By Susan Schneider, contributor
Kate Blank, RN, BSN, has been a traveler for over three years. She works for leading travel company Nurses RX and could easily be a motivational speaker, rousing others toward a carpe diem lifestyle.
Blank is someone who embraces change and opportunity to the fullest extent possible.
“As a travel nurse, I have a great opportunity to keep on learning,” said Blank. “I am never bored.”
Blank, who works in pediatrics, explained that she tries to work in a different sub-specialty on each assignment so that she’s developing her skills and learning different ways to execute the same procedures. She has selected assignments in Pediatric Ortho, Cardio, Cardiac Step Down and on an IV team among other things. She considers it all a chance to explore what she might like to specialize in down the road.
Exposure to a diversity of colleagues and practice environments has made Blank certain that she will include an educational component in whatever she does.
“I would like to share what I have learned about all the different things various people bring to their practice,” said Blank. “I feel I have a lot to contribute as far as what works and what doesn’t; I’ve seen so many things for myself.”
Blank said she would never bring an arrogant or superior attitude to a new assignment, but rather diplomatically offer input about what she has learned on different assignments. She said this has served her well and actually affected a very large scale change at one hospital that was especially rewarding.
Originally from Chicago, Blank has had assignments in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco and San Diego.
San Diego has been her favorite so far.
“It’s paradise,” enthused Blank. “And I’m not saying that just because I met my boyfriend there. It’s full of fresh, young and enthusiastic people. And it’s a beautiful city with the ocean and beaches. There is so much to do. I worked at Rady’s Children Hospital, which I loved so much I extended multiple times. The nurse manager was a wonderful woman who begged me to stay. I was tempted, but felt I had more traveling to do.
Because San Diego is a world-class tourist destination and filled with colleges and universities, the 26-year old Blank said she met many travelers – nurses and non-nurses alike.
“I had about 25 names in my phone book at all times,” laughed Blank. “I was always the one coordinating get-togethers so I would just send one text message with the details of where and when to meet. We always had a big crowd of travelers, staff nurses and non-nurses show up.”
One of her favorite San Diego memories was the night she arranged a birthday party for a fellow traveler. Because she travels light, without many household supplies, she brought the birthday cake she had baked to the designated restaurant on a paper plate wrapped in duct tape.
“It was all I had,” laughed Blank. “The restaurant manager had to be convinced I wasn’t smuggling in some sort of bomb. There were a lot of laughs over that.”
Blank said that instigating birthday celebrations is one way she makes friends in a new area and helps introduce people to one another, which is greatly appreciated by all.
“I never feel alone as a traveler,” said Blank. “There is such a huge network of travel nurses out there you always know someone or have someone introducing you to their friends. And I’ve also found staff nurses to be very friendly and welcoming.
“On my very first assignment in Phoenix, for example, I met my first friend in the fitness room of the apartment complex. She was wiping down the equipment and talking about germs. I laughed and said, ‘You must be a nurse,’ and she was! We became friends right away and I had someone to show me around.
“After that, whenever I moved to a new city, I would sign up for something I like to do. It was kickboxing and then hip hop in L.A., hiking in Phoenix, surfing in San Diego and snowboarding at Lake Tahoe when I lived in San Francisco. I meet tons of people all the time. It’s one of the greatest things about being a traveler.”
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