Meet Cindy Burbatt, R.N. and her Pets American Traveler had the pleasure of checking in with a new member of our travel nursing staff, Cindy Burbatt, R.N. who shared some of the details of her first travel nurse job in Kansas City, Missouri. We talked with Cindy on the eve of her birthday. She was full of excitement for the road trip planned the following morning, departing from North Carolina en route to the heart of the Midwest. As the mother of three grown children, Cindy decided it was the right time to change up her 16-year background as a permanent staff telemetry/med surge nurse by accepting a travel nurse job in America’s heartland. While the truck she drives may not be anything that unusual for a R.N. moving to Kansas City, one standout detail is the 17ft. long trailer attached. It accommodates her longstanding and beloved pets, George and Ash; these are Cindy’s horses, and during the car trip to Missouri they’ll be staying in farms sprinkled throughout various states—places Cindy found through an online network called Horse Motel. When they arrive in Kansas City, Cindy will take up residence in a townhome, compliments of American Traveler’s private housing arrangement. George [+]

Get Your Top 5 Kitchen Do’s and Don’ts Here Travel nurses are busy people with places to go and people to see, but that doesn’t mean they can’t prepare, say, a pizza during a Chicago nursing job that takes its cues from Deep dish, or, during a Hawaii assignment mix things up in the kitchen with newfound Polynesian flair. With free travel nurse job housing featuring all the amenities (like great kitchens), and proximity to great shopping, R.N.s can pick up all kinds of in season fruits and veggies that make mealtime special. Just make sure the pantry isn’t lacking with this fail-safe checklist: Must Have Pantry Items Sugar and flour Nuts (peanuts, walnuts, cashews) Rice (brown, white, long grain and minute rice) Dijon mustard, mayo, soy sauce, ketchup Chicken and beef stock Salt, Extra Virgin Olive oil Canned fruit and veggie goods Marinara and pizza sauce Tuna and salmon, packaged in pouches or cans Whole wheat bread, and pasta Got the goods? Great! Now it’s time to get started on a delicious home cooked meal! Five Cooking Do's Do: Save yourself time by cooking extra batches of chicken, pork or fish and store for future use. Once you seal it and freeze it, [+]

Springtime in the Bluegrass state offers travel nurses the chance to witness the most exciting two minutes in sports! On May 5 through May 7th, the 137th Annual Kentucky Derby & Oaks unfolds at the famous twin spires of Churchill Downs in Louisville. If you’re an R.N. working in Ohio or Kentucky travel nurse jobs, this is a golden opportunity to enjoy gourmet food, Mint Juleps and dressing in high Derby style. The Travel Nurse Guide to the Kentucky Derby Get a Taste the Derby! Famous for its signature drinks and Old Kentucky Home dishes, like Burgoo stew, the Taste of the Derby (click the event link to see a photo gallery of 2010’s amazing spread) is on Thursday, May 5 this year, and lets you sample food and drink prepared by world famous chefs. Travel nurses who are self-described “foodies” won’t want to miss this Mellwood Arts and Entertainment Center event! A "Ladies First" Race at the Oaks! Just before the big Kentucky Derby race, there’s a Ladies First event, known as The Kentucky Oaks on Friday, May 6th; on this day, travel nurses can grab their best buds and enjoy the ultimate [+]

Movie buffs, rejoice! With the recent announcement of the nominees for the 2010 Academy Awards, it’s officially Oscar season! For the first time, the list of nominees for Best Picture has been expanded to 10.  The choices for voters in the Academy run the gamut from serious drama to big-action sci-fi to whimsical animation. With so many nominations, the chances are pretty good that the RN who loves movies has seen (or will see) a good number of these films.  The winner will be announced during the 82nd Academy Awards ceremony on March 7. Meanwhile, which movie do you think deserves Oscar glory? Vote in our poll below. Which movie deserves the Best Picture Oscar this year?(survey software) [+]