My heterosexual life partner

Work Wifey

I knew early on in nursing school that I would somehow, someway do travel nursing. I imagined hitting the road by myself for a year or so to get the travel bug out of my system then head back to North Carolina to make roots, get married and become a staff nurse. Fast forward to current day and age where I am living, working, playing in Los Angeles and various other parts of the world with no plans of stopping. Five years ago I started my nursing residency at Duke University and met my heterosexual life partner, Lia Maiani. We both share a deep appreciation for champagne, ratchet hip hop music and being extra, usually all at the same time. We became quick friends once we found out we had the same type of humour and we've been inseparable ever since. We had a contract at Duke that kept us bound for two years but I made it clear that once my time had come I would be off to start travel nursing. Around the two year mark she got a dog, Douglas Giuseppe Maiani, I was worried she was making roots and not going to come along to Austin. I put in my two weeks notice and soon after so did Lia.....it was Lia, Douglas and I taking Texas...and the rest is history!

I could not be more thankful to have my best friend along for this journey. Going to all of these new hospitals and new cities alone would have been a totally different experience and I'm not sure I would be where I am today without her. I am quite dramatic and extreme while she's more kind and sensible. I have said it once and I'll say it again, I am no joke looking for the male version of Lia to marry one day. We have been through this crazy journey of working, living and traveling together and can still say neither of us would have done it differently. If you can find someone to travel with, DO IT! It makes all the difference in the world knowing a familiar face when walking into a brand new situation, having a support system and a friend could make or break your experience as a nurse on the road. No doubt you'll be meeting new people and friends but having someone in the same boat as you before you set out makes all the world of difference!

Nothing like the real world: The Yacht Week hostess

My quarter life crisis

This time last year I ran away from the real world. With a thirst to travel and a couple bucks stashed for a rainy day I decided to embark on a summer adventure abroad. Through word of mouth from friends and brilliant Instagram marketing I was introduced to The Yacht Week. If you haven't heard of TYW, pause now and check the site. They promise "the best week of your life" and "nothing like the real world" and boy do they deliver and then some. My interest was piqued seeing the sun-kissed babes in royal blue "hostess" polos posing for the camera holding booze infused watermelons in front of the infamous circle raft of adults in costumes and floaties. I did my research and saw that after completing Skipper Academy in Croatia you too could be the bronzed, carefree hostess with mostess ensuring your guests onboard had the best freaking time of their lives.

Hostess training was held in Split, Croatia through Quarter Deck Academy and I arrived with zero clue and zero expectations on what I was getting myself into. It was almost a mix between rushing a sorority in the south and Top Chef-Shitshow edition. It was a group of about 20 girls and guys from around the world all in the same boat, literally and figuratively, aspiring to become skippers and hostesses for The Yacht Week. Between 4am fake "emergency weather evacuations" and boozy dinners we all became quick friends and a support system for each other. The week of training ended but it was just the beginning of a summer of pure ridiculousness. I sailed three weeks straight in Greece, bouncing around from island to island sipping champagne and falling asleep under the stars. I also spent two weeks in Croatia jumping into The Adriatic Sea's crystal blue water and attending some of the most epic parties I've ever been to. They promised it would be nothing like the real world and it certainly was not--it was a land of make believe where everyone's champagne dreams turned to reality. 

Coming back into the real world was a rude awakening that no one can prepare you for. Luckily I was able to cushion the blow with a couple months traveling around Europe but I'll save those stories for another time--I'm beginning to sound like a douche.

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for”

— John A. Shedd

Travel nursing 101: Housing around the country

A HUGE incentive to travel nursing is hands down the housing. You get two options, have your agency set up something for you or take a housing stipend. The stipend is based on the cost of living for the city your assignment is located and it is also TAX FREE MONEY.....I will repeat that again, it is TAX FREE MONEY! I for one have always chosen this option over having someone else (the agency) pick where I live. There are so many options these days to find furnished short term rentals, almost so many options it's overwhelming, but if you have the time and patience it is so worth it. I've heard fellow travelers take the housing that the agency provided and have been put in an absolute dump to the point it was practically unlivable and then other stories where someone has been put up in a super luxe building with Lakers players as their neighbor. It's just too much of a chance to take in my opinion.

Utilize all your resources when it comes to finding a place to live. Put a blurb out on social media to see if friends or family have any insight or recs on where to live or where to avoid. Also, look at Facebook groups geared for travel nurses...a lot of landlords will post short term furnished rentals. It's important to ask a ton of questions prior to signing a housing agreement. More often times than not I'm looking for housing remotely and don't have the opportunity to see the place before I move in. I ask for a ton pictures and my new thing is to do a Skype tour of the place so I can get a sense of the landlord and visually lay eyes on the condition of the property, also asking for references of previous tenants in helpful. Always speak with the landlord and trust your gut instinct. Another options is once you get to the destination of your assignment book a room at an inexpensive hotel and give yourself a couple of days to go out and look at some properties.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR LANDLORD:
1) Laundry: on site, in unit or none?
2) Dishwasher? Garbage Disposal? Microwave?
3) Heat/Air-condition?
4) Parking? Garage or street? Do I need a permit to park on the street?
5) Locks/security? Deadbolt, door lock, alarm?
6) Utilities included? Cable, electricity, internet, trash, water?

SITES TO FIND HOUSING:
1) Facebook
2) Craigslist (use with caution to avoid scams, my best friend was scammed $1500)
3) Airbnb
4) VRBO.com
5) Homeaway
6) Roomorama
7) Lookalo

Why I R_N: Why I decided to become an RN

A lot of people were surprised by my choice to be a nurse. I come from a fairly business oriented family and have quite a strong personality and a weak stomach, right off the bat it didn't seem like a normal trajectory for me to pursue a career in healthcare. I'm the type of person to ALWAYS look at the bigger picture, sometimes to a fault. Firstly, I knew I could not have a job where I sit in a cubicle and pound on a keyboard all day in a ill lit office building, the thought literally gives me hives; I knew I wanted a job that had a lot of opportunities. The number of different avenues you could take as a nurse are endless. It's an umbrella career that encompasses so much, you could become an Nurse Practitioner, take a path towards education, administration or anesthesia. The opportunities are endless. 

I graduated high school in 2007 when the U.S economy was absolute shit and only continuing to get worse. I realized that if I chose a career in healthcare I would always have a job no matter how bad the current state of the economy got. I did my research and countless polls and websites ranked nursing as one of top careers for those going to college, there was a nursing shortage and competitive universities were eager to get students enrolled in the nursing program. I continued to do my research and decided I would go into nursing and eventually go on to become a Certified Registered Nurse of Anesthesia (spoiler alert: not a CRNA, and have no desire to be at this time!!!!). 

I don't have some amazing, life changing story or event where the universe stopped me dead in my tracks, thunder bolts came down from the sky and I was told I am destined to be a nurse. I chose it because it was a smart choice, I would always have a job, make a decent salary and have a flexible, desirable schedule. Through the years nursing has shaped my mindset and perspective and has come so much more than a "safe, smart choice", I love interacting with people in such a vulnerable, fragile state of emotion. It's amazing to see the impact you can have on someone from one interaction. Hearing peoples stories of sickness, health, loss, love, gain, and hope change you more than you could ever realize. I won't lie, the current state of most hospitals seem very political but the patients I meet on a daily basis make it worth it ten times over. This isn't a career for everyone, it takes a physical, mental and emotional toll on you--it's something that people will tell you but you can't prepare yourself for it until you're in that moment facing it head on. I feel so lucky that 18 year old me decided to enroll into pre-nursing and embark on this journey because it was sensible. The almost 28 year old version of me feels so lucky I decided 10years ago to enroll into pre-nursing because of all the people I've met along this journey that have made me into a better person. 

My hope is with this blog is to reach more who are interested in nursing or healthcare and show them how amazing this career path is and where is could take you.