When new nurse Kelly Shi first began her round in the emergency department, straight out of university, she said the difference from classroom learning was like night and day.
Ms Shi said the skills and confidence she gained through managing her patients on her own had been "extremely rewarding".
"As students we don't have a lot of independence," she said.
"Everything has to be checked and cosigned so it was really weird the first time being [in the emergency department] like, 'I'm gonna give you this medication' just by myself."
Ms Shi joined the Nurses Fundamentals Program developed by the emergency department team at Canberra Hospital alongside Bailee Lightfoot, a fellow University of Canberra graduate.
Ms Lightfoot said being in charge of her own patient load has helped her become confident in thinking on her feet and build resilience in urgent situations.
"Learning prioritisation for patients who are ill and managing your time ... you don't have that sort of responsibility when you are a student so it can be quite an extreme switch," she said.
Originally from Wagga Wagga, Ms Lightfoot she had already spent four weeks in neurosurgery and two weeks in the emergency department which "cemented" her desire to remain in Canberra.
"Patient interactions are the most [fulfilling] thing about the job," she added.
She and Ms Shi were among 32 other nurses part of the program which allowed them to work in the different areas of the emergency department. Nurses included new graduates as well as experienced staff seeking more emergency department experience.
As part of the program, clinical development nurses provide training and mentoring to help participants progress to senior roles in the department.
Sarah Retford, one of the nurses who helped create the program, completed a rotation in the emergency department as a graduate nurse and never left. She has been working there for almost seven years.
"I didn't have this program [when I graduated], I had a very generalised graduate program and then came here for a second six months rotation ... but they're getting that full year," Ms Retford said.
She added the fundamentals program, which began in February this year, would help nurses thrive in a high-stress, fast-paced environment before they graduate in early 2025.
Participating nurses were also given access to online case studies and study days to focus on caring for paediatric and mental health patients.
Additionally, a pilot emeritus opportunity was introduced for retired and semi-retired nurses wanting to return to the department on a casual basis to mentor and support staff.
"It's really beautiful actually to see [retired nurses] come, they help with time management, prioritisation of care, skills that you can't really learn in university. It's something you learn on the job, so it's giving [participating nurses] that time and support so there's someone to ask if they aren't sure," Ms Retford said.
The unique program was introduced to attract and retain more nursing staff in the hospital's emergency department.
