Nurses by the dozen: University of Waikato responds to health workforce crisis

The University of Waikato is now the largest provider of graduate-entry nursing, taking in more nursing students (pictured) than the University of Auckland and Wintec - in just the second and third year of programme delivery. Photo / Supplied

The University of Waikato has doubled its intake of nursing students for 2023 in the face of severe staff shortages in the health workforce, welcoming a record 211 new students into its Registered Nursing programmes.

The acting dean of Te Huataki Waiora School of Health, Dr Jo Lane, says: “We’re really pleased to welcome so many high-quality nursing students to study. At a time when the health workforce is in crisis, it’s imperative that we do everything possible to enable students wanting to enrol in health training to do so.”

The University of Waikato is the newest provider of nursing programmes, developing and delivering them in partnership with Te Whatu Ora Waikato, with an emphasis on equity, mental health and addictions, and Māori and Pacific health.

It offers two programmes that lead to becoming a registered nurse: a traditional three-year Bachelor of Nursing degree, and an accelerated graduate-entry Master of Nursing Practice degree. The latter allows students with a previous degree in any subject to complete their nursing training in just two years and be workforce ready.

Dr Joseph Lane says the courses will help meet massive demand for nurses.

“Graduate entry is a really common model overseas for professional healthcare programmes that are starting to become established in Aotearoa,” says Lane.

However, we’ve been just blown away by the demand for our graduate-entry nursing programme, which is already the largest in the country. I’m so proud of what our nursing team has been able to achieve so far.

“We have nearly 70 students starting this year who are wanting to change careers to become nurses. That is just so encouraging, particularly given the rich life experiences that they will bring to the profession. I can’t wait to see them graduate and enter the workforce at the end of next year.”

Lane says graduate-entry programmes are not only a faster way to address health workforce pressures but are also a more cost-effective pathway that does not compromise the quality of training.

”Graduates still meet the same Nursing Council standards and in fact complete 300 more clinical placement hours than required to ensure they are work-ready. However, the cost for students and the Government is around 25 per cent less than a three-year Bachelor of Nursing degree.

“Given the success of graduate-entry health programmes in other countries, including Australia, I would love to see the Government explore this model further in areas where there are other critical workforce shortages, including medicine and midwifery.”