Traveler Interviews

Emily Scott - The Adventures of a Traveling Nurse

For Emily Scott, becoming a travel nurse opened a world of opportunity. Growing up in a small town, Emily always wanted to explore the country. When she decided to become a Pediatric Nurse, Emily met a travel nurse who informed her of the travel experience. Just the thought of being able to work and learn at different hospitals across the nation intrigued Emily. This helped in convincing her to pursue travel nursing, and before she knew it, Emily had touched almost every part of the country.

The most rewarding aspect of her travels is the many lives she got to touch and was touched by. She was humbled to be an advocate for her young patients and loved coming up with creative ways to make them take medicine and assess them. Through all this, Emily developed long-standing relationships with the families. She has received many kind cards and updates on patients via care packages thanking her for the support and care she provided.

One of Emily's favorite areas to visit was the New England area. She was drawn to the old-style brick and mortar architecture and various locations she got to sightsee. Plus, it didn't hurt that Emily is a major baseball fan and would take the opportunity to see live games wherever she was located. In this particular area, she was able to see many different games including her favorite team the Red Sox.

It was on this particular travel assignment where Emily made life-long friendships with a lot of the other travelers. She felt there was something rewarding and enriching about bonding with different travel nurses all across the country, in one spot. It's almost like she belonged to a second family.

Not only that, but Emily was never alone. She always had someone to do things with. Since she lived for adventure, Emily would take other travel nurses skydiving, paragliding, hiking and kayaking. She just loved doing anything that would get her pulse racing. Her adventurous spirit led her to almost every part of the country.

However, the one place she has yet to visit but wants to dearly is Denver. She has never been there before, but fellow travelers told her that she would love the weather, the environment and working at the hospitals. Plus, she's been told there are several activities there to satiate her inner, "adrenaline child".

The biggest thing Emily learned from her travels is being open to change.
She says, "Environments and situations are constantly changing. Every doctor has a different way of doing things and every hospital has a unique set of rules."

With all these variables, Emily suggests asking lots of questions and always being receptive and respectful to the doctors, nurses and patients. Also, Emily says it is important to research hospitals. She says you should have a general idea of where you want to go and investigate hospitals in that area.

Above all else, Emily just loved the variety of experience.

Working at different hospitals throughout the country provided her with a mixture of knowledge she could not get working at just one hospital. Each state and city has a different culture and unique set of people. By working at multiple cities and hospitals, across the nation, Emily now feels properly prepared to take on any nursing assignment, anywhere in the country.