“You Can’t Work Anywhere Else” The Clause No One Questioned, Until Now
Go and grab your contract. Seriously. Because there’s one clause that’s been sitting there for years and most people didn’t question it.
“You can’t work anywhere else.”
Let’s Ask the Obvious Question
Who decided that? Because if you look across healthcare, it wasn’t applied equally. Doctors? Surgeons? They rejected it.
They built;
Multiple roles
Multiple clinics
Multiple income streams
And it became normal for them. But Nurses and Nurse Practitioners? Different story. For years, many accepted restrictions on where they could work, limits on additional roles and barriers to income and flexibility. And here’s the part that’s rarely said out loud - there was very little pushback. Not structurally OR collectively. Even the organisations you might expect to challenge it, didn’t. So the clause stayed and over time, it became normal.
This clause was never really about protection, it was about control. Control of your time, income and opportunities. And once it’s written into a contract, it’s easy to assume - “That’s just how it is.” But, its not!
Healthcare has changed and in 2026, professionals are working across multiple clinics, partnering with different services and creating flexibility in how they work.
So Why Are You Still Limited?
That’s the real question. Because the clause only works if it’s accepted. And for a long time, it was.
The Shift Is Happening
More nurses and nurse practitioners are starting to read their contracts properly, question restrictive terms and ask what’s actually reasonable. And once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
Here’s What To Do Next
Go and grab your contract. Look for the clause - Can you work elsewhere? Are there restrictions on additional roles? and Is your income being limited? If it’s there, don’t ignore it. This isn’t about being difficult, i’s about being informed because flexibility, growth and income shouldn’t be quietly restricted by outdated clauses.
Doctors didn’t accept it. That’s why they don’t have it. So the question is Why are you?
If you’ve found this clause in your contract or you’re not sure what you’re looking at Book a free contract discovery call. We help nurses and nurse practitioners negotiate contracts that actually value them.