travel nursing

Travel nursing. Not for sissies. It's intense. I am on a four-week assignment here in Vegas, working at any of the St. Rose hospitals or the HCA hospitals (Sunrise, Mountain View, or Desert Hills). So far I have worked at St. Rose Siena, St. Rose DeLima, and Sunrise. At St. Rose, I got no orientation. I showed up, they told me where I would be, I find my where there, get my assignment and I start working! I have no idea where anything is, what the hospital policies are, or anything else. Everything I have to do takes ten times as long as it should because I have to ask a hundred questions. It is absolutely insane.

I was the L2K nurse my first night. L2K's are "Legal 2000's." They are under the possession of the state (or something) for like, 2 days, until a social worker or psychiatrist comes and evaluates them. They are usually under the influence of drugs or alcohol, homeless and dangerous, suiciddal, or something people are dumped and are unable to care for themselves. That was a night to remember. The other nights I have been in ER holds, patients waiting to get an inpatient bed so they are shoved in any corner of the ER they can find, usually the halls. It is so crazy. I work twelve hours shifts that turn into thirteen and fourteen hour shifts with no break, no food, and one bathroom break. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done but it has taught me a lot and it is good for me to put myself in difficult situations and prove to myself that I can do it. I miss my babies so much but I am doing it for them. I am still breastfeeding so I have to find time to pump, which has not happened some nights, but it is worth to feed my baby the best! I have had a few nights at Sunrise that have been a lot better. The problem with Sunrise is I have gotten sent home early both nights due to overstaffing! I am supposed to be at work right now but I got cancelled because there is a low census because of the holidays. Hopefully I will be able to work Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to get my hours in!

When all is said and done, it is a blessing that I can work while I am down here in Las Vegas for only a month and put some money away. I am thankful for that!