Ladies and gentlemen it’s official, I’m a travel nurse. Starting April 19, one day after my birthday, I’ll be on the road headed to my first destination as a travel nurse. Kinda of nervous, scared, and a whole lot of other emotions. The strangest is sadness, I feel sorta sad, I know I shouldn’t but I guess it’s just saying goodbye to this part of my life and letting go. Maybe sad that I’m saying goodbye to so many people. I haven’t really lived anywhere else but this small town.
I’ll tell you about a friend who I worked with at a hospital. She was so funny and very smart. I knew that she had my back no matter what. We were roommates at one point for just a few months. She was probably the same age as I am now. So I had started another job in a different city. She had started a travel job and she loved it. She’d call me and would be so excited telling me all the things that she was doing and seeing.
Six months after she started that travel assignment late one night I get a phone call, a number I don’t recognize. I pick up the phone and say, “hello” with my questioning voice. The man on the other end said, “Are you Patty?” And my last name, I said, “yes”. He said, “Do you Know a…..” and said my friends name? I haven’t spoke to her in about a month, but “yes,” The man on the other end said, “I’m sorry to inform you ma’am but she expired the day before yesterday. She was found in her hotel room, do you know if she had any family?” I couldn’t understand. I didn’t know what to say. And I just sat there mouth open and tears running down my cheek. I couldn’t talk. The man on the other end of the phone said, “Ma’am? Are you there, ma’am?” I finally came too and said, “Yes, she had two kids and her mom!”
Choked up. The next phone call was one of the hardest I had ever had to make. It was to her daughter. Than to her mom. I’m not sure if it was cardiac or something else. I know she did have some medical problems. I didn’t even think to ask, which is strange, on my part. But I guess the shock set in. I have had phone calls where I had to tell patient family manners that their loved one was gone, but nothing like this.
When I spoke to my friends family I just gave them the corner’s number and told them that they need to call and find out what happened. Im not sure if I just couldn’t face it and that’s why I didn’t ask. Im not sure. It was strange and unlike me to not ask. I still think of her a lot and miss her. She would of disliked Covid though. “To much work” I could hear her say. “I’d rather be on a beach somewhere” “they got me working all these hours” “these PPE”s are to heavy and hot”. I guess I never would try travel nursing for that reason, I didn’t want to die in some random hotel room by myself. I didn’t want my kids to deal with that kind of trauma like her kids had to do.
Well I’m planning on stopping a few places on the way to the travel nurse assignment so stay tuned..You never know when or where I’ll show up.. Hehe. Have a blessed week, day, month, and year.
I have read about travel nursing. How does it compare to hospital nursing?
I mean the job is the same it’s just different ppl different settings
Does a travel nurse move from one hospital to another? Does a travel nurse see to the needs of patients in their homes?
Yes every 13 weeks if they want
Cool.
No we don’t go to their homes
Cool.
It’s been two days and your response is still making me grin like an idiot. I tried to Facebook message you and it didn’t go through. So, ball is in your court. thefamouslanagan at gmail dot com.
Check your email
First of all, congratulations on taking the leap and becoming a travel nurse! It’s a big change, and it’s natural to feel a mix of emotions as you embark on this new journey. Your story about your friend who was a travel nurse is both touching and heartbreaking. It’s a powerful reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of seizing opportunities and embracing new experiences.
As you begin your travel nursing journey, remember to cherish the memories and relationships you’ve built in your small town while being open to forming new connections and creating new memories. Your friend’s love for her travel nursing job is an inspiration for you to explore new places and make a difference in the lives of others. Stay safe, and I’m looking forward to hearing about your adventures and experiences on your travel nursing assignments. Wishing you a blessed and fulfilling journey ahead!
Thanks so much for your encouraging words. It’s much appreciated. 🙏
Congrats, my daughter is trying for it in California.
I noticed you liked one of the recent posts on Beehighve-The Blogging Colony. Thank you for that. I also checked out some of your posts and seems as though you are an active blogger. I’d like to therefore cordially invite you to join the colony at Beehighve. With Beehighve you can create a Profile-Card for your blog, promote your blog for free, or set up an RSS feed that drives others to your site. So come check out the About and the Mission pages and the Professional Bloggers page. If you like what you see then register your blog and start by making an awesome Profile-Card for it. See you at the Colony. Best wishes and luck to you!
Will do
Congrats, always thought about it. Good luck on your journey!
Congratulations for your future ahead as a travel nurse and deeply sorry for the loss of your friend. Hope your life will go great as you wish for! 😇
I might have a heart attack if you’re headed to DC/Baltimore. Let’s go get a beer if you are.
Sounds great if I am I’ll stop in..!!
And if you did have a heart attack I’ll be able to revive you fyi
I will try my best, but no promises. 😛 Locum tenens would be my choice if I’d gotten a degree in medicine (doc, nurse, whatever). It would feed my passion for so many other things, like writing and taking pictures. It’s just not my thing. I have all the soft skills, but they don’t give you an RN or an MD for that. 😛
I keep thinking about this. That was the smoothest flirt known to God and man. Well played.
Lol wow you just now got that huh …??
I just thought you’d like to know that you stayed around in my head. And that’s hard to do.
Is that a bad thing..
I can’t tell. What I can tell you is that all of my responses at this point are unprintable.
And not because I don’t want to.
Congratulations on your role. Also, it’s always hard to call and inform someone about death. I have done it too and it crushes you.
Wishing you the best on your journeys!
Thanks 🙏
That is a sad and unfortunate note. On the brighter side about travel nurses, I have had many trauma surgeries and have had more than a few travel nurses. They were all excellent nurses and each of them told me they loved it and that they made great money. It is not for everybody, just like long haul-trucking. Lots of lonely times. Down time, etc. If you never try it you will never know if you like it or not. Give it a try for a few months and see the results. You meet a lot of people and like all those nurses said, it beats getting up and going to the same old job every day. It can be exciting. So sorry about your friend. Good luck with your new job and adventure. Spring is here, better than winter for traveling to new areas, except for floods. Good luck.
Congratulations and good luck. Stay well.
You as well 🙏
Congratulations on your new venture!
🙏 thanks
Heck yeah and high fives Patty!
High fives back✋🏻and a fist bump 🤜
I hope you have the best time! It sounds like an amazing oppourtunity!
I plan on it…but sometimes my plans don’t always pan out. Hoping for the best though 🙏
Fair winds and following seas. Be safe out there!
I congratulate you and wish you luck on your new life path. None of us knows when and how will end, I guess that’s life. Don’t even think about it, just go boldly into new victories! 💪
Thanks that’s my outlook 🙏
Good luck on this next journey. New things are scary, but you are brave and I hope it’s awesome for you.
Thanks I hope so to🙏
Congratulations and wishing you all the best!
Thanks many blessings 🙏