Before I started my life as a travel midwife I knew I wanted to do so with my husband in tow. Our initial plan was to head up the NSW coast and hopefully find a beachside town to call home. Well, like all good plans – they go awry. I knew we would still be hitting the road together so I did my due diligence and joined multiple groups on Facebook to see if others were travelling with a partner and if they had any issues with getting contracts/accommodation. I was regaled with stories about how people were not only travelling with a partner but children and pets….so if they were all getting contracts with accommodation then how hard would it be for me with just one extra person?
What the agencies said
I even spoke to a couple of agencies and was reassured: “Of course we’ll look after you. Of course we can help”. So with that in mind, it should all be smooth sailing, right?? However, reality looks a little different. I will say if you don’t mind going into shared accommodation then you will probably find this a whole lot easier than I have.
Multiple agencies have offered me shared accommodation knowing that I’m travelling with a partner – some of these sharing bathrooms with other nurses/midwives. For myself, I just wasn’t comfortable doing that, we wanted our own space we could chill out without having to make small talk (although my husband does excel at small talk) or worry that we were placed in a house with people that we didn’t gel with. Now, I’m well aware that not all facilities have the space/funding to offer this so I’ve been very flexible with locations I’ll go to (i.e. will pretty much go anywhere). My only request: private partner accommodation.
To be honest, I don’t think adults requesting their own accommodation is anything outrageous. And if that’s a non-negotiable for you then, by all means, let your agency know. On the other hand, I know plenty of travel midwives that enjoy sharing as they like the instant social life.
The shock of the new
One of my very first contracts, the agent said I would be sharing with 2 other nurses and of course they wouldn’t mind that I had my husband with me (I’ve no idea if they actually asked them). The property had one bathroom with no lock and the 3rd “bedroom” where myself and my husband would be wasn’t even a bedroom it was a bed in an alcove with no wall or door – so of course I said no way…and my agency made me feel like I was being ungrateful and should take what I’m offered. I responded by saying that I would not accept the contract and only then was I given alternate accommodation. Since that point, the quality of accommodation has varied from beautiful 3 bedroom houses all to ourselves to studio flats and motel rooms with no cooking facilities.
I’m always upfront with my agency and won’t take a contract unless partner accommodation is on offer as I don’t want to waste either my time or that of the hospital. The most annoying thing is when I’m told there’s accommodation available but at the last minute it changes. I’ve only paid for accommodation once. I’m not against paying a subsidy, but the one time I paid it was a last minute change – I’m talking 2 days before the contract started and I was paying over $600 a week for a place with no laundry or cooking facilities – I won’t be doing that again!!!!
I once arrived at a contract only to discover I had been put in accommodation sharing with patients (we had a private bedroom, but kitchen, lounge, laundry were communal). As far as I was concerned, that was completely inappropriate, even more so because I had been looking after some of those patients! I approached both agency and hospital and was told that’s all that was available. When I said I was leaving, alternate accommodation miraculously became available.
Negotiating with agencies
I don’t want to sound like a spoiled brat by saying if I don’t get my way I’m quitting – things have got to be pretty bad for me to do that. The overarching principal is that each person needs know their boundaries, what they are willing to tolerate and what their non-negotiables are – and this will look different for each individual. Obviously, the less conditions or prerequisites you have, the more contracts that will be available to you.
Just because one agency can’t provide something you want, it doesn’t mean another cannot. You absolutely can be registered with more than one agency and it’s always worth remembering that a job is never worth more than your mental health and safety. You can read further suggestions concerning agencies here.
For the foreseeable future, this is how we will travel. As we currently have no home base, the contract accommodation becomes our home – which I think is another reason I like to have my own space. If I had a home base to return to and was going on contracts by myself, I think I would definitely be more open to shared accommodation (with my own bathroom!!!!)
Would I recommend travelling with a partner?? 100%….if you like your partner!!!!!
Happy travels.