Graduate Nurse Program

Graduate nurses will attend a Clinical Skills Workshop at the beginning of the program and two short courses throughout the program.  

Clinical Skills Workshop  

This workshop gives new graduate nurses the opportunity to focus on fundamental nursing skills and knowledge, before transitioning to the clinical environment.  

Short courses include:  

• Introduction to cancer 
• Assessment and management of the acutely ill patient in the oncology setting 
• Chemotherapy module 1 
• Cancer care emergencies 
• Surgical study day 
• Peripheral cannulation /CVAD management 

In addition, graduate nurses attend: 

• Peer group meetings 

The peer group meetings' aim is to provide a safe environment for new nurses to reflect on their practice and learn from each other through constructive group discussion. These meetings are scheduled regularly throughout the program.  

And complete:   

• Competency assessments 

The competency assessment tools are designed to assist nurses to demonstrate application of the prerequisite knowledge and skills in specific areas, safely and according to Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre policies, procedures, or clinical guidelines 

• A variety of learning packages/modules

The learning packages/modules help the graduate nurse link theory to the practice setting.  

• Performance development reviews 

These reviews are designed to provide employees with the means to clarify priorities and expectations, encourage continuous development and promote healthy working relationships. The reviews occur at least three times throughout the program.

The Specialist Clinics and Outpatient Pathology department cares for outpatients attending clinic consultations as well as procedural appointments.

Caring for patients in the department includes:

• Care of patients across all tumour steams in medical and surgical settings
• Post-operative wound management 
• Care of unwell and deteriorating patients, in particular, sepsis management
• Supporting clinical and diagnostic interventions such as urology flexicystoscopes, catheterisation and head and neck nasoendoscope procedures
• Supporting our See and Treat surgical services with minor surgical procedures including biopsies, grafts and flaps
• Providing pathology services including venepuncture, cannulation, Central Venous Access Device assessments and dressings
• Working closely with the multi-disciplinary team to provide a comprehensive, patient centred care

32 bed ward with a clinical (medical) focus on people who have been diagnosed with cancers involving: 

• Bone and soft tissue 
• Lung 
• Skin, and melanoma 
• Head and neck 
• Neurological 
• Gastrointestinal 
• Genito –urinary and 
• Gynaecological systems 

The ward may also manage paediatric patients. Treatment modalities provided to patients on Ward 3A include chemotherapy, external beam radiotherapy, nuclear medicine treatments and palliative care. The ward incorporates a four bed 'first in human' Clinical Trials Unit.  

The ward staff work in collaboration with Victorian Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Service. This service consists of a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals who work alongside cancer specialists at Peter Mac to ensure all aspects of a young person's health and wellbeing are given attention both during treatment and in the years beyond. 

32 bed ward with a focus on people diagnosed with haematological and breast cancers. Haematological malignancies include: 

• Myeloma 
• Lymphoma and 
• Myeloproliferative neoplasms 

Treatment modalities provided to patients on Ward 5A include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, antibody therapies, autologous stem cell transplantation. 

32 bed ward with a clinical focus on people requiring surgery as part of their cancer treatment.  This includes people who have been diagnosed with the following cancers: 

• Gastrointestinal 
• Hepatobiliary 
• Urological 
• Prostate 
• Gynaecological 
• Breast 
• Head and neck 
• Melanoma and 
• Sarcoma 

Ward 6A staff care for patients both pre-operatively and post-operatively and manages patients with surgical complications. 

The Cancer Imaging Department provides a comprehensive range of general and specialist diagnostic, interventional and therapeutic services including: 

• General x-ray 
• Diagnostic mammography 
• Ultrasound 
• Multi-slice helical computerised tomography (CT) 
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 
• Positron emission tomography (PET) 
• PET/CT co-registration 
• Diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine 
• Selected interventional radiology procedures 
• Bone marrow biopsies 

Patient management activities include Central venous access device (CVAD) insertion and removal, barium and contrast studies, percutaneous nephrostomy and biliary drainage, percutaneous gastrostomy (PEG) tube insertion, inferior vena cava (IVC) filter insertion, general fluoroscopic procedures, insertion of hook needle wires for cancer localisations. 

A comprehensive service for patients undergoing complex cancer surgery including: 

• Six theatres 
• Two procedure rooms including dedicated endoscopy unit 
• Day of surgery admission 
• Anaesthetics, intra-operative and post-anaesthetic care  
• Extended Recovery Unit for high acuity patients 

Major surgical focus includes colorectal, upper gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, breast, urology, melanoma, skin, plastic reconstructive, head and neck surgery, sarcoma/vascular, robotic surgery for several specialities, high dose radiation (brachytherapy) for gynaecological and prostate cancers, intraoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. 

Allocation to the operating suite within the Graduate Nurse Program is 12 months only and graduate nurses will have the opportunity to experience all the following areas: Scrub/Scout, Anaesthetics, Post Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU) and Day Surgery throughout the program. 

Day Therapy is an integration of the Same Day Services from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Royal Women’s Hospital. The service comprises of five areas: 

• Chemotherapy 
• Medical 
• Transfusion 
• Apheresis 
• Clinical trials 

Chemotherapy 

The Chemotherapy Service is a 48-chair service (with room to expand) to provide care for all tumour streams including: 

• Bone and soft tissues 
• Brain and spine 
• Breast 
• Colorectal 
• Gynae-oncology 
• Haematology 
• Lung 
• Skin and Melanoma 
• Upper gastrointestinal 
• Uro-oncology 

Treatments include chemotherapy, immunotherapy and supportive medications. 

Medical Day Unit (MDU) 

This unit provides symptom control and management for patients receiving treatment and cares for unplanned and unwell oncology patients that have presented to the hospital via outpatient clinics or the Royal Melbourne and Royal Women's Hospitals.  There will be some planned activity within this unit including the administration of non-cytotoxic infusions, and the care of patients post a bone marrow transplant.  

Apheresis 

Apheresis specialises in the use of cell separator machines designed to centrifuge blood into different components based on the specific gravity of cellular content. Although apheresis is predominantly haematology focused (both malignant and non-malignant), there are a large number of solid tumour streams, neurology and renal patients who are treated here, in addition to a significant blood-product-donor population. The most common procedures performed by the apheresis area of Peter Mac include: 

• Stem cell (HPC-A) Harvesting (both for autologous and allogeneic purposes) 
• Red cell exchange (RBCx) or Reduction 
• Plasma exchange (TPE) 
• Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) 
• White blood cell reduction 
• Granulocyte harvesting

Transfusion Lounge 

The Transfusion unit specialises in the co-ordination and provision of all outpatient blood products to Peter Mac patients. The transfusion unit also provides regular administration of blood products for chronic disorders such as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and disease related or treatment-induced hypogammaglobulinaemia. Common blood products administered within the transfusion lounge includes: 

• Packed red blood cell (PRBCS)
• Platelets 
• Plasma products including albumin, cryoprecipitate or fresh frozen plasma 
• Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)

Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) 

This unit will provide coordinated care to patients undergoing a Phase 1 or high risk clinical trials. 

Allocation to Day Therapy, within the Graduate Nurse Program is 12 months only. Medical/Transfusion (6 months) and Chemotherapy (6 months) 

The Short Stay Unit (SSU) is a dynamic six bed unit providing acute post - operative and multi-stream oncology care. The unit comprises of four overnight post-op beds and two cardiac monitored beds. 

SSU staff provide post-operative care for patients with an anticipated one to two night hospital stay. These post-operative procedures include:  

• Robotic prostatectomy 
• Plastics reconstructive  
• Transurethral resections 
• Mastectomy and axillary dissections 
• High dose brachytherapy 
• Post PEG 

With further training, SSU staff can care for patients who require continuous cardiac monitoring from a vast range of treatment modalities including; haematology, medical oncology, surgical oncology, usually because of their disease state or treatment regime. 

The Palliative Care Unit is a 12-bed unit. Staff provide care to patients with life limiting illness, malignant and non-malignant and progressive disease (this may be cancer or a non-cancer diagnosis) that is being managed with a palliative care approach. Reasons for patient admissions include:  

• Terminal and end of life care  
• Symptom management e.g., pain, dyspnoea, agitation, delirium, psychological symptoms 
• Functional decline and difficulty managing at home  
• Care giver stress and burden  

The Radiotherapy Department is a Monday to Friday service providing care for inpatients and outpatients requiring radiotherapy treatment for a range of cancer diagnoses.   

Radiotherapy treatment includes:  

• External Beam radiation therapy 
• Steriotactic ablative body radiation therapy (SABR) 
• Gamma Knife  
• Brachytherapy   

Radiotherapy nursing staff work within a multidisciplinary team including radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, medical physicists, physiotherapists, dietitians, pharmacists, and speech pathologists.  

Nurses working in the radiotherapy department provide a high level of physical and psychological support before, during, and after the treatment process, including conducting patient health assessments, responding to acute deterioration, providing education and managing patient symptoms associated with the treatment.  The Radiotherapy Department is a dynamic and high-paced clinical environment that enables holistic care to be provided to patients from every tumour stream. 

To participate in Peter Mac’s Graduate Nurse Program, list the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre as your hospital preference for a Victorian Graduate Nurse Program via the Postgraduate Medical Council of Victoria’s Allocation and Placement Service 

Graduate Nurse Program positions will be offered at full time or eight days per fortnight (Operating Suite full time) and applicants will need to provide the following: 

• Letter of application with a passport sized photo 
• Curriculum Vitae including a list of clinical placements  
• Academic transcript with key  
• Two recent clinical appraisal tools (minimum of one acute placement) 
• You will need to provide your referee details to the Allocation and Placement Service  

Please submit your application via Peter Mac’s Careers site, addressing it to Ms Michelle Rutherford, Graduate Nurse Program Coordinator. Applications will open on Monday 2 June 2025.

Interviews will be conducted in July/August 2025  

If your application is successful, you will be invited to partake in an interview. 

Successful applicants will be notified via the Postgraduate Medical Council of Victoria’s (PMCV) Allocation and Management service website in Setpember 2025.  

Refer to the Graduate Nurse Program FAQs for more information. 

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Contact Information  

For enquiries regarding the Graduate Nurse Program, contact: 

Michelle Rutherford 
Graduate Nurse Program Coordinator 
Phone: (03) 8559 7597 
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.