ER Travel Nurse With a Gypsy Soul
How someone who grew up staying close-to-home turned into a true traveler.
So many of you have wise advice and inspirational words for your fellow travelers, and we love to share them. We're so glad to bring you a tale from one of our real-life travelers, Ashleigh W.. Ashleigh is an Emergency Room RN, now on her fifth assignment with us. Ashleigh's Recruiter has some great things to say about one of her favorite travelers:
"Ashleigh is fantastic RN with great clinical skills. Her hard work has really paid off. She has received excellent clinical evaluations on all of her jobs, and management has asked her to renew on every one of her assignments. Ashleigh is open to different locations. She loves meeting new people, exploring the area with her new friends and her favorite companion -- her dog, Libby."
Taking the Leap into Travel
How someone who grew up staying close-to-home turned into a "true traveler", in her own words:
Why did you decide to try traveling?
I grew up on the West Coast. Our family vacations were always close to home -- within a day’s drive. I took my first plane ride - to New York City - when I was 22 years old. I was mesmerized by the sites and seeing places that I knew from the big screen but never thought I would see in real life.
After I graduated from nursing school, a friend had asked me to move out of state with her. I figured, why not? I’m always up for an adventure! We moved across the country to the East Coast. It was a cultural shock for me, but I fell in love with the people and the new experiences that South Carolina offered me.
After a year of living on the East Coast, we decided to take another jump to the south. My life was again re-energized by all the wonders of Texas, where I took a permanent nursing position. I got to meet new people and experience a whole new way of life. The friend I had moved with met and married her husband, leaving me to decide what I needed to do for
my next chapter in life.
I didn’t feel like I was quite ready to put down permanent roots, and since I had also worked with many travel nurses along the way I started asking them about the benefits and what traveling entailed. They were quite convincing, so I decided to take a step forward and start travel nursing myself. My first assignment was in Tuba City, Arizona. After Arizona, I took assignments in Charlestown, West Virginia and Plymouth, Mass.
What do you like best about traveling?
The best thing about traveling is getting to meet new people and seeing new places. I have had the opportunity to experience cities I never would have dreamed of seeing growing up, not to mention living there. Some of my favorite spots to visit in these cities were Monument Valley in Arizona, The Lost World Caves in West Virginia, Minute Man Park and the site of the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts.
I am glad travel nursing lead me to these locations, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Traveling has lead me to develop life-long friendships that I would not have if I hadn’t have been traveling. Every new assignment is a new adventure, and I love new adventures.
Were there any things you were concerned about that turned out to be totally manageable?
My biggest concern with traveling was finding my way around a new area and getting lost in a new hospital. Luckily, I have a GPS system that I totally rely on when I first arrive to a new place. After a few weeks, I feel like I’ve lived there for years. I would also say that my driving skills and the way I manage traffic have improved greatly since I started traveling.
What is your advice for getting the most out of a travel assignment?
Don’t be afraid to try new things. Speak to the locals. Find out what places they go to around town and in the surrounding cities. Find out where they go to eat and what activities they do with their families. They'll keep you
updated on special events coming up while you’re on assignment. Do everything and try everything they tell you to do. That is how you get the most out of your travel assignment. Just don’t be afraid.
What do travel nurses do?
Last Modified On: Oct 17, 2018
The next stop on your travel journey awaits.
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