Are you wondering how you can become an agency nurse in 2022? Agency nurses work on temporary assignments in an enormous range of healthcare environments. If you’re thinking about undertaking an agency nurse job, here’s our handy guide on how to kick start your agency nursing career:
Compliance
Before engaging with a nursing agency (such as Mayday Healthcare), be sure to have all your documentation and compliance ready, to make the onboarding process as seamless as possible.
We recommend you have the following items ready:
- Eligibility to Work in the UK
- Registration with the NMC (Nursing & Midwifery Council) and NMC Pin
- Professional Nursing Qualifications
- Proof of any training you’ve undertaken
- Proof of vaccinations and immunisation
Establish how to get paid
Once you’ve got your compliance and documents ready, it’s important to research different ways of earning as an agency nurse. There are three main methods of payment for agency nurses, although nursing agencies may not offer all of them. Each has its own pros and cons, so make sure you do your homework and find out which option is best for you personally;
- PAYE:
Also known as “pay as you earn”, this is when the necessary deductions such as income tax and national insurance are taken from your earnings by your employer before you get paid for your agency nurse job.
- Limited Company:
Getting paid through a Limited Company (also known as a PSC or personal service company) is sometimes considered the most tax efficient way to get paid as an agency nurse. You are responsible for your own deductions and tax compliance, but you may be eligible for certain tax reliefs.
- Umbrella Company:
More and more nursing agencies are turning to paying agency nurses through umbrella companies, as they handle the administrative duties around payment. Your nursing agency pays the umbrella company, which then processes the earnings. Your overall take home pay will likely be more or less the same as any other method, although you may have to pay a small fee for their services. You won’t have to do any administration or paperwork yourself, and may be entitled to some benefits such as sickness and holiday pay.
Register with a Nursing Agency
Deciding which nursing agency to work with may feel a bit confusing. Each nursing agency will have their own benefits, a different range of available assignments and a unique company culture.
READ: 5 EASY WAYS TO FIND YOU NEXT AGENCY NURSE JOB WITH MAYDAY HEALTHCARE
Be sure to find a nursing agency that you feel comfortable working with. At Mayday Healthcare, you’ll be assigned a dedicated consultant to make your onboarding as streamlined as possible - and will have access to 24/7 support. Establish your availability with your consultant, and discuss the type of shifts you’d like to work.
Start your first shift
Now you’re all set! You’re ready to start your agency nurse job. If you’d like more guidance on beginning an agency nurse job, get in touch with a member of our team today. Mayday Healthcare takes pride in supporting the agency nursing community, and ensuring all our nurses have an excellent experience with us.
READ: HOW TO PROGRESS YOUR CAREER AS AN AGENCY NURSE
You can quick register with Mayday Healthcare here and our team will get in touch with you to discuss our current agency nurse jobs and how to get started.