Theatre Nurse Referrals
Refer a theatre nurse. Earn up to R1 000.
You know the nurses who belong in theatre. The ones who know their scrub role from their circulating role. Who stay calm when the list changes at eleven o'clock. Who walk into a busy theatre and can see straight away what needs to happen next.
NSSA has staffed South Africa's theatre complexes since 1943, and those are the seats we work hardest to fill. If you know a nurse like that, do not keep the name to yourself.
| Referred nurse SANC category | Your referral reward |
|---|---|
| Registered nurse (RN) | R1 000 |
| Enrolled nurse (EN) | R800 |
| Enrolled nursing auxiliary (ENA) | R600 |
Paid gross, through payroll, once your referral has registered, cleared compliance and worked 160 approved theatre hours with us.
You are not being paid for those 160 hours. You are being paid for one email. The hours are how we confirm the referral was real and the nurse stayed. Five minutes of typing, up to R1 000, and no limit on how many times you do it.
The rate follows the nurse's SANC category on our database at the point the hours are met, not the role they are booked into and not the rate they are paid. If you are not sure which category applies, our SANC page sets out the difference.
Which theatre roles qualify
Scrub nurse
Floor or circulating (scout) nurse
Anaesthetic nurse
Recovery or post-anaesthetic care (PACU) nurse
CSSD or sterile services
Theatre unit manager or theatre shift leader
RN, EN and ENA all qualify at the rates above, provided the role sits within their scope of practice. Theatre experience on its own is not enough. The placement we book them into has to be one of the six roles.
This programme is theatre only. ICU, high care, wards, emergency, midwifery, paediatrics, psychiatry, renal, oncology and frail care sit outside it, and no partial reward is payable for them.
How it works
Referrals only count by email. WhatsApp messages, phone calls and notes to an individual consultant create no claim, even if the nurse goes on to register and work. Where two people refer the same nurse, the reward goes to whoever's valid, complete referral arrived first, and an incomplete one does not hold a place in the queue.
01. Think of someone good
Your email has to arrive before that nurse applies to us, calls us, or is contacted by one of our consultants. This is the step people get wrong, and there is no way to fix it afterwards.
02. Get their permission
No surprise referrals. Ask the nurse, get a yes, and note the date you got it. POPIA applies to you as much as it applies to us.
03. Refer them before they reach us
Your email has to arrive before that nurse applies to us, calls us, or is contacted by one of our consultants. This is the step people get wrong, and there is no way to fix it afterwards.
04. They register and clear compliance
We take them through registration and their document checks.
05. They work 160 approved theatre hours
There is no penalty for a referral that does not qualify. Nothing is deducted, nothing counts against you, and nothing stops you referring the next nurse. So, if you are not certain whether we already know this nurse, send it anyway. Just send it before they apply to us.
Why refer them to NSSA?
Because ou're not just passing on a phone number.
NSSA offers nurses access to assignments across South Africa, flexible work opportunities, weekly payments directly into their registered bank account and 24/7 support.
Registered nurses can also explore current theatre opportunities and other nursing assignments through NSSA Nursing Jobs.
For someone ready to register, NSSA's registration process is designed to get healthcare professionals compliant and ready for available opportunities, with support available around the clock.
So, you're helping a good nurse find more work, while giving yourself the chance to earn up to R1,000.
Before you hit send
The button above prefills all of this. If you would rather write the email yourself, it has to contain every line below, because an incomplete referral is not a valid referral.
Subject line: THEATRE REFERRAL - [Your surname] - [Nurse surname]
About you: full name, ID number, contact number.
About the nurse: full name, contact number, email address, theatre role, SANC category (RN, EN or ENA), and province.
And: confirmation that the nurse has consented, plus the date you obtained that consent.
What happens after you send it
Our dedicated team acknowledges every valid referral within two working days and issues you a reference number. If no acknowledgement arrives, assume the email did not reach us and send it again, because an unacknowledged referral is not a claim.
Keep your banking and contact details current on Staffshift, because payment is held until they are correct.
Questions nurses ask
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Yes, if you know them personally and they have agreed to it. No, if you took their details from a duty roster, a staff list or a hospital system, and never by approaching them at a client's facility using that client's information.
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No reward is payable, and there is no partial payment. The 160 theatre hours have to be worked within six months of their first shift.
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Only the theatre hours count towards the 160.
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It is paid gross through payroll, so standard deductions apply. We do not give tax advice.
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Referrals must reach the inbox by 28 February 2027. Once we have your valid referral, that nurse stays exclusive to you for six months.
Know a theatre nurse? Make the introduction.
R1 000 for a registered nurse. R800 for an enrolled nurse. R600 for an enrolled nursing auxiliary. Get their consent, send the email before they reach us, and there is no limit on how many times you do it.
Caring for the nation, 24 hours a day, since 1943.
Full eligibility rules, qualifying hours and payment terms are in the Theatre Nurse Referral Programme Terms and Conditions. Queries on a live referral go to referrals@a24.co.za.
You can also reach us on WhatsApp support or contact us on WhatsApp 060 070 2436, call 087 357 0642, email info@nurses.co.za
