The Registered Nurse (RN) Refresher Program

• Part Time (0.6 - 0.8 FTE), Fixed term (8-10 weeks)
• Commencing 1st June 2026

The Registered Nurse (RN) Refresher Program provides scholarship and clinical support to RN’s seeking an opportunity to return to practice or refresh skills in the acute or sub-acute hospital setting.

SVHM is offering Registered Nurses the opportunity to confidently re-enter the nursing workforce or refresh prior skills and return to the acute setting in a supported program. This structured Refresher program combines education, ward-based clinical learning, and dedicated support to help you build clinical confidence and strengthen contemporary nursing skills.

$10,000 Department of Health scholarships are available* to assist eligible candidates with the costs associated with participation, including living expenses and travel while completing the unpaid program.

This supported RN Refresher program is designed for Registered Nurses who are looking to:

• Return to clinical practice after a period away from nursing
• Refresh and consolidate skills to return to nursing in either a subacute or acute setting

External and internal applicants are welcome to apply

Participants will benefit from:

• Clinical Experience: Gain hands-on experience in a clinical setting, supported by expert nurses and a dedicated nursing leadership team.
• Clinical Supervision: Participate in a fully supported program, working under the supervision of a Registered Nurse for the duration of the program. You will receive structured guidance, feedback, and support from nursing educators and peers to consolidate your clinical skills safely and confidently.
• Professional Development Opportunities: Attend orientation and structured study days, including completion of SVHM Mandatory training requirements, to support safe practice and contemporary clinical standards.
  
  Clinical Areas Available:
  The RN Refresher program will be delivered at St. Vincent’s acute hospital sites (St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, St. Vincent’s on the Park, East Melbourne or St George's Health Service, Kew). Positions are available across acute services:
• Neurosurgery
• Orthopaedics
• Gastroenterology, Urology and Colorectal
• Upper Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Breast and Endocrine
• Plastics, Vascular and Ear Nose and Throat (ENT)
• Cardiothoracic
• Renal, Rheumatology and Endocrinology
• General Medicine
• Haematology and Oncology
• Cardiology
  
  Positions are also available in the following clinical areas:
• Perioperative services, including Scrub-Scout, Anaesthetics, Endoscopy, Day Procedures.
• Subacute services, including Rehabilitation and Geriatric Evaluation Management (GEM)
  
  Please nominate your preferred clinical speciality within your cover letter, noting this cannot be guaranteed.
  
  About You:
  You are a motivated and compassionate nurse looking to take the next step in your career through specialty practice. You will bring:
• Previous experience as a Registered Nurse, outside of an acute setting.
• A strong commitment to ongoing education and professional growth
• A patient-centred approach, delivering safe and high-quality care
• Initiative and advocacy for the safety and wellbeing of both patients and colleagues
• A willingness to fully engage in the Refresher program, including attendance at training and study days, and completion of mandatory training activities
  
  Qualifications, Skills and Experience
  To be eligible for the St. Vincent’s RN Refresher program, you will have:
• Current Nursing Registration: Current nursing registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (via AHPRA), without conditions.
• Educational Background: A degree in General Nursing that meets the registration requirements of Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) standards, or equivalent.
  
  
• Professional Experience:
  o Internal applicants: SVHM RN's currently employed with previous nursing experience in an area outside of their usual employment, seeking to refresh skills. Applicants must have a minimum of 12 months acute nursing experience, within their nursing career.
  
  o External applicants: RN’s who are not currently employed as an RN, or with previous nursing experience in an area outside of their usual employment, seeking to refresh skills. Applicants must have had a minimum of 12 months acute nursing experience, within their nursing career.
  
  * Previous experience in preferred area is desirable
• Scholarship Eligibility: Participants must not have previously received a Department of Health scholarship to complete a nursing or midwifery refresher program.
• Commitment to Employment: Agree to complete the program and seek employment in the targeted clinical area of practice in the Victorian public health sector following completion of the program. Be able to commit to a minimum of 3 shifts per week, with 2 being on consecutive days.
• Current Working Rights: Applicants holding a valid visa are welcome to apply; however, visa conditions must permit full participation in the Refresher Program and must not restrict the required work hours or program commitments.
  
  Current Working Rights: Individuals applying for refresher program scholarships are not required to be Australian or New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents to Australian permanent humanitarian visa holders. However, they must ensure the conditions of their visa do not impede them from undertaking the refresher program.
  
  Working at St. Vincent’s:
  St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (SVHM) is a premier teaching, research, and tertiary health service provider. SVHM delivers a wide array of adult clinical services and operates under the core values of Compassion, Justice, Integrity, and Excellence.
  
  What We Offer:
• Salary Packaging: Maximise your take-home pay with our salary packaging options.
• Employee Benefits: Enjoy a range of benefits, including the Employee Assistance Program, Fitness Passport, and exclusive discounts and promotions through our Foundation.
• Career Development: Opportunities for career advancement and continuous professional growth.
• Culture of Improvement: Be part of a culture dedicated to continuous improvement.
  
  To Apply, Please Include:
  1) Cover Letter, addressed to the RN Refresher Program Education Coordinator.
• Highlight your interest and benefits of the RN Refresher program for your career progression. Explain how your clinical practice aligns with SVHM's mission and values.
• Ensure you clearly identify your preferred clinical area preference, with up to four (e) maximum preferences.
  For example, 1) Neurosurgery, 2) Orthopaedics, 3) Plastics, Vascular & ENT, 4) Cardiology
  * Previous experience in preferred area is desirable
• Refer to our SVHM RN Refresher website for available clinical areas.
  2) Curriculum Vitae
• Professional References. For internal candidates this will need to include 1 direct line manager. For external candidates, this will need to include 2 direct line managers.
  
  Application Timeline:
  Opening Date: Monday, 9th March 2026
  Closing Date: Sunday, 22nd March 2026
  
  We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and abilities. Inclusion is essential to our mission, and diversity reflects the community we serve.
  
  To find more information about the program and review the associated Position Description, click here.
  
  For more information regarding our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment opportunities at SVHM, please visit our website.