Please recommend fun, different travel opportunities

[grouchy]

Hi,

I'm an RN. My background is mainly hospital (tele, ICU, med-surg) and some home health. All adult, no kids or OB/Gyn/L&D. I've always worked in an urban or suburban setting, usually in a large, beauracratic organization.

I would love to try something different when I travel. I don't care if it pays poorly. I just want it to be a good experience. This could be anything from working in a rural hospital in Alaska, to working on a reservation, or doing ambulatory care for migrant workers, or those still displaced by Hurricane Katrina. It could be working in a really great area, or working at a really great job(with great meaning enjoyment and/or making a difference, and meeting great people, not financial gain). I'm pretty adaptable, and I think I work well with people from other backgrounds. I'm willing for the experience to be "challenging" - to feel like an idiot, to not be initially accepted, to go outside of my comfort zone (although not my skill zone - at least, not without training.)

Has anyone done anything like this? Any experiences or opportunities you would recommend? I'd love to hear your stories.

[beautifulb]

Okay, this may not be anything different but it was such a great experience. My favorite was Wilmington, NC. Beautiful, beautiful place.

Also, sometimes Martha's Vineyard on the cape hires travelers. That would be fun.

I loved traveling!

[grouchy]

BeautifulB,

Thanks for your response. I've seen ads for the hospital in Martha's Vineyard in Nursing Spectrum Magazine. It does sound great, but they are looking for someone who can do medicine, icu, er, and labor and delivery - beyond my skillset. :-(

What specialty did you work in Wilmington? Is there a hospital you would recommend there?

Again, thanks for your input.

[beautifulb]

There is a big hospital called New Hanover Regional which is a trauma hospital but I don't know what level. Then there is this nice little hospital which is their sister hospital that is called Cape Fear (?) Valley Hospital. It may even be called New Hanover also. They have 3 units (besides the ER, PACU, OR) ~ Med-surg, Ortho (which is their big thing), and ICU. It was so nice and the people were great. There is a river that runs on one side of the city and the beautiful ocean on the other. They call Wilmington "Wilmiwood" because of the movies that are filmed there.

Also in regards to the Cape, the Cape Cod hospital and Falmouth Hospital hire travelers also.

[bagladyrn, RN]

I'd suggest, for a different experience, try a contract at one of the reservation hospitals - beautiful country, but very different from the East Coast, working with a different culture, in settings with sometimes very limited resources and dealing with disorders you don't see in suburban areas. I worked on the Navajo Reservation for 9 yrs. before I became a traveler and still take contracts back there to visit people and places I came to enjoy very much.

[grouchy]

Thanks for the advice. I never even thought about Cape Cod Hospital - duh! Does anyone have any advice on specific reservations in terms of assignments or regional areas that they enjoyed? That's something I've thought about doing for years.

[grouchy]

BTW, Wilmington does sound awesome! It's funny, because I've been meaning to watch that classic movie "Cape Fear".