What's All American Nomad About?
I'd like to first introduce myself and explain why I created this blog. My name is Joe, I am a travel nurse currently on assignment in Mesa, Arizona. This is my second assignment since I started traveling back in December. When I started this journey, I had so many questions and concerns regarding the ins and outs of this niche subcategory of healthcare that I didn't know where to begin to look for answers. I had first heard of this field of nursing back in nursing school from a classmate of mine who had a friend or something who was a travel nurse. They had gone on to explain the perks of paid housing, paid meals, travel and licensure reimbursement, premium pay and at the time all I could think of was.. where and how do I qualify and sign up for this dream job? Coming from and going to school in Chicago, Illinois, I could not wait to get out of the Midwest monotony and experience the richness of this beautiful country on someone else's dime.
After obtaining my BSN, I held down a hospital job on a busy PCU outside of the city for 2.5 years. Soon enough, I was ready to move on, literally, to greener pastures and start my travel nursing career. But, I'd equate the start of my journey to writers block. I've got all this experience, I'm qualified, proficient in my field, but where do I start. I thought, is it that easy, I just google travel nurse and sign up for the first agency I see? Do I even need an agency? Why are some agencies paying more than others? Do these agencies work on my behalf or are they in it for themselves? Do I find my own housing or does my employer find housing for me? I had so many questions, but I felt like I had limited or segmented information to go off of. I remember wanting an all encompassing source of information that broke down what to expect, what to look out for, and how to prepare for my first assignment and future assignments to come.
What I hope to provide to readers is a reliable web of information relating to the travel healthcare industry and all the nuances that come along with the field. I want to create the space that I had wished was available when I first started out. A central point of information for healthcare providers on the move, with a penchant for exploration and sightseeing, yearning to broaden their knowledge base.