Testimonials

"CCM made the process very smooth and easy! They take you through step by step and are always on call if you have any questions or concerns!" -Georgia, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, 2021

Georgia, Nurse placed in Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi

"I moved to Saudi Arabia to work as a nurse. The team at CCM guide and help you through the whole process from the interview to the visa application and travel. The support was fantastic to have!" -Madeleine, Saudi Arabia, 2019

Madeleine, Nurse placed in Saudi Arabia Hospital

"Although things were made difficult by the Covid-19 pandemic, the staff at CCM kept in constant contact with me and always let me know when things changed. They did so much ground work to get me overseas, I could not have done it without them." -Selina De Garnham, KFSH&RC Jeddah, 2021

Selina De Garnham, Nurse placed in KFSH & RC, Saudi Arabia

"The registration process can be a bit stressful, trying to get all the documents right, buteveryone from CCM (Dawn, Mikaela andAndjela) guided me clearly every step of theprocess. They have been very helpful. CCMhelped to get me into contact with a few peoplealready in Saudi as I was in quarantine for a week on arrival."

April, Nurse in Saudi Arabia

Can you give us a snapshot of your nursing/allied healthcare career thus far? I started off in the OR and Cardiac Theatre, then transitioned into the ICU after a few years. While in the ICU I've done a range of different specialties including cardiac, med-surg, and trauma. Which country are you working in through CCM? United Arab Emirates (UAE) Why did you choose this country as your destination? I felt this location was a good travel hub for various parts of the world, and of course experiencing a different culture and seeing how a different model of care, compared to back home, was intriguing to me. When you first arrived, what supports did the hospital have in place to help you adjust? There was a lot of support at the beginning. Since arriving at the airport, I was met by someone from the organisation and almost everything was taken care of. During the general orientation, the education staff also helped me organise aspects of life such as banking and other small things that make life easier while here. What kind of facilities do you have in your accommodation and local area? On the island where I live, there is a bar and a mall with an indoor ski slope which will be opening soon. The accommodation provided is fully furnished and taken care of. The complex has a number of swimming pools and gyms and we're also provided with free busses too and from work. How do you spend your days/evenings/weekends off? So there are plenty of things to do on your day off, like heading to Dubai, or going to one of the various beaches. The opportunities to travel are also great with a number of annual leave days that we are given. What is nursing/allied healthcare like in your new country? (How is it different to home and how do you adapt to the differences?) It's different because it is an American model of care. Back in New Zealand the nurses look after the ventilators and will prepare the majority of the medications at the bedside, where as here we have respiratory therapists who manage the vents and most medications are prepared by pharmacy and sent to us. I do like that there are more advanced treatments here and services that will proactively round on patients - it seems more individualised than back home in that regard. What professional development opportunities were offered to you? We have a number of education offered here on the Cardiac ICU, such as a pathway to look after post cardiac surgical patients. There are also education sessions on the more advanced practices and devices we use to look after patients like IABP, Pacing, Impella and ECMO. What have you enjoyed most to date? I have definitely made some good friends here from all over the world, and I think being here has reinforced my passion and drive for nursing. What advice would you give to someone thinking of travelling to your chosen destination? I think if you are coming over here, you have to be prepared that it will be different, and to try and make the best out of any challenging situations you may find yourself in, as these happen every day in healthcare no matter where you are. Being adaptable to situations is also helpful and doing the best you can.

Sophie Hadjis - RN ICU