Nursing Re-Connect
About Nursing Re-ConnectWhat Does ReConnect Offer?
Requirements
Results
Bring Nurses Back into the Workforce (BNBW)
Mental Health Connect
Midwifery Connect
How do I apply?
About Nursing Re-Connect
If you are a registered nurse, registered midwife or enrolled nurse currently not working in any nursing position and you have not been working for more than one year and you are interested in re-entering the workforce in the NSW public health system, Nursing Re-Connect may be for you.
Nursing Re-Connect is not a course or a program. It is a method of assisting and supporting nurses and midwives to re-enter the workforce into permanent full time or part time positions. The NSW Department of Health provides three weeks salary to the employing hospital and $600 for clinical support for the nurse or midwife. Hospitals are expected to provide additional orientation and support for the nurse or midwife in their initial period of employment.
Re-Connect places you in contact with an Area Health Service so that they may consider you for employment in a NSW public hospital if there is a suitable full time or part time vacancy. Employment is subject to a suitable vacancy being available and applicants meeting all of the required employment criteria including immunisation, criminal record clearance and current nurses/midwives registration.
If you are eligible for Re-Connect with the public health workforce, you will be employed and paid when you return to the public sector.
Salary information as of July 2008.
What Does ReConnect Offer?
Re-Connect offers:
- individualised and supported re-entry to the public sector workforce
- paid re-entry into an existing vacancy
- full-time and part-time employment in general and specialty clinical areas.
Requirements
Your level of experience does not affect your participation in Re-Connect as the process is tailored to suit your individual needs.
Results
Reconnect was launched in January 2002. This has been a successful initiative with over 1800 nurses and midwives employed through this initiative. Of these, over 78% have remained employed in the public health system.
The table below provides summary information on the initiative.
| Dates | Total Number Employed | Number Employed in Metropolitan Areas | Number Employed in Rural Areas | Retention Rate |
| Jan 2002 - Dec 2004 | 1,234 | 869 | 365 | 73% |
| Jan 2005 - Dec 2007 | 458 | 262 | 196 | 89% |
| Jan 2008 - Dec 2008 | 131 | 55 | 76 | N/A |
| Total | 1,823 | 1,186 | 637 | 81% (average) |
Bring Nurses Back into the Workforce (BNBW)
You may also be eligible for a Commonwealth Government cash bonus when you come back to work in a public or private hospital, community setting or residential aged care facility. If you started work on or after 15 January 2008 and meet the eligibility criteria you may qualify for the bonus payments.
>> Bringing Nurses Back into the Workforce program details.
BNBW payments will be processed in batches once all of the criteria are meet including the completion of the required Statutory Declaration - see Commonwealth Department of Health and Aging above.
Mental Health Connect
Mental Health Connect aims to bring nurses into mental health.
The Mental Health Connect complements Nursing Re-Connect and continues to attract nurses who are seeking to start or re-establish a career in mental health.
Nurses eligible to register for Mental Health Connect include nurses who have been out of the nursing workforce (with or without previous mental health experience) and nurses who have been working in other specialties.
Midwifery Connect
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a registered midwife in NSW currently out of the workforce or
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a registered midwife in NSW currently working as a nurse and wishing to return to midwifery.
How do I apply?
Please call the Re-Connect toll free number on 1800 330 933. Your details will be recorded and forwarded to your nominated Area Health Service (AHS) for follow-up. You will be contacted by a representative of the AHS which may take up to four to five weeks.