Access Nurses Weekly- Success and Satisfaction in a Second Career as a Travel Nurse

Volume 11 Number 2 - August 10th
volume 11 - no 2
(Brenda and her first grandbaby, Adolfo, just hours after he was born.)

Brenda W. is 54 years old. And she just started the career of her dreams.

After working in the insurance industry for more than 20 years, Brenda made the long-overdue and much-anticipated decision to change careers.

Now she’s a travel nurse, and she couldn’t be happier.

Brenda first went to nursing school when her kids were growing up. But because she lacked a good support system, she wasn’t able to complete her schooling at the time. Once her kids got older, she realized how fed up she was with her job.

“I was tired of sitting behind a desk,” said Brenda, a med surg RN, who’s been traveling since January. “I wanted to be up and make a difference in people’s lives. Both kids went to college and got their degrees. I thought: “It’s time I went back to school and did what I want to do.’”

Her eight-month old grandson, Adolfo, is the reason behind her current assignment as a travel nurse in Philips Ranch, located outside Pomona in southern California.

“Who wouldn’t want to be next to their grandbaby,” said Brenda, who’s a first-time grandmother. “Since I traveled down here, I’ve been able to see when he laughs and coos and eats and moves and rolls and crawls. It’s nice to be here and be part of that.”

Brenda has worked with Access Nurses, a travel staffing company, since she began traveling in January.

“[My recruiter] Sarah and [my travel liaison] Tracy have been my angels,” she said. “They have worked really hard for me to get my needs taken care of.”

Though she is new to the nursing profession, Brenda’s many life experiences have helped her immensely in her new career. She credits raising two children as the source behind her ability to care for patients well.

“Even though there are younger nurses who’ve worked for longer than I have, my experiences have helped me help them,” she said.

Brenda has met the challenges that come with a career switch and has adapted well.

“You’re face to face with people now,” said Brenda, who’s used to being in the customer service department on the phone dealing with clients. “You have to be very careful with your own emotions and facial expressions and learn how to react with different cultures and backgrounds.”

Another challenge for Brenda came while she was in nursing school.

“It’s good for anybody at any age to go back and further their education,” said Brenda, adding that it was difficult being the oldest in her graduating class, at age 52.

Regardless of the challenges, Brenda has found a kind of satisfaction in nursing that was absent from her other careers.

“As a nurse, you work hard all day long, but you feel like you accomplish a lot,” said Brenda. Working at an insurance company left her feeling overwhelmed by the never-ending files and paperwork. Travel nursing, to her, is “much more rewarding.”

For right now, Brenda is enjoying spending time with her family and indulging in her hobby of painting as often as she can. She plans to stick around southern California for at least the next year and then hopes to travel to Vancouver, Washington or Santa Fe, New Mexico in the future.

City to See: New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans - known for its multicultural heritage, fabulous cuisine and the birth of jazz - is easily one of the most exciting cities in the country. It’s a major U.S. port city, located along the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. The world-renowned city is a place of celebration and culture. It hosts the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, one of the largest music festivals in the nation, and of course the annual Mardi Gras. Check out the city’s notorious nightlife, excellent Cajun food and friendly people on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.
Weather: High: 78, Low: 60
Population: 484,674
Nearby Cities: Westwego, Gretna, Chalmette

Hot Travel Nursing Jobs

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

New Orleans, Louisiana
OR
Positions: Two
Shift: Varied
Start Date: August 21 or sooner

San Luis Obispo, California
ICU
Positions: One
Shift: Nights
Start Date: August 15

Modesto, California
ICU, CCU and Neuro CCU
Positions: Two
Shift: Nights
Start Date: October/November

Sarasota, Florida
ER
Positions: Seven
Shift: 12-hour days or nights
Start Date: ASAP

Stamford, Connecticut
Home Health
Positions: Two
Shift: 8-hour days
Start Date: ASAP

Beckley, West Virginia
OR
Shift: 8-hour evenings
Start Date: ASAP

Memphis, Tennessee
L&D
Shift: 12-hour nights
Start Date: ASAP

Macon, Georgia
CV Stepdown
Positions: Seven
Shift: Nights
Start Date: ASAP

New Iberia, Louisiana
Geri Psych
Positions: Three
Shift: All
Start Date: ASAP

Featured Forum Topic

Traveling to Los Angeles

I’m a new travel nurse, and I really want to go to Los Angeles. I’ve been looking into some different travel companies? Who’s the best? I want to make sure I can get a great salary so I can travel a lot. Thanks!