As a single nurse looking for adventure, I decided to become a travel nurse. There were so many parts of the US that I wanted to see and I thought to myself, ‘what better time than the present?’ I was not attached, was able to be very mobile and could not think of a good reason not to consider the opportunity. And, with the last checkmark being the financial ability to continue my current lifestyle being satisfied, I decided to apply for and accept an offer.

My first assignment was in a small town outside of Kansas City. I was providing OB/GYN services to the small rural community of women. I was staying in great accommodations and was able to travel to see the area on my day’s off. On several occasions, I made my way into the city to have an escape and to meet some new people.

One night when I was eating dinner at a local favourite restaurant with friends, one of my friends had brought someone that they wanted me to meet. Even though at first I was a little upset that my friends were trying to set me up, when I saw Patrick I was very intrigued.

We immediately struck up a casual conversation and continued to enjoy dinner. We followed dinner on our own with coffee and desert at a local diner around the corner and left our initial meeting with the goal to get together again. I did not have my schedule in front of me, but I knew that with only a 2 hour drive, I could certainly make it back into the city to meet him on my next long weekend or my next 2-3 days off in a row.

We started to see each other quite regularly and had formed a great relationship. Patrick knew that I was only scheduled to be in the area for a total of 6 months before I would receive my next assignment. And, while I did have some choices available, it would be unlikely that the next place would be close enough for us to continue our relationship.

So, on a beautiful winter day right before the holiday season and before I was able to get my next round of assignments, Patrick proposed. I immediately accepted and then we spoke about what was next. As a successful business owner in Kansas City, Patrick proposed the idea of me moving to the city permanently and finding a full time nursing opportunity close to his home. I was very excited and so I accepted.

I certainly did not become a travel nurse to meet my future husband, but it could not make me any happier that things had turned out this way. I was able to travel to a new place, to enjoy the surrounding landscapes, I made some great new friends and now I am marrying the man of my dreams. And, this is all because I took a leap of faith and became a travel nurse.

Have you ever had a secret desire to travel the country? But, has something held you back? The most common reasons that people have not followed their dreams to travel involve finances or families. Imagine if you could have a career that caters to your family’s needs and provides a solid financial foundation for your family’s future! The option that I have personally found to meet both of my needs is travel nursing.

Travel nursing can involve providing nursing services to clients in virtually any location. Rural areas, suburban areas, metropolitan areas and communities that seem to be in the middle of no-where all require medical services and are often searching for the exact services that a travel nurse can provide.

If you are like me, you have stayed away from the concept of travel nursing as you have a family. I used to think, ‘how can I consider a career as a travel nurse when I have kids to worry about?’ But, after I continued to have the desire to travel and have variety in my career, I decided to look into the option more closely.

So after doing some research, I figured out that there is actually a great deal of assistance offered to travel nurses with families. For example, the agency that I work with works to research the school systems and the processes to enrol my children once we change locations. And, they provide me work that coincides with their school schedule. So, I am able to select form available work as a travel nurse that accommodates the needs of my growing family.

By working around my children’s school schedule, I never have to worry about taking them out of school at the least optimal time. So, I can expect to move throughout the school year only 2-3 times. Typically these times are after each semester and during the summer. But, I have the option in many cases to take longer assignments. As my kids get older, I have decided to choose longer assignments that only require me to move once per year so that there is less adjustment required for my children.

My kids are still very small, 4 and 6, and they love to see new places. So, not only have I been able to work in a great career that allows me to achieve my financial goals, but it has allowed me to cater to my family’s needs while I am pursuing it.

While this lifestyle may not appeal to everyone, it has given my children the opportunity to see new places that they would have not otherwise been able to see. It has improved their social skills and ability to adapt which I think are valuable skill sets to possess as an adult. And, it has give me the financial freedom to meet my family’s needs and to save for our future. I wish that I had known about the opportunity earlier as I can only imagine the great locations I would have been able to see and serve.