Join the family at Continental Travelnurse and even your new job will be an adventure. You get to explore part of the UK and be near Europe and so much more. Our nurse Renee shared some photos from her vacation in Egypt. Like many of the travel nurses, she worked for a while to make money, and then took a grand vacation.
Here's what Renee told us when sharing the photos: "I'm back from my week in Egypt and had an amazing time there. I want to go there again. I've attached some photos for you. The tour had 28 people on it from Australia, Canada, USA, South Africa and Venezuela. It was a great group. I really enjoyed the cruise along the Nile for 3 days and Hurghada on the Red Sea. On Saturday 19th I'm heading to Austria (Innsbruck) to go skiing for 15 days. I'm really excited to give it a go and I have my fingers and toes crossed I don't hurt myself in any way." -- Renee
At Continental Travelnurse, our nurses get to live and travel to beautiful locations. Heather shared some photos of her visit to Corfe Castle in Dorset. It was built by William The Conqueror in the 11th Century. Thanks for sharing Heather!
We love hearing great feedback from our travel nurses. They come to work in the UK because they trust us to create a great experience from where they live to where they work. Hannah settled into her new home and wrote us, "Thank you so much! You really have outdone yourself here with this place. It is so lovely, and it's really great I get to live with my friend Lara! We have been loving it so far. Thanks again Jenni we love it!" Glad to hear it!
Just as important as where they stay is where they work. Our travel nurses have great experiences there too. Kristen describes her first days on the ward: "What a busy week!! But things have been really good! I have had a wonderful experience with the ward so far! They have given me an amazing induction - I have met everyone form the dietician, bereavement nurse, pharmacist, nurse practitioner - they have all gone out of their way to take time and speak with me and show me around. I have taken a few extra courses (they signed me up for a child recall day so I did manuel training, infection control) they have me signed up for an IV course, and electronic charting... and everyone has been so warm and welcoming! I really like it there!"
Many of our travel nurses work for a while and then take off on an adventure, work some more and then head off again. That's exactly what Renee is doing, who shared photos of her ski vacation. She wrote, "My 2 weeks in Austria were amazing. From day 1 we were into ski lessons (for the beginner like me) and did 4 full days of lessons, by the end of day 3 we were conquering the easy runs on the mountain and probably annoying the seasoned professionals because at first we were going so slow!" Up next for Renee: a tour of Europe.
Friday, December 14, 2012
We love hearing from our nurses! Moni promises to come back soon and Leah wishes us a Merry Christmas.
Hi Annabel,
How are you? I like very much working here. For the moment I won't extend my contract because my hospital requires my to go back and I miss my familly.
I've promised to [the hospital] i'll be back in Oxford as soon as possible. She asked me to keep in touch with her. Once again many thanks to the team, particularly, you Annabel, Spencer, Tiffany and Carl for helping me to achieve my goal.
See you soon
Moni
Hi Annabel!
Thank you so much for the Christmas card; it made my day. I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year, too. Enjoy your time off and I look forward to hearing from you in the new year.
Just to let you know that I've been so greatful for all the help you and Continental Travelnurse have given me over the last six months i have very much enjoyed being part of your company.
Here's a website called American Nurse Project. It's linked to a book that's just out by the same name. But you can enjoy this website on its own: it includes video interviews with nurses about their careers and the many insights they have on medicine and life. Check it out!
Continental Travelnurse is very proud of the high standards we set for our nurses and how they meet and exceed those standards time and time again. We're also proud of the hospitals and other medical facilities we partner with and the high standards they meet as well. We only recruit the best and we only work with the best. But sometimes we take for granted how often nurses thank us for their work experience, the homes we find for them to live in during their travel nurse adventures and the lifelong friends they make. Similarly, when a hospital tells us how great a nurse has been, we think, "Of course! We know they're great. That's why we recruited them." So here's a rundown of some recent feedback from all the people we work with. If you want to be part of the Continental Travelnurse team and use your valuable skills to work in the UK and travel throughout the Continent, check out our website now.
From the Matron at Royal Sussex Country Hospital to one of our nurses LaShawn:
I've reviewed the budgets and spoken to both Unit managers regarding the recruitment issues we have. It's with great relief I confirm that we can re-start your contracts for 13 weeks from the 5th of November.
It has been a pleasure to have you and the team are very pleased with your work and contribution. It's refreshing to have a different perspective from the experience you bring with you as international nurses, something I haven't discussed with you much but hope we can catch up on.
The Unit Managers are very keen to extend and it's with great pleasure that we can say yes.
As I was strolling home from the hospital the other day, I was smiling and thinking of you! Dennis, Auggie and I are enjoying our stay in Brighton and feel so fortunate to be living at the Marina. The location is very near shops and work and the marina is a quiet, safe and a very enjoyable place to live. Many thanks for finding such a place for us!
Next week, Dennis, Auggie and I are going on holiday for a week and Palm's Properties (Sharon) agreed to check in our dear cat every day while we are gone. I wanted to let you know how grateful we are to her for helping us during our vacation and thought I'd share with you the kindness given. We intend to pay her something for helping us out, but again thought it was more than generous of her to offer to help us.
From an official at Arctic Day Care:
It has come around again, when I am in need of an excellent Continental TravelNurse [employee].
I am in need of a nurse starting with us on the 13th November.
Time, certainly, has flown and it has been a great time.
As you mentioned, our contract is until the 9th December. We will leave sometime during the previous week, with our flight booked for the 6th December.
Thanks for your assistance with matters on the homefront. We feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to live in a flat in such a position. Certainly the highlight of our stay here.
Again, thanks.
Louis and Paddy
From one of our nurses, with a humbling reminder of what some do with their vacation:
I have some fantastic news! St. Thomas A+E have signed me on for another contract! It is also one that will probably run all the way into May next year. I am so so so happy with the accommodation that I am in. My housemates have turned into my best friends and we travel every week to another country. Continental TravelNurse really has been so great in helping me out and honestly never had an issue at all and just love East Dulwich, which has made my UK experience what it is!
I finish this contract around the 3rd of Dec and restart work 31st Dec. [During December] I will be in Nairobi, Kenya to work with children in orphanages.
An official in critical care at Guy's & St. Thomas' offers a performance rating for one of our nurses. it includes "excellent" in every category with this additional feedback:
Tom has been an absolute pleasure to work with and has been a highly valued member of the team. He possesses the ability to care for a variety of critically ill patients whilst supporting those working around him and keeping the nurse in charge informed. He has excellent communication skills with patients, relatives and the MDT alike, and is able to lift the mood of the team with great ease. He will be sorely missed and I am very sad that he is moving on. I would have liked to have continued to work with Tom and develop his skills further as he would have made an excellent shift leader. I would not hesitate to re-employ Tom should he want to return!
Thanks again to our nurses and our hospitals and our team at Continental TravelNurse. It's because of everyone working together and doing such a great job that we're successful. We'll never take that for granted again!
If you want to be part of the Continental Travelnurse team and use your valuable skills to work in the UK and travel throughout the Continent, check out our website now.
Continental Travelnurse hosted another one of its famous get-togethers for our nurses. This time it was a Mayfair Treasure Hunt. Any nurses from far away who couldn't make it but are interested in arranging one for their area, just contact us for tips about how we did it and ideas for adapting the Treasure Hunt to your area. It's a great way to socialize with the nurses you don't regularly run into in your area.
This year's event took place on Thursday, July 26th on a rarely seen sunny and warm London evening -- call it fate! The action began at Grosvenor Square where an outdoor party was already in full swing with ping pong and giant versions of chess, Jenga and Connect Four.
After posing for a few group shots and listening to the rules, our nurses were divided into 5 teams that were each fearlessly led by one of our recruiters or Carl, the amazing guru of payroll at Continental Travelnurse! Off they all went in different directions, learning more about Mayfair history with each answer they found. It was silly and fun but best of all it gave our nurses a chance to get to know each other and their favourite Continental Travelnurse staffer!
All teams met up at the finish line, The Audry Pub with Hayley there to meet them and judge the entries! Everyone had a ball mingling, eating and toasting the gracious Champion Treasure Hunters: Team Katie Bartley. They found 19 out of 25 clues and each member -- Kate Tenberge, Anna Forrester, Jennifer Treloar and Tammy Mackenzie -- walked away with a London 2012 Olympic mug and wrist band.
Of course, our clients know the real treasure are the highly skilled and professional nurses that Continental Travelnurse provides to them. We only work with the best nurses and the best hospitals so everyone is assured of a gold medal experience. If you want to learn more about Continental Travelnurse or if you're already certain you want to use your valuable nursing skills to travel, have fun and earn money and respect while doing so, check out our website and contact us today! You don't need clues or teammates to guide you, just the desire to find out exactly how valued you will be working in the UK.
Notes like this from the nurses we work with at Continental Travelnurse make all the hard work we do worthwhile. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your appreciation, Katie! Here's her full email in response to an email from us checking in to make certain she'd arrived safely back home:
Yes, I am back safely and getting settled in. I just got a nursing job over here and am moving to Orange County soon! I hope you and the rest of the Continental Travelnurse team know how much I appreciate you!! I would not have been able to be with my now fiance if it wasn't for your company taking me on board and finding me a job in London. I always felt like I could email/call/show up/talk/etc! It didn't feel like a big company where I would get lost in the crowd; it felt personal. I felt like a staff nurse in the hospital and on Victoria Ward the Continental Travelnurse nurses were very respected and treated like a staff nurse every day at work. Those nurses are truly special and work so hard for the patients. My struggling for the first month at the transition was worth the two years of amazing nursing experiences I had while in London!! TOTALLY worth it!! St Thomas' hospital and the nurses on Victoria Ward will always be in my heart, and Continental Travelnurse especially because you made it possible for me. Please tell everyone thank you. I am getting married to my handsome "Brit" in two months and we would not be where we are today without Continental Travelnurse Ltd. I hope to one day return. I will always have good things to say and advice to give other nurses so if ever you need someone for a nurse considering your company please send them my way. I have made lifelong friends there. Just wanted to say my THANK YOU as I had not done before. You made these last two years at Continental Travelnurse very enjoyable and frankly very easy!! THANKS!!!!!! xxxxxx Katie
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
If you want to learn more about the opportunities and fun available to members of our Continental Travelnurse family, check out our website or call us today. http://www.continentaltravelnurse.com/
Here's a note from another Katie just starting her Continental Travelnurse experience. (In case you're wondering, we do hire nurses who AREN'T named Katie, as well. :)
Hi Aine! I love Brighton! Thank you! What a wicked exciting city to be in! Thank you so much for placing me here! I had my first shift today. Everyone was lovely! Such a new system to get used to, plus being on the ward again, but lovely and I have no doubt that before long I'll be up to speed. The Australian couple who I am sharing the flat with are lovely! Really nice couple! The house we are in is great, I can see the ocean from my room! And we are perfectly situated close to hospital and down town! So just to let you all is going well! Brighton is such a colorful city and I love it! Everyone on the ward today was super supportive and patient with me! Hope you had a good trip back to the UK. Talk soon, Katie
We just love getting positive feedback from our nurses! Here's a wonderful one from Katie. Thanks for taking the time to write to us, Katie. It made our day!
"I hope you and the rest of the Continental team, and mainly Shannin who worked with me for nearly two years out there, know how much I appreciate Continental Travelnurse!! I would not have been able to be with my now fiance if it wasn't for your company taking me on board and finding me a job in London. With Shannin, and you Lisa, and lots of the team, I always felt like I could email/call/show up/talk/etc! It didn't feel like a big company where I would get lost in the crowd, it felt personal. I felt like a staff nurse in the hospital and on Victoria Ward the Continental Travelnurse nurses were very respected and treated like a staff nurse every day at work. Those nurses are truly special and work so hard for the patients. My struggling for the first month at the transition was worth the two years of amazing nursing experiences I had while in London!! TOTALLY worth it!! St Thomas' hospital and the nurses on Victoria Ward will always be in my heart, and Continental Travelnurse especially because you made it possible for me. Please tell everyone thank you. I am getting married to my handsome "Brit" in two months and we would not be where we are today without Continental Travelnurse Ltd. I hope to one day return. I will always have good things to say and advice to give other nurses so if ever you need someone for a nurse considering your company please send them my way. I have made life long friends there. Shannin will be missed at Continental Travelnurse, but Lisa, and I'm sure so many of the other staff, have been fantastic too! Just wanted to say my THANK YOU as I had not done before. You made these last two years at CTN very enjoyable and frankly, very easy!! THANKS!!!!!! xxxxxx Katie"
Continental Travelnurse only works with the best medical facilities and the best trained nurses from around the world. And our main focus is to make sure all of them are happy and given the opportunity to succeed at work and play while teaming with us. That's why we love getting feedback that lets us know we're doing our job well. That dedication doesn't end after your fun is over and you've headed home. Here's a nice note from a nurse who appreciates our continued work to make sure she has everything she needs to bring her time with us to a happy conclusion.
Just a quick note to say a big thank you for such a prompt response to my request for a record of service. I have worked for so many agencies over the years and Continental Travelnurse sticks in my mind as the best! Prompt and efficient! I continue to recommend your agency to anyone who may be traveling to the UK - keep up the good work!
Regards,
Vanessa
Thanks Vanessa. Make sure you tell your friends to check out Continental Travelnurse online and give us a call!
CONTINENTAL TRAVELNURSE THIRD ANNUAL ICE SKATING PARTY!
Continental Travelnurse had its 3rd annual skating event recently. It was really fun with lots of nurses turning up to skate and socialize with other nurses and our Continental office staff. We nibbled on Mexican chips and dip and drank bountiful beverages. The Moose Bar was extremely busy with after-work drinkers from nearby businesses in Canary Wharf. But we managed to all get to our reserved space and have a good catch up. It was nice to meet new nurses and to see them chatting with Continental Travelnurses, asking for advice, tips and generally getting to know each other.
As far as the skating was concerned everyone gave it a go… we had some confident skaters: Kate from the office and Chantelle Golding were whizzing round the rink and helped some not so confident skaters stay up right!! We were impressed with Jane Ukandu and Caroline Stanley Smith who were still skating past 9pm!! We saw quite a few people fall on their bums including one of our nurses but we won’t name and shame!! Linda, a new member of the Continental Travelnurse office team, Guiliana Vertolli and Onika Ottley did brilliantly getting on the ice and not clinging to the sides (too much!). They haven’t skated for a while so they faced their fears...maybe the wine helped!! We look forward to seeing everyone in the spring for our next meet and greet which will be confirmed nearer the time.
Happy Australia Day from your friends at Continental Travelnurse. Some of our best nurses come from Australia and New Zealand and we love it when London celebrates Australia Day. Great tennis on the telly and great fun in the pubs and all over the city. If you're in the UK, check out these fun events going on Thursday, January 26. The first pint is on us!
Celebrate the Wines of Australia on the Vinopolis Wine Tour -- the perfect event for those who love their drink made from grapes and Australia.
Aussie Day at Entree. The Battersea restaurant is owned by two Aussies so you won't be surprised they go all out for Australia Day with special menus all month long including surf and turf, kangaroo carpaccio and more, all paired with the perfect wines.
The Walkabout Pubs make it their business to be all things Aussie. So make sure you set aside enough funds for a cab ride home.
If you're feeling ambitious, you can whip up some of these specialties and invite your friends over.
AUSSIE MEAT PIES
There's a reason this recipe is an Aussie classic - serve these pies and you'll see why! 900g beef rump steak, trimmed, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped 2 rashers middle bacon, trimmed, chopped 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons plain flour 2 cups salt-reduced beef stock 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 4 sheets frozen ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, partially thawed, halved diagonally 2 sheets frozen ready-rolled puff pastry, partially thawed, quartered 1 egg, lightly beaten Tomato sauce, to serve
Method 1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Brush a 19 x 29cm (base measurement) lamington pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang slightly. 2. Sift the combined flours together into a large bowl. Repeat twice. 3. Use an electric beater to whisk the eggs in a large clean, dry bowl until thick and pale. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tbs at a time, whisking well after each addition until mixture is thick and sugar dissolves. 4. Sift the combined flours over the egg mixture. Pour the boiling water down the side of the bowl. Use a large metal spoon to gently fold until just combined. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn cake onto a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside overnight to cool. 5. Trim the edges of the cake and cut into 15 squares. Spread the coconut over a plate. 6. To make the chocolate icing, sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Add the milk and water and stir until smooth. 7. Use 2 forks to dip 1 cake square into the warm icing to evenly coat. Allow any excess icing to drip off. Use your fingers to roll the cake in the coconut to evenly coat, then place on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining cake squares, icing and coconut. Set aside for 1 hour or until icing sets.
Of course, the day wouldn't be finished without a singalong on "Waltzing Matilda" and "I Still Call Australia Home." Have a great and safe day!
Continental Travelnurse deals with only the best trained nurses from around the world and the best facilities in the UK. Is it any wonder that virtually every travel nurse we bring to the UK is offered a permanent staffing job? Most politely decline because what they love is travel and fun and exploring Europe before settling back home. But every once in a while one of our nurses has such a happy experience they do decide to make the move permanent.
So congratulations to S. Wong, who chose to take a staff job here. She wrote to thank us:
Thank you very much for your email. I really enjoyed working with you, too. Thank you very much for all your help and support. The staff and Leslie have been great and very efficient. Annabel did mention I can always go back to Continental Travelnurse and that is very reassuring.
I have recommended Continental Travelnurse to my colleagues and friends. I will continue to promote Continental Travel Nurse. Take care .
Thanks again and have a great time in your new position!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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."
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.
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!
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!
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
Here are some news stories that Continental Travelnurse thought you might find interesting. You also might find interesting how in demand and valued your skills would be in the UK. Check out our website for more info on how you can become a travel nurse, see England, Ireland, Scotland and Europe and get paid to do it!
AUSSIE DOCS TO GET IPADS!
In Australia's Victoria, the new Labour head of the province detailed elaborate plans to improve the health care system. But the one detail that caught everyone's eye was his plan to provide an iPad for every doctor working in the public hospital system. Interestingly, though Apple is famous for its closed systems, of all the portable devices out there, it works best with the varied medical information systems that populate most hospitals.
WHY DON'T NURSES HAVE A BIGGER VOICE IN HEALTH CARE REFORM?
In the New York Times, a nurse writes a passionate essay about the state of health care and the many challenges facing it in the future: primarily, the sheer numbers of people entering the system while so many health professionals are leaving the system via retirement. And with all the debates, why don't nurses have a place at the table?
Nurses currently form the largest sector of health care providers, with more than three million currently registered; but few have led or even been involved in the formal policy discussions regarding the future care of patients. To address this discrepancy, the Institute of Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation assembled a national panel of health care experts that has been meeting for the last two years to discuss the role of nurses in transforming the current health care system. Their final report was published last month with no less ambitious a title than “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.”
Read the article to find out what this report determined about how nurses can play a vital role that takes full use of their skills and importance.
"GOD HELP YOU, YOU'RE ON DIALYSIS!"
The Atlantic Monthly has an in-depth article about dialysis, treatment which is provided to everyone by law and is the closest the US has come yet to universal health care. The piece details the many problems highlighted by the history of dialysis, which raise many questions for anyone advocating for a private OR a public solution to health care. Here's the sobering intro:
Every year, more than 100,000 Americans start dialysis. One in four of them will die within 12 months—a fatality rate that is one of the worst in the industrialized world. Oh, and dialysis arguably costs more here than anywhere else. Although taxpayers cover most of the bill, the government has kept confidential clinic data that could help patients make better decisions. How did our first foray into near-universal coverage, begun four decades ago with such great hope, turn out this way? And what lessons does it hold for the future of health-care reform?
We sent a birthday greeting to Ali, one of our travelnurses back in Canada, and received this wonderful news in reply: she just got married in September and is happily settling down in Calgary. Better yet, Ali had several of the friends she made in Scotland while working for Continental Travelnurse at the wedding. You do indeed make lifelong connections. As Ali told us, "I always have wonderful Continental Travelnurse memories!" Thanks Ali and again, congratulations on the happy news. Here are some snaps from the wedding. Thanks for sharing, Ali.
If you want adventure and fun while using your skills in a professional and satisfying environment where they are highly valued, contact Continental Travelnurse today. You'll work in the UK and have the chance to explore England, Ireland, Scotland and the rest of Europe while you do it. What are you waiting for? The friends of a lifetime are ready for you.
We love hearing from our nurses, like Lise, who is Danish but comes from New Zealand.
"Have secured another contract at Mark wd.which I'm pleased about. Everything is going well, going out with Nancy a lot and we are having fun. We're going to the opera on Thursday night to see "La Boheme" so will be dressing up for a change!" Kindest regards, Lise."
Here is a very positive reference for one of our nurses working with a new client in Brighton. Happily, as you can tell, it's quite typical for the first-class professionals that Continental Travelnurse works with.
"I am very pleased to say that Kristen has in no way lowered the standard I am learning to expect for the nurses you have provided! Personally I would be very happy to work with Kirsten should her contract be renewed. I do hope that being invited to write this reference does not mean we are to lose her just as she settles in to our team! Thanks for your support of what has been a consistently impressive band of "real nurses"!"
Wonderful to hear and thanks for sharing your thoughts. If you want to be associated with the top-notch talent at Continental Travelnurse, contact us today. We specialize in recruiting nurses from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and placing them in first-class hospitals and medical facilities in the UK. The opportunities for work -- and to explore the Continent -- are endless. Call us.
A columnist in Canada's Globe & Mail talks bluntly about the many ways he believes that country needs to change in order to meet its obligation of decent health care for all.
“There’s no law that says private health care is illegal. What there is instead is a whole bunch of laws that dampen the ability of private care providers to be parasitic on the public system.
The result is an oft-illogical patchwork that has left Canadians – and to a large extent policy-makers themselves – perplexed. To wit: Physician visits are covered by medicare but the drugs they prescribe are not – unless the patient is over 65; physicians cannot bill patients but they can refer them to imaging clinics and laboratories that do; private clinics can offer knee surgery but not heart surgery; a citizen cannot jump the queue for care unless they were hurt on the job and they are the responsibility of Worker’s Compensation; homecare nursing is provided by private companies but hospital nursing is not.
“There seems to be confusion about the legitimate role of the private sector in the health system,” as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development says in a recent report. That’s quite an understatement.
The NSWNA (New South Wales Nursing Association) has been calling for a minimum nurse to patient ratio as the strongest, most direct step to guarantee quality patient care in the national health system. And they've been rallying to bring attention to the issue. The Sydney Morning Herald has more.
The New York Times has a profile of a man who became a nurse in his 40s. What prompted the career change? Caring for his dying mother. “It was rewarding,” Mr. Van Rensselaer, 45, says. “It was important for my mother to die at home. Working with hospice nurses allowed me to do that for her. And I realized, ‘I can do this.’ ”
From our friend in New Zealand who just returned home after travelnursing for us:
Hi Roz,
Yes I am back in NZ now. It is certainly a long trip back. I am missing theUK desperately but it is great to catch up with friends and family here. Have certainly told people about your agency, Continental Travelnurse. I have every intention of coming back to the UK in about 18 -20 months time.
Please say hi to everyone back in the office. I must say that once I had done all those courses via osmosis it was great to know that you had everything under control at your end so thank you very much for making my experience of nursing through Continental Travelnurse a pleasant one. Cheers, Freda
Continental Travelnurse has so many options to offer. Instead of settling, go on an adventure. Come to the UK, put your skills to use immediately and fall in love with the UK and the rest of Europe, all of it cheap and easy flights away for fun weekends or during vacation breaks. You can commit to as little as three month stints at a time or stay as long as you like until your first choice is available at home, all while gaining valuable experience and memories of Europe that will last a lifetime.
Have you seen an article online you think other nurses might be interested in? Send a link to your Continental Travelnurse contact or directly to mgiltz@pipeline.com and we might post it here.
The Atlantic Monthly has a fascinating profile of "meta-researcher" Dr. John Ioannidis, who has devoted his career to exposing the flaws found at every stage of published medical research. His respected work discovers that most medical papers are upended and that even nearly half of the absolutely most rigorous studies are fatally flawed. That's why one week you'll read that salt raises blood pressure and the next week that a new study shows that it doesn't and a week later a study that confuses you even more. Read "Lies, Damned Lies and Medical Science."
I was in kitchen baking a chocolate cake to take to work tomorrow when the door rattled. I was hoping it was the plumber! But it was the post.
Thank you for the lovely birthday card and wishes from the office. When one is away from home emails are good but old fashion mail is a more concrete link with friends.
My first day is actually tomorrow, Wed Oct 20 7am. In Australia we take cake when it is our birthday so that is what I will do at Royal Sussex.
Christine is truly lovely. I feel a bit intimidated because she keeps saying "We love our Continental girls they have all been wonderful" -- a high standard to live up to. I hope I don't let you down!
Spent Sunday giving Janine a birthday, and Monday introducing her to Brighton . Tonight Kathy Sachs and I are going to Brighton Comedy Festival
Registered Nurse Theresa Brown has a thoughtful column in the New York Times about the difficult dance that occurs when a nurse disagrees with a doctor. She sees herself as an advocate for the patient, one who has typically spent much more time with them than the doctor. Brown covers several true-life incidents:
1. A doctor in training who had prescribed the wrong, life-threatening medication. In this case, of course, the nurse is obligated to act immediately and work her way up the food chain of authority until the dangerous step is avoided.
2. The more nuanced case of a patient in his 70s fighting leukemia and bitterly suffering from chemotherapy.
3. A doctor who simply told her, “When you get down to it, patients come to me for care, Theresa, not you.”
It's well worth a read.
Continental Travelnurse knows what the valuable skills of nurses are worth. That's why we place our nurses only in the best hospitals and medical facilities. That's why our nurses wear staff uniforms -- they're part of the team, not a day worker who will come and go but someone who will be part of the staff for three months. And -- shhhhhhh! -- we make certain our workers get a better salary than the equivalent people on staff.
Tired of being taken for granted? Come to the UK where your skills are desperately needed and highly valuable, where you'll be treated with he respect your talent deserves and where Continental Travelnurse will help you explore the UK and Europe in a way no tourist on holiday for two weeks could ever hope to do.
Thank you SO much for your time, you guys are always supportive and prompt with your emails! I have been spreading the word about your agency at work and many people have heard of you and always give positive comments!
The Sydney Morning Herald has a story about the New South Wales Nursing Association (NSWNA) pushing for the biggest reform in decades for health care: a minimum of a 1 to 4 nurse to patient ratio.
Brett Holmes, general secretary of the NSW Nurses Association (NSWNA), on Monday said the reform had the backing of both public hospital and community healthcare nurses.
If implemented, it would be the biggest reform of the NSW public health system in decades, he said.
"The evidence from Victoria, California and other places with minimum nurse-to-patient ratios is now in and they work and work better than any other system," he said.
The NSWNA claims the health system has been plagued by nurse shortages and poor skill mix for too long, risking patient safety....
Mr Holmes said the ratio had worked well in Victoria and would help overworked nurses to cope.
"For example, nurse-to-patient ratios have existed in Victoria for ten years and have greatly improved the health system in that state and attracted many former nurses back to the profession," he said.
"If it is good enough for the people of Victoria, it is good enough for the people of NSW.
