"I’m exactly where I want to be in my career," reported Rae Moody, RN, in her soft, lilting voice. "I enjoy oncology nursing very much and don’t plan any major career changes. But I love the opportunities I have now to advance my skills within my specialty."

Moody moved to the United States from Australia a year ago with her husband. She works at a medical center in the mile-high city of Denver, Colorado.

One of the biggest differences between working as a nurse in Australia and the United States, she explained, is how employers in America support ongoing education.

"My employer not only encourages us to advance our skills, but really gets behind us by helping to make classes more accessible and convenient," Moody said. "We didn’t have that in Australia, where any sort of ongoing education was totally left to you to figure out. There is an expectation that nurses will keep learning and growing, and receive a lot of help to do so. It’s wonderful."

Moody contacted international nurse staffing agency O’Grady Peyton International to help make the move. She said she wouldn’t recommend relocating without an agency.

"They kept me on track to go the distance," she explained. "There are a lot of legal requirements and details to take care of—relocation would have been daunting without them."

Moody and her husband are enjoying the other differences between their old and new homes. While she left behind Australia’s sunny beaches, she’s thoroughly enjoying the majestic beauty of the Rocky Mountains.

"We are really enjoying the great outdoors," Moody said. "The mountains are amazing and offer so much in the way of hiking, camping and skiing. We’re very impressed with the National Park System and the great campground network too. We’re having great fun exploring these beautiful, wide open spaces."