Healthcare Traveler - September 2008 - (Page 64)

Tales from the Road M E M O R A B L E E X P E R I EN CE S AT WO R K O R P L AY Discovering paradise Leslie Burgess, RN, has been a travel nurse for over 10 years. “When I first started, it felt a little like jumping off a cliff,” she says with a laugh. “But it was the best decision I ever made.” Julie Anne Eason in Maui. LESLIE BU RG E S S , RN, taking a br eak on the ro ad to Hauna A lternating between assignments on pediatric and adult intensive care units, Leslie enjoys the flexibility offered by a mobile career. A traveler with Charlotte, North Carolina-based Cirrus Medical Staffing, she also likes to vary her contract locations. Leslie has spent the past decade traveling through North and South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida. But, to date, her most memorable assignment took place at Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women & Children in Honolulu, Hawaii. Colorful beaches A self-proclaimed “solar-powered girl,” Leslie loves spending time where the ocean and land meet. So, during her trip, she explored several beaches. “First, I visited a black sand beach. Later, I met more people from the Tar Heel State, and we hiked to a green sand beach. Prior to this outing, I had no idea such places existed.” A river of fire When she had a 4-day break, Leslie took off to discover paradise. She started out alone, but soon learned the best way to meet new people was to ask someone to take her picture. “I was hiking one of the volcanoes when I met two ladies, also from North Carolina,” she recalls. “We struck up a conversation and quickly became friends.” A nearby ranger told Leslie and her hiking buddies they could see an actual lava flow if they trekked a little further. “We decided to go the rest of the way together. It was crusted over, but the flow was the size of a large stream! Through the cracks, I saw a river of fire. The heat was intense, but it was beautiful.” To date, Leslie’s most memorable assignment took place in Honolulu, Hawaii. But, according to Leslie, the most remarkable beach she encountered consisted entirely of glass sand. “The tiny pieces of glass had been tumbled by the sea, so they were smooth and round,” she explains. “It was the oddest thing. When the waves met the beach, a humming sound was produced.” deep-sea fishing, but several of them had become ill and sunburned. Sure they would see something interesting—various birds and marine life—Leslie advised they take a nature-watching tour instead. The family agreed and invited her along. “I was unprepared for spotting a humpback whale,” she says. “I had seen them on TV but never knew how immense they are until I saw one up close.” Endless possibilities “Nothing is like healthcare travel,” relates Leslie. “There are no politics, and if I want a specific holiday off, I can have it written into my contract. It’s like I’m on vacation all the time.” She credits her recruiter for getting her to the places she wants to visit. “Jules is my ‘dream weaver.’ I recommend traveling to other clinicians and tell them to treat their recruiters like gold.” On assignment at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, Leslie says there’s no telling where she’ll travel to next. “I haven’t been to California yet, and I’d love to visit Montana in the summertime. That’s the beauty of it; I could end up anywhere.” And anywhere will do just fine. HT Julie Anne Eason is a freelance writer based in China, Maine. The unexpected On her way to some hot springs, Leslie met a family visiting Hawaii as part of a reunion. They chartered a boat to go Copyright ©2008 Advanstar Communications Inc. All rights reserved. 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Healthcare Traveler - September 2008 Editor's Desk Contents In a Flash Paws for Thought Field Notes Regional Differences in the ED Joining Together Drug Update Clinical Tips Cityscape Advertiser's Index Name It Travel Tips Big Deals Tax Facts Dot.com Contest Rules Allied Corner Going the Distance Classifieds Tales from the Road

Healthcare Traveler - September 2008

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