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"This award is testament to the leadership and commitment of our team”

Mark Watson, GM of Southern Cross Hamilton Hospital, was “beyond excited” to receive an award on behalf of the team he leads.

“It’s brilliant news that Te Pūkenga Wintec undergraduates named our hospital as the best placement as they prepare to head into their nursing careers. The Southern Cross Hamilton Hospital team was singled out by students and academics for this prestigious award, from among hundreds of healthcare providers in the Waikato region,” Watson said.

“Like everyone in the health sector, Southern Cross Healthcare wants to set new nurses up for success, and the whole team here at our Hamilton hospital has put in the mahi to ensure the students who spend time with us are ready to contribute on the ward, in theatres and in primary health care, whether that’s in the Waikato or wherever there is need in Aotearoa.

“We believe the success of our placements come down to two key things; the crafted plans which cater to every student’s individual needs created by our team, and the incredible support given by nurse mentors day in and day out. Our nursing team offers advice and on-the-job learning on top of their own roles, while our learning and development facilitator focuses on ensuring students get all the information and training, they need to hone their skills before they head out into the ‘real world’.

Wintec’s Clinical Experience Manager, Alison Gray, said, “The available learning and education at Southern Cross Hamilton Hospital provides students with a sense of ease and all staff are really supportive and approachable. It’s a real testament to the hard work that goes into the pre-learning packages and complements the actual integration to practice that the students need at that stage of their learning.”

Southern Cross Healthcare, which owns the hospital, is committed to developing nursing skills and resources for New Zealand, including building out a public and private workforce of Registered Nurse Anaesthetic Assistants; nurses who can step in and provide additional support in theatre, which keeps operating lists on track. Southern Cross is also committed to supporting qualified nurses through further education to become Nurse Practitioners and even to lead their hospitals in a GM role.

Watson said, “What I love about this award is that it’s just one of the ways Southern Cross is being acknowledged for all the work we do in the health ecosystem. We certainly won’t be resting on our laurels though. The team will be sharing their expertise with the wider Southern Cross Healthcare organisation to make sure we’re making a difference nationally in supporting nurses in their learning, for successful, fulfilling careers.”