Jan 24, 2024

An Adventurous Perspective of a Career in Travel Nursing

From a young age, Nurse Laura Pierce knew that her dream career would include travel. Though her career ambitions shifted from flight attendant and truck driver to an ICU travel nurse, she has definitely achieved her childhood dreams.

Laura originally studied in college to be a social worker. After getting her degree in sociology, she found that there was a shortage of jobs in her field. She began to work selling time shares in the interim. While working and talking with customers, she was first introduced to the idea of travel nursing as a career and knew that is what she was meant to do. Laura continued to work while putting herself through nursing school. Upon graduating she worked a staff job as an ICU nurse for two years to gain experience before starting her career as a travel nurse.

Adventures while traveling is Nurse Laura’s favorite part of being a travel nurse. She enjoys the freedom of choosing the geographic location of her assignments and lining up the weather with what she wants to do during that time of year. Laura has spent winters in sunny Phoenix as well as snowy Maine. She has been able to plan days off to go to the beach or see ice castles. She’s also enjoyed assignment in Alaska, the Hawaiian Islands and Guam.

Aside from travel, Laura loves the personal connections she has made with patients and other nurses while working. Laura believes that everyone has a story, and she loves getting to know bits of history through her patients. She has cared for “bombshell Betties,” women who made bombs during World War II, and kind older gentlemen who despite being in the ICU still have a sense of humor.

Laura believes that she should not live to work but make enough money, so she does not have to work as much. The increased salary of being a travel nurse has helped Laura continue her adventures during breaks between assignments. She has used this time off to take multiple international trips. During a recent break from assignments, Laura was able to take the trip of a lifetime—a 6-week trip that began in Switzerland, then boarded a cruise with stops in Venice, Croatia and Saudi Arabia, and ended on a safari at Kruger National park in South Africa.

Whether traveling on assignment, or planning vacations during her time off, Laura is always looking for her next adventure. Nurse Laura has definitely exceeded her childhood dreams of traveling for her career.

Read more perspectives from other members of the Aequor Family of travelers or browse jobs and create your profile in the Aequor Talent Portal.

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