Many thanks and congrats to the June 2018 Traveler of the Month, Wendy O., and also our Rising Star winner, Amanda S.!
Traveler of the Month
Traveler of the Month Wendy is an RN specializing in ER, ICU, and PACU, who is currently on assignment in Monroe, Washington. She’s been a nurse for 21 years, has traveled for two-plus years, and works with Career Consultant Anthony Hudson.
Wendy travels with her husband John, a Registered Respiratory Therapist, who specializes in NICU.
“It can be tricky to put together assignments sometimes for both of us, especially since we both prefer day shift, but we are managing to make it work,” says Wendy. “We just bought a travel trailer this past winter so we are doing the living-in-a-camper life, which can be challenging if we are on different shifts. It is amazing how little space one actually needs to live comfortably — and it’s nice to not have to pack and unpack all the time.”
Wendy and John’s favorite location so far has been Grand Junction, Colorado, where the pair worked in the same hospital.
“Western Colorado is very beautiful, and it’s a great jumping off point for seeing so many amazingly beautiful places, especially if you like the great outdoors,” says Wendy. “The hospital was small and felt very much like a small town or family. Our interim manager — now manager — was great to work with. The hospital had lost a lot of staff and management at the time we came, and the staff that was left seemed very discouraged. It was good for us — along with six other awesome Medical Solutions Travelers — to be able to come in and help get them back into a good staffing position. I also got to orient some new hires and that was very rewarding.”
Wendy was a military wife for many years which she says helped acclimate her to moving all the time. She says she actually likes change, so she doesn’t mind going to new jobs and learning new ways every few months. She also credits 13-plus years working in the ER for teaching her to “adapt continually and roll with the punches.”
Wendy’s favorite thing about Travel Nursing is “getting to see and experience new beautiful places and different cultures.”
“[I also appreciate] getting to touch people’s lives all over the country,” she says. “Every place is unique and I learn things daily at every new job. Also, I don’t need to worry about the politics or how to fix what needs improving. I’m there to help with staffing and be a good nurse and co-worker.”
Wendy shared some really great tips and insights for new and aspiring Travel Nurses: “Be flexible. Try not to complain too much. Keep your cell phone mostly put away. Stay off the internet. Be the kind of nurse you would want your loved ones to have and that you would want to work with. Help out your co-workers, even the not-nice ones. Be a listener. Work hard. There are lots of different ways to run a department, chart, assign staffing, reach doctors, divvy an assignment, etc. It may not be the way you prefer it, or the way you’ve seen it work better elsewhere, but it is the way it is done ‘here’ — and in a couple of weeks you’ll adjust just fine. Some assignments will be better than others. A bad assignment won’t kill you — at least you’re not permanent staff there — and you’ll be proud when you make it through.”
Thanks for sharing your story and excellent advice, Wendy! We appreciate all of your hard work.
Rising Star
Rising Star Amanda is an LTAC/Stepdown RN currently on assignment in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She’s worked with Career Consultant Heather Mann for the past six months.
Heather says Amanda is a perfect fit for Travel Nursing.
“Amanda is committed to excellence and never gets involved in any of the drama on the floor,” says Heather. “She arrives with a hard-working spirit and leaves with that same attitude. She is a great help to her other team members.”
In addition to Amanda’s helpful on-the-job skill and expertise, Heather says she genuinely enjoys working with Amanda.
“My favorite thing about working with Amanda is how she always does her research and knows about other companies,” says Heather. “She is careful in her planning and decision-making — and that’s why she has chosen to be with Medical Solutions. I’m lucky to work with her!”
Thank you for all of your incredible, hard work, Amanda!
Congratulations again to the Medical Solutions June 2018 Traveler of the Month and Rising Star! Wendy and Amanda, we are super grateful for your incredible commitment to excellent patient care and your amazing sense of adventure!
Could you be the next Medical Solutions Traveler of the Month or Rising Star? Travelers who receive a perfect hospital evaluation are eligible to win these monthly awards — with Rising Star going to newer Medical Solutions Travelers. Click here to learn more and to see if you could be the next winner of a $100 Visa or Amazon gift card as recognition for a job well done!