Mrs Esther Bacon1, Ms Kasia Wojcik, Ms Kaur-Bains Sukhjit
1Nurse And Midwife Support, Melbourne/Naarm, Australia
Biography:
Esther began her career studying Sociology before becoming a registered Midwife, bringing over 15 years of experience across the public maternity sector. Her work has spanned continuity of care, clinical education, leadership, service improvement, policy development and project management.
Now serving as the Stakeholder Engagement Consultant at Nurse & Midwife Support, Esther is deeply committed to fostering safe, supportive environments where nurses and midwives can access the help they need. She is passionate about championing workforce wellbeing and contributing to the conversations around caring for those who care for others – particular across the remote and rural landscapes of Australia.
Abstract:
After a successful, national pilot in 2021—engaging 50 mentors and 50 graduate nurses and midwives across Australia—Nurse & Midwife Support undertook a comprehensive evaluation to better understand how best to support early-career clinicians. Surveys and interviews, conducted in partnership with Monash University, revealed a clear message: participants wanted accessible, flexible support with relevant resources available when needed. Many nurses also described mandatory learning modules and reliance on complex technical platforms as significant barriers to forming organic, meaningful mentorship relationships—an issue amplified for rural clinicians managing small team dynamics, or restricted digital infrastructure.
In response, we have redesigned an enhanced, evidence-informed Graduate Mentorship Program launching in March 2026. The refreshed program offers a nationally accessible, streamlined online model that pairs each graduate with an experienced mentor to foster supportive, collaborative relationships. It aims to strengthen workforce sustainability, provide tailored guidance for diverse clinical and non-clinical roles, promote lifelong learning, and build resilience and autonomy as graduates embed their scope of practice. The launch of this twice-yearly intake program will look to focus on promotion to rural and remote health services, responding to need outlined in qualitative data findings from our interviews with past participants.
By drawing on the wisdom of our senior workforce and reducing structural barriers, the program supports a smoother transition to practice—helping early-career nurses and midwives thrive, no matter the distance.