Feeling the pull to follow the warm weather? With Summer just around the corner, you could turn that desire into a travel nursing career with a contract in Cairns or the Northern Territory. Not sure if travel nursing is your style? We caught up with dual RN/RM Heidi for some quick insights into her travel nurse adventure.

RN/RM Heidi

19 years nursing experience

2min read

1. How long have you been a dual RN/RM for?

I have been a RM for nearly 15 years. I have also been a private midwife for the last 4 years, focusing on continuity of care for women having their babies.

2. You’ve spent some recent time at Bendigo, VIC. How was your time there? 

Bendigo was a great place to work. The staff were so welcoming and made you feel part of their team. There was plenty of opportunity to utilise my clinical skills and I was able to work across both birth suite and postnatal wards.

3. What did you get up to in Victoria?

The town of Bendigo is lovely; it is in the goldfield area of Victoria, only 130km from Melbourne with easy access to the city. It has great restaurants, plenty of walking tracks and a lovely old town vibe. It has a beautiful lake in the centre of town and a beautiful botanical gardens. It has all the necessities you need.

4. What do you enjoy most about the travel nurse lifestyle?

I love the flexibility of being able to move around to different areas and experience different hospitals. Depending on the acuity of the hospital I am working at, I’m able to utilise my clinical skills to maintain my level of experience, and work in a variety of areas across the maternity setting.

It also makes you a more versatile employee, becoming comfortable in new settings and being able to adapt to differing environments easily. Additionally, you become familiar with different processes and computer programs, which gives you confidence when you are required to learn a new set of programs.

5. You’ve done 3 placements with us in total, with another coming up – what has been the highlight of working with Affinity so far?

Affinity is a great agency – they offer flexible contracts to meet your needs. They try to accommodate individuals’ needs and lifestyles. They are really effective at communicating with agency staff and try to resolve problems as soon as (and if) they arise. They are proactive at looking for your next contract where you are wanting it!

6. What advice would you tell other Nurses who want to do travel nursing?

I would recommend travel nursing to anyone who is looking at seeing the country and learning new skills. I have thoroughly enjoyed my contracts and hopeful to do more going forward.

The beauty of contract work is that you can follow the warm weather if you want to, follow the differing environment and landscapes if you want to, or follow the acuity of hospitals if you desire. There is literally something for everyone.

Already have a place in mind? Register with Affinity today and trek into your travel nursing career. Anywhere the wind blows.