Featured Traveler: Ann R.

 She Has the “Travel Bug!”

Ann R., PACU RN from Knoxville, TN has proven her dedication to nursing; she is soon to celebrate her 37th year anniversary. She has also proven that once you have the “travel bug” it is hard to get rid of, and in this case – that is a good thing! After leaving Travel Nursing earlier in her career, she is now back on the road and is now nine years strong.

When Ann was first mapping out her career, becoming an Operating Room Surgical Tech was her first choice. But with encouragement from her mother to take the next step, Ann decided to become a nurse.  She is thrilled she took her mother’s advise.

“Nursing has afforded me many opportunities throughout my career that I would have never had otherwise,” Ann states. She likes being a Travel Nurse because she enjoys going to different places that she has never seen.  She remembers her favorite assignment being in Philadelphia, PA because of all there was to do and see. And … she met her husband there! They now choose their assignments together- selecting an area of the country they have never seen and then researching travel openings.

Ann’s most memorable moment as a Travel Nurse was while she was working at an academic hospital in OH. A helicopter was scheduled to land on one of the towers, but because of weather, ultimately crashed into the courtyard below. As a result, staff started evacuating patients. During the evacuation a CNA told Ann that she appeared to be so calm through the entire episode, while the CNA admitted considering abandoning the scene and taking refuge at home with her family. (The episode occurred only a couple of months after 9/11, so nerves were understandably on edge.) Ann told the CNA she felt equally upset – but – they were there to do the right things for their patients. Well done Ann! Spoken like a TRUE NURSE!

Ann admits that when she first spoke to her Convergence recruiter, Christie, Ann decided on a travel assignment with another firm. However, Christie kept in contact, and the rest is history. “I felt like I could trust her and that’s proven to be on target”, says Ann. “Christie has always been available to me and very responsive to my calls and requests.  The credentialing process at Convergence was fantastic as well.”

Ann has wise advise for those considering a travel career: “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Complete your application with several agencies. That improves getting the assignment you want.  You may also want go to Facebook and follow Travel Nursing: The Premium Job Board and read the book Highway Hypodermics by Epstein LaRue. That will teach you the in’s and out’s of travel nursing”. 

As far as her experience with Convergence Medical Staffing: “Its been top notch. The entire group is professional and very responsive to my needs.”  Thank you, Ann!

Now you see why Ann was the one hire out of 32 interviews conducted. She is the standard that we look to represent Convergence Medical Staffing.  That is also why our Travelers stay with Convergence – “like” professionals who do things “right”!