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It is so hard to believe that a year ago I was sitting in orientation for my first travel nurse assignment! This year has been by the far the hardest year of my nursing career. Working front line during a pandemic 500 miles away from my family and friends was difficult. I was in a hospital where I didn’t know the staff, policies, or where things were. My patients were the most sick I have ever experienced. However, it also has been on of the best years I have had as a nurse. I love travel nursing. While I admit I have had a lot of struggles with my mental health and have felt true sadness and despair, I also have had opportunities and grown in big and beautiful ways.

Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone

Working on the Covid Unit in Arlington, Virginia

Traveling will pull you out of your comfort zone quick, fast, and in a hurry. At my staff job, I knew the unit, hospital, staff, and policies. I was a new graduate nurse preceptor. I was on committees. I loved teaching and helping new nurses and travel nurses. I had friends at work who I knew always had my back. I had a rapport with the doctors, NPs, and PAs. Then, I left to travel, and all of a sudden I knew nothing other than have to give quality nursing care. You receive one or two days of orientation, and then you are on your own with a full patient load. I didn’t know where things were. I didn’t know anything about the city I was in. I was a float nurse and floated to 13 different units, while I had spent most my time as a staff nurse with cardiac patients. I never truly got to know anyone I worked with on my first two assignments. This could be scary, but also taught me about how resilient I could be and I knew more than I gave myself credit for.

Experiencing a New City/Way of Life

Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Travel Nursing has allowed me to live in D.C. and the Space Coast of Florida in the past year. They both have very different cultures, landscapes, and city life. It’s amazing to me to think I have lived in three different parts of the Country (D.C., Florida, and SC) in the past year. Travel nursing allows you to see new places and gives you enough times (typically 8-13 weeks per contract) to really get to see and know the area and culture. I have seen the national monuments, gone to the Smithsonian National Zoo, camped at Shenandoah National Park, kayaked with dolphins and manatees, watched multiple rocket launches, gone to Kennedy Space Center, spent days at the beach, along with a lot of other fun and interesting experiences. All thanks to travel nursing.

Rocket Launch in Cape Canaveral, Florida

Cultural Differences

Chesapeake Bay, Maryland

D.C. really opened my eyes to different cultures and ways of thinking and believing. On any given shift, I may be the only nurse who spoke English as a first language. My patients were from all parts of the globe. Many had government jobs and shared stories of their travels. I had the opportunity to speak to nurses and PCTs who had families back home in other countries and what daily life looks like. It really was fascinating and helped me to grow as a more culturally competent nurse and person. It also taught me to overcome struggles. Covid nursing was hard on any given day. The patients were very sick. We wore our N95, surgical mask, and face shield for most of the shift. This made communicating difficult, especially if people with accents. I learned humility when I had to ask people to repeat themselves more that I would have liked. I learned new ways of communicating. I appreciate all their patience with me both as a new travel nurse and someone who couldn’t always understand them the first time.

Appreciating Life & Living in the Moment

Breaux Vineyards- Virginia

If Covid-19 has taught me anything, it’s that we should all appreciate life and live in the moment. Sure, it sounds cliche, but it’s true. I have seen people die well before their time, and people who had to die alone. People who were going to have long term debilities from Covid. People who lost loved ones. I hope I brought comfort to my patients and their families during impossible times.

Camping in Shenandoah National Park

Quarantine and a pandemic has also taught me to value and find joy in the little things. It’s something I think I always did, but I am really mindful of it now. A night by the fire with my husband, FaceTime with family and friends, a walk around the neighborhood with my pup. I don’t need an elaborate trip or vacation to be happy (although I do enjoy traveling as a nurse and look forward to doing more traveling soon!) I am also able to live near my parents for the first time since our wedding. I really appreciate being able to drive to eat dinner or go to the beach without an 8 hour car or plane ride.

The Capitol at night- Washington, D.C.

Would I recommend Traveling to Others?

I can say, all in all, I would absolutely recommend traveling to anyone who wants a change and to experience a new way of life and nursing. I was very burnt out at my staff job and found myself falling down the negative rabbit hole far to often. I did love my job and the people I worked with, but it was time for me to make a change. Traveling had been a dream for years, and Covid made me realize it was time to stop making excuses and make our dreams come true. Stepping outside the comfort of what you know and into a world where things are new will really help to push your boundaries and grow as a person. Seeing new places and experiencing new things can bring new outlooks and perspectives on life.

Kayaking at Merritt Island Nature Refuge- Florida

I’m so thankful for travel nursing and the gifts it has brought me. I look forward to seeing what the next year holds!

Sunrise Cocoa Beach, Florida

Check out my other post about travel nursing:

My First 2 weeks as a Travel RN

My First Travel Nurse Contract: My thoughts and experiences

Travel Nurse Contract #2: Washington, D.C.

Travel Nurse Adventures: The Face Palm Moments

And if you are interested in our decision to “go tiny” and live in a camper:

Culbertson’s Go Tiny

Wow! I really can’t believe 13 weeks have passed and I am officially done with my first travel contract! 3 months ago my sister and I packed up my car and drove 7 hours to Washington D.C., during a pandemic, so I could start my first travel nurse contract! She headed back home after a week, and I lived the nomad life out of a hotel room (thanks Hilton for the free room!) for the first month while Bradley wrapped things up at home. I flew back to Greenville for a day, we closed on our camper, then a couple weeks later Bradley and the fur babies joined me in D.C.! It’s been a whirlwind of a 3 months but also one of the best adventures we have had yet!

What I learned in my first contract

I can say this contract has taught me a lot about my abilities as a nurse. I was SO nervous to travel. The idea of being in a new facility, with new people, and only two days of orientation was so scary! I really had doubts if I would be able to do it. Add in that I was also float pool and the anxiety increased even more! I floated at my staff job but it wasn’t often and wasn’t always my favorite experience. However. I’m thankful to say the transition to traveling was actually much easier and smoother than I thought. Once you have experience as a nurse, the actual medicine doesn’t change. Hospitals may have slightly different protocols or choice of treatments- but generally each diagnosis is still cared for the same. I also used the same charting system so that was a big help in the transition. The omnicell (machine we pull meds from) was easy to catch on too and I learned to have a notebook with all the codes and phone numbers I needed for a shift.

Covid Units

One of the main reasons I left my job so abruptly was after much prayer and consideration, I really felt pulled to go help my fellow nurses who were on the frontline of Covid. My staff job, I floated to Covid units, but I was lucky that my home unit was remaining a “clean” cardiac unit. However, with electives down and hours short, I just really felt pulled to go and start my travel career earlier than planned. I am float pool at this assignment, so I have worked on 11 different units during my 13 week contract. Many shifts have been spent on Covid units. I can really see the stress and burn out these nurses are facing, especially now that we are 5 months into this pandemic. I hope me being there provides them with a little relief. I’m very thankful this hospital provides us with adequate PPE and seems to truly care about the safety of the staff. Numbers are down, but I have worked Covid the past 9 plus shifts and I will continue to do so. Sending some love to all the workers, healthcare or not, on the frontline during this pandemic. I appreciate you all!

Missing my work family

I really, truly, miss my work family. My staff job was not perfect (what job is?) and there are plenty of aspects I don’t miss, but I worked with some really amazing nurses and NPs and I miss them terribly. Especially being float pool, I haven’t really formed any relationships with the nurses I work with since I’m on a different unit every shift. I have had some nurses I made conversation with and enjoyed working with, but definitely no true relationships have been formed. It was also always nice to have the nurse friends who you know have your back and if your drowning, they’ll come help you, which is something I haven’t really experienced as a travel nurse.

Scheduling 

I will say, if you’re looking for the dream schedule, travel nursing (at least bedside) may not be for you. Granted, I am super lucky that my manager is very accommodating and kind to her travel nurses. I honestly haven’t work as many weekends or as poor of a schedule as I thought I would, but I know all jobs aren’t this way. I wouldn’t mind working all the weekends if Bradley was on a more flexible schedule. But for now, he is on the 9-5, so occasional weekend days off are really nice so we can have the whole day to adventure and be together. Being float pool, I don’t know anyone else in my department, so I haven’t been able to switch a day, which is something I did a lot at my staff job. I also can’t ask for time off other than when I sign my contract. I still love getting to see the country though this adventure and I very much am looking forward to time off this contract, but it is different than staff jobs. Not bad, just different.

Where to next?

Our next stop will be…..

Washington D.C.! Yes, I know, maybe a bit of a lackluster announcement. However, with me coming to D.C. a month before Bradley and then us working to get settled into our new life and camper, we still have a lot we want to do in the area (within reason of course, thanks Covid.) So, I signed an extension for another 13 weeks at the same hospital. After this assignment though we look forward to packing up and heading out on our next adventure!

I’m really excited to be on this adventure and proud of myself for being brave enough to make the change and give travel nursing a try! I am off for 7 days and then I start contract number 2 next week! I am thankful I will have a 10 day vacation the week of my birthday this contract. Have a great and safe weekend, friends! (And if you have any questions about travel nursing, camper living, nursing in general, or anything else, please reach out!) 🙂

I’m officially hitting the two month mark of my travel nurse contract and it feels I’m great! I’m finally starting to learn my way around the hospital and finding my groove for a typical shift. However, the past few months have definitely had some *face palm* moments. You know, the moments that when they happen all you can think is “is this real life!?” Sharing a couple of those here today to hopefully start your weekend off with a smile!

Lost in The Hospital

This has happened more than once. It’s a big hospital and I float to a different unit every time I work, so it’s easy to get lost. One of the most memorable, I went to a unit in the “C” zone of the hospital which is two buildings over (they are still all connected.) I have to walk back to the main part to clock out in the nursing supervisor office and get to my car. As I was walking I was sure I knew where I was going, until I realized I was surrounded by the Cath lab and OR suites. It was a Sunday too, so no one was around. I walked around for about 20 minutes with Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” playing in my head. Ha. Hello, Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me. Is there anyone at all? I finally found my way out and then took the wrong exit, even while using GPS. *Face palm* Also, can I point out it took me 3 weeks to finally be able to find my way out of the parking garage on the first try. Post night shift navigating is hard.

Airport Troubles 

This may be the most embarrassing moment I have had yet. I flew home (Greenville) recently for a doctors appointment and stayed with my sister for two nights. I flew straight from work Tuesday morning and was up for around 30 hours. I don’t think I had quite recovered from the no sleep and fun. I had a 2 hour layover in Charlotte, NC. I checked the status and gate for my flight (C concourse) when I got off the plane with the attendant,, then again on the departure board. Everything was set for 5pm so I decided to walk closer to my gate to get some food since it was on the other side of the airport. I ate and was heading to my gate around 4. I got all the way to my gate and looked at the Depature board and say E34 4:15 pm for flight to Greenville. The concourse I had just walked from!! My heart sank and I went sprinting across the airport with my little rolling suitcase. I had just put my sweat shirt on so by the time I made it to the gate I was burning up and a ball of stress. As I approached the gate I saw the sign said “Boarding Closed.” I went up to the attendant and asked if they changed the flight!? My boarding pass still said 5! She apologized and told me to go talk to the desk at the front and they could rebook me.

I knew the other flight didn’t leave until almost 9. I called my parents almost in tears. I was tired, frustrated I could have stayed with my sis longer, frustrated I wouldn’t see my husband for dinner, and didn’t want to stay in the airport another 4.5 hours. I even took a screen shot of my boarding pass to prove that it said 5pm. After talking to my parents for longer than I care to admit, that’s when I realized…. I was going to Washington D.C., NOT Greenville. *insert face palm moment.* I again didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. In my head, I just kept thinking I was going “home” to Bradley and the fur babies, which would typically be Greenville. But this time, it was Washington D.C. So I got to walk across the whole airport again and made my flight back to D.C.

There have been many other moments and I’m sure there are more to come! I hope this gave you a little smile on this Thursday with all the uncertainty and craziness of our current world. My friend Raven comes today so I am so excited for a fun weekend with her! Have a great weekend!