Healthcare Traveler - January 2009 - (Page 64)

After 29 years of service as an OR staff nurse and surgery director, Margaret Emme, RN, decided it was time for a change. Julie Anne Eason OURAY, C OLORADO , also know n added charm S he had heard travelers talk about all their adventures, and the stories stuck with her. So when her youngest son left home to attend college, Margaret talked it over with her husband. “Darrell agreed that the time was right. We’d been married long enough to know we’d be okay with short periods of separation. It’s been 15 months since I started traveling, and I’ve loved every minute of it.” Though she likes visiting places she’s never been, Margaret tries to keep contracts within an 8-hour drive of her Nebraska home. Lenexa, Kansas-based Health Specialists, Inc., finds contracts for her mainly in Colorado. “I’m working at St. Mary’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Grand Junction, which is about 2½ hours from Telluride and 2 hours from Aspen. There’s always something to do here. One of the best parts about traveling is meeting new people to share adventures.” to the trip. as “Little Sw itzerland,” We spent the night there and then stopped in Ouray on our way home. The town is called “Little Switzerland” because of its beautiful scenery. Ouray has its own hot springs, which we spent time in, and lots of wonderful shops. We enjoyed a real ‘girl’s weekend!’” The three travelers have also gone on spa weekends and visited national parks. Plus, they’re planning a trip to Las Vegas in the near future. “One of the best parts about traveling is meeting new people.” —Margaret Emme, RN summer and maybe Arizona in the winter. When deciding on a destination, Margaret looks at location, but also finds the contract that best fits her skills. “Travelers I meet tell stories of places they’ve been, and sometimes I decide to take an assignment there, too. Often, they describe places I never would have thought of visiting. It’s nice because Darrell and I get a chance to try out a location to see if it’s somewhere we might enjoy living when we both retire.” Broadening horizons Recommending traveling to anyone with a hunger for something new and different, she says, “I thought about it for a long time, weighing the pros and cons carefully. Once I took the plunge, it was awesome! I’ve had nothing but positive experiences since I started.” Margaret doesn’t like to plan too far in advance and enjoys extending contracts when she’s in a comfortable place. She just agreed to stay at St. Mary’s until April. “Many nurses with my years of experience can get jaded and bored. Thanks to traveling, I regularly have opportunities to expand my skills and broaden my horizons. That’s the best type of job satisfaction.” HT Julie Anne Eason is a freelance writer based in China, Maine. Keeping connected Hot springs and cool tunes Two of Margaret’s cohorts are Regina, a traveler from Tennessee, and Vicki, from Texas. The three of them head out in search of fun whenever they can. “For a while, we went to festivals every weekend. Depending on the time of year, there’s a festival for everything—wine, peaches, sweet corn.” Margaret recalls her favorite festival was Blues & Brews, an annual Labor Day weekend event in Telluride. “They combine great blues music with locally brewed beers. Margaret admits she misses Darrell when he can’t be with her, but she goes home frequently. He also visits whenever he can, and they take in the scenery together. Her favorite memory was when they saw the incredible rock formations at Colorado National Monument, a 32-square-mile preserve filled with mesas and canyons. Darrell plans to retire first, and the two have talked about buying an RV so they can travel together wherever they want. They’re thinking about Vermont in the Copyright ©2009 Advanstar Communications Inc. All rights reserved. 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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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