Clinical Nurse Educator - Volunteer in Papua New Guinea
Closing Date: 13 September 2025
Category: Healthcare & Medical
Kia ora, Gude and warm Pacific greetings,
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is
Te Hono Tangata - Te Huringa Ora.
Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū.
Connecting People – Transforming Lives.
Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role
This is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer to share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and build capacity in Papua New Guinea. Work alongside our local partner organisation to plan and create a brighter future for all.
We are looking for an experienced Nurse Educator someone with the right level of transferrable skills, who understands and shares the spirit of volunteering, with a keen interest in building capability in the Pacific (while embracing a new cultural experience).
The length of this assignment in the Papua New Guinea will be 12 months.
VSA will support you by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako – Essential skills/experiences for the role
If you are interested in this opportunity, below are some of the key skills and experiences that we’re looking for.
Important note: Due to our VSA funding requirements, our volunteers must be a NZ citizen or NZ Permanent Resident to progress further in our recruitment process.
Our Partner Organisation – Divine Word University (St Mary’s School of Nursing
St Mary's School of Nursing, based in Kokopo, East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea, provides a Diploma in General Nursing programme. This programme enables graduates to register as professional nurses with the Nursing Council of Papua New Guinea. Affiliated with Divine Word University (DWU), the school's nursing programme is accredited by the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology of Papua New Guinea (DHERST).
The Assignment
The Clinical Nurse Educator in Geriatric Health Care role is part of a collaborative initiative supported by the VSA Programme in PNG, aimed at enhancing healthcare outcomes by strengthening the clinical capacity and capabilities of nursing students, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals. This initiative provides targeted training and mentorship, equipping nursing students and healthcare staff with the enhanced knowledge and skills needed to improve geriatric healthcare service delivery.
As Clinical Nurse Educator you will offer expert guidance, training, and mentorship to nursing students and healthcare professionals. The objective is to enhance clinical and professional competencies, advance geriatric care practices, strengthen service delivery, and support the professional development of nurses and other healthcare professionals involved in geriatric care across the province.
This role combines clinical expertise with teaching skills, ensuring that nursing students gain high-quality, hands-on experience in real healthcare settings. Additionally, it aims to build institutional capacity by promoting best practices and supporting quality geriatric care. Ultimately, the goal is to equip healthcare professionals with advanced skills to deliver enhanced nursing services for the elderly, fostering better health outcomes for older populations in East New Britain.
The Country – Papua New Guinea
Most people living in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are Melanesian, but some are Micronesian or Polynesian. PNG has over 800 known languages although there are three official languages: Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu. Numerous indigenous languages are still used by people from a society that ranges from traditional village-based life to modern urban living.
Underlying the Papua New Guinean culture is the wantok system. Wantok, or ‘one talk’, refers to the people who speak your language or your extended family/clan; a Papua New Guinean’s primary loyalty will be to their wantok.
The country is predominately Christian, with indigenous faith and spirituality still important to many locals.
The people of Papua New Guinea are famously warm and hospitable and the isolated mountain ranges are often home to unique fauna and flora found nowhere else in the world.
Me pēhea te tuku tono| How to apply:
Apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.
To review the full assignment description please copy and paste the below link into your browser:
If you are on the VSA website, please click on the download assignment description tab above.
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is
Te Hono Tangata - Te Huringa Ora.
Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū.
Connecting People – Transforming Lives.
Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role
This is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer to share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and build capacity in Papua New Guinea. Work alongside our local partner organisation to plan and create a brighter future for all.
We are looking for an experienced Nurse Educator someone with the right level of transferrable skills, who understands and shares the spirit of volunteering, with a keen interest in building capability in the Pacific (while embracing a new cultural experience).
The length of this assignment in the Papua New Guinea will be 12 months.
VSA will support you by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako – Essential skills/experiences for the role
If you are interested in this opportunity, below are some of the key skills and experiences that we’re looking for.
- Registered Nurse with Nursing Council of NZ.
- Proven track record in clinical mentoring and training, ideally within nursing education or capacity-building programmes.
- Expertise in geriatric nursing and elderly care.
- Proven ability to develop and implement effective training and educational programmes.
- In-depth knowledge of evidence-based practices in geriatric health.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, capable of effectively mentoring and supporting diverse groups of healthcare professionals.
Important note: Due to our VSA funding requirements, our volunteers must be a NZ citizen or NZ Permanent Resident to progress further in our recruitment process.
Our Partner Organisation – Divine Word University (St Mary’s School of Nursing
St Mary's School of Nursing, based in Kokopo, East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea, provides a Diploma in General Nursing programme. This programme enables graduates to register as professional nurses with the Nursing Council of Papua New Guinea. Affiliated with Divine Word University (DWU), the school's nursing programme is accredited by the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology of Papua New Guinea (DHERST).
The Assignment
The Clinical Nurse Educator in Geriatric Health Care role is part of a collaborative initiative supported by the VSA Programme in PNG, aimed at enhancing healthcare outcomes by strengthening the clinical capacity and capabilities of nursing students, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals. This initiative provides targeted training and mentorship, equipping nursing students and healthcare staff with the enhanced knowledge and skills needed to improve geriatric healthcare service delivery.
As Clinical Nurse Educator you will offer expert guidance, training, and mentorship to nursing students and healthcare professionals. The objective is to enhance clinical and professional competencies, advance geriatric care practices, strengthen service delivery, and support the professional development of nurses and other healthcare professionals involved in geriatric care across the province.
This role combines clinical expertise with teaching skills, ensuring that nursing students gain high-quality, hands-on experience in real healthcare settings. Additionally, it aims to build institutional capacity by promoting best practices and supporting quality geriatric care. Ultimately, the goal is to equip healthcare professionals with advanced skills to deliver enhanced nursing services for the elderly, fostering better health outcomes for older populations in East New Britain.
The Country – Papua New Guinea
Most people living in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are Melanesian, but some are Micronesian or Polynesian. PNG has over 800 known languages although there are three official languages: Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu. Numerous indigenous languages are still used by people from a society that ranges from traditional village-based life to modern urban living.
Underlying the Papua New Guinean culture is the wantok system. Wantok, or ‘one talk’, refers to the people who speak your language or your extended family/clan; a Papua New Guinean’s primary loyalty will be to their wantok.
The country is predominately Christian, with indigenous faith and spirituality still important to many locals.
The people of Papua New Guinea are famously warm and hospitable and the isolated mountain ranges are often home to unique fauna and flora found nowhere else in the world.
Me pēhea te tuku tono| How to apply:
Apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.
To review the full assignment description please copy and paste the below link into your browser:
If you are on the VSA website, please click on the download assignment description tab above.
We are looking for a volunteer with:
- 12 months full time Volunteering opportunity in Papua New Guinea
- Flights, accommodation and other expenses covered by VSA
- Make a lasting difference to the health sector in PNG
VSA covers flights, accommodation, insurance and some expenses. A living allowance is also provided.
Does volunteering with one of the largest and most experienced agency in international development interest you?