When you become a maternal and child health nurse you'll be at the frontline of
Victoria's unique, universal, primary health service available to all families with children from birth to school age.
Please take the time to browse through the pages on this website for more information about:
- a career in Maternal and Child Health Nursing,
- scholarships and study options
- employment opportunities
- news and links to other useful websites.
NEW NEW NEW
Local Council's Scholarship programs
Take a look at the Scholarships page for details of this year's scholarships and sponsorship programs.
Contact the MCH co-ordinator at a council near you to find out how they can support you as a post graduate MCH student.
Telephone contact details are on the Scholarships page.
DEECD Scholarship program - Applications close on Friday 13 November 2009
The DEECD will offer 15 scholarships for study in 2010 each valued at $3,500 to contribute to the cost of completing further study in Maternal and Child Health Nursing.
This program is part of the DHS Nurse Policy Branch scholarship program that identified areas of specialty nursing for scholarship support.
In 2009-2010 eleven MCH services are prioritised for DEECD scholarships. The prioritised MCH services are: Brimbank, Maribyrnong, Melton, Maroondah, Casey, Port Phillip, Whittlesea, Moreland, Knox, Shepparton, Northern Grampians
Details of scholarships for 2010 are now available at the Nursing in Victoria website at http://www.health.vic.gov.au/nursing/furthering/postgrad#mchscholar
Applications close on Friday 13 November 20009. Interviews will occur in early December.
Guidelines are available on the web site provided.
Applicants must seek the support of a Maternal and Child Health Service and will be required to include in their application a letter of support from the relevant service provider organisation. Contact details for each prioritised MCH service are included at the website address as above.
Re-entry opportunities for nurses who have been out of active workforce participation for some time.
A Re-Entry course is available for Nurses who previously were registered as maternal and child health nurses but have let their registration lapse.
On completion of the course it is possible to register as an MCH nurse with the Nurses Board of Victoria.
Currently the Re-entry course is offered at Latrobe University. Further information may be obtained from the course co-ordinator on (03) 9479 5930.
Information about accredited re-entry courses for maternal and child health nurses is available at the Nurses Board of Victoria website.
There are currently no scholarships available for Re-entry and Refresher courses
MCH nurses who have maintained their registration but have been away from direct service delivery in MCH for some years may consider a
Refresher course. Contact the MCH course co-ordinators at Latrobe University on (03) 9479 5930 and RMIT University on (03) 9925 7730 for further information.
Career pathways and opportunities
There are over 800 MCH nurses employed in direct service to families in Victoria.
A range of opportunities are available for professional development and for MCH nurses to broaden their role while remaining within the specialty, including:
IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SECTOR
- Centre-based universal service delivery
- Local government setting
- Community health service setting
- Enhanced MCH nurse (outreach)
- Team leader
- Parenting education
- Co-ordinator
- Research
- Education
- Lactation consultant
- Indigenous services and link agencies
- Metropolitan, regional or rural settings
- Early years services manager
OTHER GOVERNMENT SECTORS OR OTHER ORGANISATIONS
- MCH 24 hour telephone line
- Early Parenting Centres - clinical nurse, team leader
- Mother-Baby units (psychiatric services)
- Clinical nurse consultant
- Policy adviser
- Government program and policy officer
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