Looking for a new ICU nursing role? Our HCA WA team give you three things to consider to help you find the perfect job.

#1: Know who you are!

Socrates, one of the world’s greatest philosophers, once famously said To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.

Without getting too philosophical, knowing who you are, what you know and what you don’t is key to finding the ideal job in any profession.

As an ICU Nurse, there’s no denying that you must be a very adaptable person, so how can ‘knowing yourself’ be of any help?

For starters, knowing your personality will help you deal with stress and other external factors outside your control. Ever heard of the Myer-Briggs personality test? It’s a great method to find out your personality traits, colleagues’ personality and determine how to best interact with one another. Why not take the quiz? After you’re finished reading this article of course.

Knowing your skillset is another key element. Where do your strengths lie? What areas do you want to improve? Having a solid self-awareness of your level of skills will help you to become the best Nurse you can be.

From your WA Consultant Jayde: I look for highly organised, reliable and punctual Nurses. They must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and be able to adapt to any situation with ease.

ICU Nurses are always highly skilled and generally look to progress into Critical Care Nursing. If any training arises they are always keen to get on board. They always keep their current skill base updated including Advanced Life Support.

#2:Think about your travel and environment

How far do you have to travel?

The ‘commute’ can have a big impact on how you start the day at work. The Canadian University of Waterloo recently published an article stating that there is a direct link between travel time and well-being, with those having the longest commutes being the least satisfied.

From Jayde: The majority of our ICU shifts are within 30 mins travel of the CBD.Outside of the Perth CBD areas, we send ICU Nurses to the following hospitals:

Royal Perth Hospital |Fiona Stanley Hospital |St John of God Midland |The Mount |Hollywood Hospital |Joondalup Hospital ‚ approx. 45mins from CBD

You have many options when you work with HCA, and always have the flexibility to mix it up a bit.

What about your environment?

Creating supportive environments is one of the five action areas identified by the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. Hence, finding an environment in which you are happy, mentally healthy and can thrive is paramount to a long and prosperous career.

From Jayde: I constantly get great feedback from our ICU Nurses, telling me they enjoy the different facilities. The teams are generally very welcoming of agency staff, creating supportive environments where Nurses can learn quickly.

#3:Flexibility and Burn Out

A recent study of 19,000 employees across different industries, found that stress and burnout was lower among workers engaged in all types of workplace flexibility arrangements.*

Put simply, flexibility showed lower levels of burnout.

Specific to nursing, 38% of Nurses reported ‘high’ to ‘very high’ levels of burnout and stress.**

For this reason alone, many ICU Nurses are switching to Agency work, choosing flexibility and a work-life balance.

One of our Nurses, Joanna recently wrote I enjoy the facilities I get to work at, and the flexibility I have by working with such a great agency. Another Nurse, Julie wrote Working Agency with HCA provides me with flexibility and diversity.

By considering these three things when picking your next ICU role, you will be sure to find the right role.

Interested in a flexible ICU Agency Nursing role in Perth?

HCA Western Australia are looking for ICU Nurses to fill several shifts across the greater Perth area. Perhaps you’re just looking to pick up a few extra shifts or thinking of switching to Agency? Whatever you’re looking for, we can help you find the right fit.

New to HCA? Register your interest with us below and we’ll be in touch with all the information you need.

Know someone looking for ICU shifts? HCA WA is offering a $500 gift card bonus if you refer a ‘new’ nurse to HCA WA. Plus, the Nurse you refer will receive a $200 gift car. T&Cs apply. Speak to your consultant for details.

**Source: Monash University, February 2012 | What Nurses Want: Analysis of the First National Survey on Nurses’ Attitudes to work and work conditions in Australia | Holland, Allen and Cooper

*Source: Sloan Centre, September 2008 | Schedule flexibility and stress: Linking formal flexible arrangements and perceived flexibility to employee health | Grzywacz, J. G., Carlson, D. S., & Shulkin, S.