How did you get started in the nursing profession?

Nursing is a second career for me. I once worked as a blackjack and craps dealer at Caesars Windsor. I always wanted to work in health care, so I put myself through university while working full time at the casino. I graduated in 2008 and began my nursing career in Windsor.

What do you love about your position? What has kept you passionate about your career?

I love how flexible nursing is. There are so many choices when it comes to nursing, so many opportunities. The OR has been my passion from the start. I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.

I was a med/surg nurse when I first graduated. I started working in Detroit about a year after I graduated. I was trained in the OR (which took almost nine months) and never looked back. Over the years I have held several different positions in the OR, such as team leader, staff nurse, and even worked as a manager for over five years. I am now back to working as a staff nurse.

How did you find HPC? How has HPC helped with your career?

A couple friends of mine had worked for HPC and had nothing but good things to say about them. Being a travel nurse has given me the freedom to make my own schedule.

What advice would you give to other traveling health care providers?

I would tell others to be confident in their skills but listen to others. No one likes know-it-alls. Every place does things a little differently. Try to assimilate to new surroundings the best you can. Be friendly and helpful.

What do you think is the most important quality for a nurse to possess?

Compassion and understanding. Patients are often scared and unsure of the future.

Do you have a memorable experience from your nursing career that has shaped you into the nurse you are today?

I don’t have one in particular. One thing I do know, I love being a staff nurse. I have been in leadership several times; I learned a lot from those experiences, but at the end of the day, leadership is not for me. I enjoy and thrive being on the front line, so to speak.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Nursing isn’t for everyone; you’ll see things you couldn’t even imagine. There will be hard days and sad days, but it’s a life you can hang your hat on. I wouldn’t change it for anything.