Registered nurse jobs in Cairns

Sanctuary Recruitment is recruiting registered nurses in Cairns city and surroundings, with opportunities available in more rural and remote regions of Queensland. We are a specialist aged care recruitment consultancy that provides aged care professionals with placements that suit their needs and values across Australia. We are hiring aged care workers for permanent, temporary, and contract assignments.

We are committed to assisting you in making your next aged care career role, so if you are a registered nurse in Cairns, or looking to move interstate/from overseas, get in touch with us today.

Register with Sanctuary

register with sanctuary

Express your interest

Send in your resume or register your interest and our industry expert consultants will be in contact.

register with sanctuary

Prepare for work

Complete the onboarding process and become fully compliant. Our compliance team can help you through this step by step.

register with sanctuary

Being working with Sanctuary

Choose from 100's of roles that suit your needs, values and requirements.

Registered nurse jobs in Cairns FAQ

Registered nurses in aged care homes are responsible for providing high quality care to residents on a holistic level. To enter into the industry, a fantastic way is to pursue a relevant qualification for an Assistant in nursing/personal care worker role, and through upskilling you can step into the position of a registered nurse.

We have longstanding relationships with over 400 aged care homes across Australia, in metro, regional, rural and remote areas of the country.

As well as Cairns, in Queensland we have positions in:

  • Brisbane
  • Bribie Island
  • Bundaberg
  • Darling Downs
  • Gold Coast
  • Far North QLD
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Toowoomba
  • Townsville
  • Wide Bay

There are a lot of variances when it comes to pay rates, as aged care casual rates depend on your position, experience level and shift times that you work. The average registered nurse casual pay rates are in-between $50 - $120 per hour

Incentives, allowances and bonuses are applicable for certain contract placements and locations. Reforms in aged care have led to pay rises for aged care workers in recent years, with more developments to come.

As a rule of thumb, you need 1 year of Australian aged care experience to work on our casual registered nurse pool. If you haven't reached this yet, get in contact as we do have opportunity for new/recent graduates to work in a few of our homes

For registered nurses, you would need a Bachelor of Nursing which is a three year university degree. This is made up of theoretical and practical assessments. If you are a qualified overseas nurse, you can get your qualification converted in line with AHPRA regulations, and obtain a sponsorship if you meet the eligibility requirements.

We are recruiting registered nurses for temporary/casual and contract assignments. Casual work, or shift filling, is done on an ad-hoc or block booking basis. Contract roles range from 4 weeks - 3 months in rural, regional and remote areas of the country.

Absolutely. We offer continuous online training via our Learning Management System (LMS) at no extra cost to you. This is regularly updated to reflect new legislation and practices.

Through working on a casual basis, you can:

  • Structure your work day/week to your schedule
  • Through our contract roles, you can explore areas of the country whilst getting paid for it, with free travel and accommodation included.
  • Set your own work/life balance
  • Receive a higher hourly rate than if you were a permanent employee

Rewards and benefits

market leading pay rates

Market leading pay rates

bonuses and incentives

Bonuses and incentives

industry expert consultants

Industry expert consultants

discount programs

Discount programs

Free online education modules

Free online education modules

Referral scheme

Referral scheme

Aged care blog
Your guide to getting involved in aged care volunteering

First published: May 2025 Aged care volunteering is an opportunity to give back to the community whilst providing companionship and support to older people whilst both living in aged care homes or receiving home care. Aged care volunteering options that are available include assisting with daily living activities to make day to day tasks easier,…

Migration stories: From the Philippines to Australia

First published: February 2024 What moving overseas to Australia as a registered nurse looks like Australia is a very multicultural country and its nurses are from a range of different backgrounds. It is estimated that 40% of Australia’s registered nurses and aged carers were born overseas, with this number forecasted to grow in the coming…

Establishing and maintaining work role boundaries in aged care

First published: November 2024 Working in the aged care industry gives you opportunity to develop close relationships with the residents in your care. The superheroes that are healthcare professionals understand their patients and residents on a deeper level, especially in aged care as nurses can be interacting with the same residents for years. Work role…

Celebrating International Nurses Day

First published: May 2024 International Nurses Day, celebrated around the world on the 12th May each year, recognises the importance of healthcare professionals, in particular recognising the role that nurses play in our society. This day, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, calls to our attention the unwavering commitment that nurses show everyday across every…

Federal Budget 2025-26: what it means for aged care

First published: May 2025 The Federal Budget 2025-26 was announced on the 25th March 2025 which included economic forecasts and what areas would be allocated funding and financial backing this coming year. Covering areas such as the cost of living, housing prices, education, healthcare and student debt, it offers a projection of what each sector…

Enhancing aged care: Pulse Staffing Australia and Sanctuary Recruitment to deliver PALM Aged Care Expansion Program

First published: July 2024 Quality aged care is vital for ensuring that elderly people live fulfilling, healthy lives with dignity and respect. Aligned with our purpose to improve people’s lives, Pulse Staffing Australia and Sanctuary Recruitment, both part of Acacium Group, have partnered to support the delivery of the 2024 PALM Aged Care Expansion Program….

Transitioning into aged care

First published: November 2023 A non clinical perspective With the aged care industry being a part of the healthcare space, the common perception is that you need a nursing qualification to be eligible for a role in a residential aged care home. This is true for a large number of job positions, as clinical members…

The Australia Federal Budget 2024 – 25: what it means for aged care

First published: July 2024 Last month, the Federal Budget for 2024 – 25 was released. It is broken down into five main initiatives: Easing cost-of-living pressures Building more homes for Australians Investing in a Future Made in Australia Strengthening Medicare and the care economy Broadening opportunity and advancing equality All of these initiatives are underpinned…

A guide to the 8 Aged Care Quality Standards

First published: July 2024 The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission have formed eight Quality Standards that are set within the aged care industry for the purpose of ensuring services provided to the elderly population of Australia are: Safe High quality Meet the needs and preferences of the people under their care All government funded…

A complete guide to aged care qualifications and certification requirements 

There are many different roles within aged care, some of which require a higher degree of education and training. Getting the right aged care qualifications and certificates can support you in establishing a long and rewarding career in the field. They ensure you understand the safety, legal and ethical protocols to effectively look after the…