Each month, the Favorite Travel team will choose a Travel RN to be featured as our “Travel Nurse of the Month.” We will share photos and our Q & A sessions to help others get an inside look at the life of a Favorite Travel Nurse! Keep reading to learn more about this month’s pick and search our nationwide travel nursing opportunities.
Meet our February Travel Nurses of the Month, Christy!
Who or what inspired you to pursue your profession?
Before my nursing career, I owned a Medical Esthetics Spa and was beginning to feel a higher calling. I’ve always been intrigued by healthcare workers who volunteer in other countries, the experience they gain, and the knowledge and skill they provide. After a trip to Costa Rica in 2015, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in healthcare to provide the same kind of assistance to those in need in the US and volunteer opportunities worldwide.
What made you go into travel nursing?
A desire to see as much of the world as I can!
What has been your favorite location for travel nursing so far and why?
In May of 2020, I took a break from COVID crisis assignments and worked in Oregon for six weeks. I love being able to drive down the coast and see the landscapes of the ocean and the small towns in Oregon and California on my drive. I am currently enjoying my travel assignment in Phoenix, Arizona, and have decided to call Arizona home. There is so much to see and do in the state and I love being able to take mini road trips to all the great places here! Arizona also has the most amazing sunsets and street tacos!
What is your favorite thing about travel nursing (the experience, locations, training, etc.)?
Meeting new people and experiencing the diversity of different cities. I have received cards from my neighbor’s kids and they make them for me to take to my patients. They brighten everyone’s day when they read them!
What is one thing you cannot live without while traveling?
My Amazon Echo!
What advice can you give others who are interested in travel nursing?
Always put your family first, don’t ever take an assignment if it will interfere with your home life and loved ones. Be adaptable to change and open to new experiences. Understand that not everyone will like you, but if you continue with a strong work ethic and put your patients first, you will gain the respect and admiration of those around you. Travel nursing isn’t all about work so remember to take time for yourself on assignments, enjoy nice restaurants that have dishes you’ve never tried, find a nice park to walk through, find attractions that offer unique experiences and if you have extra time, find a volunteer opportunity while on you’re assignment! The world is yours to explore!
What are the biggest lessons you have learned while working during the COVID-19 pandemic (personally, professionally, etc.)?
That life is so incredibly fragile, and your world can change at any moment. Staying healthy also requires a positive attitude.
Tell us what makes you unique! What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Any hobbies or interests?
I enjoy road trips in my Vintage 1968 Scotty Serro camper, and I also enjoy volunteering in Costa Rica every year, usually during Christmas time. The medical facilities are so different from the United States. Life is simple and uncomplicated, and I always learn so much.
If you have any other thoughts or messages for fellow healthcare heroes, share them here!
Please take time for yourself. We have all been through a lot this year, we’ve seen things that nursing school could never have prepared us for. Reach out to others for support if you are overwhelmed, do not let your profession overwhelm you or burn you out because the world needs us now more than ever!! And, if nobody has told you lately, you are doing great, you are appreciated, and you are making a difference!
Ever wondered what it would be like to explore our country while you are working? Join Favorite, a travel nursing agency, and become a Travel Rn. Experience adventures just like Christy! If you want to explore more into our healthcare blog, please follow and like our page.
