Travel Nurse Spotlight: Doing What You Love
In the Travel Nurse Spotlight series, HCT Today is highlighting travelers’ own unique stories and perspectives. “I’ve been loved all my life and I wanted to give love back to others.” That’s what Laura V., a Telemetry Travel Nurse, said when she found her love for nursing. In university, she started in Forensic Science, but discovered it was more time spent in a lab, and she wanted to be out in the community helping people. She switched to Forensic Nursing, and ultimately, she followed her heart to traditional nursing. After two years serving as a staff RN in Pittsburg, she started her travel nursing journey in 2017 and hasn’t looked back since. “The reason I started traveling is ‘to see beautiful places and to meet beautiful people‘ and I do feel like I’ve done just that through my experiences,” Laura said. “I’m so in love with being in awe of all that I’ve seen and experienced.” Her first assignment was in Texas just outside of Austin, where she fell in love with the unique city and the traveler lifestyle. She stayed in the central Texas area for a few more assignments including a contract at Cedar Park Regional Medical Center, which she said has been one of her favorite hospitals so far. For travel assignments, what are top qualities to look for in a hospital? “Each hospital has its pros and cons, the most important thing is a good team environment,” Laura said. “I like facilities with stricter policies. When you start somewhere new, it’s easier to grasp when there is more structure in place.” High workload is always going to be a factor in nursing, so Laura values hospital environments where everyone has respect for one other. For travelers, it’s especially important to feel comfortable to ask questions as needed to learn and understand the unit procedures quickly. How did you meet your recruiter? Unique story! Laura met her current staffing agency while visiting her friend in Dallas. They went to the House of Blues and stumbled upon an event that was celebrating nurses hosted by LiquidAgents Healthcare, a nationwide healthcare staffing company specializing in travel nursing. Being a new traveler, she was seeking more insights and guidance, which she was not getting at her current agency. There she met Senior Recruiter Jayson Sipe and discussed the issues she was having on her first assignment. Even though Jayson wasn’t her recruiter at the time, he tried to help in any way he could. “He looked up details about my current facility and pay rates, and gave me advice on how to communicate my contract,” Laura said. “I’m so thankful for how straight forward he was.” Openness and transparency are key qualities to finding a great recruiter. Laura appreciates how her agency provides clear details for each assignment, like how the hospital is run and if a location is hard to get to. She also enjoys working with her compliance manager, Katrina Anderson, who sets everything up for her and provides easy checklists and reminders to stay on top of credentialing deadlines. “Laura is the type of RN any recruiter dreams to have working with them,” Jayson said. “She is calm, professional, understanding and a pleasure to work with. She works as a travel nurse for all of the right reasons and is embracing the best parts of the industry to the fullest.” Loving Every Minute of the Travel Lifestyle Outside of the hospital, Laura spends as much time as she can outdoors and exploring the local culture. When she worked in a permanent position, she said she found herself not going out as much, but traveling has been the complete opposite. Now, she wants to experience as much as she can on her days off, especially given the limited timeframe in one place. “I feel like ever since I started traveling, I’ve been on vacation,” Laura said. For every new city Laura travels to, she makes a list of the top things she wants to do before her assignment ends, “including the touristy stuff,” she added. While in Austin, you could find her at Barton Springs and Lake Travis or attending local music festivals like Austin City Limits. On assignment in Reno, Nevada, she spent days at Lake Tahoe and soaking in the phenomenal views hiking. While in Phoenix, Arizona, she frequented nearby trails and tried all of the top-rated restaurants. “I love getting to hear about all of her adventures,” Jayson said. “Wherever she goes, she makes the best of where she is at and loves every minute of it.” Where is Laura’s next stop? Portland, Oregon! She’s looking forward to being back in the mountains, waterfall hunting and hiking as much as possible. See more photos of Laura embracing the traveler’s lifestyle. In the Travel Nurse Spotlight series, HCT Today is highlighting travelers’ own unique stories and perspectives. Want to share your story? We’d love to hear from you.
Travel Nurse Spotlight: Stories and Insights from a 10-Year Traveler
Healthcare travel is complex and can be challenging to navigate, especially for first-time travelers. From finding the right recruiter to understanding pay packages and reviewing contracts, travel nurses need to be well-educated. Seasoned traveler and ER nurse, Lisa D., wishes there was a better platform for new travelers to learn the ins and outs of the industry. Traveling for nearly 10 years and completing more than 25 assignments, Lisa shares her stories, experiences and important things travel nurses need to know. “There are positive sides and negative sides to travel nursing; travelers need to know both sides,” Lisa said. “My persona is: you can do anything for 13 weeks. If you don’t like a facility, it’s only 3 days a week for 13 weeks.” Lisa began her nursing career as an LPN in the ER, which also landed her an EMT first responding position with her local fire department. When her two children went to college, so did she to get her Registered Nursing license. Once a RN and a soon-to-be empty nester, she started working toward her two years of experience required to travel by doing local contracts, helping nearby hospitals with staffing shortages. For example, she filled in for a nurse who was deployed in the military. Early in her travel RN career, Lisa had a unique opportunity to work a 4-week assignment in Hawaii, which she said was an eye-opening experience. It was at a very small ER department with disordered room numbers and dated processes, but she stayed open-minded. She was frequently floated to the 6-patient ICU, because other ER nurses weren’t as willing to. “The staff nurses loved me and I enjoyed helping out,” Lisa said. “I’m from the ER, I’m used to having a lot more patients at a time. When they apologized for having to give me another ICU patient, I was like ‘sure, give me another one!’ with a smile.” The best part of her assignment in Hawaii, she bought her children and their significant others plane tickets for Christmas, and they had a week exploring the beautiful island with her. Lisa’s positive attitude, adaptability and willingness to help in any situation is what facilities look for in great travel nurses. Lisa’s biggest and most important piece of advice: like your healthcare recruiter. “Get a recruiter you can count on and enjoy talking to,” Lisa said. “If you don’t feel warm and fuzzy with your recruiter, go talk to other recruiters until you find one with the right niche. There are tons of other companies out there to choose from.” Lisa has worked with about six different staffing agencies, two of which she said she will never work with again because of recruiter issues. The most important qualities she values in a recruiter are knowledge and honesty. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions, especially when you’re new to the game,” Lisa said. “Make sure you have all of the facts. If something looks off on your contract, tell them.” Lisa’s biggest pet peeve is recruiters not answering her questions. At one hospital, she was faced with a difficult assignment and unsafe working conditions. She feared for her license and expressed her concerns to her recruiter, who shrugged it off and told her, “don’t worry about it.” Another assignment, she was promised a completion bonus, but had to fight for it. The company’s reasoning was they had changed their pay schedule and tried to move the end date mid-contract without her permission. She knew they couldn’t change the contract without her agreement. Unfortunately, newer travelers may not know how to handle these types of situations like she did. How do you research what healthcare staffing companies to work with? Lisa shares her top tips: Research who likes the company or recruiter and, most importantly, why they like them. Get on Facebook (company pages, reviews, travel groups). Know the sites you can trust and the sites you can’t (i.e. if a travel nursing review site only publishes positive reviews, they probably are hiding the negative ones). Take note of who calls you and when. For example, Lisa only works day shift and tells recruiters this. If they keep calling about night positions, they aren’t listening or putting the traveler’s best interest first. Know your pay range and look for a company who has pay packages to accommodate. Talk with travelers you work with! Lisa’s Golden Rule: if a recruiter doesn’t know the answer to a question, they should tell you truthfully that they don’t know, but they will find out for you! And that is just the supportive attitude that Lisa has found with her current recruiter. “Lisa is an absolute pleasure to work with,” said her talent advisor Leah Moss. “She has a great attitude and is always willing to help others any chance she can. I enjoy hearing about her travel stories, and appreciate her sincerity and passion for nursing.” “Everyone has their reasons to travel,” Lisa said. “My reason, I don’t do vacations very well, so travel nursing is like my vacation for 13 weeks. Working only three days a week, the other four days are vacation where I can go explore.”
Travel Nurse Spotlight: The Best of Both Worlds
In the Travel Nurse Spotlight series, HCT Today is highlighting travelers’ own unique stories and perspectives. Healthcare travelers don’t have to take assignments on the other side of the country to take advantage of all of the exciting benefits and career development opportunities that traveling offers. A registered nurse and mom of two, Sarah A., is able to enjoy the both of best worlds: travel nursing while staying close enough to home and family. A Southwest Illinois-native, Sarah started her nursing career at a local community hospital. Her primary specialty is Medical-Surgical, but she was able to do a little bit of everything and developed her skills in several areas. After five years as a staff RN, she wanted a change; she heard about travel nursing and decided to “give it a go.” “You can have the best of both worlds, traveling and experiencing new environments, and being close enough to home,” Sarah said. Raising two young daughters, she chooses travel assignments at facilities within a few hours away so she can spend time with family on her days off. In her first year of traveling, she worked with a smaller local healthcare staffing agency, but wanted to branch out for more opportunities. In 2018, she was referred to LiquidAgents Healthcare by a friend and says it’s been a successful experience ever since. Sarah enjoys meeting new people, being with other working moms and making new friends. “I could not choose a favorite travel assignment because they’ve all been nothing but amazing,” Sarah said. “At each facility, I’ve been surrounded and supported by amazing people. They welcomed me with open arms and brought me in as family.” Sarah’s biggest advice for travelers is to be open. Traveling puts you in new environments that may have a different way of doing things. Don’t go into an assignment looking to change the processes in place. Instead, take advantage of learning opportunities. “Even when there may be tough personalities to work with, show them that you’re there to be a part of their team and let them be the guide,” Sarah said. “As a traveler, you’re there to help them with the challenges they’ve been experiencing.” Sarah loves the learning curve that comes with travel nursing. In addition to MedSurg, she’s very interested in orthopedic and neurology nursing. While on assignment in Springfield, IL, she gained first-time experience at a Level 1 trauma center and teaching facility. For her upcoming assignment this fall, she’s excited to cross the Illinois state line to St. Louis, MO. “Southwestern Illinois is kind of a trauma desert,” Sarah explained. “Patients that need more critical care or specialized procedures are typically sent to St. Louis. My next assignment at SSM Health Saint Louis Hospital has been on my bucket-list. I’m excited that I’ll get to see and be a part of the next step of my patients’ journey.” “I’ve worked with Sarah for over a year,” said talent advisor Allie Harrell. “We both have trust in each other during this whole process, and that is exactly the kind of relationship you need in the travel nursing market. Whether we’re going over details for an assignment or just calling to check in and catch up, we’ve built a special bond that will last a lifetime. I can even tell you what the theme of her youngest daughter’s birthday party was.” When Sarah’s daughters are older, she would love to branch out more and try cross country traveling. But until then, she enjoys the flexibility of staying closer to home. In the Travel Nurse Spotlight series, HCT Today is highlighting travelers’ own unique stories and perspectives. Want to share your story? We’d love to hear from you.
Travel Nurse Spotlight: Taking on New Adventures Across the Country
In the Travel Nurse Spotlight series, HCT Today is highlighting travelers’ own unique stories and perspectives. Working more than 40 hours a week with very little time for vacation or recreational activities, Renee B. and her husband, Gabe, were ready for a change. With 25 years of experience as a staff nurse, which includes 19 years in endoscopy, Renee looked into the healthcare traveler lifestyle and in 2018, her and her husband began a new exciting chapter in their lives. They were intrigued with the “tiny house, big living” phenomenon, which also happens to be a great, flexible housing option for travel nurses. In 2018, they “pulled the trigger, bought the RV, the truck, and started the downsize mission,” Renee said. And they were off! Renee started working with a few different travel nurse agencies and was happy to land her first travel RN assignment in Upstate New York. Renee shares what travel nursing has taught her so far. Renee’s Travel Nursing Tips Budgeting. As pay and cost of living varies from state to state, Renee recommends creating a weekly budget for each assignment so you know exactly what you can afford. Deal-breakers. Communicate any deal-breakers you have with your travel healthcare agency, whether it’s the type of shift, call duty, length of contract, location, etc. Recruiters. Renee highlights having and maintaining a good relationship with your recruiter. They are your main supporter and oftentimes become a friend. If you have unresolvable issues, ask for someone else. Networking. While travel nursing, you meet a lot of different people in various departments. Take advantage of those connections. You can gain tremendous insights about other units or hospitals by just asking others. Extending. Use extensions to your advantage. For example, Renee extended her first travel RN contract while she waited for her California license to process. She extended in California because she wanted to enjoy the beautiful weather before the summer heat. Patience vs. Perseverance. Traveling has so many moving parts and you’re constantly introduced to new things, experiences and people. Having a patient, open attitude always wins. “Remember to have fun, and know it’s only 13 weeks if you’re not having fun,” Renee added. “Personally, my stress level has decreased tremendously. I know that no matter what, the assignment is temporary, and I always put my best foot forward from the get-go.” Exploring Coast to Coast in a RV Florida-natives, Renee and Gabe love the traveler RV lifestyle and experiencing new cultures across the U.S. For every new location, she does thorough research for the best things to do and places to go, including The Food Channel’s Guy Fieri’s favorite places to eat. While on her first assignment in Albany, New York, they visited Lake George, Niagara Falls, Saratoga and of course, the Big Apple. “Traveling on the road has allowed us to see various treasures in the country’s landscape,” Renee said. “We’ve been able to live amongst the natives of each state and experience local cuisine, activities, history and climate. Every weekend and every day off is a potential getaway to explore historical landmarks and attractions.” Since traveling, Renee’s mindset has changed. She no longer prejudges a new area without seeing it for herself, which is how she has found many “diamonds in the rough” throughout her travels. Renee’s favorite travel RN assignment so far was in Bakersfield, California. “Not for the city but for its location,” she added. “We were able to do so much exploring in California including Winchester Mansion, Hearst Castle, San Francisco, Pismo Beach and Los Angeles.” Her and her husband also attended the popular TV game show, The Price is Right. Meeting new friends along the way and cultivating lasting relationships has also been a big part of traveling for Renee. Friendships lay the foundations for possible reassignments in the future or planning a fun visit to see each other. Currently, Renee is working in Dallas, Texas and is already booked for a new contract back in her home state of Florida at the end of the summer. Renee and Gabe eventually plan to move home in two years to spend more time with their grandchild and family, but for now they’re loving the flexibility and adventures of RV life across the country. In the Travel Nurse Spotlight series, HCT Today is highlighting travelers’ own unique stories and perspectives. Want to share your story? We’d love to hear from you.
Tall Man, Tall Van: Nate Hemann Shares His Experience Travel Nursing While Living The Van Life
Like many travel healthcare professionals, nurse Nate Hemann wanted to pursue traveling to experience new sights, meet new people and gain experience working across the country. Before starting his journey, Hemann decided to make his first major commitment to the travel life in an unconventional way—by converting a freshly purchased 2018 Ford Transit into his permanent home away from home. Hemann started documenting his experience building and living in his van on August 2, 2018, through his Instagram account, @thetallmanvan. From his posts, Hemann shares messages of positivity, his enthusiasm for nature and all the highs and lows of living in a van while working as a travel nurse. I spoke with Hemann to find out more about his nursing career, how he converted his ride and why he decided to tackle the #VanLife. Editor’s Note: Photos in this story pulled from the @thetallmanvan account were used with permission. Some of the answers below were edited for clarity. Q: How did you get involved in the nursing profession? I decided I was going to go to school for nursing in about the 10th grade. I honestly don’t remember a single moment that sparked it. I did, however, grow up right next to the Mayo Clinic, and with both of my parents working there, as well as nearly every other adult in my life growing up, it’s really no surprise that I ended up with a career in the medical field. I have also always loved people and science, and to me, nursing is the best fit for me with my strengths in both of those areas. Q: What made you want to pursue the travel nursing route? Travel nursing was not something I had ever thought about until holiday break during my senior year of nursing school. I went on a study abroad trip with 20 some other nursing students to the Philippines to learn about and dive into the culture and nursing practices there. This single trip set me on the travel path that I am on now, both in my career and in my personal life. I made it a financial goal of mine after graduating college to always be able to say “yes” to travel when asked by anyone around me, and so far, I’m surpassing my goal of traveling whenever possible far more than I ever imagined I would. Q: Being that you’ve just started your travel career, what has the experience been like so far? Although I technically began my travel nurse career the beginning of October 2018, I feel that it really started in July of 2017. After working one year as a staff nurse in Duluth, Minnesota, I packed up my car and drove to Seattle to be a part of the amazing team and culture of Harborview Medical Center. After a year at Harborview, and meeting all of the countless, amazing travel nurses there, I knew that I had to be one as well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nate Hemann (@thetallmanvan) on Feb 6, 2019 at 6:59am PST The experience so far has been supportive and educational, as well as beautiful considering I have gotten to be in Northern California and Central Oregon for my first two contracts. I feel fortunate to have gone to two hospitals so far with an overall good attitude toward travel nurses because I know that that is not always the case. Q: What have you learned? Any unexpected challenges? I have learned that I love to float, which as a traveler is something you have to learn to like, or you certainly won’t have a good experience. I love the challenge of a new unit and a new patient demographic outside of my specialty. I will say that I am not learning as much nursing-wise as I would like to, and that’s why I will seek out more trauma and teaching hospitals, like Harborview. For now, I am trying to keep up to date outside of work. However, I am learning so much about myself being in these smaller cities and hospitals. It is giving me more financial freedom and time to explore the great outdoors with my van and any friends I meet along the way. As far as nursing goes, the main challenge I have found is that staff nurses tend to be resistant to change, and as the new nurse on the unit all the time, that can make me feel isolated. I have picked up skills and knowledge in various ways and places, and some nurses I work with only know nursing from the college in the same community that they work in—and perhaps have lived in that very community their entire life. As someone who constantly wants to learn and understand the world from other perspectives, it frustrates me to work with complacent and inflexible individuals. Q: Where have you visited so far? Considering that, what’s your most favorite moment from the places you have visited? My two contracts so far have been in Eureka, California and Eugene, Oregon. I have visited countless places outside of these two locations since I drove from Minnesota to get here, and in between contracts, I took two-and-a-half weeks off to ski in Wyoming and Utah. Top of my list since starting travel nursing would be as follows in no particular order: Grand Teton National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Redwoods National Park, and the Southern Oregon coast. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nate Hemann (@thetallmanvan) on Oct 19, 2018 at 11:24am PDT I’m not typically a man of favorites—usually a top three or five kind of guy—but there was an instance during this travel nurse journey that I felt absolute bliss. I hiked down a steep and wooded part of the Southern Oregon coast, made my way to rocky outcrops, and it was all just after a big storm system had rolled through. The waves crashing against the coast were absolutely massive. I