Written by Emily James
Studying to be a nurse can be both an exciting and challenging time. You’re gaining knowledge and practical experience while juggling a range of different commitments and trying to stay ahead of the curve so you can snatch up the best possible job come graduation. It’s a lot to manage, and it’s no wonder many ENs (enrolled nurses) and AINs (assistants in nursing) feel a lot of pressure maintaining this balancing act.
But what if we told you that you could kick start your nursing career while you study, and while getting paid? By working as an agency nurse, you can start building your skills, experience and professional connections in a variety of roles before you even graduate. Now, that’s a no-brainer.
We’re going to take you through just some of the benefits of working as an agency nurse while you study:
- Maintain your freedom and flexibility
- Expand your skill set
- Get ahead in your nursing career
- Your next steps
Maintain your freedom and flexibility
Whether you’re completing your nursing studies at university, TAFE or a private college, you’re constantly learning a range of skills and practices in the classroom that are essential to any nursing job. However, it’s often practical placements that teach nursing students the most about their field in the shortest amount of time. But nursing pracs can sometimes have more downsides than benefits: no pay, inconvenient locations and a lack of flexibility with your hours, often meaning you have to temporarily or permanently drop other commitments and opportunities.
Agency nursing is different.
At Healthcare HQ, we offer a wide variety of shifts at multiple locations in the Sydney metro region. This means you can choose to work mornings, afternoons or nights at a range of hospitals and residential aged care facilities. We’ll establish the times you’re available and unavailable as soon as you start working so you can maintain your other commitments while getting as many shifts as you want. Have a holiday booked? Don’t sweat it? Keen to pick up some extra shifts in your uni break? We’ve got you covered! With agency nursing work, you can keep your freedom and honour your other commitments while working in nursing jobs that suit your scheduling needs.
Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash
Expand your skill set
The nursing industry is constantly changing, and every facility you work in will have different policies, procedures and practices for its nurses to follow. While your studies will certainly prepare you for the theoretical side of nursing, you can never be too prepared for the practical side, particularly in the early stages of your career.
At Healthcare HQ, we encourage you to diversify your experience and constantly expand on your skills and knowledge in order to become a confident, well-rounded nurse. Research shows that nurses that diversify their experience are more satisfied with their careers, not to mention, have greater job security due to their wider range of skills and experience. And when agency nursing allows you to work in a variety of facilities with different requirements and moments for growth, becoming an agency nurse is a no-brainer.
For more information about the variety and opportunity agency nursing offers, check out our blog post “Agency nursing: one career, a million jobs.”
Photo by Artur Tumasjan on Unsplash
Get ahead in your nursing career
Nursing study offers students the opportunity to further their theoretical understanding of and practical experience in nursing. By passing your exams and completing your placements, you’ve obtained your qualifications. But there’s so much more to nursing than that.
The old saying ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,’ rings especially true in the nursing industry as it does for any other field. Making valuable connections within the nursing industry, particularly when the number of graduates is expected to rise, will help you secure consistent shifts at the facilities you want to work for. Working as an agency nurse while you study helps you make these widespread connections and ensures you’re walking right out of your graduation hall into a job in your chosen field. Now, that’s an invaluable leg-up in your nursing career.
Your next steps
Does agency nursing sound like your cup of tea? If you think you’re ready to apply for an agency nursing job, it’s time to chat to Healthcare HQ!
At Healthcare HQ, we specialise in providing agency nursing jobs to RNs, ENs and AINs (carers) no matter what stage they’re at in their nursing career. With a variety of roles on offer in hospital and residential aged care facilities in the Sydney metro region, we’ll always have agency nursing work that will fit around your busy schedule. We offer flexibility, opportunity and professional support to our agency nursing staff throughout their employment with us and will support your growth and development with online training and frequent communication with you to determine your needs and goals in your nursing career.
So, if you’re ready to take the plunge into agency nursing, get in touch with us today! To apply for work with us, complete our online application form here or email your CV and cover letter to [email protected]. If we’ve piqued your interest but you’re still undecided, take a look at our FAQs or visit our pages on Facebook and Instagram.
Disclaimer: The advice provided in this article is general in nature. For more information relating to your individual circumstances, please speak to us directly.
