To the naked eye, Steve Galleon and Larry Pipkin look like any
other nurse on duty at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in
Hollister, but the duo and several other nurses working in local
hospitals throughout the region are a special breed
– the traveling nurse, health care workers who roam the land
looking for work wherever their skills are needed.
To the naked eye, Steve Galleon and Larry Pipkin look like any other nurse on duty at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister, but the duo and several other nurses working in local hospitals throughout the region are a special breed – the traveling nurse, health care workers who roam the land looking for work wherever their skills are needed.
“It takes a special person to get into traveling and stick with it, because you have two days or less to get used to a hospital before you are required to function like a regular nurse,” said Pipkin, a Mississippi native who’s worked in Texas, Arizona, Tennessee, California and Saudi Arabia hospitals. “But I enjoy it, because I get the chance to help people and see places I’ve never been and wouldn’t get to visit otherwise.”
Traveling nurses choose to take temporary assignments in hospitals all over the world, depending on their skills, where they would like to go and where they’re most needed. Literally hundreds of firms exist that place the nurses with hospitals in need – a Google search for “Traveling nurses” turns up nearly 3.5 million hits.
“America is going through a nursing shortage right now, and California has been hit especially hard,” said Linley Stanger, Director of Nurses at Hazel Hawkins Hospital. “Traveling nurses really help us until we can find permanent staff.”
Hazel Hawkins currently employs 15 traveling nurses, who typically serve 13-week contracts with an option to renew or come on board full-time. Other hospitals rely much more on their services.
“I’ve worked at hospitals where one-third of the nursing staff was made up of travelers,” said Pipkin. “And you’d never know if you didn’t ask.”
Traveling is particularly popular with young nurses who want to see the world before they settle down and those whose children have grown and left the house. For others, such as Pipkin and Galleon, it’s just a good fit.
“I almost married a woman who was a traveling nurse, and she got me into it and I never stopped,” said Galleon, who has worked in Colorado, California, Washington, Connecticut and Rhode Island. “I travel for the same reason I work in the emergency room. Every day is different and you never know what to expect, so it stays interesting.”
Traveling nurses choose where they would like to work and in what capacity – Galleon likes to work in the ER and Pipkin prefers the Intensive Care Unit – and their staffing firm, who receives a fee from the hospital, find them jobs, pays for their travel and for their housing when they arrive. Other nurses prefer to make their own arrangements, such as Pipkin, who travels the country in a mobile home with his dogs.
“I had never been to California so I didn’t know what I was getting into, but this area is terrific,” said Galleon, who is working on his second contract in Hollister.
Once they arrive at their new hospital, travelers have between a half-shift and two shifts to become accustomed to their new position before they are expected to jump in and serve with the rest of the team.
“Basic nursing stays the same wherever you go,” said Pipkin. “The trick is learning where everything is kept – where are the blankets, where’s the medication. You have to be willing to ask the stupid questions so you don’t wind up making stupid mistakes.”
While some traveling nurses would sooner change careers than stay put, many are looking for their dream hospital.
“Traveling is great, and there’s a lot of camaraderie among traveling nurses wherever you go,” said Galleon. “But a lot of us are doing this until the right hospital comes along.”
Both Galleon and Pipkin said they have seriously considered staying in Hollister.
“All of the nurses who work with them really enjoy it,” said Stanger. “If we could hire them full-time we would.”
For the foreseeable future, however, don’t expect these two to be slowing down anytime soon.
“This is one of the greatest jobs you can have,” said Pipkin. “I get to travel all over the US and experience different cultures every time I go somewhere new. And the food. I love all the different foods.”
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or ds****@fr***********.com