California Dreamin'

 It has been a while! 

I am currently sitting in my cottage in West Marin County, in Northern California, half way through my second 13 week assignment at Marin General.... I  somewhat reluctantly accepted an extension offer here to return after the holidays, and so much has happened since I came to Cali that I have been neglecting this blog....the last 5 months have brought some challenges, along with massive growth, and a better understanding of my why. I feel like there is a lot to unpack so let's start with the basics...how did I even get here?? 

It had been a dream of mine to work as a travel nurse in California, and as with every area of my life, as soon as I get close to realising my vision, my vision and my goals expand. So I never feel like I have arrived...ever. Always reaching for more.... I have a strong desire to help my fellow Canadian nurses that find themselves on this same path, and so I am re-dedicating some energy to this platform. So let's dig in...

California Licence hacks 

Back in August as my Seattle contract was coming to a close, I had a few long talks with my recruiter at Lead Health about REALLY wanting to be in California. At this time, a handful of CA facilities were accepting the EMSA, or emergency licence, due to the ongoing crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic so I decided this would likely be my best option as I waited for my actual licence to come through. A process I was told could take up to 6 months. It really limited my options as far as facilities, but it would at least get me into California. The only catch was that it could be revoked any time during a 13 week contract leaving me jobless..... a risk I was willing to take..... My recruiter applied for the EMSA on my behalf and we had it within 24 hr. At the same time I also applied for my permanent CA licence. As an international candidate, I wanted to do everything I possibly could to ensure this process happened as quick as possible so I will share a couple of things I did to try to speed this up, maybe this will help your journey as well.

1-I attached a copy of my EMSA to my application

2- I contacted my school admin directly to ensure my education breakdown/transcripts were sent asap

3- I drove to Cali to get my fingerprints done in state..... I think this made the biggest difference!

4- I applied for my temp and perm licence

I never even got a temp licence!!! BUT from start to finish, my application only took 6 weeks to be completed!

While we were waiting, not knowing how long this might take, I applied to a couple of places accepting the emergency licence. I saw the posting for Greenbrae, and asked my recruiter about it. He said they were taking the EMSA, but there were already 11 applicants..... I was a little frustrated that I was the one who found the posting when he told me he was watching for any opportunities.....but I told him to submit me anyways, as this was really the only option close to the water, which for me, is one of my #1 priorities.

 I heard from the manager the next day and accepted the position for a 36hr night shift position that would be completed in time for Christmas...another big priority this past year, as it was my year with my son. My contract ended in Seattle on Aug 20 and I was on my way to California by Sept 8. To my surprise, my permanent licence came through before I even left Canada. The plan was always to get to San Diego, but as a travel nurse, I am at the mercy of the current market, and nothing was popping up that gave hell yes energy.

My agency is a smaller one, and even though they often have quite a few CA NICU positions available, they rarely have San Diego. I have seen and inquired about a couple SD postings with other agencies, but there seems to be a move to 48hr work weeks, which is ok IF you can get block scheduling and IF it's NOT night shift. The main ones are also known to float ALOT. This coupled with the stress of finding a new place to live, securing a job over the holidays, and moving to a new agency (this would be the worst part for me), it just wasn't worth it. 

 As travelers, it is our job to fill the gaps, which means we are often placed on some pretty gnarly schedules....I suck at nightshift because day sleeping is not my forte', so I honestly can't imagine a one on one off kind of thing on nights. I am doing this so I get to enjoy the places I go, not just sleep and work.... 

This is my 4th travel contract, my 3rd US one, so I am starting to see where I have some leverage when negotiating, and where I don't. I am also starting to develop my own list of must haves. I just declined another extension offer from the facility today, mostly because I need to go home for a bit, and partially because after accepting this extension offer, I learned that unless I REALLY love everything about the facility/job, I shouldn't extend.... I became a travel nurse for a reason, and staying put is bringing up all sorts of conflicts within me. There have been some significant challenges with the facility itself this round as well, including talk of a potential strike... they are losing staff/can't keep staff, and even though the unit is tiny (7 beds) there is most certainly a need for experienced help. 

Extensions

When I started this journey, I SWORE I would never extend anywhere....this is truly about the travel for me. Around the 8 week mark, I start to get antsy, I know the unit, the routines, the area....and am ready for the next adventure... so the idea of staying is not one I typically entertain, especially here. Northern California is WAY colder than I expected!! Not Alberta cold...but not the California I was expecting. I came back just in time to experience my first pineapple express, the atmospheric river, and flooding all over California. I was lucky enough to only lose power a few times, but it certainly hasn't been bikini weather here for the past 4 months. The beaches are OK, but not as nice as SoCal, and the unit.....well there is alot to say about that, but for now all I will say is this.... the second time my manager approached me asking me to extend, back in December, I told her I would consider it IF....

1- I could have 3 weeks off for Christmas

2- They increased my pay 

3- I could stay on dayshift (which I was able to switch to after 4 weeks)

4- I could do a shorter contract....8 weeks instead of 13.... (ended up extending to 13 weeks at the 3 week mark anyways)

Within a week the offer was on my recruiters desk..... 

I really had to balance the pros and cons. This is true for every single assignment, not just extensions, so it is important that you figure out what really matters to you, there is always a little give and take and every situation is unique.

I love my housing. It is my own space, reasonably priced, 20 min from work, and my landlord is great with my dog, even letting her out into the big yard when I am at work. Housing is always the hardest part about starting a new contract....at least this has been the case for me. 

The work is pretty easy. Lower acuity than I am used to which can be a bit under stimulating at times, but it's manageable. The challenges are not related to caring for tiny 23 weekers, but the challenges here have been just as difficult, if not harder, to navigate.

Coming back also meant I could leave all my stuff here, instead of packing and leaving all my stuff at the airport....or driving for 2+ days each way, in Canadian winter.

Not my ideal location or unit, but the pay is good, and all the compliance stuff was already done. I never float.....(until last week)... and since I didn't agree to floating/wasn't oriented to any other unit, it was my choice to stay when they just randomly assigned me to take 5 patients in postpartum (babies only). It was either that or have yet another shift cancelled....

Navigating The Suck

This is my first 13 week contract that I don't have family visits to look forward to, and I have been feeling extra lonely for some reason....I realised just recently that this is the first time since a brief few weeks in 2001 that I am truly alone. When I left home to pursue my acting career, I got a room mate pretty quickly, then I met my ex husband, then I became a mom...... so even though I often wasn't in a romantic relationship, I had my son for the next 15 years. A few years ago he moved to BC to spend some time with his Dad, and I was in a new relationship at the time. That became a situationship  more than anything once I decided to pursue my travel nurse dreams, and we have very little contact at this point. So everyone that I feel really good around is in another Country, my dog has been having some significant health issues, I have been having some health concerns of my own......and while I love a few of the travelers I have met here, we are filling gaps, so rarely have the same days off. Not to mention I already struggle making new friends being 40, somewhat guarded, not a fan of small talk, and prone to choosing netflix and sweats over bars and dance clubs. It takes alot for me to open up, even on a friendship level.....I love being on my own, doing my own thing, but it is hard sometimes. 

Needless to say I have been doing a lot of reflecting, a little bit of pouting, and pouring my energy into just being content with myself, finding new ways to grow as a person and as a nurse. Everyday I intentionally look for things to appreciate, little pockets of joy and gratitude, while I simultaneously work to balance the back and forth between my strong desire to grow and evolve, and finding peace with where I am at. I have been thinking about other ways I can contribute as a nurse away from bedside. I absolutely love my job, my patients, the work of nursing....but I just feel like I want to do more, and as bedside RN's we do the best we can within the context of the policies, and politics we are dealt. The healthcare system as a whole is broken.....I have been thinking a bit about becoming a nurse recruiter to better help Canadian nurses wanting to do this travel thing, and a bit about leaning into an educator role, even becoming a nurse writer/coach...or changing specialties entirely....I have learned that even though travel nursing provides me with astronomical freedom to travel more, working remotely somehow would take this freedom to the next level. 

At the beginning of February, I celebrated my first full year as a travel nurse (woop woop) and I have been going pretty much non stop since I started.... I have so much more to share with you about the nitty gritty details of travel nursing, including understanding contracts, the truth about travel pay, what to look for in a recruiter/agency, and once I get through tax season I will certainly have lessons and tips to share on that topic as well.

In just over 5 weeks I head back to Canada and since I have been travelling since my relationship ended last year, I have to decide where I am going to live, hopefully get some things out of storage, and decide what experience I want to create for myself next. I promise I won't leave you hanging for 6 months this time......

xoxo

Alana