By Claire Brocato, feature writer
When Kerry Phyillaier, RN, a labor and delivery nurse, traveled to San Diego,
California, for her first travel assignment, she had no idea that she would end
up playing an integral role in the birth of her recruiter’s firstborn child.
Carol Carrillo, Phyillaier’s American Mobile Healthcare recruiter, was surprised to find one of her
travelers at her bedside when she was admitted to the UCSD Medical Center, but
also realized that she was in the hands of a highly competent and professional
nurse.
"Kerry was absolutely awesome," said Carrillo. "I honestly could not have
asked for a more caring or skillful nurse to help me through my labor. She
stayed with me almost constantly for 12 hours and went to extraordinary lengths
to make me feel comfortable and relaxed."
"When my shift came to an end, I wanted to stay with Carol to help her
through her delivery," explained Phyillaier. "Unfortunately, though, I had an
appointment to view an apartment that I was considering renting, which I
couldn’t reschedule, so I had to leave when my shift ended."
Two hours later, Carol gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
Helping her recruiter through her labor was just one of the many highlights
of Phyillaier’s travel assignment in San Diego.
"I simply loved living and working in Southern California," she said. "Coming
from Baltimore, I really appreciated the great climate and the wholesome outdoor
lifestyle. I kept extending my assignments so I could stay longer."
"That is one of the great things about being a travel nurse," she continued.
"You don’t have to pack up and move every 13 weeks. If you like a place, you can
stay for much longer. I ended up working in San Diego for over a year, before
finally taking an assignment in Hawaii."
While living in San Diego, Phyillaier caught the eye of television producers
who were scouting for young women to appear on the ABC hit show, The Bachelor.
They offered her the chance to be one of the women on the reality TV show, who
would vie for the bachelor’s affection.
"I was flattered that they wanted me to be on the show," she said, "but I
knew I didn’t have any chemistry with Bob, the guy who had been selected to be
the bachelor."
"It didn’t seem right to accept their offer just for the sake of being on
TV," she explained. "I wanted to do it for the right reasons. Although I
declined, I still keep in touch with the producers. So, who knows, maybe
something else will come along one day."
In the meantime, however, this vivacious travel nurse is enjoying every
moment of her travel assignment in Hawaii.
"Traveling is not only about the adventures of discovering new places," she
explained. "It’s more about discovering yourself through your travels."
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