June 1, 2017
I Love Being a Nurse
I love being a nurse. There is nothing else that I could imagine doing. It makes me proud to know I can make a difference in someone’s life, especially during some of the most stressful times for them, when they are sick. Doing many several types of nursing, I must admit that travel nursing has been my favorite. I have been doing travel nursing for over six years. In that six years, I have made some amazing friends that I am still in contact with today.
Being a travel nurse has not always been easy, but it has been worth it. Personally, I try to accept travel contracts that are close to home, so I can drive home if my family needs me. (Yes! Those contracts are out there!) You cannot beat the pay of travel nursing, so when you feel like you have had a rough day at work, at least it makes you feel compensated! Another plus about travel nursing is, if you get tired of being in one area, you can easily change in thirteen weeks. By doing this, you stay out of the hospital politics and drama, and don’t get near as burned out.
To do well in travel nursing, it is important to keep an open mind. There will be many things to learn in a very short amount of time. Try to observe and take notes as much as you can during the very short orientation period. You are expected to hit the floor running, so be as prepared as you can. Keep in mind, diagnoses do not change, mostly just the way doctors and facilities treat those diagnoses. From my experiences, regular staff has always welcomed me with open arms, been helpful, and are thankful for the extra help. Try to remember, the first couple weeks of every assignment are challenging, having to learn where supplies, med-rooms, breakrooms, and bathrooms are located (pun intended on the last two ha ha)!
During the past six years, I have worked for two different travel agencies. Accountable Healthcare Staffing ranks as my favorite! My recruiter always goes above and beyond to accommodate my needs and makes things so much easier. If you are looking for something different, challenging, and like change, travel nursing might just be for you. A favorite quote of mine is by Rawsi Williams, "To do what nobody else will do, in a way that nobody else can do, in spite of all we go through... that is what it is to be a nurse." Get out there and do what we nurses do best, make a difference!
Thank you, Christie F., BSN, RN