3min read
RN Caitlyn
6 years nursing experience
Eight travel nursing contracts in the last twelve months is no easy task, so what was it that compelled RN Caitlyn to cross the ditch?
After being captivated by the video montages put together on her socials, we reached out to Caitlyn to spotlight the journey she’s taken from New Zealand into the expansive (and scenic) landscapes Australia has to offer.
1. How long have you been nursing for, and when did you decide to do agency nursing in Australia?
I’ve been nursing for 6 years. I was getting itchy feet and wanted to travel. So agency nursing was a good way to travel and work. Now I get to meet like minded people, while having adventures, seeing new places and getting challenged professionally.
2. What’s been your favourite placement with us, and how was your time there?
I’m just about to start contract no. 8, and these have included a variety of regional and rural hospitals, and RAN. My favourite has been North West Regional Hospital in Burnie, TAS. I worked in the emergency department, it has a wide regional catchment so there was huge variety in clinical presentations and acuity. But what really made my time here was the other agency staff I met on this contract, everyone was up for adventures, cafes and most importantly the beaches, penguins and communion – the brewery, not a church thing.
3. You’ve nearly done every state in Australia, which would you love to go back to and why?
I’m torn between Tasmania or Western Australia.
TAS has some awesome tramping and mountain biking. I found it really similar to home in NZ for me – but with snakes and big spiders.
Western Australia – being from a mountain town in NZ I find beaches a novelty and have loved my time exploring the coast of WA including some cool snorkelling and 4WDing on the sandy beaches.
4. What do you enjoy most about the travel nurse lifestyle?
Getting paid to travel is a plus, but you also get to meet so many great people who you get to work, travel and adventure with.
I also have been enjoying getting challenged in the workplace, with opportunities to learn more, upskill, and work in different scopes of practice.
5. You’ve done 7 placements with us in 2024 alone (going on 8!) – what has been the highlight of working with Affinity so far?
Definitely not the paperwork – sorry credentials team, I’m not an admin gal. My ‘handler’ (placement specialist) Andrew has made everything really easy for me with finding new contracts and answering my silly questions. He has also encouraged me to work in more remote areas like the APY lands as a RAN which I have ended up working at again because I enjoyed it the first time around.
6. You have taken many awesome photos and documented your travels widely on your socials (@caits120) – do you have a favourite shot? What’s the story behind it?
This is one of my favourite full circle travel nurse moments with my friend Hannah. We actually flatted and studied together in NZ, even worked in neighbouring wards in Christchurch and now work together in Queenstown hospital – when I’m not on contract in Australia. We have been friends almost 10 years now and are always planning adventures and coffees. Hannah and I were both on contract in Launceston last year and managed to tee up a few days off for a road trip, this is the only nice photo we took.
[Photo taken at Corinna, TAS]
7. What advice would you give other nurses (including NZ nurses) who want to do travel nursing?
What have you got to lose? My first contract I took leave without pay as I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy agency nursing, and here I am about to start contract number 8. I’ve been able to travel, earn/save and upskill. It can be scary travelling solo, but everyone else is also on the same page and there for the same reasons you are so it’s really easy to make friends. Since I have been travel nursing I feel like my clinical, assessment and pharmacology skills and knowledge have improved immensely. Examples of these will be going in my next PRDP (it’s a kiwi nursing professional development portfolio thing we do every three years).
To sum it up, I feel like I now have a work/life balance that I haven’t had in nursing before. But what really makes a contract is the people, he tangata.
Oh and one more thing I will not get used to is “thongs”. I still cringe every time an Aussie says “thongs” instead of jandals.
Nga mihi and Palya,
Caitlyn
Got your thongs packed, or maybe your jandals? Get the ball rolling by registering with Affinity today and chatting with one of our consultants.
If you’re a mate from New Zealand feeling like it’s time to explore Australia while advancing your career and earning more, join Caitlyn and other Kiwi nurses and midwives on your own amazing adventure.
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