What is it like to swap a permanent nursing role for travel nursing in some of Australia’s most remote communities? For Anaesthetics and PACU RN RN Jacqui, one conversation with a friend led to her first agency nursing contract on Thursday Island – and she’s since returned to the Torres Strait three times.
After more than six years working in Anaesthetics and PACU, RN Jacqui was ready for something different. Travel nursing gave her the opportunity to use her clinical experience while seeing parts of Australia she may never otherwise have experienced, from remote Western Australia to the islands of Far North Queensland.
But Thursday Island became more than another destination on the map. Between adapting to remote hospital life, learning from the local community and exploring the Torres Strait on her days off, RN Jacqui found herself drawn back again and again.
Read on as RN Jacqui shares what working as a travel nurse on Thursday Island is really like, the realities of rural and remote nursing, and why making the move into agency nursing has been one of the best decisions of her career.
Finding travel nursing
After more than six years in Anaesthetics and PACU, RN Jacqui was ready for something new.
Then she had a conversation that changed everything. Her friend, RN Ella, had been travel nursing for years. Hearing about her experiences opened RN Jacqui’s eyes to a completely different way of nursing. One that meant new places, new communities, and actual room to explore.
“I love meeting new people, being involved in the community and travelling. Working with Affinity allows me to accomplish all these things.”
Ella referred RN Jacqui to Affinity Nursing and, just a few weeks later, RN Jacqui was getting ready for her first travel nursing contract: Thursday Island in Queensland’s Torres Strait.
First contract on Thursday Island
RN Jacqui arrived on Thursday Island for her first contract not quite knowing what to expect. She quickly discovered one of the realities of agency nursing: no two contracts, hospitals or communities are exactly the same.
“The role is very different to what I expected as the first week there have been no theatres running, only emergency cases, and very busy with admin work and preadmission paperwork. There are quite a few roles that the anaesthetic nurse does here I am not familiar with such as running a pre-anaesthetic clinic and phoning patients to book in their appointments with fasting instructions. There is no admissions team here, so I am also learning that role.”
Working in a smaller, remote hospital meant adapting to responsibilities she hadn’t necessarily encountered in her previous roles. It was a learning experience that extended well beyond her usual Anaesthetics and PACU scope. And it wasn’t only the work that made an impression.
A career highlight
Thursday Island, or Waiben, sits in the Torres Strait and is home to a strong Torres Strait Islander community, rich culture and history. RN Jacqui quickly understood why the destination has become such a memorable contract location for many nurses.
“Thursday Island hospital has been a highlight of my nursing career for sure. The Torres Strait is so beautiful, the weather is amazing and the people are so special.
I have learned so much about our First Nations people, about their culture, community, and history.”
The community that keeps pulling her back
What started as one contract soon turned into something much bigger.
Three of RN Jacqui’s travel nursing contracts have taken her back to Thursday Island; with the relationships she formed there becoming one of the biggest reasons she continued returning.
“I initially came to TI hospital on a 6-week contract and have stayed just over 4 months! The sense of community in rural and remote Australia is a unique drawcard in itself. The highlight of my contract has been the people, both my coworkers and the local community. I’ve made some great new friends who I’ll keep catching up with outside of our contracts.”
For RN Jacqui, some of the most valuable experiences happened outside the hospital. Getting to know the local community gave her opportunities to experience the Torres Strait in ways she never could have as an ordinary visitor.
Locals took her fishing, swimming and exploring, including trips to the Tip of Australia at Cape York and island-hopping adventures to Friday Island, Goods Island, Albany Island and Roko Island.
The magic of Thursday Island
One Saturday in particular stands out. RN Jacqui booked a scenic helicopter tour departing from Thursday Island, giving her the chance to see the Torres Strait from above.
The flight took her over the Tip of Australia and across some of the hundreds of islands scattered throughout the Torres Strait, before landing near Punsand Bay for lunch.
It’s exactly the kind of experience RN Jacqui says travel nursing has made possible: finishing a shift in a place few Australians ever get to work, then spending a day off exploring somewhere completely new.
The reality of remote care
The spectacular scenery is only one side of working in a remote community. Rural and remote nursing also exposes healthcare professionals to the geographical and logistical barriers patients can face when accessing care.
RN Jacqui saw that reality firsthand on Thursday Island.
“Thursday Island was a great experience in being able to be part of such a remote community. The community faces many challenges by being so remote. Our patients travel up to 150km to receive care here at TI hospital, often coming alone and leaving family members at home. Despite this, the local people demonstrate incredible connection to family that many people on the mainland take for granted.”
Experiences like these gave RN Jacqui a greater understanding of both remote healthcare and the communities relying on it.
At the same time, she found that the relationships went both ways. The friendships and sense of belonging she developed became an important part of why she continued choosing travel nursing contracts.
“I love working with local communities to learn about the Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people. I would like to thank the traditional owners of the land for welcoming me into their community and it has been a privilege to live here amongst your community.”
RN Jacqui’s advice for nurses considering travel nursing
For nurses wondering if agency or travel nursing is right for them, RN Jacqui’s first piece of advice is simple: give it a go.
But she also stresses the importance of building strong clinical experience before stepping into rural and remote environments, where resources and support can look very different from a large metropolitan hospital.
“Just go for it! I was so scared and nervous before I started but travel nursing has been the best decision I have ever made. Make sure you gain as much experience as you can in a big tertiary hospital before making the jump to rural and remote as the workload can be hard with very minimal resources.”
For RN Jacqui, those nerves before her first contract quickly gave way to a completely different way of approaching her nursing career.
The perks of travel nursing with Affinity
Working travel contracts across Australia has allowed RN Jacqui to experience destinations she may never otherwise have visited.
From remote Western Australia to South Australia and the Torres Strait, her nursing career has become a way to see more of the country while continuing to build her clinical experience.
“I love being involved in local events and activities. I have been able to swim at Hellfire Bay in WA, eat fresh oysters at Coffin Bay in SA and charter choppers to fly us to islands in the Torres Strait, QLD.”
For RN Jacqui, however, the experience isn’t just about where each contract takes her. Having support behind the scenes has also been an important part of making travel nursing work.
“The support from my consultant Lisa has been great and I always feel very well supported on each placement. The onboarding process with Affinity was easy and they are always available.”
Then there’s the flexibility.
Rather than fitting travel around annual leave approvals, RN Jacqui can plan her contracts around the life she wants outside of work.
“I have been given the opportunity to explore and travel at either end of the contracts, meeting people along the way. I do not have to apply for any annual leave or time off; I can plan my contracts around my own needs.”
Where to next?
RN Jacqui’s goal is to keep adding new parts of Australia to the list.
“I would love to tick off each of the states and territories in Australia. I have worked across 3 so only 5 more to go. NT or TAS I am hoping will be next.”
And her travel plans don’t stop when her Affinity contracts do. Next on the calendar is time in Tasmania with her grandma, followed by trips to Vietnam and Japan. Then, in April, RN Jacqui plans to travel to Africa, where she will volunteer her nursing skills with Mercy Ships for several months.
From one conversation with another travel nurse to contracts across Australia, RN Jacqui’s career has already taken her further than she initially imagined, and there are still plenty of places left on the map.
Ready for a fresh start in nursing?
Agency nursing doesn’t mean you need to choose between a career and pursuing your passions. Whether you’re based in New Zealand considering crossing the ditch to Australia, or are an Australian nurse ready for your first regional, rural or remote contract, our team are here to help you build a career around the life you actually want.
Travel nursing with Affinity can offer:
- Supportive onboarding and credentialling processes
- More lifestyle flexibility through short-term contracts
- Opportunities to work in stunning locations across Australia
- Exposure to diverse facilities and clinical environments
- Consistent work with back-to-back contracts
Join us today to find out where your own agency nursing journey could take you this year.
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