Travel Nurse Stories

Michelle can’t stop traveling. “I’m addicted!” she says with a laugh.

She’s traveled for over two years now as a telemetry RN and loves expanding her clinical skills — and horizons — with each assignment.

When Michelle first started traveling, she hadn’t yet moved out of her parents’ house. It was a huge move for her on all levels — moving out for the first time and going 15 hours away from home. “It’s definitely intimidating,” she explains, “But once you make that jump it’s totally worth it.” Michelle’s since taken assignments all over the country: Virginia, Colorado, Hawaii, Seattle, New York and most recently, California. San Diego to be exact.

“Travel nursing opens up your mind to new possibilities,” Michelle says. From leaving her sunny Florida home to ski the snowy hills of Colorado, experiencing a classic New York City Christmas and exploring the pristine beaches of Hawaii, she’s turned quite a few of those possibilities into realities. Her advice for travelers who want to follow in her footsteps? “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. There are hard times but it’s all worth it. The growth you get from travel nursing … you can’t get anywhere else.”

Michelle began working on the telemetry floor, but travel nursing has allowed her to float and gain PCU experience. Hospitals have been open and willing to show her the ropes and provide new clinical experiences. “I started traveling because I wanted a break from the full-time job life,” Michelle says with a laugh. “It turns out, I also love experiencing different kinds of nursing.” And for that, she’s extremely grateful.

What’s next for Michelle? She plans to find opportunities to try out ER and PACU units to see what she likes best. But first, she’s taking a few months off from travel nursing to backpack across the world!