A reunion is planned for nurses who trained at the Traralgon and District Hospital, which later became Central Gippsland Hospital.
A Facebook page established in 2014 now has more than 350 members spread across the globe. More than 150 graduates and several nurse educators attended a gathering in 2017, with the September function expected to attract more than 200 attendees.
The original hospital register of trainees did not include nursing aides or enrolled nurses, as their initial training was conducted at the Melbourne School for Enrolled Nurses. The final graduation for registered nurse trainees was held in September 1989, although the facility continued operating as a training school for enrolled nurses.
The history of the training program is currently being documented, with graduation photos, graduate names and nurse educator histories being compiled for publication ahead of the reunion. Enrolled nurses were only included in graduation ceremonies from 1987, and there is no complete record of their names and numbers.
Copies of the hospital’s annual reports have been available for viewing at the Traralgon and District Historical Society, however donations or loans of missing reports from 1979–80 to 1989–90 would assist in completing records of nursing aide and enrolled nurse graduates.
Former trainees who wish to join the private group can search Facebook for “Central Gippsland Hospital Traralgon trainees”.
