Thursday, May 13, 2010

An Australian Nurse Reflects On Her Time With Continental Travelnurse

Nursing is a tough, demanding job no matter where you do it. So we at Continental Travelnurse don't downplay the challenges involved in spending time in another country and adapting to their way of getting the work done. Travel nursing isn't just an adventure: it's also work. We know the rewards far outweigh the challenges: that's why our nurses always excel and are asked to stay on at the places they work. And that's why virtually all our nurses extend their stays and sign on for new stints. In short, they love it, challenges and all.

Here are some thoughts from an Australian nurse who chose to work her entire travel nursing time at London's St. Thomas's, the oldest teaching hospital in the world. Bianca shares her feelings about the work she did there for two and a half years.

The ITU at St. Thomas's is the busiest ITU I have ever worked in and I have to say in terms of work load it is also the hardest I have worked in. But if you are willing and very keen to put your hand up and put your best foot forward you will learn so much. I miss ITU at "Tommies" so much. I made great friends and learnt so much -- so much more than I ever imagined -- but I worked bloody hard and put in long hours.

When I first started it was difficult to settle in as a new member of staff. I think that's because they don't know you and have so many untrained ITU staff that they want to check you out first. It's very stressful [for them] not knowing if a new member of staff is going to need to be carried or not, especially with how busy it can get sometimes. I personally found it great once I settled in, which didn't take too long for me.

From my point of view, if you're willing to work hard and potentially be used a little, maybe not intentionally but occasionally miss one of your breaks -- which I often chose to do as my patients were often the sickest on the unit -- you will enjoy your time there. It is frustrating, but so are all jobs. The main thing is to not go there thinking the work is like home, because it isn't. And that is probably the main key point to stress. The nursing union in OZ is pretty strong and has done a great job to get the working conditions we have. But the working conditions in the UK are not so great. The thing i liked best at Tommies is the working relationship with the Medical team; I felt my opinion was valued slightly more over there.

-- Bianca

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Bianca and giving nurses a realistic portrayal of working at St. Thomas's. That's what you can expect from Continental Travelnurse: straight talk, informed advice and a tremendously fun and rewarding experience.

Find out more at our main website at ContinentalTravelnurse.com.

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Continental Travelnurse: Explore The Possibilities

Travel nursing truly is not just a job. It's an adventure in your career and in fun: nurses can work in the UK during the week and quickly and inexpensively fly to Paris or Rome for the weekend. (Plane travel is surprisingly cheap in Europe and going from London to Paris is like going from New York to Boston, more of a long commute than a big journey). Then, between stints they can get a rail pass on the great trains and explore Europe at length. During their jobs, they will also find great attractions both in the city they're based in and the surrounding areas.

Once you try travel nursing, regular old stay-at-home nursing seems positively staid. Why not take advantage of your excellent education and desirable qualifications to explore the world? Why not seek out work AND fun in England, Ireland and Scotland while sampling the rest of Europe at your leisure? Why not avoid the short-sighted, short-term day agencies and indeed reject agencies altogether in exchange for the long-term, goal-oriented and fun-oriented atmosphere of Continental Travelnurse, a London-based company with decades of experience in travel nursing and links to the top hospitals in the UK? Why not turn your job into an adventure?

Contact Continental Travelnurse today. Go to our main website for more information and complete contact info.

Friendly Words From One Of Our Travel Nurses

It always happens to the people who work with Continental Travelnurse. Virtually every nurse we place is asked to go on staff at the hospital they're at. That shows the high quality of nurses we recruit. And so many of the nurses let us know how much they loved their time with our company and hope to travel nurse again. Here's the latest comment we've received from a nurse that one of our staff members sent an email to just checking in to see how she was doing:

So lovely to get an e-mail from you. I have been very remiss in not getting in contact before now and like you, I don't know where the last year has gone. Not a day goes by when I don't think of wanting to be back in Cheltenham. I just loved it so much and would very much like to return maybe next year. I have resigned myself to being in NZ this year as I have had two more grand-daughters this year -- four grand-daughters now in total!!!!! I want to spend this year with them and also I am re-decorating the house. Lots to do but I so miss the life I was having this time last year. -- Phillipa

Thanks for writing, Phillipa. We love to hear from our nurses. To learn more about Continental Travelnurse, visit our main website.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Happy Nurses' Day!

HAPPY NURSES' DAY 2010!!

Celebrating Nurses' Day is an opportunity for everyone around the world to remember the valuable contributions that nurses make to society.

Nurses' Day is celebrated on 12 May each year, as a tribute to the amazing work of Florence Nightingale who was born on that day in 1820. This year we have even more reason to celebrate her pioneering work as it is also the centenary of Florence's death on 13 August.

Visit Nurses' Day 2010 for more information and activities that are happening throughout the UK.

We at Continental TravelNurse want to join the friends, family and patients who are saying thank you to our nurses. Nursing is a difficult, challenging and rewarding job that is as much a vocation as it is a job. You are an intimate and valuable part of people's lives during some of the most wonderful and painful moments in their lives. That's why Continental Travelnurse isn't just a business to us; it's a chance to work side by side with the women and men who are selfless in their sacrifice and devotion to helping others.

Thank you for letting us be a part of your work.

Have a wonderful day,

From the entire team at Continental Travelnurse.