Many thanks and congrats to the September 2018 Traveler of the Month, Amanda S., and also our Rising Star winner, Nicole M.!
Traveler of the Month Amanda is an RN specializing in the neonatal intensive care unit, who just wrapped up an assignment in Manchester, New Hampshire. She’s been in nursing for five-and-a-half years, traveling for about a year-and-a-half, and works with Career Consultant Devin Juel.
Amanda has had a heck of a great time on her first assignment in Manchester — she went skydiving and met her significant other there! She says she also enjoyed this location because she really loves Maine and it allowed her to visit there on her days off.
“I travel in an RV with my significant other, Shea, who is a travel occupational therapist, and our four small dogs Gia, Rudy, Juno, and Maple,” says Amanda of her awesome Travel Nurse crew. “I would say the best thing about travel nursing is getting to see all the pretty places in the country and getting to explore them with my other half and our four little fur babies.”
Amanda shared some really great advice for new and aspiring Travelers.
- “First, find a recruiter that is a good fit for you. Having a recruiter that works hard for you and cares about your overall traveling experience and what makes you happy in the jobs and places you go makes a difference. So, find a good match for you!”
- “No matter how scary coming out of your comfort zone is and taking the first step to travel, it’s going to be OK. I was terrified when I left home for my first assignment. However, I had a good support system back home and a good recruiter in my corner, and now I absolutely love it and wouldn’t change it for the world! Adventures and challenges in life are not always meant to be easy … but they are meant to be worth it!”
Thanks so much for your hard work, dedication, and great advice, Amanda!
Rising Star Nicole is a stepdown RN who’s been in nursing for four years and traveling for two years. She’s currently on assignment in Portland, Oregon and works with Career Consultant Jon Laubert.
Nicole has traveled for the past two years with her best friend, Brianna, and more recently her super cute puppy, Bentley. She is also a proud auntie to “quite possibly the coolest kid in the world” and since moving to Oregon she’s become obsessed with buying house plants and succulents, joking that she “seriously may need an intervention!”
“My favorite location I have worked in would be Oahu, Hawaii — for obvious reasons! Beautiful beaches, hiking, and I made some amazing friends,” says Nicole. “My favorite hospital I have worked in was Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in Monterey, California. Seriously the best most welcoming staff ever and I would recommend this hospital to everyone!”
Nicole says her favorite part of Travel Nursing by far is the amazing friends she’s gained along the way. But she also loves the travel and skills-building aspects.
“Also, getting to live in some pretty amazing places all over the country like Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii, Texas, and California,” she says. “I have been lucky enough to work on many different floors and specialties, and I’m always learning something new with each assignment.”
Nicole shared this great advice for future Travelers: “Some tips I would share with new Travel Nurses would be to just be open to different assignments and locations. Sometimes the location or floor that you may not think is your favorite ends up being the best assignment! Also, befriend the staff nurses. They have so many awesome suggestions for things to do and places you must see.”
Thank you for sharing your story, all of your hard work, and the great Travel Nursing advice, Nicole!
Congratulations again to the Medical Solutions September 2018 Traveler of the Month and Rising Star! Amanda and Nicole, we are so thankful for your commitment to superior patient care and your incredible 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!
