New Assignment a Perfect Fit for this Adventure Seeker
If ever there was a cheerleader for Team Travel Nurse, it is 27-year-old Ann Pell, RN.
A four-year veteran of travel nursing, Pell does not see the end of her travel career anywhere in sight. “I love to travel, both as a nurse and as a tourist. My travel nursing assignments have been almost like vacations for me,” Pell remarked.
After earning her BSN at the Medical College of Ohio, Pell spent 20 months working in an inner-city hospital in Toledo, Ohio. “Every day was a unique experience and I was constantly learning something new,” she said. She liked her job but a friend was intrigued by travel nursing and Pell agreed that it might be quite an adventure.
“We were both a little fearful of trying it alone,” Pell recalled. “So we took the plunge together and accepted assignments in Columbus, Ohio—a whole three hours away!”
Working with travel staffing agency Medical Express, Pell found that first experience was a good one, so they moved on together to another assignment out-of-state. When that assignment ended, romance drew her friend back to Columbus, but Pell was hooked and has worked as a travel nurse ever since.
Cardiac telemetry is Pell’s specialty. She appreciates that each hospital has a different approach to patient care because that forces her to be open to a variety of ways of doing things. “The education I’m getting is so amazing,” Pell said. “New research is being done and new drugs and treatments are being introduced constantly. I am definitely kept on my toes.”
Pell has been graciously received by the staff at her temporary locations. “I make every effort to step in and do things their way. I work hard and don’t try to shake things up,” she said. “Generally, the permanent staff is grateful for the extra manpower and they’re curious about what it’s like to be a travel nurse. I try to keep in mind that I’m representing my agency, as well as all travel nurses, and want to leave only positive impressions when I move on to my next location.”
Pell has enjoyed assignments in eight states from coast to coast, including Alaska. She avidly seeks out sights and activities that are special to the area in which she is working. Her Denver, Colorado, posting offered opportunities for hiking, biking and skiing in the Rocky Mountains. Just a short commuter train ride from her New Jersey assignment put her in the heart of New York City where she took in Broadway shows and experienced the big city restaurant and shopping scenes. In addition to national parks, she explored both San Francisco and Los Angeles during a stay in Santa Barbara.
“When I first arrive in a new city I read guide books and maps and get excited about seeing all the local attractions,” Pell explained. “But, after a few weeks I find I settle into more of a community and neighborhood mode. I make friends among my neighbors and soon we are frequenting favorite restaurants or just hanging out together.” During each assignment she has formed lasting friendships with both permanent staff and other travel nurses. “I now have good friends in every part of the country,” she said.
Pell gives much of the credit for her positive outlook on travel nursing to her Medical Express recruiter, Shelly Mackintosh. “I feel a recruiter can make or break a nurse’s travel experience,” Pell said. “I’ve had the same terrific recruiter for three years and she knows me so well that she’s almost infallible when it comes to matching me up with the right job.” The living quarters provided for her in the various cities where she has served rate high marks from Pell. “Honestly, the apartments I’ve had as a traveler are better than I could afford on my own. In Santa Barbara I had a view of the ocean and beach from my home!”
As she prepared to move from Flagstaff, Arizona to her new assignment in Chicago, Pell remarked that she is especially appreciative of the flexibility and variety that travel nursing offers. She occasionally uses the 21-day breaks between assignments to satisfy her yen for foreign travel, and then she’s refreshed and eager for a new professional challenge. She feels the succession of new cities and hospitals keeps her interested in nursing and prevents burnout. “The level of adaptability I’ve achieved and the knowledge I’ve gained are invaluable,” she explained. “Travel nursing truly is an adventure in so many ways.”
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