Melissa - Registered Nurse, Hawke's Bay

Hello all!  My name is Melissa and I am a registered nurse from San Diego, California.  We just got out here to Hawks Bay NZ about a month ago, and I have since begun working as a nurse at the local hospital here in Hastings.  It has been a long journey getting here, but was made as smooth and easy as possible working with Prudence and the team at Accent Health Recruitment.

It all started about 8 months ago on a chilly March evening. I had been on the look for travel nurse positions around and about the states.  I had been talking with various travel nurse recruitment companies in the states, but had been having a hard time getting in touch and getting the job I wanted with them.  Coming to New Zealand has always been at the top of must see travel list, but I always was just waiting for that someday to come along.  Well on this chilly night, I started dreaming, and googled New Zealand.

After some browsing and exploring on the NZ immigration web site, I came across a link for working and living in NZ...brilliant idea!  I soon came across a link for Accent Health Recruitment and sent an email requesting some info about possibly working in New Zealand.  My heart was just starting to get really excited about the possibility of actually getting to live and work in NZ, and before I could get to much further into my dreaming, I received a quick email from Prudence only a few minutes after my request was sent!  She was ready to get chatting right away about the prospects of moving to NZ to live and work.  She called me just thirty minutes after my initial request online, and we were soon chatting away and walking through the steps of becoming eligible to get working in NZ.  She was great about outlining what needed to be done step by step and what to expect.  She was such a refreshing and hopeful voice to hear after having such a difficult time with local recruiters in the states.  I appreciated her promptness and joy in working with me and helping walk me through each step starting from day one.

I am going to be honest.  We did have one big hiccup and that was with the New Zealand Nursing Council.  They were being very particular about some things on my BSN transcripts, and were being reluctant to accept my registration.  However, Prudence and the team at Accent Health Recruitment would not take “NO” for an answer.  She was such an advocate constantly.  Prudence would get a “NO” from the NZNC and would communicate with them on my behalf and come back with a “YES!”  She would be available to help even on holiday all the way in the UK.  I was always reassured with hope that this was possible, and after seven months, we needed a little hope!

So needless to say, the battle was won, and here we are in beautiful New Zealand!  Prudence helped get me a great job with a great manager and team, and they even had a welcome package when we arrived here, so welcoming.  I want to encourage anyone who has the dream to jump out there and try something new, that you can do it!  I am so glad I came across Accent Health Recruitment that night, and am so thankful for all the happy help always offered.  I can’t imagine doing it all on my own, and I probably wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t utilized the help and service from Accent Health Recruitment and Prudence.