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About Eyre and Far North Local Health Network

The Eyre and Far North Local Health Network (EFNLHN) covers over 350,000 square kilometres and is the largest geographical area of any Local Health Network in South Australia.

There are 11 sites within the EFNLHN – Port Lincoln, Ceduna, Coober Pedy, Cowell, Cleve, Kimba, Wudinna, Elliston, Streaky Bay, Cummins and Tumby Bay. Each of these sites offers a unique TPPP experience, within a supportive environment.

Find out more about the Eyre and Far North Local Health Network.

Program information

The 12-month TPPP is an exciting, supportive and successful program aimed to ensure newly registered nurses are allowed a safe and supported space to transition from a student nurse to advanced beginner registered nurse.

Rotations

The Transition to Professional Practice Program (TPPP) is designed to offer a rich, supportive experience across our diverse sites.

Rotation are offered at our larger hospitals (Ceduna and Port Lincoln) where nurses rotate through a specialty and ward areas. Options include Emergency, Surgical Ward, Aged Care, Medical Ward, Theatre, Renal Dialysis, Mental Health and Community Nursing, gaining valuable exposure to high-acuity in fast-paced settings.

Our rural and remote multi-purpose sites provide a unique opportunity to consolidate core nursing skills in all areas including Aged Care, Palliative, Acute, and Emergency Nursing.

Participants have the opportunity to embark on a tailored experiential learning period. This might include time in an alternative environment such as Mental Health, Midwifery, Palliative Care, Diabetes Services, shadowing a Community Paramedic or Nurse Practitioner with aims to broaden perspectives and building confidence across the spectrum of care.

Supernumerary days and orientation

Each TPPP nurse is supported with dedicated supernumerary time, providing the space to “find your feet” and confidently settle into practice before taking on a full clinical workload. Your first days on site include a tailored orientation program specific to your ward and location to help you become familiar with the environment, team, and expectations.

During this time you will work closely with key staff including the allocated Clinical Nurse Facilitator, Clinical Nurse Educator, and Senior Nurses, ensuring a strong foundation is in place. Supernumerary support is offered across a variety of shifts and at the beginning of new rotations (where applicable), so you feel prepared and supported every step of the way.

Professional development days

Throughout the 12-month program nine dedicated Professional Development Days are held across various locations within EFNLHN, giving you the opportunity to experience other areas of Eyre and Far North. You will attend all nine study days during the program with your peers from across the region, coordinated by our Education Team. Included within these professional development days is a 3-day intensive emergency nursing foundations course (ENAME) designed for rural and remote nurses. These days are designed to provide comprehensive education building clinical knowledge and practising skills in a supported simulated environment.

The professional development days also offer valuable opportunities for connection, bringing all TPPP nurses together to share experiences, debrief, reflect, and celebrate progress. These sessions are not only about learning, but about support, growth, and building a strong professional network within the region. We also have fun experiencing some of what the Region has to offer.

Clinical support, facilitation and mentoring

Each site is supported by the dedicated Education Team. This team includes multiple Clinical Nurse Facilitator’s (CNF) and Clinical Nurse Educator’s (CNE). The Education Team members play a pivotal role in the support and professional development of nurses undertaking the TPPP.

The CNF will be present on your first day to provide a warm welcome and serve as a consistent point of support as you settle into your new role. We acknowledge that many TPPP nurses relocate to commence their careers, and we are committed to ensuring a smooth and supportive introduction to both the workplace and the broader community.

In addition to on-site support, the EFNLHN Regional Education Team provides ongoing guidance, mentoring, and access to professional development opportunities throughout the program.

Full time positions

Each contract of employment is negotiated with the successful applicant, and their site of employment. Each TPPP nurse is offered a 0.84 full time equivalent (FTE) (64 hours per fortnight), however this can be negotiated taking in to account individual circumstances. The TPPP nurse must work no less than 0.63FTE (48 hours per fortnight). Full time 1.0FTE (80 hours per fortnight) is only permitted in certain circumstances. 

Wellbeing

At EFNLHN, supporting the wellbeing of our TPPP nurses is a top priority. To help manage fatigue, transition shock, and ensure a balanced work-life experience, we assist in planning and booking annual leave early in the year. This allows our TPPP nurses to take well-timed breaks and maintain their overall wellbeing throughout the program. Here at EFNLHN we work with you to ensure a practical work-life balance.

Additional support for wellbeing includes:

  • access to specialised clinical and emotional support from the EFNLHN Education Team
  • regular check-ins and opportunities for regular debriefing
  • opportunities for peer connection and networking across the region
  • a comprehensive calendar of education and development sessions
  • timely, bedside guidance from a dedicated Clinical Nurse Facilitator, who supports each nurse through the early stages of transition and builds confidence in their practice
  • Fitness Passport
  • Employee assistance program.

Key benefits

The TPPP within EFNLHN is designed to provide a structured, supportive transition journey from novice to advanced beginner. This 12-month journey is underpinned by robust clinical and emotional support, professional development days, and an emphasis on organisational socialisation and workplace culture.

Nurses are encouraged to work at their full scope of practice and will see and experience clinical opportunities that are rarely seen in the Metro TPPP program. Opportunities to gain confidence in areas such as paediatric care, ECG, primary and secondary surveys, blood sampling, regular intravenous cannulation, advanced life support, complex wound management, CVAD (Central Venous Access Device) management, and so much more. Many sites also offer the chance to extend skills into specialised areas like x-ray licensing, wound closure/suturing, and splinting/casting.

Working in rural and remote areas offers unique challenges and rewards, providing TPPP nurses with the opportunity to develop skills across a range of settings from acute care to community nursing. This diverse experience fosters clinical strength, enhances problem-solving abilities, and increases the capacity to deliver patient care in varied environments.

EFNLHN has a proud history of high staff retention, with 86% of TPPP nurses remaining with the network over the last four years post program completion, this is a testament to our organisational culture and support. Many go on to complete advanced clinical specialisation programs, drawn to the unique and rewarding nature of nursing in rural and remote communities.

EFNLHN has had a finalist in the SA Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards “Excellence in Practise – Early Career Nurse” category every year since 2022, showcasing the amazing talent we foster and develop in our LHN. In May 2025 Kiana Applebee (Cleve TPPP 2024) was the winner of this award.

Site locations and speciality rotations

Intake dates

  • February 2026

Further information

Visiting the Eyre and Far North Region? We would happily arrange a guided tour of one of our 11 facilities. Contact 0458 002 263 to arrange a tour. 

For any further information about undertaking a TPPP in the Eyre and Far North Local Health Network please contact health.efnlhneducationandworkforcedevelopment@sa.gov.au.