RN and Volunteer Lands Over 20 Travel Nursing Assignments!

How long can you do travel nursing? Why do some RNs want to keep on exploring? We talked to Stephanie B., one of our longest-term traveling RNs, for some answers.

Stephanie is an ICU/ER RN who has completed more than 20 assignments with . (That's Stephanie on the left (above) with her sister at a Duke University basketball game.) Originally from North Carolina, she became disenchanted with the hospital politics at her staff job and felt the looming threat of nursing burnout . She also wanted time to use her nursing skills in another capacity — on the mission field in Nicaragua. The flexibility of a travel nurse career allows her to alternate between her specialties while still taking multiple trips a year to Nicaragua. “I love feeling like I'm doing what God would have me do with my life,” Stephanie said. “That keeps me grounded, and helps when the ‘hard’ days get too hard."

“With travel nursing, it’s just patient care. Being the best nurse I can be for 12 hours at a time. No politics, nothing extra.”

For Stephanie, the perks of travel nursing don’t stop there. When asked about her favorite memories or places from her travels, she said, “I've loved something about everywhere I've been.” She then went on to give some specifics: how she loved the culture in Tuba City and the opportunity to learn about the Navajo reservation while on assignment there, how welcoming the people in Reston were to her, how much she loved the food and soccer outside of Washington D.C., and how lovely summer in Myrtle Beach was. One of Stephanie’s assignments even ;received the accolade of being “indescribable” - her travel nursing job in Anchorage, where she even had the chance to see the Northern Lights.

“The best part about any given assignment is getting to see another part of the country. The more we learn about each other, the more we realize how much we're really all the same.”

Despite her love of exploring new corners of the U.S., Stephanie also takes travel jobs closer to home to spend time with her husband, who farms and cares for the family - and the kitties! - back in North Carolina. For the recent holidays, she took travel assignments in Myrtle Beach and Newport News to be near to home.

When asked why she initially chose to travel with American Traveler, Stephanie said that she filled out the online profile and was contacted quickly by Staci, her recruiter. “We ‘clicked’ right off the bat,” Stephanie shared, “and she’s been stuck with me for nearly 6 years now!” And after all of that time?

“My recruiter, Staci, has become so much more than just a recruiter. I consider her a valued friend.“

We also asked Stephanie about some of the logistics of a travel career, such as how she handles travel nurse housing and what items she always keeps in her travel nurse bag. Her responses were consistent: travel light and be flexible! For housing, she said she’s stayed in hotels, rented rooms, and shared a space. Her non-negotiables are clean, cheap, and safe ... though she does like privacy and a good kitchen! As for her nurse bag essentials , Stephanie said all she really needs are her good shoes, cell phone, and crock pot. With WalMarts in every town, anything besides those can be purchased in a pinch.

Finally, we asked Stephanie what advice she would share with others who are considering travel nursing or who perhaps are already traveling but have less experience. This is what she had to say:

“Be comfortable in your own skin, your own knowledge, and know how to be flexible. Pick your battles wisely, and know when to just go with the flow. Sometimes it's best to just let it ride and move on.”

Last Modified On: Jan 15, 2018

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RN and Volunteer Lands Over 20 Travel Nursing Assignments!

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