November 25, 2025 • 40 mins
What’s it like to go from treating ski injuries on the slopes of Queenstown to working ED shifts under the red-hot skies of rural Australia? For Nicole Watts - emergency nurse, adventure-seeker and proud member of the cmr community - it’s a career that blends adrenaline, autonomy and purpose.
Nicole shares what it takes to thrive as both a ski field nurse in New Zealand and a travel nurse in Australia. We step into her world on the slopes, where ski patrol briefings start the day and anything from fractures to major trauma can come through the door. From fast-paced clinic days with limited backup to regional EDs across the country, she reflects on the clinical skills, confidence and adaptability these environments demand and how each setting has shaped her as a nurse and a person.
You’ll also hear Nicole’s practical advice for NZ nurses considering the move across the ditch. She unpacks the logistics of nursing in Australia and how to find your feet quickly in agency-heavy emergency departments. Whether you’re a NZ nurse curious about what’s possible or a travel nurse dreaming of seasonal work, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.
More about Nicole's Organisation of Choice, Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust
The Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust is committed to supporting the world class rescue helicopter service that is delivered across the large and geographically challenging southern area of New Zealand. The Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter service is partially funded by Government, but we rely on donations from our community to support this critical service that brings vital help to seriously unwell or injured patients.
It Takes Heart is hosted by cmr CEO Sam Miklos, alongside Head of Talent and Employer Branding, Kate Coomber.
We Care; Music by Waveney Yasso
Get to know cmr better!
Follow @ittakesheartpodcast on Instagram, @cmr | Cornerstone Medical Recruitment on Linked In, @cornerstonemedicalrec on TikTok and @CornerstoneMedicalRecruitment on Facebook.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Sam Miklos (00:00):
For our final episode of season two, we sat
down with our own nurse, Nicole,who's proof that adventure
really can be a career path frommanaging medical emergencies on
a ski bus to now carving out acareer as a travelling Kiwi
nurse in Australia.
Nicole's proof that if you canbe flexible and adaptable, you
truly can build the career ofyour dreams.
Nicole Watts (00:18):
The bus driver is telling me that there's someone
on the bus having a fit.
So the door opens, walk ontothe bus, I'm by myself.
Um and at the end of the bus,there's a lot of commotion, and
then um managed to make itthrough, and yeah, he's
unconscious, not breathing.
Um and so this man essentiallyhad a VF arrest on the back of
(00:40):
the ski bus.
And we managed to um bring himback with two shocks.
But all done in the back of theseat.
Kate Coomber (00:48):
It's our last episode of the season, so be
sure to be following us onInstagram so you can get to know
our guests like Nicole a littlebit better over the Christmas
holidays.
And don't forget, wherever youget your podcast, to subscribe
and leave a review.
Sam Miklos (01:08):
Today we're joined by Nicole Watts, a New Zealand
nurse who spent years leadingmedical teams on the ski fields
of Queenstown, working inhigh-pressured, isolated
environments where everydecision counts.
Nicole's story that was notjust about snow and adrenaline.
She's also part of our CMRcommunity and regularly brings
her skills and experience acrossthe dirt.
Nicole Watts (01:37):
I thought we were more common.
Sam Miklos (01:40):
But no, the accent is, and I apologize and do tend
to just crop up.
But here we go.
Can we start though?
Ski fields in Queenstown.
How long have you been there?
Like what a job.
And I have I'm not a very goodski.
Kate Coomber (01:58):
Have you been to Queenstown?
Sam Miklos (02:00):
Yes, and I I I did ski for one day.
I fell off the chair lift, ithad to get stopped.
And then when I came downaround the mountain, I was pizza
pizza pizza, and I couldn't, Iwas on my own because they'd
left me because I was holdingthe group up and I was pizza,
pizza, pizza, and then I sawthis couple making it up on a
barrier, and I could see them,and you know, you go to where
(02:22):
you're looking, and I wasyelling, and then I took them,
and we all went through thebarrier, and I had all my skis
everywhere, and I just stompedoff.
I had one still on and one off,and I couldn't get the other
one off, so I stomped off withmy skis.
Nicole Watts (02:35):
So my question is everyone of service, breaking
the make out session on thehills.
Sam Miklos (02:45):
This is it, they're probably married now, but it was
a lot.
Um do you have to be a goodskier to work up there?
No, you don't.
Really?
Nicole Watts (02:54):
No.
Um Are you?
Well, I've been doing it for alittle while.
Yeah.
So originally snowboarded sincethe age of 18 and loved it.
Sam Miklos (03:06):
So you grew up in New Zealand.
Was it in Queenstown or?
Nicole Watts (03:10):
I grew up in Christchurch.
Um, so six hours north, soMount Hart actually, I would
call my home mountain.
Um so yeah, when I was 18, myparents were not into it at all,
so it wasn't a thing we did aschildren.
And then friends um enjoyed it.
So I think at that age of whenyou can start paying for things
(03:32):
and you know, funding your ownlife, you get to learn to
snowboard.
Sam Miklos (03:37):
Yeah.
Um so you're a snowboarder, nota skier.
Nicole Watts (03:39):
I do both now.
Um, I guess, you know, you turn30 and you take on your
challenges, and I was like, Iwant to learn to ski.
Um so the last two seasons nowI've been predominantly skiing
um and loving it.
But I would still say I'm asnowboarder.
Kate Coomber (03:56):
Yeah.
Do you get much time to do thatwhen you're working in ski
seasons and things?
Nicole Watts (04:01):
Yes and no.
Um it depends on the time ofthe season.
You kind of, you know, theseason starts early June, you've
got two weeks to settle in, geteveryone comfortable, and then
it is baptism by fire withschool holidays.
Yeah.
Um, you know, you've got NewZealand, you've got Australian
(04:22):
school holidays, everyone'scoming, and it's about a solid
month that um is really busy.
Sam Miklos (04:30):
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (04:30):
So we get out when we can.
Um most often it's sort offirst thing in the morning.
Yeah.
I feel like anything fromeleven till midday, people start
to get tired and instead ofgoing for a run, go for a quick
skipper.
Yeah, people do.
Um it's so accessible inQueenstown, you know, from where
I was living, it's 30 minutesfrom my door to the top of the
(04:52):
ski field.
Sam Miklos (04:53):
So do you um because there's like about three ski
fields around Queenstown, isthat right?
Like Coronet Peak, theRemarkables.
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (04:59):
And then you've got Cardrona, which is a little
bit further.
Um and then there's also TripleCone.
So there's four mountains sortof within the Central Lakes
area.
Sam Miklos (05:09):
And do you work on one of the mountains?
Yes.
Right.
And so every day for work youget out go up to the mountain
and you're stationed therewaiting for people like me to
break bones and take people out.
Yeah, that's my job.
Kate Coomber (05:23):
Can I go back and get to that?
How how do you get into thatsort of work?
Or you don't have to be able todo that.
How do you qualify?
Yeah, was that always the dreamonce you started skiing and
snowboarding and thinking, oh, Icould do that?
Nicole Watts (05:38):
Um I think it was something that just came by
chance.
You know, you spend a lot oftime up there and everyone sees
ski patrol in the red jacketwith you know what they call the
blood wagon and the people onthe wreck.
Yeah, that's um a referencepeople call it.
Um and it looks cool.
(05:59):
Um but I guess I never reallythought much more about how I,
you know, working as a nurse cando that.
Sam Miklos (06:08):
Yeah, yeah, like what we're doing before.
Sorry, we get very excited forkilling me.
Nicole Watts (06:13):
Um I was working in um an emergency department in
Queenstown.
So there's a small ruralhospital there.
So I was full-time um in theemergency department there.
Right.
And yeah, it was actuallyanother colleague of mine who
got me into that initially.
She had taken on a job um witha company that uh provided the
(06:39):
medical cover on this ski field.
So it was then sort of an uhcontractor company coming in and
doing it.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Right.
Nicole Watts (06:47):
Um and she needed a job share.
She was working part-time atthe hospital and then got a
full-time job, which shecouldn't commit to up there, and
asked if I would be interestedin doing that.
So I did.
Kate Coomber (06:58):
Is the emergency experience really critical in
those roles?
Nicole Watts (07:01):
Like what do they look for, or is it more of a
almost a general practice with abit of emergency, or what's the
Yeah, I definitely um thinkhaving emergency or critical
care background is quitepertinent to working up there.
Um obviously, you know, 75% ofwhat you're dealing with is
orthopaedic injury.
(07:22):
Um a lot of bony injury,musculoskeletal presentation.
So that also is beneficial.
So, you know, I don'tcompletely overlook people who
work in urgent care centres thatalso would have that minor sort
of musculoskeletal presentationexperience as well.
Sam Miklos (07:40):
So what would a typical day look like up there?
Nicole Watts (07:42):
A typical day.
Um we get on the staff bus atthe bottom of the hill at 7.30,
and you get this nice drive upto work.
And then we work very closelywith Ski Patrol.
So we're actually technicallyunder the same department
umbrella.
Um so 8 15, we have a meetingwith them in the morning talking
(08:04):
about snow condition and plansfor the day and So they're the
people who are running thesafety of the ski resorts and
things, are they?
Yeah.
So they are the red jacketsthat you see out there that you
know will be up there at 4 30 inthe morning doing avalanche
control work if it's been snowheavily so that we can ski
safely.
It's like the lifeguards of thesnow.
Basically, they are out theredoing all the hard work.
(08:27):
Um Yeah, they're amazing atwhat they do and they love it.
So they get multiple controldays at 4 30 in the morning
where they can throw explosivesand trigger avalanches to
prevent sort of one happeningunexpectedly.
Yeah.
So they will go um and oftenare spending the morning hiking
(08:51):
to various locations oravalanche risk areas, and they
will trigger an avalanche thereto sort of see if anything um is
triggered.
And yeah, that's how they keepit safe, really.
They do it in a controlledenvironment rather than it
happening uncontrolled withpotential people being included.
Kate Coomber (09:11):
And into the snow.
Because you've never been.
It's so strange.
Nicole Watts (09:17):
You'll have to come and visit me now?
Kate Coomber (09:18):
I think I'd be better than you.
Sam Miklos (09:19):
I think you'd be way better than me.
You would be you would pick itup, you can skateboard.
I can barely walk in high hillssome days.
Um What do you do then for theday?
Like is it just wait?
Like, are you all in a medicalcentre?
Is it a clinic?
And who else is there?
What are the healthcareprofessionals of the team?
Nicole Watts (09:35):
Yeah, so um yep, we are in a clinic.
Um, it's at the base of thehill.
Um you work with one doctor andanother nurse, and that is
everyone you have there for theday.
Um and yeah, w it is a bit of awaiting game.
You have people walking inevery now and again, and it can
(09:56):
be as simple as needing aband-aid for a blister or you
know, paracetal mold, ibuprofen,that sort of stuff.
Um and then yeah, ski patrolwill bring patients down to you.
Um if it's really critical andthey can't extract them from the
accident scene comfortably,then sometimes we're taken to
(10:19):
the patients to sort ofadminister pain relief or you
know, in more serious accidents,have more experienced medical
personnel on scene as well.
Um yeah, so it's a mix ofwalk-in, ski patrol.
Kate Coomber (10:34):
Can you maybe share something that's happened
that's really stayed with you,like in that line of work?
Nicole Watts (10:40):
Yeah.
Um I think for me last year,it's actually not per se an
accident.
Um but last year it was eighto'clock in the morning, and I
remember I was walking throughthe clinic to get my cup of
coffee and this bus pulls in,which they never do that, and I
(11:01):
thought it was weird, and then Iwalk outside, and um the bus
driver is telling me thatthere's someone on the bus
having a fit.
So the door opens, walk ontothe bus, I'm by myself.
Um, and at the end of the busthere's a lot of commotion, and
then um manage to make itthrough, and yeah, he's
(11:22):
unconscious, not breathing.
Um and so this man essentiallyhad uh the forest on the back of
the ski bus.
W and we managed to um bringhim back with two shocks, but
all done in the back of the seatbecause you couldn't move him
and you know his poor wife wasunder his legs because I'd laid
(11:45):
him down.
Um and so I think that was onething that stuck with us purely
because of location.
Um I think also timing, if hehave have done that, you know,
on the access road up oranywhere else but reaching the
top level car park, would wehave had a successful story with
(12:08):
being able to resuscitate him?
Kate Coomber (12:11):
Yeah, absolutely.
You're far away from uh thenearest hospital?
Nicole Watts (12:15):
Um yeah, in terms of location it's about a half an
hour drive.
Um but we obviously work with alocal helicopter crew.
Um so I think by the time werang them, they reached us
within eight minutes of thatphone call being made.
So we can sort of turn themaround quite quickly, but um
(12:40):
again it is two nurses and adoctor and ski patrol.
Sam Miklos (12:45):
And it must be um even though on the slopes, like
thinking about me being leftbehind, there must be so many
people where they're on theirown and then they injure
themselves and then theirfamily's not there with them.
Mm-hmm.
Kate Coomber (12:58):
They're just people even who go there for,
you know, a week's holiday andon day one I imagine, you see it
all the time where it's justturned upside down.
Nicole Watts (13:05):
Yeah, definitely.
Um yeah, it's reallyunfortunate.
And it is one question I askwhenever I find out they're from
out of town, I'm like, Well, isthis your first day?
Like where are we on a holiday?
Because that can, I think,determine how this patient takes
their sort of situation anddiagnosis.
And um but yeah, you do havepeople coming up by themselves,
(13:29):
um, obviously driven up orcaught a bus by themselves, that
you then have to think aboutdisposition and how do we get,
you know, this patient from hereto where they need to go.
Um and yeah, again you getmothers with children whose
dad's in China and they're hereby themselves and mum's injured.
And so now you're having totransfer, you know, not only her
(13:54):
but her child has to accompany.
And what happens in thatsituation?
Um We're quite limited.
Yeah.
We don't have a social worker.
Um so we with this patient, sheactually injured she had a mid
shaft hip-fib fracture.
(14:14):
Um so she was transferred downto Queenstown Hospital by
ambulance and then would need tobe transferred again to
Imakargo, which was two and ahalf hours away for definitive
care.
Um and it was just a case ofhaving to notify the local
hospital that there's gonna be achild accompany because of the
situation.
Um and I'm not entirely surefrom then how they coordinate
(14:38):
that, but um that's nothing thatwe can necessarily.
Kate Coomber (14:58):
And yeah.
It must be really hard for anyemergency worker.
Nicole Watts (15:02):
Yeah, I think we're quite lucky um in that we
have very close relationshipswith the local hospital.
So um our clinical director, heis also employed by the
hospital.
So thankfully, sometimes onthose bigger cases, we do get to
get some feedback.
And the same if we'retransferring through um the
(15:24):
Otago Halley service, they getto follow on and they will
feedback to us as well.
Sam Miklos (15:30):
So at least you kind of Yeah, you get to close the
loop on some of those in termsof the patient outcomes.
Is it an would you say it's uhmostly an incredibly stressful
job?
Kate Coomber (15:42):
And because are you team leading as well?
Nicole Watts (15:44):
Yes.
Um I yeah, I'm team leading forthe mountain that I work for.
Um it definitely can bestressful.
Uh I think this season, youknow, we had the the ski field
itself had second busiest seasonon paper in terms of visitors
and we would have had easily thebusiest season we've had in
(16:07):
terms of presentations.
So our busiest day we saw 34patients.
Um and again that's you knowquite a lot for two nurses and a
doctor.
Um and uh if you do get one ofthose more critical injuries,
that pulls your entire resource.
So it is something that youkind of have to just go through
(16:28):
case to case, and you know, youyou uh tend to one patient and
get them the treatment that theyneed and where they need to be,
and then you're straight on tothe next person.
Sam Miklos (16:36):
Yeah, because imagine if you're on one of
those more critical cases andyou're actually on site
somewhere and then there's otherpeople presenting, it would be
so overwhelming, kind of wheredo I need to be?
Kate Coomber (16:48):
And then when you've got people without
support systems, maybe being alittle bit more um you know,
higher needs, I guess, in thosemoments, versus if they were
here in a hospital where familycan just come and see them.
Yeah.
If they're there alone, Iimagine just the emotional
support they need is probablyhigher.
Nicole Watts (17:05):
I think it can be in times, especially when again
going back to that holidayrealisation sinks in and they're
like, oh, this is day two, I'vegot a week left, what am I
gonna do?
Or it's like, you know, we'vehad um teenagers come on school
trips from Australia whereparents are in Australia and
they, you know, have yeah brokena bone that's gonna need
(17:29):
surgical management and they'rewith a school group and there's
a few teachers and parents arenow having to, you know, book
flights to come over and doesthat happen often on school
trips?
It's happened a few times.
Sam Miklos (17:43):
Yeah.
That would be like the Whatabout um I mean morbid, but is
there a lot of fatalities thathappen on the mountains?
Nicole Watts (17:50):
I'm gonna um that's so good.
Yeah, no, we have been so farum haven't had immortality in my
employment time.
That's right.
Um I understand Australia'smountains haven't been so lucky
this season.
(18:10):
Um I've definitely heard of acouple of losses that they've
had.
Sam Miklos (18:14):
Um but we have thankfully managed to switch off
because you know, if you havethose days where you've had like
30, 40 cases and you're teamlead, how do you finish the day?
Do you go for a snowboard?
Do you just want to get off themountain?
Nicole Watts (18:33):
Um it's thankfully a big team environment.
Um, you know, I'm working withpeople, especially at say Ski
Patrol, who have been friends ofmine for years.
So, you know, you've all beenin there, you've done it
together.
Um we often have a hot debriefat the end of the day.
(18:54):
Um, have a morning meeting,we'll talk about it.
Um sometimes it's followed by abeer at the local brewery after
you get down the hill, but umit is such a very supportive
team environment.
Um so I think you do just pullon those supports that you have
(19:15):
in that team.
Um and I guess I've been doingit now for quite a while.
You know, this is my sixthseason working up there.
I think if you probably askedone of the, you know, newer
employees that came on the teamthis year, they might have
hopefully a similar response.
But yeah, what what keeps yougoing back?
Kate Coomber (19:36):
What do you love about it?
Nicole Watts (19:38):
It's the people, I think.
Um definitely the people,again, working with some really
good friends of mine now.
Um I love the environment.
Snowboarding, skiing when it'snot busy is a good perk.
Um but I think also thepre-hospital care aspect of it,
(20:03):
which changes your way ofthinking compared to working,
you know, in an emergencydepartment where it's a lot more
structured and how does itchange your way of thinking?
I think because you arelimited, you know, you don't
have everything you want onhand.
Um so you're also the firstperson seeing this patient and
(20:24):
assessing this patient and asopposed to when, you know, they
come by ambulance and you've hadsomeone else sort of already
start that journey.
Kate Coomber (20:34):
Like that remote nursing, isn't it?
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (20:37):
Yeah.
So I just think, you know,you're up there with the basics
and you have to do the basicswell.
And you don't have the luxuryof, you know, the hospital
supplies and the state-of-arttechnology that is coming
through those hospital systemsnow.
Kate Coomber (20:52):
You must really develop your critical thinking.
Nicole Watts (20:54):
Hopefully, yeah.
Kate Coomber (20:59):
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (21:00):
And a lot of it's logistics too.
Working again as you do insmall remote places where your
base hospital is two and a halfhours away and you know our
local trauma centre is three anda half hours away.
So um I think just holding thepatient at the forefront of your
mind and then trying to dowhat's best for them and put
them in the best place that theyneed to be as quick as they
(21:22):
can.
Sam Miklos (21:22):
Did and so do you work um just the season?
Like are you the contractor?
Then do you is that where youthen have stepped into the locum
workout in Australia as well?
Nicole Watts (21:31):
Yes.
Sam Miklos (21:32):
So how did that come about?
Nicole Watts (21:33):
Like what what brought you here to do that?
Um it's something that I thinkI'd wanted to do for quite a
while.
Uh back in my first season, twoof the doctors were um FACEMs
from Australia, and you know,they were encouraging go and see
the world, go and work s otherplaces, you know.
(21:55):
So I think that was the seed.
And then I was offered thisteam lead position.
It was two and a half years agonow, or two and a half seasons
ago, I took over from a goodfriend of mine who had um fallen
to injury as well and couldn'tsee out the rest of the season,
so did it part-time then andthen decided to come on and do
(22:18):
it full-time um for this season,which is May to October.
Um and it was one of the girlslast year that told me about
CMR.
She had worked with um CMR andsaid really good things and I
decided that I didn't want to goback to, you know, my normal
(22:40):
job working in Queenstown.
And so yeah, I put an inquiryand I think it was about three
weeks towards the end of theseason.
I had no idea where I was goingor what I was gonna do or what
was next.
And so one morning I just umyeah put an inquiry in and then
Joe rang me two hours later.
Sam Miklos (22:58):
Wow.
And so what sort of roles haveyou done out in Australia then?
Nicole Watts (23:02):
Um I have worked I've only done two contracts so
far, and first one was initiallyin Mackay, um, which is a
regional ED, and then I wentthrough into Morin Bar with a
friend of mine.
Yeah.
Um so yeah, regional and bitmore rural.
Yeah.
Sam Miklos (23:18):
It's crazy that when you think about with locum, I
think that's the beauty of it,is like three weeks before
you're like, I don't know whatI'm doing or where I'm going.
But if you're open to that,like to just grab what's around,
you yeah, you get to see somuch.
Nicole Watts (23:30):
Yeah, I think um it's a learning thing, I think,
letting go of that sort offinancial security as well and
just being okay to be like, oh,this will work out.
Because it always does.
Yeah, yeah.
You know.
Um it was a great decision.
Kate Coomber (23:45):
Yeah.
And so you're here doing morecontracts now over the Christmas
period for the next couple ofmonths, I believe.
Yes.
What are some of the thingsthat that you really noticed as
a difference, you know, to comeover and start doing contract
work?
Are there some things youreally need to get in a row
before you can do that?
If there were some other NewZealand nurses perhaps thinking,
oh, I wouldn't mind doing that,what do they need to know?
Nicole Watts (24:05):
Um I think that the hardest thing is actually
just making the decision to doit.
Sam Miklos (24:09):
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (24:10):
And um, you know, I was lucky enough, I think, to
fool on Joe, who has just helpedme and made this process so
easy.
Um I think, you know, the thedifferences that I notice is
that you turn up on day one andyou are on the floor running
from the minute you get there,you know.
(24:31):
You're Is it different to NewZealand?
Um, yeah.
So I think typically I find wedon't have really agency nurses
in New Zealand.
That's not something that'svery common.
Um so more often than notyou're working sort of a casual
part-time or you take on apermanent role and then you are
(24:51):
orientated to that role.
So you spend a few days as asupernumerary, and that's where
you kind of learn the place,learn the systems.
Um it's not that first hourthat you turn up as you're
carrying your paper.
Here you go, here's on the bed.
Wow, it's only go.
Off you go now.
Um so I definitely think youneed to I think speak up.
(25:19):
Um don't be afraid to sort ofask questions.
Ask questions.
Yeah, because you will spendtime running around.
Um and sometimes people uhdon't help you.
Um you know, in my experience,I think yeah, I've worked in a
(25:40):
place where there was 18 agencynurses helping that emergency
department.
And I think it can get tiresomewhen you're constantly
orientating new people through asystem.
Um and so yeah, you just haveto sort of be bold and and step
up and do it and put yourselfout there.
Um I don't think in in terms ofsort of the the care delivery,
(26:06):
it's not too different.
Um I think ratios, yourstaffing ratios tend to be a
little bit more preferable inAustralia, which is always a
bonus.
Um but I don't think Iparticularly needed anything
special sort of to get here.
Kate Coomber (26:26):
It was and I I guess coming over and being
unsure, particularly thatfinancial sort of decision, can
I back myself, can I go and youknow, contract around, had the
pay rates been favourable aswell and been able, you know,
that's given you some confidencethat A, there is work, yeah,
and I guess you've got supportto find work, um but that
(26:47):
financially that will work outfor you?
Nicole Watts (26:49):
Yes, definitely.
Um you know, and I think uh thepay rate generally in Australia
is much better.
Um and with working within anagency, you know, is a little
bit more better.
Yeah, a little bit better.
Um so I basically doubled myincome by coming and doing this
(27:12):
over here.
Um and uh it it is sort of adraw card, definitely.
Sam Miklos (27:21):
What about the logistics of coming over?
So, you know, how long did ittake you to get APRA?
What did you realize?
Where did you arrive and getaway from the city?
I had no idea.
Like yeah, I'm a Kiwi nurselistening now and thinking.
Here's my checklist.
I want to earn double.
Yeah.
You know, you can't just get ina plane tomorrow.
What's the checklist they needto go through and the time
(27:41):
frames?
Nicole Watts (27:42):
Yeah.
Um I would say yeah, probablytook me maybe a good month to
five weeks.
Because you do need ARPRA.
Um, you need your super.
That's your tax file number aswell, which is something that
you can't actually get untilyou're in Australia.
So I had a three-hour layoverin Brisbane, and so I was like,
(28:04):
took care of that on my layoverinto my country.
Sam Miklos (28:07):
Did you get your tax file number two?
Yeah, within 24 hours.
Right.
What about your ARPRA though?
How long?
Nicole Watts (28:11):
APRA that took probably about three weeks.
Right.
Um and that was actually a loteasier than I anticipated.
I think that will vary, Iimagine, basically.
Kate Coomber (28:22):
Basing on the country that you're coming from
as well.
Definitely, yeah.
So the backlog at the time ofhow busy is it?
Is it a busy season where wewhere they're processing a lot
of applications?
Nicole Watts (28:30):
Yeah.
I th I'm not sure what the sortof standard time is, but I
think um I just put in mypersonal details and you know,
paid for registration and the Ithink there is a bit of
reciprocal with the AustralianNursing and New Zealand Nursing
Council.
Um so it was a lot smootherthan um I anticipated.
(28:53):
And then I suppose the otherthing is getting your indemnity
insurance and finding a providerwithin Australia that can do
that for you.
Sam Miklos (29:01):
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (29:01):
Um and then you come and get a bank account and
a phone number and all thoseother little things.
Kate Coomber (29:11):
I guess when you're here, are you contracting
around and often there'saccommodation provided obviously
for those contracts?
Do you have a base in Australiawhere you sort of base yourself
and then go, or are you reallygoing contract to contract in
your time here?
Nicole Watts (29:23):
Um contract to contract in my time here.
That's great.
Um Yeah, so I, as of now, don'tactually have a base.
Um I've just moved out of whereI was living in Queenstown
before coming here a week ago aswell.
Um so yeah, I'm kind of Howdoes it feel?
(29:43):
Um It's f quite freeing, Ithink, you know, just flying by
the wind a little bit.
Um But people will sit thereand they'll be like, What are
you doing?
Where are you going?
And you're just like, I have noidea.
Um you are figuring it out.
And you know, with contractingoff.
And two, you're onlyestablishing that connection
with these places four to sixweeks prior.
(30:04):
So yeah, and thankfully I'vegot contracts locked into 25th
of January, and then after thereI'm I'm free again.
Yeah, yeah.
Sam Miklos (30:16):
What what about um you know finding your community
out here?
You know, who did you knowanyone out here?
Have you found there's a a Kiwicommunity of nurses, or has it
been the CMR community thatyou've learned on?
Nicole Watts (30:30):
Yeah, um I think I I know people here, but they're
quite scattered, and so no onewas close to anywhere that I was
working.
It's huge.
And I don't think I realisedquite how big.
Kate Coomber (30:45):
Had you been to Australia before you started
working in Australia?
Nicole Watts (30:47):
I had been, yeah.
But it's, you know, go to theGold Coast and go to Sydney and
go to Melbourne and I think umnot to Moran Bar.
Not to Moran Bar, no.
I um had never heard of itbefore.
Yeah.
Uh but again I think you gointo these places, and
thankfully where I was workingat the time was a strong agency
(31:10):
presentation, and you know, wewere saying agency looks after
agency, so made some really goodfriends from that.
Um and again that actually ledme to my second contract where I
went with two of the girls thatI'd met in Mackay, we'd manage
to link in together through CMR.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (31:29):
Um and got on contract together.
So had some connection therealready.
And then you do, I think, againin these smaller places,
integrate into their small teamenvironment quite quickly.
Um so I don't have a Kiwinursing group.
Um it was actually funny butand coincidental that I was
(31:55):
working with one of the girlswho worked on the opposite ski
field to me last season in myfirst contract.
So that was quite funny um tofind her in uh up central
Queensland.
Um but I think again it's justyou have to put your foot out
there and find it.
Kate Coomber (32:15):
You have to be quite open, don't you?
And I think adaptable.
I think it's it can bewonderful and um the earnings
can be great and the lifestylecan be great if it if it is for
you.
But I think if um you just haveto be open aga and know that
it's uh not always gonna go toplan.
And there's always a solution,always.
Sam Miklos (32:34):
What's what is the plan then?
You know, do you are you gonnalocum now around to the next ski
season, then go back toQueenstown?
Is that kind of, or are youthinking then you go overseas?
Nicole Watts (32:43):
Um yeah, that so planning to locum through
summer.
Um at the moment, have looselygot the idea of going to Japan
for a ski holiday in Japanaround February, and then it'll
be a case of yeah, coming backand locuming again until May.
And then yeah, we'll go back toQueenstown and step into that
(33:05):
role again.
Sam Miklos (33:06):
That'd be novel having a ski holiday where
you're not actually working,like you can actually go and
enjoy it.
Nicole Watts (33:11):
Yeah, and everyone raves about Japan.
Um and I haven't done sort of anorthern hemisphere winter
before, so I think it'll just beum good to go and skateboard.
Kate Coomber (33:23):
Is there anywhere in Australia that's on your on
your hit list for that time thatyou're here where you'd love to
go and work?
Nicole Watts (33:28):
I would love to go to Tasmania.
Yeah.
Um so I think that's probablywhere I'm gonna try and go in
the new year.
Yeah.
Um and also I think theNorthern Territory is on my list
as well.
Sam Miklos (33:43):
Yeah, that'd be so different too if you compared to
like Queenstown and I know.
Yeah, like just the diversityof work there.
It's amazing.
Because the work you're doingis mostly emergency then.
In In Australia.
In Australia, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Kate Coomber (33:56):
Oh no, go on.
Nicole Watts (33:57):
No, um, yeah.
I predominantly work inemergency and I just find, you
know, like the the ski fieldjob, you're often looking after
well patients who, you know,have had a traumatic injury.
Um but I feel like you don'tget the complex medical care
that you find in the emergencydepartment.
(34:18):
So I feel like they both feed alittle bit of my interest in
the job.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (34:24):
Um and they're very diverse.
And I'm not someone who doeswell with stagnation.
Sam Miklos (34:30):
So I'm constantly around and moving around.
Thank you.
Nicole Watts (34:35):
Yeah, I really enjoy the diversity that it
brings there.
Kate Coomber (34:38):
Yeah, a lot of exposure.
And I imagine going into someof these rural contracts, you're
going to get really differentpresentations that you're used
to.
Yeah.
Really from farming incidents,from lots of road trauma to just
the the caseload will becompletely different.
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (34:52):
And even the venomation medicine, that's not
something that you're taught inNew Zealand because you know, we
don't have snakes and deadlyjellyfish.
Yeah.
That's a big learning curveactually.
Sam Miklos (35:03):
It was.
Yeah.
Was there any other um trainingthat you needed to do, like if
before you came over here orwhen you came out here?
Like that's an example of onewhere you weren't taught that.
Is there anything else?
Nicole Watts (35:14):
Um not necessarily.
I I remember onboarding I hadto do um modules, and you know,
it's just quite your sort ofstandard stuff that you would
see across the New Zealand aswell.
Um your hand hygiene, youre-blood safe, yeah, all of that
stuff.
Um obviously different patientsystems in different hospitals,
(35:36):
so that is something that Iguess you orientate to in each
place.
Sam Miklos (35:39):
But it's just a lot of deadly animals.
Nicole Watts (35:41):
Deadly animals, yeah.
And y and you know, you kind ofhave to go and read up about
it.
Um Does that scare you aboutworking here?
Kate Coomber (35:51):
Or living here?
Nicole Watts (35:52):
Living here?
It definitely took me um awhile to get comfortable.
And I remember the first time Icame home from an afternoon
shift in McKay and opened mydoor and there was a huntsman in
my room.
Sam Miklos (36:04):
Oh, and I was still with them.
Nicole Watts (36:06):
I didn't know what to do.
Yeah, and they're so big itfeels like you're killing like a
massive I can't like And Iyeah, I was like, I don't know
if you know your normal flyspray works on these things.
So I had to bring my friend andI was like, what do I do?
Yeah, she's like, I'm comingover.
Sam Miklos (36:22):
So a big colander, and I was like, I don't know
what to do with this.
Like I can't worry me so much.
Oh god, they're gonna be a lotof small snakes that I am not
good with.
Nicole Watts (36:33):
Yeah, I thankfully haven't dealt or haven't seen
in person a snake yet.
Um you possibly won't, like,you know.
Exactly.
I should go to the NT.
Sam Miklos (36:43):
You might, you might.
Working across the twocountries, um, you know, we talk
about what's one change that wecould make that would make
healthcare happier for everyoneinvolved.
Is there one thing that comesto mind that you think we could
change that would make it betterfor patients and healthcare
workers?
Nicole Watts (37:02):
It always comes down to funding, I think.
Funding gives more staff.
It improves access to treatmentin a timely manner.
Um I think Australia generallyis quicker at getting, you know,
interventions in place and Ifeel like wait lists from what
(37:25):
my experience aren't as long toget uh scans done and those
diagnostic interventions thanwhat New Zealand has.
But um I definitelyunfortunately it always comes
back to money and it's notsomething that's easily uh
obtained.
Kate Coomber (37:45):
Yeah, it's a really difficult one, isn't it?
Is it being spent in the rightplaces?
Nicole Watts (37:48):
Exactly.
Um, like in New Zealandrecently they have or in the
last couple of years had achange of government which has
brought massive health carecuts.
So there's you know, shortstaffing and staff higher
freezing and which has put somuch more pressure on an already
pressure environment.
Sam Miklos (38:08):
And then you don't have agency nurses either.
So it's just yeah.
Nicole Watts (38:12):
And then you know, in some areas I think I was
reading and it was likefifty-four percent of day shifts
were sh short staffed innursing sector alone because of
these things.
And and it's all bigger thanus, you know.
Kate Coomber (38:28):
How do you retain the sector?
How do you keep people engagedto keep working in the in the
yeah?
Sam Miklos (38:33):
And is there a big exodus from those changes of
Kiwi nurses wanting to come outto Australia?
Nicole Watts (38:38):
I I think yes and no.
Um I know a lot that have comeand done the contracting side.
Um a lot of my friends havemoved over.
Um but then uh I know a lot ofhappy nurses working in New
Zealand as well and enjoy thelifestyle.
Sam Miklos (38:57):
So it's very about lifestyle and the purpose and
yeah, exactly.
Nicole Watts (39:02):
Yeah.
Kate Coomber (39:03):
Look, with um every episode, CMR are gonna
make a donation to a charity ofyour choice.
Where can we send that money tofor this episode?
Nicole Watts (39:10):
I would love um to send this through to the Otago
Southeast Helicopter RescueTrust.
Um so again, they're the localservice that supplies or
supplies care and helicopter umto majority of the South Island.
Yeah.
Um we work with them in thehospital, we work with them out
(39:32):
to Ski Field, and I thinkCentral Lakes District and Otago
region would be lost withoutthem.
Yeah, that's amazing.
Sam Miklos (39:42):
I love that.
Thank you.
It's um it's been great.
I mean, just hearing about yourcareer and just to be able to
have, you know, the opportunityto work in ski fields, to now
come out and locum in Australia,like what an amazing
opportunity.
And you know, I'm sure there'llbe some young people out there
that'll be so inspired.
For me, when I go skiing nexttime, I am comfortable that
(40:06):
someone is gonna be there, andthat even if I'm on my own, they
can get me out of there andthey can help me out, and if my
kids go on one of those skiholidays.
Kate Coomber (40:15):
My son goes on a school ski trip next year, and
I'm like, I'm okay.
Sam Miklos (40:20):
I'm gonna call it what about your phone, don't
call mum, call on a call and goyourself.
Nicole Watts (40:27):
So no, it's been it's been a pleasure.
Thank you so much.
No, thank you so much forhaving me, both here today and
within the company.
Instrumental (40:36):
We care.
Kate Coomber (40:38):
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the
land of which we meet, who forcenturies have shared ancient
methods of healing and cared fortheir communities.
We pay our respects to elderspast and present.
For our final episode of season two, we sat
down with our own nurse, Nicole,who's proof that adventure
really can be a career path frommanaging medical emergencies on
a ski bus to now carving out acareer as a travelling Kiwi
nurse in Australia.
Nicole's proof that if you canbe flexible and adaptable, you
truly can build the career ofyour dreams.
Nicole Watts (00:18):
The bus driver is telling me that there's someone
on the bus having a fit.
So the door opens, walk ontothe bus, I'm by myself.
Um and at the end of the bus,there's a lot of commotion, and
then um managed to make itthrough, and yeah, he's
unconscious, not breathing.
Um and so this man essentiallyhad a VF arrest on the back of
(00:40):
the ski bus.
And we managed to um bring himback with two shocks.
But all done in the back of theseat.
Kate Coomber (00:48):
It's our last episode of the season, so be
sure to be following us onInstagram so you can get to know
our guests like Nicole a littlebit better over the Christmas
holidays.
And don't forget, wherever youget your podcast, to subscribe
and leave a review.
Sam Miklos (01:08):
Today we're joined by Nicole Watts, a New Zealand
nurse who spent years leadingmedical teams on the ski fields
of Queenstown, working inhigh-pressured, isolated
environments where everydecision counts.
Nicole's story that was notjust about snow and adrenaline.
She's also part of our CMRcommunity and regularly brings
her skills and experience acrossthe dirt.
Nicole Watts (01:37):
I thought we were more common.
Sam Miklos (01:40):
But no, the accent is, and I apologize and do tend
to just crop up.
But here we go.
Can we start though?
Ski fields in Queenstown.
How long have you been there?
Like what a job.
And I have I'm not a very goodski.
Kate Coomber (01:58):
Have you been to Queenstown?
Sam Miklos (02:00):
Yes, and I I I did ski for one day.
I fell off the chair lift, ithad to get stopped.
And then when I came downaround the mountain, I was pizza
pizza pizza, and I couldn't, Iwas on my own because they'd
left me because I was holdingthe group up and I was pizza,
pizza, pizza, and then I sawthis couple making it up on a
barrier, and I could see them,and you know, you go to where
(02:22):
you're looking, and I wasyelling, and then I took them,
and we all went through thebarrier, and I had all my skis
everywhere, and I just stompedoff.
I had one still on and one off,and I couldn't get the other
one off, so I stomped off withmy skis.
Nicole Watts (02:35):
So my question is everyone of service, breaking
the make out session on thehills.
Sam Miklos (02:45):
This is it, they're probably married now, but it was
a lot.
Um do you have to be a goodskier to work up there?
No, you don't.
Really?
Nicole Watts (02:54):
No.
Um Are you?
Well, I've been doing it for alittle while.
Yeah.
So originally snowboarded sincethe age of 18 and loved it.
Sam Miklos (03:06):
So you grew up in New Zealand.
Was it in Queenstown or?
Nicole Watts (03:10):
I grew up in Christchurch.
Um, so six hours north, soMount Hart actually, I would
call my home mountain.
Um so yeah, when I was 18, myparents were not into it at all,
so it wasn't a thing we did aschildren.
And then friends um enjoyed it.
So I think at that age of whenyou can start paying for things
(03:32):
and you know, funding your ownlife, you get to learn to
snowboard.
Sam Miklos (03:37):
Yeah.
Um so you're a snowboarder, nota skier.
Nicole Watts (03:39):
I do both now.
Um, I guess, you know, you turn30 and you take on your
challenges, and I was like, Iwant to learn to ski.
Um so the last two seasons nowI've been predominantly skiing
um and loving it.
But I would still say I'm asnowboarder.
Kate Coomber (03:56):
Yeah.
Do you get much time to do thatwhen you're working in ski
seasons and things?
Nicole Watts (04:01):
Yes and no.
Um it depends on the time ofthe season.
You kind of, you know, theseason starts early June, you've
got two weeks to settle in, geteveryone comfortable, and then
it is baptism by fire withschool holidays.
Yeah.
Um, you know, you've got NewZealand, you've got Australian
(04:22):
school holidays, everyone'scoming, and it's about a solid
month that um is really busy.
Sam Miklos (04:30):
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (04:30):
So we get out when we can.
Um most often it's sort offirst thing in the morning.
Yeah.
I feel like anything fromeleven till midday, people start
to get tired and instead ofgoing for a run, go for a quick
skipper.
Yeah, people do.
Um it's so accessible inQueenstown, you know, from where
I was living, it's 30 minutesfrom my door to the top of the
(04:52):
ski field.
Sam Miklos (04:53):
So do you um because there's like about three ski
fields around Queenstown, isthat right?
Like Coronet Peak, theRemarkables.
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (04:59):
And then you've got Cardrona, which is a little
bit further.
Um and then there's also TripleCone.
So there's four mountains sortof within the Central Lakes
area.
Sam Miklos (05:09):
And do you work on one of the mountains?
Yes.
Right.
And so every day for work youget out go up to the mountain
and you're stationed therewaiting for people like me to
break bones and take people out.
Yeah, that's my job.
Kate Coomber (05:23):
Can I go back and get to that?
How how do you get into thatsort of work?
Or you don't have to be able todo that.
How do you qualify?
Yeah, was that always the dreamonce you started skiing and
snowboarding and thinking, oh, Icould do that?
Nicole Watts (05:38):
Um I think it was something that just came by
chance.
You know, you spend a lot oftime up there and everyone sees
ski patrol in the red jacketwith you know what they call the
blood wagon and the people onthe wreck.
Yeah, that's um a referencepeople call it.
Um and it looks cool.
(05:59):
Um but I guess I never reallythought much more about how I,
you know, working as a nurse cando that.
Sam Miklos (06:08):
Yeah, yeah, like what we're doing before.
Sorry, we get very excited forkilling me.
Nicole Watts (06:13):
Um I was working in um an emergency department in
Queenstown.
So there's a small ruralhospital there.
So I was full-time um in theemergency department there.
Right.
And yeah, it was actuallyanother colleague of mine who
got me into that initially.
She had taken on a job um witha company that uh provided the
(06:39):
medical cover on this ski field.
So it was then sort of an uhcontractor company coming in and
doing it.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Right.
Nicole Watts (06:47):
Um and she needed a job share.
She was working part-time atthe hospital and then got a
full-time job, which shecouldn't commit to up there, and
asked if I would be interestedin doing that.
So I did.
Kate Coomber (06:58):
Is the emergency experience really critical in
those roles?
Nicole Watts (07:01):
Like what do they look for, or is it more of a
almost a general practice with abit of emergency, or what's the
Yeah, I definitely um thinkhaving emergency or critical
care background is quitepertinent to working up there.
Um obviously, you know, 75% ofwhat you're dealing with is
orthopaedic injury.
(07:22):
Um a lot of bony injury,musculoskeletal presentation.
So that also is beneficial.
So, you know, I don'tcompletely overlook people who
work in urgent care centres thatalso would have that minor sort
of musculoskeletal presentationexperience as well.
Sam Miklos (07:40):
So what would a typical day look like up there?
Nicole Watts (07:42):
A typical day.
Um we get on the staff bus atthe bottom of the hill at 7.30,
and you get this nice drive upto work.
And then we work very closelywith Ski Patrol.
So we're actually technicallyunder the same department
umbrella.
Um so 8 15, we have a meetingwith them in the morning talking
(08:04):
about snow condition and plansfor the day and So they're the
people who are running thesafety of the ski resorts and
things, are they?
Yeah.
So they are the red jacketsthat you see out there that you
know will be up there at 4 30 inthe morning doing avalanche
control work if it's been snowheavily so that we can ski
safely.
It's like the lifeguards of thesnow.
Basically, they are out theredoing all the hard work.
(08:27):
Um Yeah, they're amazing atwhat they do and they love it.
So they get multiple controldays at 4 30 in the morning
where they can throw explosivesand trigger avalanches to
prevent sort of one happeningunexpectedly.
Yeah.
So they will go um and oftenare spending the morning hiking
(08:51):
to various locations oravalanche risk areas, and they
will trigger an avalanche thereto sort of see if anything um is
triggered.
And yeah, that's how they keepit safe, really.
They do it in a controlledenvironment rather than it
happening uncontrolled withpotential people being included.
Kate Coomber (09:11):
And into the snow.
Because you've never been.
It's so strange.
Nicole Watts (09:17):
You'll have to come and visit me now?
Kate Coomber (09:18):
I think I'd be better than you.
Sam Miklos (09:19):
I think you'd be way better than me.
You would be you would pick itup, you can skateboard.
I can barely walk in high hillssome days.
Um What do you do then for theday?
Like is it just wait?
Like, are you all in a medicalcentre?
Is it a clinic?
And who else is there?
What are the healthcareprofessionals of the team?
Nicole Watts (09:35):
Yeah, so um yep, we are in a clinic.
Um, it's at the base of thehill.
Um you work with one doctor andanother nurse, and that is
everyone you have there for theday.
Um and yeah, w it is a bit of awaiting game.
You have people walking inevery now and again, and it can
(09:56):
be as simple as needing aband-aid for a blister or you
know, paracetal mold, ibuprofen,that sort of stuff.
Um and then yeah, ski patrolwill bring patients down to you.
Um if it's really critical andthey can't extract them from the
accident scene comfortably,then sometimes we're taken to
(10:19):
the patients to sort ofadminister pain relief or you
know, in more serious accidents,have more experienced medical
personnel on scene as well.
Um yeah, so it's a mix ofwalk-in, ski patrol.
Kate Coomber (10:34):
Can you maybe share something that's happened
that's really stayed with you,like in that line of work?
Nicole Watts (10:40):
Yeah.
Um I think for me last year,it's actually not per se an
accident.
Um but last year it was eighto'clock in the morning, and I
remember I was walking throughthe clinic to get my cup of
coffee and this bus pulls in,which they never do that, and I
(11:01):
thought it was weird, and then Iwalk outside, and um the bus
driver is telling me thatthere's someone on the bus
having a fit.
So the door opens, walk ontothe bus, I'm by myself.
Um, and at the end of the busthere's a lot of commotion, and
then um manage to make itthrough, and yeah, he's
(11:22):
unconscious, not breathing.
Um and so this man essentiallyhad uh the forest on the back of
the ski bus.
W and we managed to um bringhim back with two shocks, but
all done in the back of the seatbecause you couldn't move him
and you know his poor wife wasunder his legs because I'd laid
(11:45):
him down.
Um and so I think that was onething that stuck with us purely
because of location.
Um I think also timing, if hehave have done that, you know,
on the access road up oranywhere else but reaching the
top level car park, would wehave had a successful story with
(12:08):
being able to resuscitate him?
Kate Coomber (12:11):
Yeah, absolutely.
You're far away from uh thenearest hospital?
Nicole Watts (12:15):
Um yeah, in terms of location it's about a half an
hour drive.
Um but we obviously work with alocal helicopter crew.
Um so I think by the time werang them, they reached us
within eight minutes of thatphone call being made.
So we can sort of turn themaround quite quickly, but um
(12:40):
again it is two nurses and adoctor and ski patrol.
Sam Miklos (12:45):
And it must be um even though on the slopes, like
thinking about me being leftbehind, there must be so many
people where they're on theirown and then they injure
themselves and then theirfamily's not there with them.
Mm-hmm.
Kate Coomber (12:58):
They're just people even who go there for,
you know, a week's holiday andon day one I imagine, you see it
all the time where it's justturned upside down.
Nicole Watts (13:05):
Yeah, definitely.
Um yeah, it's reallyunfortunate.
And it is one question I askwhenever I find out they're from
out of town, I'm like, Well, isthis your first day?
Like where are we on a holiday?
Because that can, I think,determine how this patient takes
their sort of situation anddiagnosis.
And um but yeah, you do havepeople coming up by themselves,
(13:29):
um, obviously driven up orcaught a bus by themselves, that
you then have to think aboutdisposition and how do we get,
you know, this patient from hereto where they need to go.
Um and yeah, again you getmothers with children whose
dad's in China and they're hereby themselves and mum's injured.
And so now you're having totransfer, you know, not only her
(13:54):
but her child has to accompany.
And what happens in thatsituation?
Um We're quite limited.
Yeah.
We don't have a social worker.
Um so we with this patient, sheactually injured she had a mid
shaft hip-fib fracture.
(14:14):
Um so she was transferred downto Queenstown Hospital by
ambulance and then would need tobe transferred again to
Imakargo, which was two and ahalf hours away for definitive
care.
Um and it was just a case ofhaving to notify the local
hospital that there's gonna be achild accompany because of the
situation.
Um and I'm not entirely surefrom then how they coordinate
(14:38):
that, but um that's nothing thatwe can necessarily.
Kate Coomber (14:58):
And yeah.
It must be really hard for anyemergency worker.
Nicole Watts (15:02):
Yeah, I think we're quite lucky um in that we
have very close relationshipswith the local hospital.
So um our clinical director, heis also employed by the
hospital.
So thankfully, sometimes onthose bigger cases, we do get to
get some feedback.
And the same if we'retransferring through um the
(15:24):
Otago Halley service, they getto follow on and they will
feedback to us as well.
Sam Miklos (15:30):
So at least you kind of Yeah, you get to close the
loop on some of those in termsof the patient outcomes.
Is it an would you say it's uhmostly an incredibly stressful
job?
Kate Coomber (15:42):
And because are you team leading as well?
Nicole Watts (15:44):
Yes.
Um I yeah, I'm team leading forthe mountain that I work for.
Um it definitely can bestressful.
Uh I think this season, youknow, we had the the ski field
itself had second busiest seasonon paper in terms of visitors
and we would have had easily thebusiest season we've had in
(16:07):
terms of presentations.
So our busiest day we saw 34patients.
Um and again that's you knowquite a lot for two nurses and a
doctor.
Um and uh if you do get one ofthose more critical injuries,
that pulls your entire resource.
So it is something that youkind of have to just go through
(16:28):
case to case, and you know, youyou uh tend to one patient and
get them the treatment that theyneed and where they need to be,
and then you're straight on tothe next person.
Sam Miklos (16:36):
Yeah, because imagine if you're on one of
those more critical cases andyou're actually on site
somewhere and then there's otherpeople presenting, it would be
so overwhelming, kind of wheredo I need to be?
Kate Coomber (16:48):
And then when you've got people without
support systems, maybe being alittle bit more um you know,
higher needs, I guess, in thosemoments, versus if they were
here in a hospital where familycan just come and see them.
Yeah.
If they're there alone, Iimagine just the emotional
support they need is probablyhigher.
Nicole Watts (17:05):
I think it can be in times, especially when again
going back to that holidayrealisation sinks in and they're
like, oh, this is day two, I'vegot a week left, what am I
gonna do?
Or it's like, you know, we'vehad um teenagers come on school
trips from Australia whereparents are in Australia and
they, you know, have yeah brokena bone that's gonna need
(17:29):
surgical management and they'rewith a school group and there's
a few teachers and parents arenow having to, you know, book
flights to come over and doesthat happen often on school
trips?
It's happened a few times.
Sam Miklos (17:43):
Yeah.
That would be like the Whatabout um I mean morbid, but is
there a lot of fatalities thathappen on the mountains?
Nicole Watts (17:50):
I'm gonna um that's so good.
Yeah, no, we have been so farum haven't had immortality in my
employment time.
That's right.
Um I understand Australia'smountains haven't been so lucky
this season.
(18:10):
Um I've definitely heard of acouple of losses that they've
had.
Sam Miklos (18:14):
Um but we have thankfully managed to switch off
because you know, if you havethose days where you've had like
30, 40 cases and you're teamlead, how do you finish the day?
Do you go for a snowboard?
Do you just want to get off themountain?
Nicole Watts (18:33):
Um it's thankfully a big team environment.
Um, you know, I'm working withpeople, especially at say Ski
Patrol, who have been friends ofmine for years.
So, you know, you've all beenin there, you've done it
together.
Um we often have a hot debriefat the end of the day.
(18:54):
Um, have a morning meeting,we'll talk about it.
Um sometimes it's followed by abeer at the local brewery after
you get down the hill, but umit is such a very supportive
team environment.
Um so I think you do just pullon those supports that you have
(19:15):
in that team.
Um and I guess I've been doingit now for quite a while.
You know, this is my sixthseason working up there.
I think if you probably askedone of the, you know, newer
employees that came on the teamthis year, they might have
hopefully a similar response.
But yeah, what what keeps yougoing back?
Kate Coomber (19:36):
What do you love about it?
Nicole Watts (19:38):
It's the people, I think.
Um definitely the people,again, working with some really
good friends of mine now.
Um I love the environment.
Snowboarding, skiing when it'snot busy is a good perk.
Um but I think also thepre-hospital care aspect of it,
(20:03):
which changes your way ofthinking compared to working,
you know, in an emergencydepartment where it's a lot more
structured and how does itchange your way of thinking?
I think because you arelimited, you know, you don't
have everything you want onhand.
Um so you're also the firstperson seeing this patient and
(20:24):
assessing this patient and asopposed to when, you know, they
come by ambulance and you've hadsomeone else sort of already
start that journey.
Kate Coomber (20:34):
Like that remote nursing, isn't it?
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (20:37):
Yeah.
So I just think, you know,you're up there with the basics
and you have to do the basicswell.
And you don't have the luxuryof, you know, the hospital
supplies and the state-of-arttechnology that is coming
through those hospital systemsnow.
Kate Coomber (20:52):
You must really develop your critical thinking.
Nicole Watts (20:54):
Hopefully, yeah.
Kate Coomber (20:59):
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (21:00):
And a lot of it's logistics too.
Working again as you do insmall remote places where your
base hospital is two and a halfhours away and you know our
local trauma centre is three anda half hours away.
So um I think just holding thepatient at the forefront of your
mind and then trying to dowhat's best for them and put
them in the best place that theyneed to be as quick as they
(21:22):
can.
Sam Miklos (21:22):
Did and so do you work um just the season?
Like are you the contractor?
Then do you is that where youthen have stepped into the locum
workout in Australia as well?
Nicole Watts (21:31):
Yes.
Sam Miklos (21:32):
So how did that come about?
Nicole Watts (21:33):
Like what what brought you here to do that?
Um it's something that I thinkI'd wanted to do for quite a
while.
Uh back in my first season, twoof the doctors were um FACEMs
from Australia, and you know,they were encouraging go and see
the world, go and work s otherplaces, you know.
(21:55):
So I think that was the seed.
And then I was offered thisteam lead position.
It was two and a half years agonow, or two and a half seasons
ago, I took over from a goodfriend of mine who had um fallen
to injury as well and couldn'tsee out the rest of the season,
so did it part-time then andthen decided to come on and do
(22:18):
it full-time um for this season,which is May to October.
Um and it was one of the girlslast year that told me about
CMR.
She had worked with um CMR andsaid really good things and I
decided that I didn't want to goback to, you know, my normal
(22:40):
job working in Queenstown.
And so yeah, I put an inquiryand I think it was about three
weeks towards the end of theseason.
I had no idea where I was goingor what I was gonna do or what
was next.
And so one morning I just umyeah put an inquiry in and then
Joe rang me two hours later.
Sam Miklos (22:58):
Wow.
And so what sort of roles haveyou done out in Australia then?
Nicole Watts (23:02):
Um I have worked I've only done two contracts so
far, and first one was initiallyin Mackay, um, which is a
regional ED, and then I wentthrough into Morin Bar with a
friend of mine.
Yeah.
Um so yeah, regional and bitmore rural.
Yeah.
Sam Miklos (23:18):
It's crazy that when you think about with locum, I
think that's the beauty of it,is like three weeks before
you're like, I don't know whatI'm doing or where I'm going.
But if you're open to that,like to just grab what's around,
you yeah, you get to see somuch.
Nicole Watts (23:30):
Yeah, I think um it's a learning thing, I think,
letting go of that sort offinancial security as well and
just being okay to be like, oh,this will work out.
Because it always does.
Yeah, yeah.
You know.
Um it was a great decision.
Kate Coomber (23:45):
Yeah.
And so you're here doing morecontracts now over the Christmas
period for the next couple ofmonths, I believe.
Yes.
What are some of the thingsthat that you really noticed as
a difference, you know, to comeover and start doing contract
work?
Are there some things youreally need to get in a row
before you can do that?
If there were some other NewZealand nurses perhaps thinking,
oh, I wouldn't mind doing that,what do they need to know?
Nicole Watts (24:05):
Um I think that the hardest thing is actually
just making the decision to doit.
Sam Miklos (24:09):
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (24:10):
And um, you know, I was lucky enough, I think, to
fool on Joe, who has just helpedme and made this process so
easy.
Um I think, you know, the thedifferences that I notice is
that you turn up on day one andyou are on the floor running
from the minute you get there,you know.
(24:31):
You're Is it different to NewZealand?
Um, yeah.
So I think typically I find wedon't have really agency nurses
in New Zealand.
That's not something that'svery common.
Um so more often than notyou're working sort of a casual
part-time or you take on apermanent role and then you are
(24:51):
orientated to that role.
So you spend a few days as asupernumerary, and that's where
you kind of learn the place,learn the systems.
Um it's not that first hourthat you turn up as you're
carrying your paper.
Here you go, here's on the bed.
Wow, it's only go.
Off you go now.
Um so I definitely think youneed to I think speak up.
(25:19):
Um don't be afraid to sort ofask questions.
Ask questions.
Yeah, because you will spendtime running around.
Um and sometimes people uhdon't help you.
Um you know, in my experience,I think yeah, I've worked in a
(25:40):
place where there was 18 agencynurses helping that emergency
department.
And I think it can get tiresomewhen you're constantly
orientating new people through asystem.
Um and so yeah, you just haveto sort of be bold and and step
up and do it and put yourselfout there.
Um I don't think in in terms ofsort of the the care delivery,
(26:06):
it's not too different.
Um I think ratios, yourstaffing ratios tend to be a
little bit more preferable inAustralia, which is always a
bonus.
Um but I don't think Iparticularly needed anything
special sort of to get here.
Kate Coomber (26:26):
It was and I I guess coming over and being
unsure, particularly thatfinancial sort of decision, can
I back myself, can I go and youknow, contract around, had the
pay rates been favourable aswell and been able, you know,
that's given you some confidencethat A, there is work, yeah,
and I guess you've got supportto find work, um but that
(26:47):
financially that will work outfor you?
Nicole Watts (26:49):
Yes, definitely.
Um you know, and I think uh thepay rate generally in Australia
is much better.
Um and with working within anagency, you know, is a little
bit more better.
Yeah, a little bit better.
Um so I basically doubled myincome by coming and doing this
(27:12):
over here.
Um and uh it it is sort of adraw card, definitely.
Sam Miklos (27:21):
What about the logistics of coming over?
So, you know, how long did ittake you to get APRA?
What did you realize?
Where did you arrive and getaway from the city?
I had no idea.
Like yeah, I'm a Kiwi nurselistening now and thinking.
Here's my checklist.
I want to earn double.
Yeah.
You know, you can't just get ina plane tomorrow.
What's the checklist they needto go through and the time
(27:41):
frames?
Nicole Watts (27:42):
Yeah.
Um I would say yeah, probablytook me maybe a good month to
five weeks.
Because you do need ARPRA.
Um, you need your super.
That's your tax file number aswell, which is something that
you can't actually get untilyou're in Australia.
So I had a three-hour layoverin Brisbane, and so I was like,
(28:04):
took care of that on my layoverinto my country.
Sam Miklos (28:07):
Did you get your tax file number two?
Yeah, within 24 hours.
Right.
What about your ARPRA though?
How long?
Nicole Watts (28:11):
APRA that took probably about three weeks.
Right.
Um and that was actually a loteasier than I anticipated.
I think that will vary, Iimagine, basically.
Kate Coomber (28:22):
Basing on the country that you're coming from
as well.
Definitely, yeah.
So the backlog at the time ofhow busy is it?
Is it a busy season where wewhere they're processing a lot
of applications?
Nicole Watts (28:30):
Yeah.
I th I'm not sure what the sortof standard time is, but I
think um I just put in mypersonal details and you know,
paid for registration and the Ithink there is a bit of
reciprocal with the AustralianNursing and New Zealand Nursing
Council.
Um so it was a lot smootherthan um I anticipated.
(28:53):
And then I suppose the otherthing is getting your indemnity
insurance and finding a providerwithin Australia that can do
that for you.
Sam Miklos (29:01):
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (29:01):
Um and then you come and get a bank account and
a phone number and all thoseother little things.
Kate Coomber (29:11):
I guess when you're here, are you contracting
around and often there'saccommodation provided obviously
for those contracts?
Do you have a base in Australiawhere you sort of base yourself
and then go, or are you reallygoing contract to contract in
your time here?
Nicole Watts (29:23):
Um contract to contract in my time here.
That's great.
Um Yeah, so I, as of now, don'tactually have a base.
Um I've just moved out of whereI was living in Queenstown
before coming here a week ago aswell.
Um so yeah, I'm kind of Howdoes it feel?
(29:43):
Um It's f quite freeing, Ithink, you know, just flying by
the wind a little bit.
Um But people will sit thereand they'll be like, What are
you doing?
Where are you going?
And you're just like, I have noidea.
Um you are figuring it out.
And you know, with contractingoff.
And two, you're onlyestablishing that connection
with these places four to sixweeks prior.
(30:04):
So yeah, and thankfully I'vegot contracts locked into 25th
of January, and then after thereI'm I'm free again.
Yeah, yeah.
Sam Miklos (30:16):
What what about um you know finding your community
out here?
You know, who did you knowanyone out here?
Have you found there's a a Kiwicommunity of nurses, or has it
been the CMR community thatyou've learned on?
Nicole Watts (30:30):
Yeah, um I think I I know people here, but they're
quite scattered, and so no onewas close to anywhere that I was
working.
It's huge.
And I don't think I realisedquite how big.
Kate Coomber (30:45):
Had you been to Australia before you started
working in Australia?
Nicole Watts (30:47):
I had been, yeah.
But it's, you know, go to theGold Coast and go to Sydney and
go to Melbourne and I think umnot to Moran Bar.
Not to Moran Bar, no.
I um had never heard of itbefore.
Yeah.
Uh but again I think you gointo these places, and
thankfully where I was workingat the time was a strong agency
(31:10):
presentation, and you know, wewere saying agency looks after
agency, so made some really goodfriends from that.
Um and again that actually ledme to my second contract where I
went with two of the girls thatI'd met in Mackay, we'd manage
to link in together through CMR.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (31:29):
Um and got on contract together.
So had some connection therealready.
And then you do, I think, againin these smaller places,
integrate into their small teamenvironment quite quickly.
Um so I don't have a Kiwinursing group.
Um it was actually funny butand coincidental that I was
(31:55):
working with one of the girlswho worked on the opposite ski
field to me last season in myfirst contract.
So that was quite funny um tofind her in uh up central
Queensland.
Um but I think again it's justyou have to put your foot out
there and find it.
Kate Coomber (32:15):
You have to be quite open, don't you?
And I think adaptable.
I think it's it can bewonderful and um the earnings
can be great and the lifestylecan be great if it if it is for
you.
But I think if um you just haveto be open aga and know that
it's uh not always gonna go toplan.
And there's always a solution,always.
Sam Miklos (32:34):
What's what is the plan then?
You know, do you are you gonnalocum now around to the next ski
season, then go back toQueenstown?
Is that kind of, or are youthinking then you go overseas?
Nicole Watts (32:43):
Um yeah, that so planning to locum through
summer.
Um at the moment, have looselygot the idea of going to Japan
for a ski holiday in Japanaround February, and then it'll
be a case of yeah, coming backand locuming again until May.
And then yeah, we'll go back toQueenstown and step into that
(33:05):
role again.
Sam Miklos (33:06):
That'd be novel having a ski holiday where
you're not actually working,like you can actually go and
enjoy it.
Nicole Watts (33:11):
Yeah, and everyone raves about Japan.
Um and I haven't done sort of anorthern hemisphere winter
before, so I think it'll just beum good to go and skateboard.
Kate Coomber (33:23):
Is there anywhere in Australia that's on your on
your hit list for that time thatyou're here where you'd love to
go and work?
Nicole Watts (33:28):
I would love to go to Tasmania.
Yeah.
Um so I think that's probablywhere I'm gonna try and go in
the new year.
Yeah.
Um and also I think theNorthern Territory is on my list
as well.
Sam Miklos (33:43):
Yeah, that'd be so different too if you compared to
like Queenstown and I know.
Yeah, like just the diversityof work there.
It's amazing.
Because the work you're doingis mostly emergency then.
In In Australia.
In Australia, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Kate Coomber (33:56):
Oh no, go on.
Nicole Watts (33:57):
No, um, yeah.
I predominantly work inemergency and I just find, you
know, like the the ski fieldjob, you're often looking after
well patients who, you know,have had a traumatic injury.
Um but I feel like you don'tget the complex medical care
that you find in the emergencydepartment.
(34:18):
So I feel like they both feed alittle bit of my interest in
the job.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (34:24):
Um and they're very diverse.
And I'm not someone who doeswell with stagnation.
Sam Miklos (34:30):
So I'm constantly around and moving around.
Thank you.
Nicole Watts (34:35):
Yeah, I really enjoy the diversity that it
brings there.
Kate Coomber (34:38):
Yeah, a lot of exposure.
And I imagine going into someof these rural contracts, you're
going to get really differentpresentations that you're used
to.
Yeah.
Really from farming incidents,from lots of road trauma to just
the the caseload will becompletely different.
Yeah.
Nicole Watts (34:52):
And even the venomation medicine, that's not
something that you're taught inNew Zealand because you know, we
don't have snakes and deadlyjellyfish.
Yeah.
That's a big learning curveactually.
Sam Miklos (35:03):
It was.
Yeah.
Was there any other um trainingthat you needed to do, like if
before you came over here orwhen you came out here?
Like that's an example of onewhere you weren't taught that.
Is there anything else?
Nicole Watts (35:14):
Um not necessarily.
I I remember onboarding I hadto do um modules, and you know,
it's just quite your sort ofstandard stuff that you would
see across the New Zealand aswell.
Um your hand hygiene, youre-blood safe, yeah, all of that
stuff.
Um obviously different patientsystems in different hospitals,
(35:36):
so that is something that Iguess you orientate to in each
place.
Sam Miklos (35:39):
But it's just a lot of deadly animals.
Nicole Watts (35:41):
Deadly animals, yeah.
And y and you know, you kind ofhave to go and read up about
it.
Um Does that scare you aboutworking here?
Kate Coomber (35:51):
Or living here?
Nicole Watts (35:52):
Living here?
It definitely took me um awhile to get comfortable.
And I remember the first time Icame home from an afternoon
shift in McKay and opened mydoor and there was a huntsman in
my room.
Sam Miklos (36:04):
Oh, and I was still with them.
Nicole Watts (36:06):
I didn't know what to do.
Yeah, and they're so big itfeels like you're killing like a
massive I can't like And Iyeah, I was like, I don't know
if you know your normal flyspray works on these things.
So I had to bring my friend andI was like, what do I do?
Yeah, she's like, I'm comingover.
Sam Miklos (36:22):
So a big colander, and I was like, I don't know
what to do with this.
Like I can't worry me so much.
Oh god, they're gonna be a lotof small snakes that I am not
good with.
Nicole Watts (36:33):
Yeah, I thankfully haven't dealt or haven't seen
in person a snake yet.
Um you possibly won't, like,you know.
Exactly.
I should go to the NT.
Sam Miklos (36:43):
You might, you might.
Working across the twocountries, um, you know, we talk
about what's one change that wecould make that would make
healthcare happier for everyoneinvolved.
Is there one thing that comesto mind that you think we could
change that would make it betterfor patients and healthcare
workers?
Nicole Watts (37:02):
It always comes down to funding, I think.
Funding gives more staff.
It improves access to treatmentin a timely manner.
Um I think Australia generallyis quicker at getting, you know,
interventions in place and Ifeel like wait lists from what
(37:25):
my experience aren't as long toget uh scans done and those
diagnostic interventions thanwhat New Zealand has.
But um I definitelyunfortunately it always comes
back to money and it's notsomething that's easily uh
obtained.
Kate Coomber (37:45):
Yeah, it's a really difficult one, isn't it?
Is it being spent in the rightplaces?
Nicole Watts (37:48):
Exactly.
Um, like in New Zealandrecently they have or in the
last couple of years had achange of government which has
brought massive health carecuts.
So there's you know, shortstaffing and staff higher
freezing and which has put somuch more pressure on an already
pressure environment.
Sam Miklos (38:08):
And then you don't have agency nurses either.
So it's just yeah.
Nicole Watts (38:12):
And then you know, in some areas I think I was
reading and it was likefifty-four percent of day shifts
were sh short staffed innursing sector alone because of
these things.
And and it's all bigger thanus, you know.
Kate Coomber (38:28):
How do you retain the sector?
How do you keep people engagedto keep working in the in the
yeah?
Sam Miklos (38:33):
And is there a big exodus from those changes of
Kiwi nurses wanting to come outto Australia?
Nicole Watts (38:38):
I I think yes and no.
Um I know a lot that have comeand done the contracting side.
Um a lot of my friends havemoved over.
Um but then uh I know a lot ofhappy nurses working in New
Zealand as well and enjoy thelifestyle.
Sam Miklos (38:57):
So it's very about lifestyle and the purpose and
yeah, exactly.
Nicole Watts (39:02):
Yeah.
Kate Coomber (39:03):
Look, with um every episode, CMR are gonna
make a donation to a charity ofyour choice.
Where can we send that money tofor this episode?
Nicole Watts (39:10):
I would love um to send this through to the Otago
Southeast Helicopter RescueTrust.
Um so again, they're the localservice that supplies or
supplies care and helicopter umto majority of the South Island.
Yeah.
Um we work with them in thehospital, we work with them out
(39:32):
to Ski Field, and I thinkCentral Lakes District and Otago
region would be lost withoutthem.
Yeah, that's amazing.
Sam Miklos (39:42):
I love that.
Thank you.
It's um it's been great.
I mean, just hearing about yourcareer and just to be able to
have, you know, the opportunityto work in ski fields, to now
come out and locum in Australia,like what an amazing
opportunity.
And you know, I'm sure there'llbe some young people out there
that'll be so inspired.
For me, when I go skiing nexttime, I am comfortable that
(40:06):
someone is gonna be there, andthat even if I'm on my own, they
can get me out of there andthey can help me out, and if my
kids go on one of those skiholidays.
Kate Coomber (40:15):
My son goes on a school ski trip next year, and
I'm like, I'm okay.
Sam Miklos (40:20):
I'm gonna call it what about your phone, don't
call mum, call on a call and goyourself.
Nicole Watts (40:27):
So no, it's been it's been a pleasure.
Thank you so much.
No, thank you so much forhaving me, both here today and
within the company.
Instrumental (40:36):
We care.
Kate Coomber (40:38):
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the
land of which we meet, who forcenturies have shared ancient
methods of healing and cared fortheir communities.
We pay our respects to elderspast and present.
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The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.