We were lucky to have an Aureus Medical travel nurse, Natasha S., stop by the office a few weeks ago. It was the perfect time to do a little Q&A with her.
According to Nursing Account Manager Bradley Rediger, “Natasha is an exceptional RN who has traveled across the country with Aureus. She is highly skilled in a variety of areas, and goes 
above and beyond for all of her patients. Natasha remains positive no matter what challenges come her way, and is truly a joy to work with! Aureus Medical is incredible lucky to have Natasha on our team!”
How long have you been a nurse? I’ve been a nurse for 6 years and am loving it! I always knew I wanted to do something within the healthcare field. When I was in school, I specifically created my curriculum for the route of pre-med. Obviously, that did not work out and I am so glad because I absolutely love what I do. Being a Critical Care nurse is exactly where I’m supposed to be!
What got you into traveling? It was such an easy decision and transition! Living in Portland, Oregon is expensive and when I heard that I could travel for a job I love to do, I jumped at the opportunity. I knew that if I traveled, I didn’t want to go through the process of having to find a house or two permanent jobs for myself and my husband. So, rather than shopping for houses, we shopped for a home on wheels (an RV) and that’s been our home for the past 7 assignments!
Why did you decide to travel with Aureus? I liked the fact that they were based in Nebraska and when I looked up the reviews online, I saw good ratings. I figured if people were saying good things about them as a staffing agency, I’d try them out. I’ve been with Aureus ever since because their benefits are so good, which is very important to me and my family.
What has been the biggest industry change that you’ve seen while traveling? Gosh, the industry changes so much! One thing that I think every traveler can agree with are pay packages. I’ve seen the biggest decline in pay within the past two years. The other thing I’ve noticed is the amount of new young nurses that are so eager to travel. It’s been a great network of seasoned and newer nurses to learn from!
What have been some turning points for you in your career as a traveler? The biggest turning point for me was leaving a physical “home” in Portland and being a bit of a nomad, traveling in an RV with my family. We’ve made some pretty fantastic memories, seen beautiful parts of the country and have been able to reconnect with family.
If you could provide any nurse interested in traveling some advice, what would it be? Do your research and be flexible on assignments – like, I never knew I’d love North Dakota so much but then I took an assignment there and it’s been my absolute favorite spot! The people are the nicest and the facility is incredible there! The other things I’d offer advice on is to go with a staffing agency that will treat you well. There are so many staffing agencies who see you as a dollar sign rather than an actual person. With Aureus, I never have to worry about that. The last tip I’d give is to know that the highest paying assignment does not always mean it’s the better assignment.
So very proud of you Natasha!! I am so glad Aurius realizes what a gem you are! You have a vocation, not just a job, your heart is big, you are a smart cookie, and you articulate well physically, mentally and spiritually. To love your work is a way to live well for everyone around.