More London Holiday Ideas

If you're working in London or coming through, here are some more ideas for holiday fun. St. Paul's Cathedral is hosting a performance of Britten's Ceremony of the Carols on December 10. It's free and starts at 5 p.m. but arrive early -- it fills up quickly.

And from now until January 3 you can have fun in Hyde Park at the annual Winter Wonderland carnival. They have rides and shows and food and drink and all sorts of events throughout the holiday. Here's a glimpse of the crowds from last year:



But don't come to London without stopping in to say hi so we can wish you a happy holiday in person!

Your friends at Continental Travelnurse.

(Join our family -- check out our website for more info.)

More Great Feedback From Our Nurses

At Continental Travelnurse, we love to get feedback and comments from our nurses. It helps us do our job better, but more often it provides positive reinforcement! Who doesn't enjoy compliments?

On Facebook recently, we've been called "Best agency anyone could choose! Wish I was there right now!" And Andrea posted this: "It helps when you have great support at the end of the phone when you're so far from home. I can't wait to get back and start my next assignment in late November!" Welcome back, Andrea!

Our nurses don't just give lovely comments to us; they also share them with others. Ask anyone who has teamed with us. Jay did and he explained how that led him to us. " i know Beth, she's lovely. I worked with her in Australia and when i visited the UK I popped out to Brighton to say hi! I also know Alicia; she's not long gotten back from 18 months over there with you guys! That's why i have been so confident with my agency choice -- they both speak really highly of your company!!"

Just as important as their experience with us is the experience our nurses have with the hospitals and other medical facilities they sign on with. We only work with the best and it's good to know that shows. Kelli had a great relationship with the people she worked with. Like so many of our nurses, she was traveling Europe and then deciding on where she'd like to settle in next for another stint of nursing. "Plans are to travel for a while then maybe look at another assignment in the new year," said Kelli in an email. "Everything is going well, almost finished up! The wards been really great, you can let them know too if you like. They've been really accommodating, helpful, friendly and supportive so I've really enjoyed my time. Just thought I'd let you know that :)"

Andrew had a similar positive experience: "Sorry, forgot to call; was a busy last day. The ward put on a party on the ward, gave me a present and took me for a night out last night which was nice of them considering I was only there for 6 weeks!
I am looking forward to seeing friends and family again after 2 years, but not sure if i'll get itchy feet again after a few months.
Thank you to you and your team who have been great from the start. Very professional and easy to deal with. Exactly what I was looking for regarding work in the UK. I will be sure to mention you guys if any future colleagues are thinking about venturing over here."

As you can see, Continental Travelnurse is a great place to work with (and for!). If you want to become part of our team and travel to Europe to work and have fun, check out our website for more information.

Regent Street Lights Up For The Holidays/Fireworks!

The team at Continental Travelnurse is looking forward to the holidays. This year, the festivities are kicking off earlier than ever with the Regent Street Christmas Light Switch taking place on November 8 starting at 5 p.m. Yes, it's an excuse to start shopping (not that we need one), but it's also a fun free night out with loads of celebrities and musical performers. If you're in London or looking for a day trip, this is a good one.

Actor Bill Nighy is one of the hosts and the musical guests include Kelly Clarkson, X Factor winner Max Cardle (whose debut album has just hit stores), the West End Gospel Choir and the cast of the West End Michael Jackson musical Thriller. Don't worry if you can't get there on November 8. The lights are lit up every night through the end of the year.

Here's a look at all the fun of the Regent Street Christmas Light Swtich during LAST year's event. Let us know if you're going!



if you're based in or near these cities, check out the links below to find out where and when holiday fireworks (GUY FAWKES/BONFIRE NIGHT) will be celebrated on or around November 5.

HOLIDAY FIREWORKS IN LONDON

HOLIDAY FIREWORKS IN BRIGHTON

HOLIDAY FIREWORKS IN OXFORD

Our Nurses, Our Friends

Continental Travelnurse only works with the best nurses from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. They come to the UK to travel, have fun, and use their highly trained skills at the best medical centers here. So it's no surprise that virtually every nurse on assignment in the UK is valued so highly that they're offered permanent jobs. In fact, we're quite proud of how top-notch they are.

Most of our nurses love the travel and adventure, so they move on. But some do decide to go on staff. That doesn't change the fact that they'll always be part of the Continental Travelnurse family.

So when it we remembered it was Gwen's anniversary with us, we sent a note to wish her a happy day and check in, even though she's now on staff at the prestigious St. Thomas' Hospital. How nice to get this response:

Hello!

It's been so long since I communicated and I am on my bended knees apologizing!!!!! I do often think of you all in the office. I haven't been to the centre of London for months so I haven't called in. I am hoping to amend this before Christmas so will let you know a day. Please give my love to all.

Gwen

Now that's a commitment, Gwen. We look forward to catching up and hearing all your latest adventures. If you want to become part of Continental Travelnurse, check out our website for more information. You won't just gain a great opportunity and a great adventure nursing and exploring the UK -- you'll also gain friends for life.

Goodbye, Roz!

We like to think of Continental Travelnurse as a family. Here's proof. After many years of being a marvelous and essential part of our team, Roz is moving on. Her goodbye prompted a flood of emails and phone calls from current and past travel nurses and medical administrators who wanted to wish Roz the best and share their positive memories of working with her. This is just a tiny sample:

Roz,

I have found the news very sad that you are leaving Continental Travelnurse. I enjoyed the time I worked in London, mainly due to the support you and Continental Travelnurse gave me. You were always there to help, let it be nursing, carrying bags or buying a bike!

Your support and contact didn't stop when I returned home to Melbourne. The messages of birthday wishes, Christmas greetings and the NMC renewal correspondence were always unexpected and happy to be received. I will miss them. Must get onto that registration now.!

Good Luck with your return to Singapore.
Thank you again for your help and support over the past years.
I will be in touch with Continental Travelnurse at the end of this year, just to see if there are any jobs for 2012.

Gail


Hi Roz,

Thank you so much for my birthday wishes. Its really lovely to know you haven't forgotten about me. So thank you.
Wow, you're heading home. Good for you. I remember how hard that decision was to make. I'm sure you will be thrilled to go home. 11 years compared to my 3 years is such a long time and 6 yrs with Continental Travelnurse, I'm sure Leslie is very sad to see you leave.

You were great whilst i was there and still are now i have gone. Feel free to keep in touch.
I wish you all the very best for your return home. Take care and travel safe.

Bianca. XXXXXXXX


Hey Roz,

I just wanted to write a short email to thank you for all your hard work and encouragement over the past 2-3 years to finally get me over here and working (at last!!). As you are no doubt currently aware, moving to another country to work is a challenging experience, but you have made the process a lot smoother for me and made sure I was well prepared to take on this challenge. Thanks for your patience with answering all my questions and for not calling me in the middle of the night (Melbourne time) to assist me through the process. Lastly, good luck, best wishes and bon voyage! I hope you find life in Singapore is exciting and that you can rediscover old friends, family and favourite places (and some Singapore Slingers) on your trip home.
Best Wishes,

David


Hello Continental TravelNurse Team,

I arrived home today to a lovely surprise. The card was thoughtful and unexpected. I wanted to acknowledge you all for your kindness and also awareness. Sometimes your office seems far from the reality of day to day life at St Thomas's. However, today you have reminded me that there is an office of thoughtful individuals supporting us along the way.

Roz, once again. Best of luck with your endeavors. You have been very supportive with me over almost four years that I have been involved with Continental. I am sure you will be missed by the team. Big Thanks for always being only a phone call away.

I do not have all the emails of the team there. Perhaps you could both send my Thanks and appreciation along.

Have a nice weekend. And Happy Birthday for your upcoming Special Days in the next 12 months.

Sarah


Hey Roz

Thanks for sending me the welcome pack etc. i'll have a read through in the next few days. The CRB arrived quickly so that is good that it has been sent off. I am almost through the online training stuff i only have 2 more to go and have booked my BSL and manual handling for thursday 14th july.

I know today is your last day so i just want to say a MASSIVE thank you to you Roz for all your help you have given me in making my dream come true and being able to come back to the UK. I look forward to meeting the team and starting work with Continental Travelnurse. I wish you all the best in the future.

Laura

This is a wonderful tribute to Roz and to the atmosphere of teamwork and friendship that we cultivate at Continental Travelnurse. Check out our website for more information on how you can become a part of the Continental Travelnurse family and use your nursing skills to explore the UK and Europe while working in an environment where you are well valued and well paid. No one can replace Roz but we will continue to maintain the high standards she exemplified.

GOOD LUCK ROZ!

Kind Words For Continental Travelnurse

Love to get such kind words from the people we work with at Continental Travelnurse. This came in from our friend Chin:

"Just writing to thank you for looking after me for the last two years in the UK. You have been a good boss as well as a good friend.

"You took the trouble to help me with my visa application even though I wasn't working for you at the time. You have a good team working for you and they have been very helpful all this while.

"I have started work in the Cardiac Recovery Unit at Hammersmith Hospital.
I hope to be able to work with you again in the future."

If you want to explore the fun and rewarding career of a travel nurse where you can see the UK and Europe and get paid while doing it, check out our website at ContinentalTravelnurse.com.

Warm Words From The Nurses Of Continental Travelnurse

Continental Travelnurse isn't just a company. It's a family and the nurses who make up that family put a lot of trust in us when they travel the globe to come to the UK to work and play. We love hearing time and again how that trust has been repaid with memories that will last a lifetime and professional satisfaction. Here are some of the latest kind words our nurses have shared with us.

Thank you so much for the greeting. I have to confess that at times I think about returning. My experience working in the U.K. is still one of my most memorable life changing experiences, I cannot believe I did it and still have fond memories.

Fondest regards,

Jean of Toronto


Continental was one of the best experiences of my life. I just finished my Masters of Business Admin and the contract with the BMA is promoting the use of fair trade surgical instruments with the NHS for the BMA. I am at the point now where I am considering if I should stay in the UK or head back to North America to move into something else. Does Continental place other positions such as management or short term consulting roles? If so I would love to talk to you about it! I have this position until June and then will be looking again.

I still keep in touch with [the nurses I met through Continental Travelnurse such as] Ruth, Sarah, and Kelsey Tocher - whom I knew from school and referred to you! Also, Jilly and Tracy - who is living in Hawaii. Tanya is back in Oz and married and Kristi joined the army and was actually in Afghanistan for awhile. Ali is back in Calgary and getting married this summer too and Erin is married and has two kids now. We were pretty good at keeping in touch - I still see Ruth quite a bit over here.

Please say hello to [everyone on staff] for me too!

Julianne

To learn more about the opportunities you can find with Continental Travelnurse by bringing your in-demand highly regarded skills as a nurse to the UK so you can combine work with travel and fun, visit our website.

Continental Travelnurses Conquer Kilimanjaro

We always knew that the nurses who embrace travel and fun and succeed in their careers at the highest level were adventurous sorts. We've seen our nurses volunteer in war zones and donate medical care all over the world. Our nurses have been almost everywhere you can name. And if you name one of the most fabled mountains in the world, Libby Laskosky and Jennifer Martin have been there too! Well done!

Birthday Fun For Gabby

On the one hand, Continental Travelnurse loves our nurses; when it's your birthday, we try to reach out and wish you the best wherever you are in the world. When Gabby came into the office right around her latest birthday, we were delighted to belt out our best wishes and light some candles.

On the other hand, we do love cake!

If you'd like to learn more about the Continental Travelnurse family and the opportunity to travel Europe and practice your profession in some of the best medical centers in the UK where you will be respected and well-paid, check out our website!

Zero Tolerance For Preventable Errors In Medicine

A new article in Washington Monthly highlights preventable errors in medicine and how difficult it can be to even get data on hospital care or even something as simple as infections patients received while at a hospital. The author's solution? A national program of tracking each and every error and near-miss, detailing the incident and looking for lessons learned. he wants to model it on the airline industry and the pro-active way it deals with every single mistake. Even a pilot turning a plane briefly in the wrong direction when pulling away from a boarding gate is noted and examined. Last year, the airline industry had no fatal airline accidents in the developed world. Why shouldn't hospitals strive for the same zero tolerance?

Happy Birthday, Gabby!

We love it when our Continental Travelnurses pay us a visit at our offices in London. Gabby Simon came by and gave us a chance to sing her "Happy Birthday!" (and enjoy a slice of cake). If you want to be part of the Continental Travelnurse family and find out more about how you can travel the UK as a nurse, visit our website.

Ice Skating Party: Photos!

Here are some photos from the Continental Travelnurse winter party where we had fun giving a go on the ice skating rink. Thanks again to everyone who made it such a fun night.

First Annual Continental Travelnurse Ice Skating Party!

Thanks to all of you who attended the Ice Skating event at Canary Wharf recently. It was a huge success with about 30 of our friends in attendance, making a grand total of about 40 people when you include all the people from the main office of Continental Travelnurse.

It was a great night for everyone. Of course, not all of you could travel to London for the event but we hope more can make it next year. This was our second year and travelers came from as far as Oxford and Brighton. Some came to skate. Some came for the spectacular, moonlit surroundings at Canary Wharf. And we suspect that everyone was drawn in by the cocktails, canapes and camaraderie.

Many of you had a good go on the Ice and we were really impressed with everyone’s skating efforts. One person in particular stood out: congratulations Sistern! Sistern came to us from Alabama in teh US but is originally from Gambia. He had never skated before but showed real determination on the ice, helped along by his lovely new wife who encouraged him every step of the way. Perseverance paid off and he was great!

Krissy Milbradt was a natural, but we are sorry to hear that the triple axle you pulled off caused you an injury! Luckily, you were surrounded by healthcare professionals. :)
We hope you have recovered now and will get back in the rink soon.

We were not expecting a world-class skater to be at the rink and Leslie was pleasantly surprised when she was taught some moves by Christopher Smart, a world class competitor at the junior level and future Olympian.

So thank you again to everyone who attended. It was an absolute blast and we look forward to seeing everyone at our summer event which will be announced in a few months time.

Lower Costs and Better Health Care? It Can Happen

The New Yorker has a fascinating article about "targeting" high risk users of medical care the same way many cities targeted high crime areas. The results could be revolutionary. Read about it here.

Balancing "Acess" And Good Patient Care

In the UK, Dr. Christian Jessen writes in the Evening Standard that he's worried new rules to improve "access" may mean less face to face time between doctors and patients. Read his column here.

Great Accommodations And Easy Commute

Continental Travelnurse Yolanda is very pleased with her accommodations and easy travel to work! She writes us: "Good taste! I love the flat you chose for us. I feel like being in 2 cities-London and Las Vegas. I love the view vis a vis.... We have a very busy ward but it is alright for me. I like working there. Hope they would like me too.It is really nice and comfortable to use C10 going back and forth to St. Thomas. Warm regards,
Yolanda."

Check out our website for more info on how you too could become a Continental Travelnurse!

Chronic Drug Shortages In Canada For Some Generic Drugs

In Canada, people are discovering chronic shortages of drugs for depression, heart and other conditions. Why? Generic drugs with dwindling demand don't pay enough. Users are confused and worried. The Globe & Mail explains.

We Love Feedback Like This!

Here's a very friendly, unsolicited comment from a Matron at a top London hospital who was looking for more nurses she could bring in from Continental Travelnurse.

"The nurses you provide are excellent!" said Debbie, in London, explaining why she turned to us first.

If you want to join a team with the best reputation in the business, check out our website and call Continental Travelnurse today.