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More nurses and midwives are turning to agency to achieve career progression alongside a travel lifestyle. But what are the essential qualifications and experience you need to be accepted and successful as an agency nurse or midwife?

Agency nursing and midwifery is a popular career move to support your professional and personal goals, while also being a great outlet to reduce burnout. Both a highly rewarding and challenging endeavor, but if you’re considering giving metro the boot, there are still some requirements you need to fulfil before you get started. 

Why do nurses and midwives move into agency travel contracts?

There are a few key reasons as to why nurses and midwives sign up for agency work, such as: 

• Increasing your take home pay 
• Seeing more of Australia, including hidden gems 
• Having the freedom of choosing when and where you work 
• Expanding your clinical skills 
• Having a meaningful impact within communities 

If any of the above aligns with your short and long-term priorities, an agency is where you want to be. 

How do I join Affinity Nursing?

Joining Affinity Nursing is simple, and we can get you connected to our team within 1 business day. To set you up for success, here are the recommended criteria and eligibility requirements you need to become an agency nurse or midwife.

What is required to become an agency nurse or midwife?

1. Working rights in Australia: By law, we can only work with healthcare professionals who are authorised to work in Australia. This means having a current, unrestricted AHPRA license. If you are coming from overseas (excluding selected countries such as the UK, New Zealand and the Philippines), we may not be the right agency for you. 
2. Nursing or midwifery registration: Your registration determines what roles an agency can submit you for. It also allows them to accurately give you information on work opportunities, pay rates, and any additional requirements. We currently take on the following registrations:
   • RN 
   • RM 
   • RN/RM 
   • EN
3. Years of experience: Due to the nature and unique demands of rural and remote communities, agency nurses and midwives need to be specialists in their field who have the acquired experience and confidence to deliver care in unfamiliar environments. Most agency roles in Australia require a minimum of three years’ experience in a chosen clinical area. If you fall short, don’t worry! You’ll naturally gain this experience and autonomy as your career advances, and Affinity Nursing will be here when you’re ready to become an agency nurse or midwife.

What is recommended to become an agency nurse or midwife

Experience in certain clinical areas: Facilities and clinics in rural and remote communities have different demands for certain clinical areas. This results in some clinical skills being more advantageous than others when you are an agency nurse or midwife. The following clinical areas are generally high in demand across Australia: 

• ED
• Rural Acute/ED
• Remote Clinics
• Core Maternity
• Midwifery Group Practice
• Community Mental Health
• Theatre All Rounders
  

Other clinical areas that are demand dependant are:

• Aged Care
• Medical and Surgical Ward
• Renal Dialysis

Having recent experience in these clinical areas is extremely beneficial as an agency nurse or midwife.

Flexibility: Agency nursing is built around responding quickly to the needs of facilities for healthcare staff, often at short notice. Having a clear idea of when you’re ready to start helps to match you to roles that genuinely align with your skills and timing. Knowing your timeframe, along with any flexibility you have ensures we can offer you the best advice to secure a contract. See how your needs align with the below general timeframes: 

• Can start within the next 4 weeks: If you’re ready to start, we can move quickly to get you onboarded and ready for suitable opportunities.
• Can start within 1-3 months: Not all facilities plan this far ahead. As contracts can come and go fast, we may need to prioritise candidates who are ready to start sooner. We’ll work with you to get you onboarded and ready for when opportunities arise, as roles can fill quickly.
• Can start from 3+ months: Planning ahead is a great approach. Opportunities may be limited this far in advance, however, so we recommend staying in touch and reconnecting closer to your availably. 

Kickstart your exciting next chapter, with Affinity Nursing

Join us

What do I need to know before becoming an agency nurse or midwife?

1. Your notice period for any current employment: If you are currently employed elsewhere, you will need to know when your last roster finishes and what notice period you are required to give to your employer. There may also be some compliance checks you are required to complete. It’s important to know this so you can confidently stick to your preferred start date for becoming an agency nurse or midwife.
2. How much you would like to work in the next 12 months: Agency nursing is about choosing when and where you work. A typical agency contract lasts about 4-8 weeks and may have the opportunity to extend. You may only want to do one very long contract, or perhaps 2-4 short ones throughout the year. Having a firm preference in mind helps agencies identify the right opportunities for you.
3. Your personal priorities and motivations: This is your career and journey, so it’s your agency specialist’s job to make sure you get to focus on what matters to you. Knowing what you value and what you want to get out of your agency helps both parties. These may include the following:
   • Pay rate 
   • Working in specific locations 
   • Consistent work, fewer gaps 
   • Gaining new clinical experience 
   • Agency support 
   • Community 
   • Time-off between contracts
4. Where you’d like to work: Affinity Nursing places nurses and midwives all around Australia in every state, from bucket list locations to hidden gems that elude most travelers. You may be open to going anywhere, have multiple states in mind, or just want to focus on a certain region. Having your location preferences (or an actual bucket list!) helps us match you to facility demand. 

What happens after applying to become an agency nurse or midwife?

1. With Affinity, our Recruitment team will review your application. If you’re a suitable candidate, we’ll contact you within 1 business day.
2. We’ll discuss your options, pay, timing, and support – honestly and clearly.
3. Once onboarded, you will have national access and a dedicated team in your corner.

Becoming an agency nurse or midwife isn’t a generic application; it’s a tailored conversation.

Affinity Nursing is a nurse-owned and led agency, so we understand you and the healthcare industry. We provide support to our nurses and midwives before, during, and after their contracts – sometimes up to their retirement! That’s just how popular agency has become for nurses and midwives in Australia.

Ready to take the leap? Join the Affinity Nursing community to see where travel contracts could take you. 

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