Access Nurses Weekly - Safety in Numbers: Team Travel Nursing
Volume 10 Number 5 - June 28th
Travel Nursing is an experience full of adventure and excitement. But life on the road can get lonely at times, especially if you’re traveling solo. A new trend in travel nursing has nipped this problem in the bud: Travel nurses are pairing up!
Jennifer J., 25, and Meredith M., 24, are two nurses who traveled together on their first assignment to Los Angeles, California, and it was the best decision they could have made.
“Having Meredith with me was a blessing,” said Jennifer, a CVICU nurse. “We shared so much with each other, learned so much from each other and remained sane because of each other.”
Jennifer, who originally planned to start travel nursing solo, teamed up with Meredith, an ICU/CCU nurse, after Meredith split with her boyfriend and needed a fresh start. Travel nursing offered both of them the opportunity to travel to a new and interesting city they’d always dreamed of visiting.
The transition to a new city can be difficult for nurses traveling alone, especially since, often times nurses will journey great distances for their travel assignments. In Meredith and Jennifer’s case, they moved across the country.
“Being away from home is difficult,” said Jennifer, who left behind her best friend/ boyfriend, dog, house and a comfortable job in Georgia. “Leaving this security was very difficult.”
Having the companionship of a fellow travel nurse can make exploring new cities an exciting, rather than scary, endeavor and makes it easier to cope with unfamiliar procedures and job requirements.
“It was a great stress reliever coming home, venting and bouncing things off each other,” said Meredith of dealing with the pressures of nursing. “We complained a lot to each other, but we laughed a lot too.”
Setting up a team travel nursing assignment does not have to be a difficult task. One thing to remember is that the needs of the hospital and the skill set of you and your friend dictate whether this will work. But with a flexible attitude and the right recruiter, you can make it happen.
Jennifer and Meredith worked with Sophia Buchanan at Access Nurses, a healthcare staffing agency, and were very pleased.
“[Sophia] was up front with us and she was able to give us numbers before signing with a hospital,” said Meredith. “We didn’t have to spend hours with her on the phone to figure out what our assignment would be like and how much money we would be making. Access Nurses was great to us.”
Sophia, who’s worked with traveling friends in the past, thinks teaming up is a great idea.
“I think from the nurse’s standpoint, it’s really scary to travel by themselves to a new city and new hospital, especially a first time traveler, so it’s nice to have a friend to go through the same experiences as them and have a support system,” said Sophia.
Another benefit of traveling in pairs is the financial savings. After all, relocating to a new job can be expensive. Moving with a friend allows you to cut costs by sharing an apartment and carpooling to work, an opportunity Jennifer and Meredith readily took advantage of. They not only worked at in the same unit at the same hospital, but they also shared an apartment.
“There are very few people that I could live with, and [Jennifer] is one of them,” said Meredith. “Our personalities complement each other very well. Qualities that I lack, she has, and vice versa.”
The best part about travel nursing is the flexibility. Do what works for you. Traveling nurses who select their assignments together can still have the security of a support system without having to work at the same hospital or even live in the same apartment. Sometimes just departing together and staying in touch during your assignment can be a big help.
Jennifer and Meredith felt very lucky to share their first travel assignment together, and it was certainly an experience they’ll never forget. They plan to work together again for their next two travel assignments in Fort Myers, Florida.
City to See: Memphis, Tennessee
When you visit Memphis, you’ll be surrounded by music legends, great food and historically significant museums. The city is the career birthplace of such musical greats as Johnny Cash, B.B. King and Elvis. Graceland, Elvis’ former home, attracts more than 600,000 visitors a year. Celebrate with the locals at Memphis in May, a series of events promoting the city’s heritage and culture. Plus, the city is home to the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and the National Civil Rights Museum. Head on over to Memphis and see for yourself why it’s such an exciting city to travel and live.
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Winners who are chosen to be featured in the newsletter will receive a special prize!
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San Diego, CA 92121-3711
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Hot Jobs
Contact your recruiter or call Access Nurses at 1-866-687-7390 to inquire about the following jobs!
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