Philip's Travels

At Continental Travelnurse, our nurses come from all over the world to work in the UK, become part of the community and then explore the country and Europe as much as they want. But not everyone comes from overseas. Philip was born in the UK, but has also lived and worked in Australia for many years and is now back here doing sterling work at St. Thomas. Clearly he has wanderlust and a great eye, as you can tell from these photos he shared with us. You can see Philip at Stonehenge, in Edinburgh and gorgeous Austria.

What great photos. But Philip is an even better nurse. Thanks for sharing these images, Philip. And thanks for being part of the Continental Travelnurse team. If you want to learn more about Continental Travelnurse and how your valuable skills as a nurse can take you wherever you want to go, check out our website and then call us today. 

A Patient Writes In With A Wonderful Thank You!

Our nurses often tell us what a great experience they've had with Continental Travelnurse. Our hospital clients always tell us how great our nurses perform. But it's pretty uncommon to receive a note from patients -- probably because as soon as they're out of the hospital, they want to forget all about it. The next time you or someone you know is in hospital and gets great care, take a few minutes to write a note and say thanks. It will mean a lot to them. Here's a wonderful note one of our nurses received from a patient.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I was admitted to St. Thomas's on 23/03/13 via A&E with suspected appendicitis. I had recently moved to London and had no friends or family living locally. As I had become acutely ill when visiting the city on my day off, I only had the contents of my handbag and the clothes I was wearing with me. I was in a lot of pain and had fever and obviously felt very vulnerable. After the shock of my admission had subsided I felt rather scared and alone at the thought of facing several days in hospital and a possible operation. My phone battery and died and I had no way of contacting my father back home in Birmingham.

First of all, I want to say that every point of care during my stay was unmatched and the care and service I received from all your staff was impeccable. I was seen promptly by the medical, surgical and gynaecological teams. They treated me with dignity, spoke to me honestly and openly and kept me informed of my situation at all times. The gynaecology SHO on call on the night of the 23rd (Ben, I think?) was extremely helpful and I owe a huge thank you to the Crohn's Consultant Andrew Williams who addressed my fears regarding my Crohn's and talked me through the exact process of the various investigations I would have done.

Secondly I want to point out the First Class care I received from a particular nurse Hanna S----- on the gynae unit throughout my stay. I would appreciate it if you could please relay this to her and her nurse in charge/ward manager if possible. I arrived on the gynae unit on 24th March and by this point I was exhausted and feeling very sorry for myself! I could not have asked for anyone more diligent, caring and professional. She got me a phone charger so that I could contact my family and made sure the relevant teams were informed of the progress of my scans. She listened when I was worried and made sure I had everything I needed. In a time when nurses are receiving such bad press, I think it is essential to recognize good care. Hannah was the perfect nurse and I am extremely grateful for her going the extra mile with regards to my care.

I would recommend your hospital to anyone who would listen. The care was outstanding. My condition was investigated thoroughly and I am now feeling 100% better thanks to your teams.

Yours faithfully,

Rosalie

Renee Will Be Missed

Continental Travelnurse only recruits the best nurses and partners with the best hospitals. How lovely when that professionalism and passion for their work is recognized. Here's a personal, handwritten letter our nurse Renee received when saying goodbye to her job in Eastbourne. It's not from her immediate supervisor and it's not feedback we requested from the hospital. It's a note that one of the doctors she worked with took the time to deliver to Renee unbidden.

Dear Renee,
It is with great sadness that you are leaving. I say this not just because you are a fellow Aussie...but because during your time here at Eastbourne you have set a standard for your work in nursing that would be hard to surpass. You combine excellent nursing practice with trustworthiness; along with that, you have the gift of being able to touch the lives of the children and their parents with compassion and understanding of their difficulties.
Enjoy your travels in Europe Renee! And when you get home, remember you will not be forgotten here.
Very best wishes,
John

What a wonderful gesture and a great tribute to Renee. It's a good reminder we should let the people we value highly know it. If you want your nursing skills to be highly valued while living and exploring the UK and Europe, come to the Continental Travelnurse website for more information.

Julie On Camel; Julie And Friends At A Cathedral

Check out the Continental Travelnurse website today. You'll discover that your nursing skills make you highly valuable in the UK. You can come and work, live and explore the UK. Every day is like a holiday when you're discovering a new part of the world. Even better, the rest of the UK and Europe is readily accessible for weekend jaunts and holidays. Many of our nurses work a while, save up money, explore Europe and then come work some more. Here is one of our nurses, Julie, on a camel.

And here's Julie in front of Salisbury Cathedral with fellow Continental Travelnurses Ashley and Tiffany.

Come visit the Continental Travelnurse website today and see where your nursing skills can take you.

Megan In The Alps

Our nurses never stop. Join Continental Travelnurse and you become part of a family. Megan from South Africa described bonding with friends in the UK and doing some wonderful work in the local community on her off days. Then she shared her adventures in the Southern Alps in France and then on a bus tour with a travel group. Great stuff and with some valuable tips. Here's just a sample of her photos and story.

I am SO glad that I went. What a beautiful part of our planet it is! With tiny villages nestled in valleys between peaks towering 3000m into the sky, and a blanket of snow at least 60cm deep, it was like a whole different world to me. I stayed in a guest house run by a wonderful couple, Stephanie and Laurent. They speak English and they are pretty much the only ones who do. So there I am, a citizen of the Southern Hemisphere, alone in snow country where no one speaks English. Kind of funny really… but with a view like I had, my book, a pair of snow shoes and Stephanie cooking, I was very happy! I arrived early evening when it was already dark, so you know that surprise when you wake up in the morning and see where you are. That first day was Sunday and there was a big cross country ski race finishing on the door step of the guest house. So plenty of entertainment for the day, aside from watching the skiers and the their last spurt of competitive spirit before they cross the finish line, a race is a race no matter the sport and there are always plenty of colourful bystanders to watch. The guest house dining room/bar was extended with a marquee and all participants and supporters where served a hearty lunch. I found myself caught up in the buzz and having to smile politely once or twice in response to friendly Frenchies trying to strike up a conversation, shjoe… what an experience! My plan to go for a long walk and explore that afternoon abruptly ended when I put my nose out the door and realised there was white fluff falling from the sky, a lot of it, and it was wet! Who knew… so instead I stayed inside and read in between watching the snow.

Undiscovered Alps is a 5 year old company and very successful, but its only made up of a British lady, Sally, and her French Husband, Bernard, just for clarification. Anyway, so the two of them took myself and another British couple ice climbing for the afternoon. I think it’s safe to say that those were the by far the best six hours of my entire trip. They drove us to a different valley, parked the car, and after gearing up we had a short walk up to a frozen waterfall. Bernard rigged up three leading ropes and we spent the afternoon taking turns on them. You have an axe in each hand which you slam into the ice, and crampons on your feet which you dig in toe first as you go up. It took me a few minutes to get used to the weight of the axes and get over the idea that the whole waterfall may crumble under me. But once I got the hang of it, it really was so much fun.  On Tuesday I attempted cross country skiing, which is very different from the widely known downhill skiing. It was less fun but probably because you need more than a day to learn to stay upright. I had a two hour lesson with an instructor. Her name was Sophie and she was great, I think I enjoyed her more than the skiing. My last day in the Alps I spent with Bernard, he took me snow shoeing up a hill and this too was an incredible experience. As I said before, it is all so different to anything I have ever seen before, and walking uphill in the snow obviously has completely different dynamics to it. My senses were completely overloaded with natural magnificence and I was in awe that whole afternoon. The wind creates pretty patterns on the snow slopes, the same way it does in the desert. Bernard has lived his whole life in the area and so is a wealth of knowledge. He told me so much about the mountain range and the different peaks, knows all their names and altitudes. He told me about the wolf packs in the area and pointed out spoor and droppings of Hare and Foxes, also about the weather and the risk of avalanches. I had a running commentary all the way. All this was again in Frenglish… but still, it was all so interesting. After our walk he dropped me in Gap where I spent the night, and the next day took four trains in twelve hours back to London. It really is a spectacular part of the world, and with 300 days of sunshine a year and summer temperatures between 28 and 30, I can only dream of going back at a different time in the year with a pair of hiking boots and a mountain bike. Hmmm… perhaps one day.

The bulk of the trip was obviously the Contiki tour that I did, and quite different from everything that I have just described. It was a dash through some of the best cities in Europe and jam packed with attractions, tours, lots of good food and night life. There is simply too much to describe. It was all so wonderful. Doing a big bus tour like that has its advantages and disadvantages. The down side is that you are always part of a big group, which tested my sanity at times. Your schedule is pretty much planned for you, and you feel a lot like a tourist and less like a traveler. Having said that, there is absolutely no way that I could have done even half of what we did on my own, or for the amount of money that I did it on. It really is value for money. There are so many things that I would never even have known about, let alone had the resources to do them. So I am very glad that I did it. Let me tell you that the Australians are wonderful people and very similar to South Africans in many ways. But they are EVERYWHERE. My incorrect perception was that if I booked with a British based company like Contiki rather than the rival company Top Deck, I would have an opportunity for more variety. Clearly, a moment of naivety. We were a group of 44, more than half were Aussies, including the tour manager. Lucky for me, they were a great bunch of people to travel with. The tour manager, Jason, was absolutely outstanding as well and made the trip all the more wonderful. He has been doing this job for 5 years and carries around a stuffed Meerkat as a mascot. It was given to him by a South African girl on his very first trip because she said he reminded her of a Meerkat. This is the best way to describe this guy. He is like a Meerkat on a sugar high with an Aussie accent, wearing a psychedelic collar shirt. Behind all that though, he has a wealth of knowledge on every city we visited, from Prussian history in Berlin to the closest public toilet in Rome, it was both interesting and handy to have him as a tour manager.

We did so much and saw so much and ate so much, it would take ten pages to tell you one tenth of it, but here is the just of it. We spent a very unique Christmas eve and Christmas day in Amsterdam. My second visit to Amsterdam, and how I love that city! Berlin blew me away, it is such a great city. The highlight of the visit was most certainly a walking tour that we did with a local guide. I’m sure you know this city has a colourful history, from ancient Prussia to WW1, the fall of Germany and her rearmament, WW2 and eventually the Berlin wall. All this leading to Germany’s current democracy and policy of transparency. And oh my, the food in Germany! From there we went to pretty little Prague, again indulged in some amazing food and took full advantage of the Christmas markets. From Prague to the Beer capital of world, Munich! A beer hall in Munich is a marvelous experience and has an atmosphere that cannot be described, but can only be experienced. We saw the New Year in in Munich, which turns into little Baghdad with all the fireworks… I’m serious! It’s completely crazy, I couldn’t help thinking of all the emergency nurses working in Munich that night. From there we left Germania and drove to Venice… well, drove to nearby Venice and then took a boat to Venice the next day. It poured all day, as if the city needs more water??! But when you have an umbrella and good shoes, who cares! It certainly didn’t ruin the day. This crumbling Italian City is wonderful to visit! From Venice to ROMA! Wow, talk about a window into the ancient world. If I had to pick only one place to go back to, to see more of it would most certainly be Rome. From to Rome to the affluent north, a quick stop on a Tuscan wine farm for some cheese, wine and olives, and on to Florence. My highlight in Florence, Michelangelo’s statue of David carved out of a single block of marble. Cliché I know, but I feel like I never have to look at another sculpture in my life again. From Florence we headed back to the Germanic region of Lucerne Switzerland. If Rome is the city I would chose to go back to visit, Lucerne is the city I would choose to live in, if I had a lot more money of course. The tour ended in Paris and with Moulin Rouge on our last night, it was certainly a spectacular ending. And that, dear friends, was my Month in Europe.

-- Megan

Wow, what an amazing time. Thanks for sharing, Megan. Where will your nursing skills take you? Find out today by visiting the Continental Travelnurse website. 

Stargazing In The Sahara

At Continental Travelnurse, even your job is an exciting adventure because you get to live and truly know a part of the UK. But many of our nurses also take the opportunity of living and working in the UK to save some money and then take a grand vacation. Tiffani certainly did that. She shared her adventures in the Sahara with us, including a great travelogue and some amazing photos. Here is Tiffani's story

I took a week to explore Morocco with a tour group. My friend and I found a 2-for-1 deal with Travel Talk, which was 7 nights and included the Marrakech markets, camping in the Sahara Desert, and trekking in the High Atlas Mountains.

Marrakech
DJ and I landed in Marrakech at 11:00am and met a few others from our group in the airport. Since the 6 of us had the afternoon to ourselves, we decided to venture into Jemaa El-Fna for a bit of pre-tour culture shock.

We were the only tourists around, it seemed, and the market was relatively empty. People approached us from all angles trying to sell us knick-knacks or put monkeys on our shoulders. One girl from our little group was led away from us from a woman who insisted on drawing henna on her arm. DJ followed to make sure she was okay, and when the rest of us joined them we saw that DJ was also having henna drawn on her arm. Before I could choose a design, my arm was being drawn on as well. I tried to negotiate a price, but the women joked around and avoided naming a price until they were finished - which ended up being 400 dirham (equivalent to 40 euros, at the time). The women refused to bargain with us, so we ended up leaving them with our wallets empty and our arms dazzling with henna and glitter. We wandered through the souks, which is a labyrinth of shops, selling clothing, food, and all sorts of shiny objects. It was quite mesmerizing. That evening we met with our tour group, and set out the following day for the desert.

When we returned on day 7 of the tour, myself and a few other girls went to a hammam - the most talked about spa treatment in Morocco! We sat together in a sauna, had our skin exfoliated and our hair washed, and then relaxed with a 1-hour massage. We could have paid 500 dh to go to the hotel hammam, but our tour leader had a friend who charged us only 300 dh each. By the time we left, night had fallen, and Jemaa El-Fna was alive! It had completely transformed from when we had seen it on the first day. Food stalls were everywhere, people were dancing and singing and doing magic tricks, and the atmosphere was completely relaxed and enjoyable. This is the Marrakech that everyone talks about when they go home.

The Sahara (Zagora, Chigaga, and Tamegrout)

The desert was the highlight of the trip! Our tour leader, Abdul, loved telling us all about Morocco and the difference between the Arabs and the Berbers. We walked through a rural Sunday market on our way to our camp. Each night was spent gathered around a bonfire, under the stars, and in the calm of the Sahara. We dined on chicken tagine and fresh fruit. We rode jeeps through the sand dunes, and had a picnic in the beautiful oasis. Our tour leader arranged a private tour for us through the rural village of Tamegrout - and we even sat in the main room of a local's house, drinking sweet mint tea (a.k.a "Whiskey Berber").

On the fourth day, we rode camels! It was incredible. We were informed that it was mating season, so all the female camels were kept very far away from the males we were riding. Otherwise, we may have raced off into the distance for an experience none of us wanted to have. Since the sun was beating down from a cloudless sky, we were given scarves and taught how to tie them like turbans. This was to prevent nosebleeds and syncope. I absolutely loved riding the camels. But for anyone who hasn't ridden a camel before: bring paracetamol! Our bodies were aching afterward.

The High Atlas Mountains

The final part of the tour involved resting in a Bed & Breakfast in the village of Imlil. We trekked up the mountain one morning, which wasn't easy after riding the camels. There was snow on the ground where we stopped for lunch, so we had a snowball fight. Once we were back at the B&B, one of the staff was walking with her toddler, who tripped and gashed his forehead open. Since everyone on the group knew I was a nurse, they came looking for me. I had to improvise with the dressing supplies on hand, but first aid is called first aid for a reason. I assessed the child and bandaged his forehead while he sat calmly on his mother's lap. It is moments like these that truly bring out the nurse in me.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip, which I would recommend to everyone. Abdul was amazing and taught us a lot about Morocco: politics, religion, culture, and education. As I write, I am remembering the tranquility of the Sahara, the sun on my skin, and the humble reminder than I am just one person on such a vast and diverse planet.

-- The Travel Diary and Photos of Tiffani

What a great adventure Tiffani! Thanks for sharing with us. If you want to see where your nursing skills can take you, come visit the Continental Travelnurse website. 

Stonehenge, Paris...Where Will You Go?

At Continental Travelnurse, we get vicarious pleasure out of the many weekend getaways and holidays our nurses enjoy when not using their valuable skills at UK hospitals. Here's Kirstin outside the Moulin Rouge in Paris!

And here's Tatcheva at Stonehenge!

Where will your nursing skills take you? Come to the Continental Travelnurse website and discover the  many opportunities your talents can bring you.

Lauren On Tumblr

Our nurses aren't just highly skilled at their jobs; they also reveal hidden talents when exploring the UK and Europe. Lauren shared some great photos she took while traveling throughout Europe and Spain specifically, as well as working in the UK. Check them out!

Wonderful photos, Lauren. You can see more of her work and descriptions of her travels on Lauren's Tumblr site called Bandaids and Backpacks.  If you want to enjoy adventures in Europe while using your highly valued skills in the UK, check out the Continental Travelnurse website.

More Great Feedback From Our Nurses

Join the Continental Travelnurse family and you can have an adventure while living and working in the UK. Many of our nurses also take weekends and holidays in the rest of Europe -- they're a quick and easy (and very inexpensive) plane or train away. Travel nurses are bold and fun, but they're also putting their trust in us and it's great when they let us know their trust was rewarded.

Deb sent us a lovely note after getting back home:

I'm back in Australia now! Nice to be home but I do miss London life and Farah heaps!

Thank you for all your help in the last year. Your support, right from the beginning when I first called, has been greatly appreciated. CTN should know you are a great asset to their company.

If I'm ever in NY or maybe London again, I'll let you know :)

Deb

The hospitals also put their trust in us. They know we only work with the best, but they're always happy to let us know that we've met the high standards they expect from us again and again. Here's feedback from a hospital manager after a nurse's stint with them. Jacquee is a New Zealand nurse who chose to work in Overnight Intensive Recovery for one year. They were sad to see her go.

‘Jaquee was hard working, a good team player, and had excellent team rapport. Nothing was ever too much trouble for Jaquee!’ 

Nurses who join Continental Travelnurse have great adventures, make friends for life...and sometimes even more. Over on Facebook, Shannon had this to say:

"If it weren't for Continental Travelnurse, I wouldn't have met my husband or have my two beautiful children!" -- Shannon

Congrats again, Shannon on finding more than you ever expected when coming to the UK to work with Continental Travelnurse. If you want to see where your nursing skills can take you, check out our website. 

Lovely Housing

At Continental Travelnurse, we provide our nurses with only the finest accommodations. It's great to have feedback that bears this out. Here's an email with one of our nurses who loves the housing...though she's worried about shopping being so convenient! :)

Just wanted to send you an email thanking you for all you did in arranging the accommodation. I think you have seriously excelled yourself with the Grainstore apartment as it is so comfortable and convenient.  Transport to the Royal London takes 30 mins at the most and runs frequently enough that I can get to work very comfortably.

Like you mentioned, Canary Wharf and Stratford are very quick and simple to travel to. My biggest worry is how easy the Westfield shopping centre is to get to as it has a Lego shop and I am a recovering addict! My husband has already had to prise a massive Lego technic truck from my hands - it's not like new clothes that I can hide in the cupboard for a couple of weeks then wear it and when asked, reply "This old thing? I've had it for a while now." I am able to distract myself though as I am enjoying the kitchen in the apartment and getting in and cooking.  I feel like I am living the high life.

My housemates are also very nice and it's great to have a mix of nationalities. I have fallen into the trap of socialising with British nurses or aussie expats so its great to get some variety.

Thank you again for your effort,
Serena

To learn more about Continental Travelnurse and how you can use your skills as a nurse to come and live and explore the UK and Europe, check out our website. 

Royal Spotting!

At Continental Travelnurse, we can't guarantee you'll always be bumping into members of the Royal Family, but it's easier than you think. Anne emailed us some photos of her birthday party and the night she spent with Prince William (ok, the night she stood near Prince William. Briefly. But still! Here's what Anne told us about her royal spotting:

I SAW PRINCE WILLIAM!

I went to the movie premiere of The Hobbit at Leicester Square last night. I didn't actually watch the movie, I just wanted to see celebrities get out of their cars! lol....Anyway, I knew my boy William was coming but no one knew what time. So I asked a security guard, and he said he will be coming late...700pm instead of 630pm...so people started to leave and I stayed ha-ha. So I saw his car and the windows weren't tinted. Gosh, he's so adorable. Attached is a picture to see how close it was! lol. VIVA ENGLAND! -- Anne

To learn more about Continental Travelnurse and how you can use your highly valued skills to come to the UK, explore the country, do valuable work in a setting where your talents are appreciated, vacation in Europe and -- who knows -- maybe spot a royal, check out the Continental Travelnurse website. 

Renee In Egypt

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

 Thanks for sharing Renee. If you want to see what travel nursing is all about, visit the Continental Travelnurse website.

Heather And Her Castle

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!

Great New Home, Great New Job And A Great Vacation!

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.

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.

Thank again

Leah

To learn more about Continental Travelnurse, check out our website.

Great Video Interviews With Nurses

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!

Wonderful Feedback From Our Nurses and Hospitals

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.


From LaShawn to her personal contact at Continental TravelNurse:


Hello Jenni,

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.

[Continental TravelNurse recruit] Jennnifer is leaving me at the end of November.

Please can you find me another Continental TravelNurse of her calibre, with maybe an interest of staying with us for at least 4 contracts in a row?

Please can you let me know as soon as you can.

Kind regards.

Joanna


From two nurses to their personal contact at Continental Travelnurse:


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.

Mayfair Treasure Hunt A Success!

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 26^th 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. 

Another Nurse Becomes A Friend For Life

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 

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"

Katie"

Great Feedback From Our Friends

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!

Ice Skating Party Photos

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 Continental Travelnurse!

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

LAMBINGTONS

Ingredients (serves 15)
Melted butter, to grease
75g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour
75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
70g (1/2 cup) cornflour
6 x 59g eggs, at room temperature
215g (1 cup) caster sugar
1 tbs boiling water
170g (2 cups) desiccated coconut
· Chocolate icing
300g (2 cups) icing sugar mixture
35g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder
60ml (1/4 cup) milk
60ml (1/4 cup) boiling water

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!

Another Travel Nurse Settles Down

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!

Your friends at Continental Travelnurse

Check out our website for more information on the many opportunities you can discover with Continental Travelnurse.

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.