The West Coast District Health Board (WCDHB) administers funding from Health Workforce Directorate (HWD) for West Coast nurses wanting to undertake postgraduate (level 8) study toward qualifications including: certificates, diplomas, and clinical masters.
The WCDHB Nurse Manager – Workforce Development, based in Greymouth, coordinates this funding on behalf of the West Coast region.
Postgraduate study is designed to prepare nurses to meet the challenges of a changing West Coast healthcare environment and to provide enhancement of individual nursing practice. It is a commitment to both personal and professional development.
Nurses seeking to advance their clinical practice (i.e. gain prescribing rights) will find that postgraduate study is a requirement that may be set by the employer and/or regulatory body (i.e. the Nursing Council of New Zealand).