From ED to the open road: My Rural LAP journey
After years of balancing work with the demands of children, elderly parents, aging pets and the upkeep of a family home, I could feel a chapter of my life coming to a close. I’d spent more than a decade happily working in my local emergency department when I began hearing friends and colleagues talk about contract nursing across Australia. Their stories were full of variety, freedom and adventure, and Rural LAP stood out among those my colleagues had worked with.
The more I listened, the more intrigued I became. It sounded like a way to stretch my skills, see new places and meet new people, without giving up the career I loved. Using a mix of accrued annual leave and the credentialling process as an opportunity to refresh my nursing competencies, I decided to give it a go. It felt like the best kind of adventure, one with very little risk.
My first placement was at a District Hospital, where I was welcomed by a friendly and capable team. The work was broad and engaging — a mix of ED, acute ward, post-op and step-down care — and my years of nursing experience meant I could meet challenges with confidence. I received a solid orientation and quickly became comfortable with the rhythms of the ward. There was always support if I needed it, but I also relished the independence and responsibility that came with the role.
Outside of work, I was living in a small cottage nestled among the gumtrees. With four-day work weeks, I had time to complete electronic medical record training that would prove valuable for future placements, and still had time to explore the local area. Long walks, chats with locals, and discovering hidden corners of the region gave each day off, the feeling of a working holiday.
That first experience was enough to convince me this was the path forward. I sold my family home and moved closer to my adult children, embracing a lifestyle that would let me choose when and where I worked. Since then, I’ve spent 22 out of the past 24 weeks on contract, in placements ranging from three to eight weeks across the country. I’ve worked when I wanted to, and taken time off for the things that matter most, like my granddaughter’s first birthday, helping my son with his project car, and soon a ski trip with him during his university break. These moments, once difficult to plan around rosters and leave approvals, now fit seamlessly into my life.
Every placement has given me something new. Patients have shared stories that reveal the heart and history of their communities. I’ve seen landscapes that take your breath away. So far I’ve explored Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Flinders Ranges, The Clare and Barossa Valleys, Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills in South Australia; the Daintree Rainforest, Great Barrier Reef and Tablelands in Far North Queensland and Alpine Victoria around Bright, Mt Buffalo, historic Beechworth and Wangaratta.
Contract nursing through Rural LAP hasn’t just been about work; it’s been about connection. Conversations at a country pub, advice from colleagues on the best scenic drives and chats with locals in small-town cafés, they’ve all added depth and meaning to the experience. It’s a way of working that keeps my skills sharp while giving me the freedom to live my life fully.
For nurses wondering if it’s possible to have both professional satisfaction and personal freedom, I can only say this: it is. Rural LAP has opened the door to a way of working that is as rich and varied as Australia itself, and I’m not done exploring yet.
Become a locum with Rural LAP
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