Why is AAMC such a great place to work? Ask a former travel nurse.
After 28 years as a nurse, I was looking for a new challenge and a new horizon.
I started in 2010 with a medical mission trip aboard the African Mercy Ship in Togo, Africa, which was a wonderful, enriching experience. I worked in the PACU and in the OR as an anesthesia assistant. Working with medical professionals from all over the world was fascinating, an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything.
I worked the next two years as a traveling PACU nurse, enjoying time spent in Maine, Wisconsin, Arizona and Maryland.
In March 2012, I took an assignment at AAMC’s Edwards Surgical Pavilion (ESP) PACU. I immediately felt at home.
When you are a traveler in a new assignment, you spend a lot of time alone. It’s often difficult to fit in; you really have to prove yourself to others. But not here. The ESP staff made me feel that my input was valuable and that I was “family” here.
Everything ESP does is focused on putting patient and family first, improving quality of care, and patient satisfaction. After working in many different hospitals, it is so great to work with professionals who are open to new people and new ideas, who care about each other and the community, and are willing to give back.
I have seen numerous occasions where ESP staff have dug into their own pockets and given time or money to people in need. I know that part of the reason I feel at home here is because of their genuine desire to protect and enhance the quality of life for others.
After working two extensions of my assignment at ESP, I recently accepted a full-time position. I’m settling in to a new routine of actually staying in one place and making real friends who will become my family.
There’s nothing like working with people who share the same values, commitment to excellence, and respect for each other – they’re even able to forgive and forget. I’m looking forward to growing and changing with the ESP team.
I am blessed that ESP chose me when I was looking for a travel assignment… and a home. -Patricia DeMuth, RN
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