For the last three years, my identity was tied up in my job. I was a travel nurse. I was cool, experienced, well-traveled, and well-paid. I didn’t have to get tied up in the details because in thirteen weeks, I’d be gone. Now that I’m transitioning out of that role, I’m having a hard time with losing that “cool, adventurous” identity.
For those unfamiliar with travel nursing, they take temporary contracts in hospitals that have a short-term staffing problem and need experienced nurses to fill the gap until they can hire/train more staff. You get to pick where you go, you can travel all over the united states, and they are paid roughly double what a typical nurse makes.
Long story short – it’s awesome, you should do it, and it’s the most fun I’ve ever had. I’ve worked & lived in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Lake Tahoe, upstate NY, Colorado, Baltimore, and then Colorado again. I got to explore & adventure in some very, very cool places and in the process put 100K miles on my Jeep. I’ve met some really good friends and truly fell in love with the west coast. I also got exposure to more patient populations, charting systems, different ways of thinking, etc – I grew exponentially as a travel nurse. I’m an all around much better person because of this journey.
This January I’ll be transitioning into a new specialty within nursing, so I’m excited to learn something new. And don’t get me wrong – I am SO excited to put down roots & finally have a home of my own again (and really – my OWN kitchen to cook in). But I’d be lying if a little part of me isn’t mourning that piece of me.
I’m feeling the weight of growth & change in this transition. And I get to experience adventure in a slightly different way - starting this business is one, possibly going back to school is another. I’m making choices to set myself up for the future & maybe grow up a little bit too. If there is anything I’ve learned so far, it’s that discomfort precedes growth. And there’s something to celebrate in that - so here is to 2021 and big, scary change.