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Candidate Testimonials
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Nursing in Ireland!
I took a 12 month contract with Blackrock Clinic through CCM to see Europe on a shoestring! That was over 18 months ago and still I find myself here. The “Irish experience” is great, as I find them very similar to Aussies in that they love sport, pubs and the “craic” (fun) with lively social lives etc.
I chose Dublin, Ireland as there is a good international airport within easy access, which I have made great use of. Dublin City is a lively multicultural place with something always happening – (even a Southern Hemisphere pub when you feel homesick). The flexible working hours offered, enable great travel opportunities, (within Europe and Ireland) on days off.
The Clinic itself has a great community and team spirit, with friendly staff throughout. It has a great variety of clinical activity within the Clinic. As a nurse, you are mainly working with consultants and other experienced health staff, which is great for continuity of patient care.
Dawn from CCM was great, she helped with all the paperwork and suitability of work for me. CCM was the only agency that wanted to talk to me before I had officially got registration and Dawn helped me greatly with the registration process.
Overall the experience in nursing and lifestyle is well worthwhile over here in the Emerald Isle.
Denise Gibson
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Taking the plunge and nursing for twelve months overseas was the best decision I could have ever made! I chose Dublin, Ireland as my overseas destination as it was renowned for being a friendly city and only an hour from mainland Europe. I was understandably nervous about this “big trip” I was about to embark upon, but CCM Recruitment in Australia were fantastic and had me very well prepared!
Dawn at CCM was a wonderful support! In only a few months Dawn had secured me the exact position I wanted at The Mater Private, a large inner city hospital and organised all my paperwork before I had even left Australia! CCM then had further measures in place with their Dublin office for when I arrived in Ireland; from getting a bank account to assisting with knowledge for getting out and about in Dublin City!
Dublin is a lively city and my friends and I that I made at The Mater certainly soaked up all the culture, shopping and nightlife Ireland had to offer! Working in one main hospital enabled me to develop a strong group of friends and also participate in hospital based education. I loved the twelve hour shifts for the continuity of patient care and the overseas travel time they enabled. Working three days a week meant I could structure my roster to easily have a week or two off to travel, without taking annual leave!
I have returned home to Melbourne well-travelled and with an outstanding level of professional and personal self confidence. I still keep in touch will all my friends at The Mater Private and this experience has now given me a network of friends from all over the globe!
Julie Furborough, 9th of May 2007
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I only intended to stay and work in Ireland for 6 months. That was nearly 3 years ago. Dawn and the great team at CCM had already told me about the great pay and flexible shifts that would enable me to travel frequently all around Europe but I hadn’t expected a great social life and terrific promotion opportunities as well. Working 12 hour shifts enables you to take 4 or 5 days off in a row so that you can have a long weekend away in Paris or Barcelona without having to dip into your annual leave, which can be kept for the more adventurous holidays skiing in Slovenia or relaxing for a couple of weeks on a beach in Croatia. I have been fortunate enough to do all of these and can’t wait to return to many of the places that I have discovered over the past few years.
Although I started work as a staff nurse, I now work with the National Heart and Lung Transplantation team as a specialist nurse. This has given me a great pay rise, work Monday to Friday while working with an extremely interesting patient group and terrific staff. Next month I am attending an International conference in San Francisco giving me an opportunity to network with transplant teams from around the world. I have also had the opportunity to get experience in teaching post-graduate nursing students at university and speaking at local study days and conferences.
All in all I love my life in Ireland. Thanks Dawn I wouldn’t be here without your help.
Joyce Cousins, 24th of April 2007
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Nursing in Saudi Arabia!
So why Saudi Arabia? That was the question on everyone’s lips when I told them I was going to throw in my “normal” life in Australia for a year in a far off country shrouded in exotic mystery and allure. The very name Saudi Arabia conjured visions of wealthy oil sheiks on camels roaming red sand dunes and crowded souks where the scent of spices wafted through the dusty alleys and merchants plied their wares.
I had come to a time in my life where I needed to break free of the humdrum routine of the everyday and satisfy my craving for adventure and excitement.
Flipping through a nursing careers magazine I came across the CCM Recruitment advertisement for contracts in Saudi Arabia. Sparking my interest, I called CCM and the recruitment officer gave me a complete and thorough overview of what to expect from my Middle Eastern sojourn, including details about the work involved, lifestyle, and cultural changes.
She also elaborated by sharing her personal experiences, having worked in Saudi herself for a period of time. Not only did the recruitment officer’s enthusiasm and encouragement made the decision to take the plunge easier, but CCM’s continuous assistance with the application, medical, and visa processing enabled the process to be quick and hassle-free. So within three months I was waving goodbye to Oz and embarking on my Big Adventure.
Almost two years later (and with no plans to leave!) I can confidently affirm that my time here in the Middle East has been the most rewarding of my life. Not only are the financial benefits excellent, but career wise I have had opportunities to further my skills extensively by being involved in the health care of patients with rare and advanced diseases and morbidities rarely seen in Western society. The Arabs are a delightful people, and I have taken advantage of living in an Arabic-speaking country and begun learning the language. The Saudis are thrilled to see me making the effort to acclimatize myself to their culture, and being able to communicate with them has allowed me further insight into their lifestyle and personalities.
Being a member of a large ex-pat community here in Riyadh has permitted me to meet and mingle with people from all over the world and all walks of life. It isn’t unusual to be at one of the multitude of parties, balls, and functions that are held every weekend and be introduced to twenty different people, all different nationalities, from engineers to doctors, corporate managers to military personnel. Being literally in the ‘middle’, travel to Europe, Asia, and everywhere else from Saudi is easy and accessible. The social scene here is thriving, and I have been fortunate enough to make amazing lasting friends, whom I have traveled with and can share my experience with me.
I came to Saudi Arabia knowing no-one and perhaps a little nervous of what lay beyond the horizon, but when I leave will take with me an irreplaceable experience, lasting friendships, and a broader and wiser outlook on life and culture. They call Saudi Arabia the “Magic Kingdom”; I think it’s because you never know what enchanting adventures will find you here. I have certainly had them find me…
Emily Richard, 24th of April 2007
