Answers to Your Most Asked Questions!
For the new, the veteran, and the retired healthcare folks who want to make the leap into agency work: The first time is always a big deal! The questions come tumbling through our heads even before we’ve submitted our application. We know, because we went through it too #InSearchOfTheBestAgency.
In this article, we answer all your most frequently asked questions to help you get a better overall picture of how a new adventure with Nomade works, from A (when you stumble onto this article) to Z (when you head back home with a smile stamped on your face).
“Can I choose where I’m going to work?”
Yes. Our main regions are the Îles de la Madeleine, the Gaspésie, Abitibi-Témiscamingue and the Côte-Nord. As you’ve probably guessed, we focus on remote regions! We offer our Nomades the opportunity to work in non-remote regions when they’re between two adventures and/or at their request. However, we don’t recruit new Nomades for non-remote regions.
“Do I have to work full-time (10/14)?”
No. There’s nuance here. It all depends on the centre’s needs. Most of our centres request full-time and even offer extra shifts here and there. No guaranteed hours are given in agency work. Also, for those who want to work part-time, that’s entirely possible with us. We don’t ask our Nomades to work full-time or to do overtime.
That said, the availability you give can reduce your choices/possibilities for adventures. For example, if you’re available for an 8/14 and the region/health centre you’ve chosen requests a 10/14, that could affect the weight of your application. In any case, we take the time to discuss the options/solutions with you as we prepare for each of your next adventures.
“Do I have to be available for all 3 shifts and every weekend?”
Yes. For the most part. It’s very important to talk about this and be transparent with you. An agency goes to work in the regions to fill gaps. So it takes the leftovers, or the shifts where the need is greatest. It’s no surprise to anyone that weekends and nights are the shifts that most need to be filled (for the most part). Personally, over the years we’ve grown fond of working every weekend. It’s often quieter, and it lets us enjoy the less crowded weekday activities to discover the region.
Once again, we don’t ask any Nomade to be available for all 3 shifts and to work every weekend. We send your availability exactly as it is. That said, these are details that make the difference on your application when we submit it to a centre expressing a need. Between us, some people like working only nights, and that offsets those who, on the contrary, prefer working days and evenings. So we often manage to balance it all out. For example, we currently have Nomades who don’t do nights and others who only do night shifts because they love it! All in the same health centre.
In any case, we’re here to weigh all the options with you. We simply want to be transparent, so as to avoid nasty surprises once you’re on site! If it can demystify the reality for those who are, right this minute, on assignment with an agency and facing this reality, why not!
“Do I have to give a minimum amount of availability?”
Absolutely NOT. You’re free as a bird. Want to work 3 weeks and take off for 10 months of travel? GO! The only thing we’ll ask is that you send us photos please, otherwise… then we might get mad! ;)
“Can I work for several agencies at the same time?”
Yes. As far as we’re concerned, you’re free to choose who you want to work for. With us, there’s no story about making you sign an exclusivity contract. You can be a Nomade one day and end up with another agency the next. No hard feelings. We enjoy the time you’re here with us and we keep following you on your next adventures afterwards. Jealousy, you know, is unhealthy.
“How long are the assignments?”
We’ve got something for every taste. We have short assignments and long assignments. We often talk about a minimum of 3 weeks for a first time at a centre, up to a one-year assignment. It’s often based on the centre’s request. For example, if the centre asks for a minimum of 2 months and you only offer 1 month of availability, it will take the application of the person whose experience and availability come closest to its need.
“Do I need experience to work in a new department, or can I be oriented?”
You need the required experience to apply. We ask for a minimum of one year of experience. When we say “we,” we mean the centres. In agency work, you come to replace an experienced person who’s taking vacation or something else. You’re expected to be able to help out on the department from day 1, even if you’re in orientation. Centres don’t have time to orient you on a critical care department, to train you to deliver babies, or to show you how hemodialysis works. So if a new department/specialty interests you, we encourage you to go get a full year of experience in the setting where you currently are.
“How many orientation days will I get?”
1 to 3 orientation days. It depends on the centres. We’ve already arrived on a department with no orientation, because too many people were missing that day. That’s a reality in remote regions, otherwise there wouldn’t be so many wonderful opportunities for you. So you have to be ready for anything and be a solid healthcare professional who knows their role, but who doesn’t know where the supplies are or which note sheet to grab. That’s 100% normal, and that’s exactly what orientation is for in a remote region: to help you find your bearings in your new work environment.
“Is lodging provided?”
Yes. It’s free. It’s provided. We take care of finding you accommodation that meets your needs. We even invite you to read our blog on the subject.
“Is travel paid for?”
Yes. Bus. Plane. Car. Yes. Yes. Yes. You’ll never need to pay for your travel. You’ll receive a compensatory amount for wear on your car, if you travel by car. Otherwise, we take care of booking everything else for you and sending you your ticket(s). All you have to worry about is your luggage!!
“Can I bring my pet with me?”
Yes. Can we imagine leaving without Enzo? No. So we can’t imagine you leaving without your better half either. In fact, we’ve already written a lovely article on the subject.
While we’re on the topic of your better half, let’s use this as a springboard. If your partner or your kids want to go on assignment with you, because they’re free, because they’re Nomades too, and because they can afford it, no problem for us. Even BETTER! Let us know quickly, from day 1, so we can do our lodging search accordingly and avoid any nasty surprises.
“How long does it take to get a confirmation from the centre?”
It’s relative. Some centres are faster than others. What you have to understand is that when a request is sent out to the agencies, all the agencies receive it. It won’t be just your CV on the table. The manager has to take the time to evaluate all the applications and prioritize those ranked highest in the tender process, according to the agency. It can take 3 days, or it can take 1 week or 2 weeks.
In any case, you know what? For us, that’s good news, because we rank among the top agencies in the tender process, which means the applications we submit are prioritized over others. ;)
“What is a tender process?”
A ranking of all the agencies in Québec (60 to 70 depending on the region). Each agency is ranked in order from the one that bills the centres the least to the one that bills the centres the most. So from first place (cheapest agency) to seventieth place (most expensive agency). The centre is required to choose the application from the agency that bills it the least. That explains the salary differences between agencies, but it also explains why some people end up without assignments. When you’re part of an agency that ranks last in the tender process, you simply have less chance of heading off on an adventure. It’s important to understand this. On our side, we’re pretty proud to tell you that we’re generally between 4th and 7th in our favourite regions.
“Are you taking on new Nomades right now?”
Yes. Slowly but surely. We’re a small internal team, and it’s important to us to keep the Nomade family in place, active and close to us. It will always be our priority! That’s one of the reasons, among others, that every member of the Nomade family chose us: for our closeness and our availability. So we’re currently experiencing a slowdown in our recruiting. Which means that, for now, we’re not returning calls and we’re not taking spontaneous applications.
We want to keep offering our favourite regions, the ones we’ve worked in ourselves, to avoid mandatory overtime or staff shortages. Why? Because we know the incredible, welcoming teams that are there and who work hard every single day. So, while we wait to grow our internal team to help us honour our values and our commitments to you, past and future Nomades, we send out occasional needs by email where we invite you to apply directly on our website. The moment you apply for the need, you then get a call from us. It’s our “first date.” We take the time to get to know each other and we talk about the Nomade perks. There are so many things we want to know about you, and vice versa!
All in all, we LOVE supporting you on your adventures, and we’re so grateful to do what we do every day! So if you feel like learning more about our favourite regions, it’s right this way, sweetie!
Until then, see you soon!