Healthcare Traveler - January 2009 - (Page 42)

On Assignment A DE TA I LED GLI M P SE OF LI F E ON T H E ROA D N E W YO R K , N E W YO R K Photo: Getty Images/Hisham Ibrahim/Photographer’s Choice RF/ Big city opportunity Jessica Cuesta, RN, is young, single, and possesses a zeal for adventure, so it is no wonder she finds the mobile lifestyle too interesting to pass up. Anne Baye Ericksen A fter completing her education in 2005, Jessica set out like any other new nurse: she accepted a full-time position on a general medical floor. A few years later, however, she was ready to take the next step up the ladder, and entered an operating room (OR) training program. “I was looking for something different within nursing,” she explains. “It was challenging, but I really liked being in the OR. I was intrigued by the various procedures.” She graduated Travelogue On Assignment… Cityscape… Name It… Contest Rules… When In… Tales from the Road… 42 Healthcare Traveler January 2009 42 44 47 52 53 64 from that program in June 2007, and has been practicing in the specialty ever since. It was as a core staff member that Jessica first heard travelers tell their tales from the road, which captured her attention. “I realized I wanted to try out a mobile career while I am young, healthy, and have no ties,” she says. “I knew if I was not going to do it now, I probably never would, and I do not want to regret having passed up the opportunity.” On the recommendation of some seasoned travelers, Jessica registered with Beverly Hills, California-based HRN Services Inc. “I first called the staffing company last April, but indicated I would not be ready to leave on assignment until July. In the meantime, my recruiter helped me process all the necessary paperwork.” immediately because it is so convenient to get from one place to another without a car. That impressed me so much.” Her wish came true when Jessica was assigned to Beth Israel Medical Center’s Phillips Ambulatory Care Center in New York, New York, last summer. Upon her arrival, she received a week-long orientation and she shadowed a staff nurse to learn the ins and outs of her job. “It was not so much the surgeries I had to become acquainted with, but more about learning systems and familiarizing myself with how the staff does things.” Jessica quickly adapted and has since earned glowing evaluations from her supervisors. She primarily works Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. This assignment has presented a few new challenges for the clinician. Previously, Jessica was accustomed to the rigors of an acute care OR suite, but here, all of the procedures are conducted on an outpatient basis. “It is very different in that the surgeries are shorter in length, and our patient turnover rate is much faster. Also, the greatest percentage of our cases is orthopedic in nature.” “I’m still amazed at how you can walk anywhere at anytime and be surrounded by other people.” —Jessica Cuesta, RN A new beginning Initially, Jessica thought she would like her inaugural assignment to be in Washington, DC, but she changed her mind after a brief vacation to New York City. “I was attracted to the community An abundance of other mobile clinicians also assigned to the facility has made the transition relatively smooth for Jessica. “Only one staff RN is on my shift and the rest are travelers, and the same scenario applies to surgical technologists,” she explains. “That was surprising to me because, in my other job, we only occasionally worked with travelers. I also feel like I have www.healthcaretraveler.com http://www.healthcaretraveler.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Traveler - January 2009

Healthcare Traveler - January 2009 Editor’s Desk Contents By the Numbers Paws for Thought Field Notes In a Flash Med Ec-cerpts Dream Destinations Nursing from the Heart Drug Update Professional Update Clinical Tips On Assignment Cityscape Name It Advertiser’s Index Contest Rules When In… It’s in the Bag Dot.com Tax Facts Big Deals Starter’s Kit Going the Distance Allied Corner Classifieds Tales from the Road

Healthcare Traveler - January 2009

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