Te Whatu Ora Logo

WAIRARAPA HOSPITAL
0800 946 9800
(06) 946 9800

Professional Development

The Professional Development and Recognition Programme (PDRP) is a contemporary professional development framework which supports and assists nurses to further develop knowledge and skills to provide safe and effective care. The programme acknowledges and develops a range of transferable clinical and personal skills, values and professionalism. As a professional development programme it sets out a clinical career pathway for nurses from graduate to expert practice. As a competence measurement tool, it makes explicit the minimum standards expected of every nurse.

The purpose of the programme is:

  • To assure the patients/clients of our health service of a safe standard of care delivery by nurses.

  • To promote a culture of continuous quality improvement, where nurses seek to develop themselves as health professionals and provide the best possible services to patients, clients, their families and whanau, and the community.

  • To ensure nurses engaged in the programme will have met Nursing Council competence requirements to obtain an Annual Practising Certificate.

Nursing Entry to Practice Programme (NETP)

Our Nursing Entry to Practice (NETP) Programme is a 12 month programme which offers up to 8 weeks supernumerary status with preceptors, and may include six month rotations that could incorporate inpatient, community or primary care and Aged & Residential Care settings. Regular study days and tutorials will guide nurses through the practicalities of time management, coping with shift work and stress, management of quality and privacy issues, and much more.

Alternatively our Mental Health NETP Programme supports nurses throughout the year to undertake a Post Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing through Whitireia Polytechnic. Graduates work in a variety of mental health settings throughout the year which will involve some work in an acute unit within another District Health Board. Preceptoring occurs throughout the year and graduates are encouraged to network with the other new graduate nurses employed on the Wairarapa DHB's NETP Programme.

The New Graduate Programme (Nursing Entry to Practice - NETP) is open to all new graduates. For more information regarding the NETP Programme click here.

Training Calendar

Wairarapa DHB runs a comprehensive in-house training calendar with courses open to all Nurses (Registered and Enrolled) working at the DHB and also in the wider Wairarapa community.

All of our study days are usually 8 hours in duration and topics range from Cardiac to Palliative Care.

Support for post graduate education is provided on an annual basis through Health Workforce New Zealand funding.

New Zealand professional registration information

Instructions for enrolment, including calendar and details of presenters and information in relation to specific study days are listed below: