Why I Quit Travel Nursing
Hi! I’m Gelli, and four months ago, I finally hung up my travel shoes. After all the wonderful adventures I’ve experienced because of this gypsy life, I chose to pause the ride and rekindle my love for routine.
It was November of 2016 when I started my career as a travel nurse. I totally fell in love with it. I met people from different upbringings, learned useful techniques from different nurses and absorbed hospital policies I never knew existed. Not only did it improve my nursing skills, it also allowed me to wander- I tasted sumptuous local food and explored cities of unique character and nature.
I went to Lufkin and met wonderful people. I met Pearl, Heilene, Ray, Jessica, Beth, Shaquioa, and the rest of Woodland Heights peeps. This was my first assignment and it felt surreal. I never expected it to be a breeze. Prior to this assignment, I expected the WORST. Believe me, I heard and read a lot of horror stories- staff hating you, getting the worst assignment, high loads, tough learning curve. I embraced change knowing all of these things. Fortunately, this hospital is far from those, this became my home away from home. The staff were very accommodating. I also met other travel nurses from other states. It was fun! It opened my eyes to a lot of opportunities. I even extended my assignment from the original three months to six months.
It was also during this assignment that I was able to taste Jollibee again, the famous Filipino food chain in Houston. We were able to go there thrice, I think, being only 2 hours away from Lufkin. And since my assignment city is only 3-4 hours from New Orleans, I was also able to experience the crowd in the very celebrated Mardi Gras. Not only that, I will never forget that time I went to an RV show. There was a seed of dream that was implanted in my heart- that someday, I will own a rig like the one I saw. Imagine having a house on wheels, OMG.
In those six months, I hopped from one adventure to another. Made my way to Kemah Boardwalk and Bourbon St. Visited WWII museum and science center. Did hikings and walked long trails. It was fun and exciting but I had to move on and find another location.
Virginia captured my heart next. I thought it was only first timer’s luck that I had a wonderful assignment in Lufkin. To my surprise, there are many other beautiful places and welcoming hospitals out there, and Centra in Lynchburg is definitely one of them. I met people whom I highly respect- Debra, Nicole, Sharon, Holley, Hannah, Anne and many others. Although I was not positioned in Cardiac Telemetry like I would want to, I enjoyed my time in Diabetic-Renal unit. It was there that I experienced having three low acuity patients in one shift. It was the most amazing shift, let me tell you. The quality of care is really there with the right nurse to patient ratio.
Aside from the fine working environment in the hospital, the majestic caverns in Luray are what stood out in my memory. Nature has its way of connecting to us, and those mineral formations truly spoke to me. Masterpieces aren’t made overnight. It is constant work and nonstop building and creating. I came to a realization that there is an amazing end piece in consistency.
I extended my stay in Virginia, too. It was an easy six months. Not because the patients are easy but because my coworkers are easy to work with. I can see why Brooke (one of the travellers) stayed and applied for a permanent position. Who wouldn’t? If only my apartment is close by. Or my boyfriend’s family lives there too. There are many pros in my list: The atmosphere isn’t toxic. There are many restaurants to try. The cost of living is just right.
Both of my travel assignments served me well. So why did I quit if the adventure was amazing?
I left to learn more. I am the type of person who gets bored easily with the same set of skills. I realized that it’s not the hospital or travel destination that would solve the issue. At the end of the day, it’s what satisfies me.
Travel nursing helped. Great paycheck was a bonus. But the added learning that I’m craving for didn’t go away. I realized I wanted to change something.
I knew at this time, changing my specialty altogether is what I needed.
After a series of hospital haunt and two interviews, I ended up in Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit. I know I won’t be able to travel again until I hit two years in this specialty. But I am enjoying my time in ICU like it was meant for me. I am learning so so much. There is no denying that I may get tired of this pace and setting someday. After all, it’s a permanent staff position.
But I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.
I signed a two-year contract with a local hospital and got a sign-on bonus that sealed the deal for me. I honestly didn’t expect it but I’m thankful for it. My coworkers are nice, responsible, and welcoming. The unit is small because it’s highly specialized but it feels like family. The cases are interesting and the doctors are the best neurosurgeons and pulmonologists in the valley. I love that the company I’m working for values professional growth more than anything else. It’s also an extra point that we can choose our schedule to accommodate any extra job or advance education that we’re trying to get.
I quit travel nursing, and all I know is, it’s for the best reason.
Proverbs 13:12
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.“
On travel nursing: How traveling as a couple builds stronger relationships
OMG I Got A Letter: ONE BRAVE LITTLE BOY
By Ann Leghorn
THE STORY:
My sister’s life was forever changed during the winter of 2011, when she and her husband went for a regularly scheduled ultrasound while pregnant with their first-born child and was told their baby was critically ill and would need multiple lifesaving procedures. This was the first of unending life altering news in their new family’s life. On July 1st, 2011, Asher Levy-Dahl, was born at 8:48 PM in Maria Ferrari Children’s Hospital in Westchester, NY. As soon as he was born, the medical adventures began.
Although Asher’s family knew he would have some surgical needs after the fetal echocardiogram showed he had several congenital heart defects and complex Heterotaxy Syndrome, they never expected the insurmountable medical obstacles he now faces. The birth defects were just the beginning of what is now an ongoing battle with several rare chronic illnesses, including Congenital Heart Disease, Heterotaxy Syndrome, Hydrocephalus, and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.
Initially, the fetal echocardiogram showed Asher’s tiny heart contained eight congenital heart defects. The cardiologist told Asher’s family he had 4 holes, 2 ASD’s, 2 VSD’s, coarctation of the aorta, partial anomalous pulmonary venus return in which 2 of his pulmonary veins are draining to his coronary sinus, interrupted inferior vena cava, and an unroofed coronary sinus. These congenital heart defects resulted in a massive 17-hour surgery on his little walnut sized heart when he was just 2 weeks old. As he healed in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), his family sat by his bed side watching his tiny heart fight for its life while he was in a medically induced coma with his chest cavity still open due to swelling. Five days after the initial open heart surgery he underwent another surgery to close the chest cavity.
Another of Asher’s major lifelong illnesses is Heterotaxy Syndrome. There are 16 babies born a year in the United States with Heterotaxy Syndrome. Of those 16 babies, less than 15% make it to their 1st birthday. Asher is one of the fortunate 15%. Heterotaxy Syndrome occurs when the internal organs form in different areas than they normally do and results in a variety of medical issues. For Asher, this has created a malrotation of the intestines and bowel; right sided stomach; midline liver; and seven spleens, none of which function to the capabilities of an anatomically average spleen. This has resulted in a diminished immune system and constant bouts of illness during Asher’s 5 years. To address some of the issues that Heterotaxy created, Asher underwent an hours long LADS procedure when he was just 18 months old. The surgery fixed the malrotation and placed a permanent feeding tube in his stomach to provide nourishment and medicine.
Asher also faces the problems that come with Hydrocephalus, an illness in which the water around the brain cannot absorb or drain properly leading to pressure on the brain. As with all of Asher’s medical diagnoses, this diagnosis has come with many complications. Asher underwent an endoscopic third ventriculostomy while simultaneously placing an Ommaya reservoir in his brain in hopes to avoid the placement of a shunt. Unfortunately, two weeks later it completely failed and Asher needed emergency surgery to place a VP shunt in his brain. This was only the first of 8 more brain surgeries that were needed to fix numerous shunt malfunctions. Asher’s ninth brain surgery was just yesterday, January 6th, 2017, and he will need countless more brain surgeries as he continues to grow. Currently, there is no cure for Hydrocephalus and the only treatment requires invasive, life-threatening brain surgeries.
Asher’s other major disease is Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia, a progressive lung disease that causes an excess buildup of mucous in his lungs which leads to excessive respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and upper respiratory infections. This is exacerbated by his severe asthma. Because Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia affects all the cilia in the body, Asher also suffers from frequent and severe ear and sinus infections. Thus, he has had his tonsils and adenoids removed as well as four different sets of tubes put in to try to stop some of the ear infections.
In just 5 short years, Asher has faced unbelievable odds and continues to beat them all. Much to all his doctors’ surprise, he laughs and plays like any average child. Underneath his silly façade, lies a medically complex and fragile child who will need many more painful and life-threatening surgeries and procedures. None of Asher’s diagnoses currently have a cure and can only be maintained through further surgeries, medical procedures, and invasive intervention. Asher’s mother and father have been by his side every moment of his tumultuous journey and thus now need financial assistance. Because of all the therapy and doctor appointments, Asher’s mother is unable to maintain a full-time job and had to leave college, leaving only Asher’s father to earn money for their family, including Asher and their 19-month-old daughter, Quinn.
My sister and her family have spent the past 5 years battling alongside their son and have never asked anyone for help. Through all of this, they have strived to maintain normality for their family. Now I am asking you to donate to help them pay for some of the medical costs and life costs that come with being parents of a medically needy child. Asher’s parents will never be able to pay off all of Asher’s medical bills because they continually grow as Asher’s needs escalate and change, resulting in more surgeries and hospital stays. Any money you donate will help cover excessive medical costs, their apartment, necessary and expensive repairs for their minivan to ensure safe and reliable transportation, gas for the frequent trips to doctors, hospitals, and specialists, and give Asher and his little sister a chance to have a fulfilled life with their parents.
To donate, click >>here.<<<
This story is part of OMG I Got A Letter series curated by Gelli. Gelli partnered with Crowdrise to help raise funds for people/charity groups in need. Every month, we’ll feature at least one story that needs sharing. The writer nor the blog host gets commission from this. This is pure charity. Aside from monetary contribution, we also welcome letters of encouragement from people like you. Let us know in the comments section what you want to tell Asher and his family. We’ll make sure he reads this! Thank you for your help.
Travel Nursing: Exploring Lufkin
Lufkin is 120 miles northeast of Houston, and is considered to be the county seat of Angelina County. It is at the crossroads of East Texas at the intersections of Highways 59 (leading to Houston and Rio Grande Valley) and 69 (leading to Port Arthur and Beaumont).
Yesterday after work, Luis and I went to Suddenlink to pay for our internet application and installation. Going there, we passed by a park that is located at the corner near our hospital. Nope. We didn’t notice that before! It’s only five minutes from our workplace! I think that’s the advantage of going to a small city. You get to see lots of cool stuff in a 5-mile radius.
Chambers Park
There’s nobody there. We owned the place, literally. Or maybe because it’s Monday, and everybody’s at work. There’s no car, no entrance fee whatsoever. It’s just there, beautifully existing, free, and open to strangers who want to enter the place. Like most of my pretty friends. Just kidding, you guys. 😂
There’s not a lot of parking space. I think it’s only good for ten cars tops. The place is quiet and intimate as it is. We feel like we can shoot a movie here, us throwing romantic pick-up lines and cheesy comebacks, but *spoilers 🚨 * we’re just like those ordinary couples who love to annoy each other. 🙈
This is Luis making sure he locked Gavin… and isn’t the backdrop so captivating? Sometimes I wish Luis can take photos of me like this. You know, all natural with hypnotizing background and is balanced in all angles. But he’s not really into photography, much more into selfies, or taking photos in general. He’s a private person who doesn’t enjoy these kinds of stuff. He loved the place though. He didn’t really say it, but I can feel it from his comments about the park.
This caught our attention because what if this place isn’t open to the public? Lol. My imagination sometimes runs wild, and I think of murder cases and bloody plot twists. I can blame Netflix for that or Patterson’s knack for suspense. Near this sign is a house(?) or a gathering place (?) which has a tarpaulin on it saying, “Narcotics anonymous.”
I looked at Luis and jokingly said, “Love, this is getting scary.” lol You know those horror scenes where the main characters find a creepy spot out of nowhere and the skies suddenly turn dark? Well, it didn’t happen. Too bad. There’s nobody in there though, and if there were we can just say hi to people and leave. We’re nurses, and part of our job is to maintain the integrity of our patients. Most people in those kinds of help groups are there because they want to change their lives, or at least have a support group that understands what they’re going through.
*No photo of the facility for private reasons.*
But here are other cool photos from our new favorite spot:
Dropping these babies on instagram made my feed so pretty in an instant!
We’re on our scrubs (straight from work) but that didn’t stop me from asking Luis to take a photo.
As usual, I cropped this photo because of aesthetic reasons. 😂
Oh I almost forgot. Here’s my takeaway gem from this place:
This reminded me of my home country, Philippines 🇵🇭
Filipinos love basketball like how Americans love their football. Anywhere you go, may it be in rural or urban areas, you can always find a basketball ring like this. Our culture teaches us to be physically active and socially engaged. I don’t know about you but this is one thing social media ruined for us. Yes, it helps us connect to friends from miles away, but you can’t deny the reality that it disconnects you from people close to you. Maybe it’s time for Google to adopt a culturally engaging task search. Would it hurt of they add local words like “Basketbolan nearby.” Or “tambayan near me.” It must be so convenient to create friendly circles again. That’s just me daydreaming.
We found this near our parking spot, just around the mini bridge (which of course is under the big maple tree):
I’m like, “Who are the Baha’is?” I’m not really familiar with local groups but I have encountered names of ancestral lineage but nothing like this word.
So thank God there’s Google.
And surprisingly, here’s what I found:
A webpage for Baha’is, a faith-centered group of people who believe in modern teachings of God.
“Let your vision be world embracing…” — Bahá’u’lláh
Throughout history, God has sent to humanity a series of divine Educators—known as Manifestations of God—whose teachings have provided the basis for the advancement of civilization. These Manifestations have included Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad. Bahá’u’lláh, the latest of these Messengers, explained that the religions of the world come from the same Source and are in essence successive chapters of one religion from God.
Bahá’ís believe the crucial need facing humanity is to find a unifying vision of the future of society and of the nature and purpose of life. Such a vision unfolds in the writings of Bahá’u’lláh.
My curiosity was satisfied. I looked up and as I watched those leaves dancing with the wind, I couldn’t help but to appreciate God’s creation and purpose in our lives.
I’m a Christian who believes in Jesus’ way of life. But that doesn’t hinder me from acknowledging and embracing others’ beliefs and faith.
Thirty four years after it was planted, this big maple tree right here is standing tall, looking like a masterpiece of its own.
Faith is when you plant the seed of hope, not knowing how or when you’ll see the fruit, or if it will have a fruit, it’s putting your energy in something, just knowing that something great will happen. Just think about it, if you’re the one who planted this tree thirty four years ago, would you really think that something so small will grow THIS BIG? And BEAUTIFUL?
It’s just amazing, isn’t it?
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We hope to find more places like this here in Lufkin. ❤️️ This place really continues to surprise us!
Thank you to those who drop some LOVE in my Notebook Fund. 👋🏼🤗💕
You guys, I’ll continue to write for y’all! ❤️
First travel nursing assignment: Deep East Texas
After contemplating on whether to pursue the life on the road, weighing the pros and cons, and foreseeing judgments that will come along our way, we ended up accepting the travel offer.
We did it! We actually did it!
Applications done. Interviews over.
After eight long hours of drive, we’re finally at Lufkin, TX.
Here is a pair of my tennis shoes on our second day at work:
This photo was taken during our break time. I made Jalapeño bologna sandwiches and sweet iced tea for lunch. Since the weather is great and I’m still amazed by our parking lot view, I was able to convince Luis to do mini picnic with me. (So corny of me, right?) We only have 30 minutes to spend for break so I made sure to time ourselves. We opened the trunk of the car and arranged our food. My Caddy is spacious for the two of us so we didn’t really have a hard time setting it up. We had an amazing view, cool atmosphere, and hearty food. I was reminded of our very first 4th of July together. We also gazed at the fireworks display while sitting inside the trunk of my car. *Oh memories*
I love the location of our new workplace because it’s only ten minutes away from our temporary home. The view is terrific! All these autumn trees are enough for me to feel the vacation vibe.
On our first week, we stayed at Quality Inn. All amenities are great except that I need to pay an extra $10 per day for Pumpkin, and there’s no kitchenette available. They only had microwave, fridge, and coffee maker. I bought a portable burner at Walmart for only $25 so we can cook pasta. I brought my rice cooker with me (proud Asian here! lol) so that helped, too. I told Luis we can actually pull it off in that hotel. But I computed all our expenses together with the hotel fee, and there’s just no way we can stay there without compromising our travel fee. It would cost us $2000 per month and that doesn’t include my apartment in McAllen (yes I’m paying for two apartments right now).
We had “the talk” and I told him that getting an apartment is the way to go if we wanted to maximize our travel fee. We agreed to travel in the first place because of the higher pay. Travel is a big plusss though, but money plays a big part as well.
We googled for places, apartments, extended stays, even airbnb, and some rent-a-room in Craigslist. I made calls to different facilities, and I realized it’s harder to find pet friendly communities than finding places that accommodate short leases. We eventually found one, Fox Run Apartments leased the unit as unfurnished but move-in ready.
The next day, we drove to look into it and we’re surprised that it’s like a curve away from the hospital. We talked to the manager, Ashley, and she immediately catered to our needs. We toured the place and we’re sold right there and then. It’s a 500 sqft place, has built-in gas burner, fridge, and dishwasher. It’s cable-ready and pet friendly as well. The deposit for pet, first month pay, and application fee costs us $1200. Monthly rent is $650 which is not bad compared to supposedly 2k Quality inn has to offer. Here’s our unit on the second floor:
That, however, excludes water, electricity, and Wifi. For water, Ashley informed us that it’s in the $35-40 range. For electricity, I’m estimating it to be lower than $100. And for Wifi, I applied at Suddenlink for 100/month. (Luis just can’t spend the day without streaming channels and playing videogames). Our monthly allowance for housing would reach 1k all in all. Food is another story, but I allotted $100 per week for that, including our eat outs.
We moved the weekend the room was ready. We got everything we needed and brought with us some sample-sized toiletries that we weren’t able to use. I’m just being practical, guys. And I don’t know why but Luis actually loved their conditioner. Lol.
Workwise, we find it easier compared to where we previously worked. The software that the company uses is called MedHost and the learning curve isn’t that sharp at all. It’s very user-friendly to us. Workplace atmosphere is also great. The people are friendly and cool, the overall ambience is highly recommended for first timers. We work three days per week and we’re paid $1,400 every Friday. Not bad, right? We’re guaranteed 36 hours of work per week. If we do overtime, the rate is higher. It’s additional $70/hour. We are not that motivated to do OT because we value our health and quality life. Work-life balance is hard to achieve, and we’re fortunate to have it by doing travel nursing, so we just want to keep it that way.
Woodland Heights is located at the medical heart of Lufkin. It’s near Walmart, CVS pharmacy, most convenient stores, restaurants, hotels and apartments.
I also admire the diversity here. I was used to seeing Hispanics at McAllen. I learned that Deep East Texas’ racial makeup was 59.92% White, 26.58% African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 10.31% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.59% of the population. (Wikipedia)
What I learned so far:
1. Patients are the same. It doesn’t really matter wherever you are, as long as you can establish rapport with your patients, and you know the ins and outs of patient care, the procedures needed, skills to have, you can actually pull it off.
2. Being in a different place keeps you on your toes. It stimulates critical thinking and your ability to cope up with adversity. It’s not easy starting all over again, but it sure would add something to your life moments.
3. Workplace would make or break your hospital stay. I’m smiling because my coworkers are great! And if they happen to be the opposite of what I dreamt of having, I’m still going to smile because I know I won’t stay in that place for long.
4. Luis doesn’t like Pumpkin as much as Pumpkin doesn’t like him, but the other day, I saw Pumpkin sleeping near Luis’ spot, so I guess it’s safe to assume that they’re adapting pretty good.
5. Travel nursing is the way to go if you like to learn new things and explore places. I get bored easily with routine stuff so this one is a big revelation to me. I realized that I can’t stay in one place if I want to up my game. After all, I left my home country for the very same reason.
6. I cook more because I find it therapeutic and we save a lot!
7. Compromise is a must if you’re going to travel with your kitty companion. The pet deposits these days are on the roof! But it’s worth it; I really enjoy Pumpkin’s company. And she’s getting fatter day by day! 😂
8. You get to know someone by asking about their interest. I find it surprising when my coworkers ask what we usually do on our days off. In return, we get to ask them. And it’s fun because somehow, they share with you a piece of their life.
9. There are Pinoys everywhere. In our unit, I already met four, and counting. There was a doctor who’s Pinoy and he immediately invited me to a party! I wasn’t able to make it though because it was raining…but the comfort of knowing that there are kababayans near you? I felt relieved. It never fails to hit home.
10. God brings you to a place because He wants to reveal something to you. He lets you wander because He wants you to see the beauty that you’re taking for granted. He introduces you to people because He’s introducing Himself to you all over again. Jesus is Jesus, the name above all names, and I am reminded once again that His victory over my sins is a promise of a lifetime. God fulfills His promises at the right time. I’m really grateful for this opportunity.
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More of Lufkin here:
I loved the autumn palette so I also enjoyed posing for #ootd and #wiw with these backdrops:
We haven’t gone to the Lake nearby but maybe one of these days. We’re planning to go to Jollibee next week by the way! ❤️️
I’ve been posting updates on instagram. Follow me there: omgelli is my username.
See you around!
10 Secrets Only Night Nurses Know
There are coffee bags under the linen’s drawer. Spoons and forks are inside somebody’s locker. And there are other little secrets that only night nurses know aside from where to get supplies that are sourced from morning’s haul. If you’re a graveyard nurse, this can be a good laugh for you. If you work day shift and have a sensitive funny bone, umm, you can read other articles. Lol. Or you can just find humor in this post and think twice the next time you receive report from a member of the zombie family.
- Almost every confused patient gets more confused or agitated right after the sun goes down. It may be Sundowner’s or it’s just full moon. Up until now, discussions on whether moon appearance has effect on human behaviors are still not over. Luna isn’t the Latin word for moon for nothing right? I mean, are we going to just tolerate our lunatic coworkers when they’re on their “mood swings?” But seriously, most of the crazy things happen during the night. When your confused patient tells you there’s a child in the room at 12mn, are you going to shrug it off or run for your life, bathe in your sweat then pee in your pants? Oh gee, don’t even get me started on this story. HAHA!
- That coffee maker at the corner is our best friend. We can stay up without enough sleep but not without coffee. And when it malfunctions, it will be a disaster. Sorry admins, no coffee, no admission! Business is closed!
- Quiet environment results in intimate patient care. Not intimate as in intimate, but let’s just say patient care that’s special. At night, there are less people roaming around. No cafeteria people each meal. No administrators hovering. No relatives disrupting your patient’s thought process. It’s just you and your patient, and it makes care management a breeze.
- Graveyard nurses take longer breaks. We don’t do breakfast break you guys. So it’s just fair for us to take longer than usual breaks. Or do I sound defensive? Thirty minutes is a *snap-snap* anyway. Give this to us. We are always so hungry, and we don’t know why.
- We hate calling doctors in the middle of the night just as they hate night nurses for waking them up.
- We classify doctors according to their response: “AmiozZzzjksbjkbs one time dose jbkszdfisbf” and “DON’T CALL ME! NO ORDER!”
- That night differential we get is for giving up enough sleep.
- Because sleeping during the day is more difficult than you think.
- Believe it or not, the kind of stress a night nurse endures is a lot heavier than day nurses’. We can admit and discharge at the same time and have loads of patients all at once and not feel a thing, BUT fighting your body’s natural circadian rhythm is a fight of a lifetime. LOL You know you just can’t win.
- The bond that a night nurse has with other member of the zombie family is incomparable. You rely on each other for support, in code blues and in browns! And while there are other shift nurses, you can’t deny the cool groove of the graveyard crew!
Cheers, zombie family!