I Found a New Family When I Started Travel Nursing

Caring for patients in need, rejuvenating a career, escaping cold weather - travel nursing was the perfect prescription for this intrepid RN!

My name is Brooke, and I am a traveling Telemetry, RN. I started traveling in October, 2020. Travel nursing has re-sparked my love for my career; I was at a point when I was getting very burnt out. I had been a nurse for a little over half a decade when the pandemic reared its head. Working as a staff nurse in a COVID step-down unit was exhausting to say the least. I was sad and defeated. With the pandemic burning out nurses like never before, I took a leap. I quit my full time staff job and started traveling full time. I will never look back. This has been the best six months of my life. I’ve got the work-life balance and the freedom I need, along with being able to access the self care that helps me be the best nurse I can be. This is just some of what I have gained through travel nursing.

I’m not a cold-weather girl, so I have exclusively traveled in Florida all winter. The sunshine needed me... what can I say? I love the freedom of traveling... it’s your assignment, your choice. Maybe this summer I’ll travel a little more north. How many careers give you that opportunity? My previous assignment was in Orlando, and on my days off I went to Disney where I explored Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Universal Studios. My current assignment is just outside of Fort Lauderdale. I’ve visited Lauderdale-by-the-Sea on my days off, home to lots of sun tanning aficionados, and all the local restaurants this foodie could ever dream of. Not to mention my weekends in downtown Miami and South Beach for a little extra fun and some historic scenery, plus all the boating and beautiful weather. The intracoastal has views for days.

I’m loving my days at work as well, I am the biggest people-person, and I’ve been making friends everywhere I go. I’m also meeting other travel nurses with each assignment. Travel Nursing is a big family. I’ve been fortunate to have my boyfriend travel along with me. He works from home and it’s been the best experience having a partner in crime along for the travel experiences and memories. You can plan travel assignments together with other nurses as well, which I have been doing with friends that I have in Reno.

I plan to renew where I’m at in Florida. My recruiter has been great, I would recommend American Traveler to anyone starting out a travel nurse career. They are dependable, reliable and they really care about you and finding you the right fit. I’m excited for where my future is headed with American Traveler, no plans to ever stop. Hope to renew renew renew!