and are included in your rostered hours.
Providing an exceptional opportunity in gerontological nursing, a specialty Aged Care Graduate Nurse Program is offered at Bendigo Health. The 12 month program offers two six month rotations in residential aged care facilities.
This program assists in building your specialised knowledge and skills of gerontological nursing, whilst being supported by Clinical Nurse Educators and Nurse Educators to consolidate your professional practice. Support is also provided by the nurse unit managers, clinical nurse consultant, nursing and interprofessional colleagues.
When does the Graduate year commence?
The Aged Care Graduate Nurse program commences in February 2027.
How many clinical rotations do you offer?
We offer two clinical rotations. Each rotation is six months in duration. The aim of providing two rotations is to give each graduate the opportunity to experience and learn in two different residential aged care facilities.
How many professional study days do you offer?
You will attend five compulsory paid graduate nursing study days.
The Mental Health Enrolled Nurse Graduate/Transition program provides a supportive environment for enrolled nurses to gain new mental health nursing skills and to consolidate prior learnings.
Nurses will have access to clinical supervision, group clinical supervision and preceptorship. This support plays a key role in assisting new graduates and transition nurses with the demands of working in a fast paced and ever–changing environment.
Commencing late 2025, the program includes study days that explore the nuances of mental health nursing which will help provide a strong foundation for a rewarding career.
Graduates will be offered two, six month clinical rotations in either Older Persons, Adult in-patient or Community Mental Health settings.
Each graduate/transition nurse is employed at 0.8 EFT. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be offered a minimum of 0.6 EFT within Bendigo Health.
Click here for the Mental Health Enrolled Nurse Graduate/Transition Program brochure.
For more information contact the Mental Health Professional Development Unit (MHPDU) on (03) 5454 7612.
How many study days are there?
There are up to 10 paid study days during the program which will enhance your understandings of mental health conditions, treatment options and how to communicate and build therapeutic connections with clients. These days are included in your rostered hours.
Bendigo Health Mental Health Services provides Child, Young Person, Adult and Older Adult community mental health services as well as treatment for Adult and Older Adults in an inpatient setting.
The aim of the Mental Health Graduate program is to facilitate the transition from student to registered nurse within a supportive environment, offering opportunity for clinical experience and professional development in Mental Health. The program encourages consolidation of mental health nursing skills and knowledge within a holistic framework of nursing practice. Support for the new nurse is key, with the program offering individual and group supervision. A preceptor is allocated in each rotation, and inpatient rotations have access to a Graduate Support nurse. Clinical supervision is known to nurture resilience and reduce burnout in nurses, and those completing the program will have the opportunity to continue with ongoing clinical supervision.
Each graduate is employed at 0.8 EFT and allocated to three, four month rotations. This includes at least one inpatient rotation and rotations in either Child, Young Person, Adult, Older Adult community mental health settings.
The Mental Health Graduate Program provides 12 study days to support the building of clinical skills.
Mental Health Graduate Program participants are required to enrol in the Master of Mental Health Nursing at La Trobe University. The Mental Health Graduate Program study days attract credit points towards the Postgraduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing.
Candidates are advised to seek advice regarding university costs of subjects, eligibility for Commonwealth Supported Places, HECS and government scholarships.
For more information contact: Mental Health Professional Development Unit (MHPDU) on (03) 5454 7612
Click here for the Mental Health Graduate Nurse Program brochure.
How many rotations do I have and do I get to choose where I go?
There are three rotations of four months each divided up between inpatient, residential and community teams. Once we know who our Graduates are we ask them to nominate their preferences for rotations. Although we can’t guarantee everyone’s choices, graduate nurses usually get some of their preferences.
When does the Graduate year commence?
The 2026 Graduate program will commence in January 2026.
How much support will I receive during the Mental Health Graduate program?
All Mental Health Graduate nurses (including General Stream Graduate nurses doing the Mental Health rotation) will be assigned a Clinical Supervisor, a Preceptor and will also attend Group Clinical Supervision at the start of each study day. On inpatient rotations, a dedicated Graduate Support Nurse is available to provide guidance and assistance to you on the floor. There are always supportive staff and managers on each rotation and Bendigo Health has a wonderful staff support program.
How many study days are there?
There are 12 compulsory study days, one on the third Tuesday of every month (except December, where the study day is the second Tuesday of the month). These are paid days and are included in your rostered hours.
Do I have to enrol into a university course during the Mental Health Graduate Program?
Yes. You will enrol into the Master of Mental Health Nursing course at La Trobe University. Credit points are obtained for successful participation in the Graduate program.
Am I employed part time?
You are employed 0.8FTE which means you work eight days a fortnight, this is to assist with having enough time to complete the university requirements and achieve a work life balance.
What shifts do I work during the Graduate program?
Depending on the rotation, you will work a combination of day, evening and weekend shifts. You are not required to work night shift during the Graduate year. Some community rotations are Monday to Friday.
When will interviews be conducted for the Mental Health Graduate program?
Dates to be confirmed
Which Graduate program do I apply for to do a mixture of general nurse and mental health nurse rotations?
You would apply through the General Stream Graduate program and in your cover letter you would state that you would like to be considered for the Mental Health rotation (6 months). There are only two positions available for this Mental Health rotation one in the first half of the year and one in the second.
If I am chosen to do a 6 month mental health rotation from the General Stream Graduate Program do I get to attend the Mental Health Graduate Program study days?
Yes. The paid study days are on the third Tuesday of every month (except December, where the study day is the second Tuesday of the month) and you will attend the ones that fall during your rotation. You are not required to enrol in the Master of Mental Health course with La Trobe.
