Volume 11 Number 5 - August 31st

Melissa U., a 25-year-old ER nurse, is in no hurry to settle down.

“I am young and single,” said Melissa. “I want to take advantage of such an awesome opportunity of living and working in another place besides home.”

And that’s where travel nursing comes in to combine her love of travel and nursing.

Melissa became a travel nurse in February 2006 and is currently working in San Diego, California. She loves the flexibility of a 13-week assignment because it allows her to explore different cities and enhance her experience without the obligation of a permanent position.

“It’s a great way to check out different areas to see if it’s a place where you would want to settle down some day,” she said. “I am so grateful that I have had this time in my life to not feel tied down to anything and to be able to travel anywhere, see new places, meet new people, and come and go as I want.”

Her first travel assignment was in San Diego, and she extended her contract after falling in love with the city and her staff. She also worked in San Jose, California for an assignment.

“I have only worked at two hospitals as a traveler; both are great hospitals with a wonderful staff, so I was very lucky,” said Melissa, who returned to San Diego and plans to extend her assignment again. “I love San Diego. The weather is awesome, the people are fun and the beaches are beautiful. It’s an awesome city because there are lots of different areas to check out.”

Though she’s enjoyed her assignment, Melissa struggled when she first became a travel nurse. With the help of fellow nurses on staff, she transitioned well to the hospital routine.

“The hardest part at first is coming in and having to prove yourself each time because nobody knows you,” said Melissa. “The biggest challenge is just learning different hospitals, the people, their policies, their charting and the way they do things. Everyone that I have worked with has been super helpful because they know [I am] a traveler and a million different things are being thrown at [me] at once.”

Melissa works with the travel staffing company Access Nurses and couldn’t be happier. After her recruiter found her the assignment in San Diego, which was exactly what she was hoping for, Melissa knew she wanted to stay with Access Nurses.

“I really enjoy working with them,” she said. “They have treated me very well. I am happy that I have stuck with them.”

Another benefit of working with a travel company is that it takes care of the hassles of traveling expenses, like housing.

“The housing benefit is awesome and is really the only way you could ever move every three months,” said Melissa.

Though a young nurse, Melissa has already learned so much from her experience as a travel nurse. So, what advice does she have for new nurses interested in working in the traveling nurse profession?

“Hang in there; it’s not easy picking up and going to a new hospital where you don’t know people and are expected to orient and learn things in a very short time,” she said. “If you don’t know something, never hesitate to ask questions or ask for help. Also, act professional and treat a travel assignment as you would your permanent job, because you never know if you will like it and want to stay or need references.”

And lastly, “Enjoy the new cities you are in and explore…Three months goes so fast so have fun.”

Travel Nurse City to See: Anaheim, California

Anaheim is a city where anyone can feel like a kid again, from riding Space Mountain and shaking Mickey’s hand at Disneyland to eating a hot dog while watching America’s favorite pastime at Angels Stadium. Located in central Orange County, Anaheim is close to great outdoor entertainment and fun nightlife, while still maintaining a calm ambiance that’s perfect for families.
Weather: High: 75, Low: 50
Population: 345,556
Nearby Cities: Fullerton, Huntington Beach, Orange

Hot Travel Nurse Jobs

Contact your recruiter or call Access Nurses at 1-866-687-7390 to inquire about the following jobs!

Anaheim, California
Peds
Positions: Two
Shift: 12-hour days and nights
Start Date: September 16

Turlock, California
Perioperative OR
Positions: One
Shift: 8-hour days
Start Date: ASAP

Houston, Texas
NICU
Positions: One
Shift: 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Start Date: ASAP

Santa Fe, New Mexico
L&D
Positions: One
Shift: Rotating
Start Date: ASAP

Denver, Colorado
OR
Positions: Six
Shift: Variable
Start Date: ASAP

Albuquerque, New Mexico
ER
Positions: Two
Shift: 12-hour days
Start Date: ASAP

Anchorage, Alaska
ICU
Positions: Six
Shift: days, nights and rotations
Start Date: September

Berkeley, California
Oncology Nurse Manager (Infusion)
Positions: One
Shift: Days
Start Date: ASAP

Nationwide
Chronic & Acute Dialysis
Positions: One
Shift: All
Start Date: ASAP

Mountain View, California
CCU, Cath Lab and ER
Positions: One
Shift: Days and nights
Start Date: September 7

Idaho Falls, Idaho
OR
Positions: Two
Shift: 8-hour days
Start Date: September 4

Forest Hills, New York
Nursery
Positions: One
Shift: 12-hour variable
Start Date: ASAP

Featured Forum Topic

From Student to Nurse

I’m going to start working in a few weeks and just wondered if there’s anyone who has helpful hints for transitioning from a student role to a nursing role? Is it a big change? What can I do to prepare for the differences?

Read more/reply

Humor

Embarrassing Medical Moments: 3 of 8

One day I had to be the bearer of bad news when I told a wife that her husband had died of a massive myocardial infart.

Not more than five minutes later, I heard her reporting to the rest of the family that he had died of a “massive internal fart.”

Submitted by Dr. S. Steinberg