ER Nurse Making the Most of New York City Assignment
By Megan Murdock Krischke, contributor
Sidia Strong, RN, BSN, is the kind of person who knows what she wants and goes after it.
For example, she wanted to experience living in The Big Apple. During her five years working as an emergency room (ER) nurse in Rochester, N.Y., Strong met several travel nurses who loved their experiences and she wanted to try it for herself. So, after doing some research, she contacted American Mobile Healthcare, a leading travel nurse staffing company, based on positive reviews and the benefits the company offered.
“My recruiter, Miranda, put me at ease immediately,” reflected Strong. “I am adventurous and was already accustomed to traveling into the city alone, so making the move to New York City wasn’t a big stretch for me.”
“I was impressed with Sidia,” remarked Miranda Behrens, recruiter at American Mobile Healthcare, who was able to help Strong get the New York City assignment that she desired.
“The Presbyterian Healthcare System is hard to get into, but she was persistent,” said Behrens. “There can be a lot of paperwork to ensure that a nurse is compliant and Sidia was always on top of things. She got her interview right away and got all her requirements in, including some additional testing and documentation. Sidia kept a positive attitude throughout the process and communicated with me when necessary, allowing me to help her. She is a phenomenal nurse!”
“I was excited to work on the New York Presbyterian-Cornell campus—it is ranked as the seventh best hospital in the country,” stated Strong. “My co-workers are all about teamwork and I’ve really grown in my ability to prioritize. I’m also enjoying the diversity of both the patient population and the staff I work with.”
While moving to a new hospital has required Strong to learn new policies and a new computer system, she says nursing is still nursing wherever you are.
When she isn’t at work, Strong is making the most of all that New York City has to offer.
“I enjoy finding new upcoming artists or singers. So I particularly frequent Williamsburg and Brooklyn,” Strong said. “And my apartment is half a block from Central Park so that has been great. I’m right by the reservoir; taking in the view from there during my morning run is my favorite.”
In addition to staying busy with her work and social life, Strong is even finding time to advance her education: “I am working on my master’s in public health. There is so much to do in the city, it is sometimes hard to make time to finish my homework!”
Strong started traveling six months ago and has already extended her first contract twice. She plans to continue to work as a travel nurse for the next couple of years while she finishes her master’s degree.
“I’d like to stay in New York City through the summer and then go to Seattle,” she remarked.
Strong encourages new travel nurses just starting out to be open to meeting new people and learning new ways of doing things when they arrive at their assignment hospital.
“I found my co-workers to be very welcoming. If you can reach out and make friends it will make your time at work and away from work more fun,” she said. “I enjoy going out for entertainment with my co-workers and it is great because they already know the city. They even threw this cool 1920s party for my birthday.”
“If you are considering traveling, I would say absolutely go for it,” Strong continued. “I’d even recommend extending your assignments because 13 weeks doesn’t give you enough time to feel out the area. Especially for your first assignment, try to go to a location you think you will really enjoy—with weather you like and activities that interest you. That will help to ease the transition."
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