Able completed his Bachelor of Nursing in 2018 and (like all fresh graduates) attempted to make inroads into the workforce that he’d been training in for the past four years. After limited success in securing a new grad position in his desired area, Able felt deflated as it would now be another year before applications would be open and he would be out of practice by then. After discussing his dilemma with a colleague, he was lucky enough to be given the suggestion to apply for Agency Nursing work. Able soon decided that working as an Agency RN would provide him with the flexibility that he was after and it may also broaden his skills and network through the variety of work and locations that the work had to offer.
In no time at all Able was working as an agency RN doing the work that he had trained for and loved. Able travelled around NSW visiting many different sites in both aged care and in acute care over 2 years and loved the work and experience.
After two years, Able began to find the working environment as an agency nurse to be extremely demanding and felt that he had limited support or appreciation from the organisation’s administration and leadership team. He was also noticing that his colleagues were feeling much the same way which Able thought to be very sad to see, considering all of the amazing work that they were doing.
With the problems that Able faced as an agency nurse fresh in his mind, he decided that an agency position could live up to his initial hopes, but it was going to be up to him to make his vision a reality and this is when AZ Agency was founded.
AZ Agency was originally a self fulfilling sole-trader operation, that was designed specifically for himself to maintain a flexible work life balance and to avoid the downfalls of working for larger, out of touch agencies. When Able explained his experiences, philosophy and vision about agency work to colleagues it didn’t take long for people to start asking if they could get on board and share in the AZ journey to which Able obliged.
AZ Agency quickly grew to over 90 staff within 12 months because like minded nurses were being given the respect, support and appreciation that they deserved from Able and his team of administrators.
Able is continuing to expand his vision and operations with his core values and practical working experiences at the forefront of his mind.
Able currently maintains his professional nursing skills while being at the helm of AZ Agency and it is not uncommon to see Able completing shifts shoulder to shoulder with his staff. Able believes that knowing the people, the work and the environment is what leadership truly is.