Healthcare Traveler - March 2009 - (Page 14)

Company Corner AG E N C Y P E R SP E C T I V E S O N H E A LT H C A R E T R AV E L VICTORIA ANDERSON, BSN, RN, CMSRN, at the Tall Ships Festival® in 2008. Volunteering: The heart of travel nursing Does the full and bustling lifestyle that traveling healthcare professionals embrace leave virtually no time or energy for volunteer activities? On the contrary, most travel nurses enjoy a versatile and flexible schedule that can complement extracurricular demands. Carol Tuttas a first-aid station at the Honda Classic PGA Tour in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. “In July 2008, I was privileged to volunteer at the Tall Ships Festival® along the Foss Waterway in Tacoma, Washington,” notes Victoria. Although she was initially scheduled to work in the first-aid station, a surplus of volunteer nurses led her to work directly with the public, serving as a guest greeter and information provider during the Tall Ships Festival®. “Thirty-two ships were available for viewing and boarding,” she explains. “I answered questions, recommended tours, directed the public toward ships and points of interest in Tacoma, and handed out 2008 Tall Ships pins in exchange for donations toward ship maintenance.” The position was perfect for a travel nurse like Victoria, who is comfortable interacting with the public. She and other volunteers also assisted the various ships’ crews, which included eager-tolearn teens and professional sailors. In particular, Victoria provided direction to the crew for boarding and departing and helped to find local resources close to the event’s location. At the conclusion of the Tall Ships Festival®, she and her co-volunteers were rewarded with a party. “We enjoyed a barbeque with all the trimmings. A local band was hired to entertain us, and between sets, prizes were raffled off to volunteers.” All in all, the entire 2008 Tall Ships Festival® was a success. I ndeed, as highly organized and compassionate professionals, you may thrive on purposefully building volunteer activities into your life plans, both during and between assignments. The story of one such nurse appears below. Uniting for a good cause By devoting time to making a lasting and positive impact in the lives of others, you can contribute to the “social capital” of the domestic and foreign communities you serve. A recent report by the Corporation for National and Community Service defines a community’s social capital as “social connectedness.” The report, Volunteering in America: 2007 City Trends and Ranking, reflects the direct relationship between volunteerism, high levels of social capital, and better overall physical health. In fact, volunteers themselves may have a longer lifespan with better functionality, as well as lower rates of depression. If you’re interested in devoting your free time to serving your adopted community, or if you’d like to schedule www.healthcaretraveler.com Compassionate by nature “Volunteering allows me to meet people with similar interests and to donate time to help both individuals and communities,” says Victoria Anderson, BSN, RN, CMSRN, a travel nurse with Boca Raton, Florida-based Cross Country Staffing. Thus far, her mobile career has allowed her to participate in volunteer opportunities ranging from painting walls at an inner city school for New York Cares® to providing nursing care in 14 Healthcare Traveler March 2009 “Volunteering allows me to meet people with similar interests and to donate time to help both individuals and communities.” —Victoria Anderson, BSN, RN, CMSRN http://www.healthcaretraveler.com

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Healthcare Traveler - March 2009 Editor’s Desk Contents Paws for Thought Field Notes Company Corner In a Flash Rural ORs Balancing Act Clinical Highlights Drug Update On Assignment Cityscape Name It Tax Facts Big Deals Advertisers’ Index Going the Distance Contest Rules Allied Corner Classifieds Tales from the Road

Healthcare Traveler - March 2009

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