Our Trusted Nurse, Jordan, Says Traveling has Helped her Build Confidence

Life as a travel nurse is filled with friendship, opportunity, and adventure for Jordan—not to mention more time with her kids. Originally intent on going to school for pharmacy, she changed gears when she had her son. Inspired by the compassionate, knowledgeable nurse who aided her delivery, Jordan set her sights on becoming an RN and did just that. Now, she’s in her third placement with Trusted Nurse Staffing and has no intention of looking back. Here, Jordan talks about her experience and the flexibility that affords her more quality time at home.

What made you want to become a nurse?

When you have a child at a young age like I did, you're terrified and everything's scary. Your life is changing, and delivering a baby is difficult, whether you're prepared or not. When I was in labor, I was having a hard time and felt nauseous and nervous. My nurse was really intelligent and made me feel comfortable. She talked me through everything, helped me with my breathing, and made sure my son was okay. Afterward, I wanted to do something like that for other people.

What led you to travel nursing?

I’ve been an RN for almost four years now. When I first started thinking about travel nursing, I was working in a small hospital. While I loved it there, I felt like I wanted more for my family and myself. I wanted to be tested and broaden my horizon.

How did you find out about Trusted Nurse Staffing?

I found out about the agency through a friend who referred me to my recruiter, Neal. I knew Trusted Nurse Staffing was out of Buffalo, and I wanted to stay in the area. As my liaison for placements and go-to for questions, Neal explained everything to me and answered my texts around the clock. He gave me the pros and cons of everything, so I could make a decision without jumping into it. He wasn't just in it for the money; he really wanted to make sure my placement was the best option for me.

How has your experience been since then?

Trusted Nurse Staffing pays us well and treats us with respect. From our first interaction, my recruiter showed me that he's someone who deserves my loyalty. It's hard to talk when you work in an operating room, so I text him a lot. At the beginning, he sent me available assignments based on where he thought I’d be comfortable and said, “Once we get you into a place, I'm going to be messaging you all the time to make sure it’s a good fit and that they're treating you well.” And he has.

How did that first placement pan out?

My first assignment was a three-month placement at a hospital in Buffalo. Everyone was really welcoming and helpful. You get about a week to train, and then you jump right in.

What was your experience like once you jumped in?

The biggest thing I learned was to be confident in myself and my skills. I knew a lot more than I thought I did. So, I was able to go and coordinate a specialty I had never run before, and I was surprised to see how well prepared I was.

Did that confidence carry into your second placement?

After my first placement, I felt much more comfortable meeting new people and being at a place where I don’t know the staff or practices. I went to another hospital, this time in Geneva, New York, for six months. They have a hospital and surgery center that I floated between. I got to learn new specialties like ortho spine and different techniques for things like shoulder and knee scopes, which was amazing. Being able to learn new things was a big part of why I decided to travel.

What was the most challenging part of that placement?

I was nervous to meet friends because it was so far away, and I had to stay overnight when I worked. We were also split between a hospital and a surgery center, where the pace was completely different. It was a lot to learn, but the facility was amazing, and they gave me extra time to train. They never left me in a room alone if I wasn’t ready for it, and they did a really good job of making me feel comfortable. If it weren’t for the distance, I would've stayed at that facility as long as I could as a traveler.

Where did you stay when you were there?

You get stipend that goes toward your food and living expenses. Depending on how far away your placement is, they can compensate your travel. At my Geneva placement, there were a lot of travelers, so a handful of us pitched in and got an apartment together.

Do you stay in contact with them?

Yes! I have definitely made lifelong friends through my placements. I still keep in touch with people from both of my assignments.

Tell us more about your current assignment. What’s it like?

Right now, I'm in Batavia, New York. This hospital does c-sections and has an OB-GYN specialty, which I haven’t done since my home assignment. My favorite part about all of this is learning new things, but it’s also amazing to see how friendly people can be to new staff. At every place I've been so far, the staff has been been willing to help, and they want you to succeed, because you're there to help them get through their days when they're short staffed.

Other than meeting new people and learning different skills, what’s the best part of travel nursing?

You have a lot of flexibility. Within the nine months I've been at Trusted Nurse Staffing, I've already taken six weeks of vacation. You can put right in your contract the time you need off, and when you sign up, you know for sure that you have it; you don't have to wait for a rotation or seniority. That flexibility allows my family to travel more and spend quality time together at home.

How do you spend your time off?

I'm very family oriented, and I have a four-year-old named Bradley and a seven-year-old named Nicholas. If I'm not home with them, we’re visiting my in-laws, parents, or friends. The kids are in sports, and we like to bake together. We also go to the movies and have dance parties.

Any advice for nurses looking to travel?

My biggest piece of advice would be to plan it out and trust yourself. It might be scary, but stepping outside your comfort zone is worth it.