Congratulations to Republic Travel Nurse, Valerie Strickland!

TRAVEL NURSE OF THE MONTH

Valerie is an ICU Registered Nurse and our Featured Travel Nurse for February 2020. She is currently on assignment in Portland, OR.

We asked Valerie to share her experience and adventures as a Travel Nurse…

How long have you been traveling?

I have been traveling for 5 years.

What has been your favorite city to work in?

Ooooooh.. that’s a tough one! It’s between Phoenix, AZ (can’t beat those sunsets!) and Portland, OR (gorgeous views and rainy weather – I’m weird!)

Why did you choose to become a Travel Nurse?

I loved my staff job but I became a travel nurse because I was getting restless and wanted to experience new places. After talking with many travel nurses assigned to my hospital, every single one told me, “Do it! You’ll never regret it!”. So I took the plunge!

What do you love most about being a Travel Nurse?

What I love most about travel nursing is meeting so many amazing people in my travels – colleagues, patients, neighbors – it’s truly touched my heart how many great people are in the world. Traveling gives me a unique perspective on a place, letting me be both a little bit tourist and a little bit local at the same time.

What advice do you have for a first-time traveler?

My advice is, don’t go into it with particular expectations. Keep a positive attitude, a smile on your face, and be flexible. And just see what happens! I’ve learned so much about myself, how adaptable I am when I never thought I was, and keeping an open heart and mind lets others be open to you. It’s shocking if you’ve only worked in one hospital as a staff nurse, but there are 50 right ways to do the same thing – just keep an open mind! And most importantly, ALWAYS know where to find the hospital’s policies. You’ll never go wrong that way!

Goat Yoga..Travel Nursing Fun….

Follow Us

We would love to connect with you!