By Debra Wood, RN, contributor
Self-described as outdoorsy, Chastity, a labor and delivery nurse now on assignment in Denver, Colorado, chooses her hospitals based on their proximity to national parks. She has traveled around the West, exploring America’s natural treasures while searching for the ideal place to settle down.
“There’s something gorgeous about being outside,” said Chastity, a registered nurse traveling with staffing company American Mobile Healthcare.
Chastity began her nursing career in the military, serving four years at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virgina, at first on a medical floor and then in labor and delivery.
“I floated over there one night, and hook, line, sinker, I’ve been there ever since,” she said about labor and delivery. “I fell into it. It fit and felt right, and I still love to do it.”
Deciding not to reenlist, she returned home to Oklahoma and began to settle in. She helped her mother through breast cancer treatment, juggling her schedule between two hospitals.
“Something had to give, and I said, ‘I cannot live like this,’” Chastity said. “I didn’t know if that was where I wanted to be or how I wanted to feel.”
Once her mom completed chemotherapy, Chastity headed for a long vacation in Utah, where she hiked and explored her options. Her supervisor was pushing her to move into management, something Chastity resisted. She decided to travel and see “what else was out there.”
Nine months later, she was heading to Phoenix on her first assignment. She stayed in the Arizona for a second 13-month gig at a different hospital. She visited Flagstaff and Tonto National Forest in Roosevelt, Arizona.
“I went hiking every weekend. I went to Sedona on my days off,” Chastity said. “I met people at the hospital who told me the best places to go. I routinely do this by myself.”
Chastity looks for populated places to hike with plenty of people on the trail.
After Phoenix, she headed to Frisco, Colorado, and enjoyed the peaceful, unpopulated region. It took awhile for her to adjust to the altitude, but once acclimated, she began soaking up the scenery.
“I played in the snow and did a lot hiking, got used to the area and went horseback riding. I cannot wait to do that again,” Chastity said. She white-river rafted and “got hooked.”
Chastity took a mini vacation to Arches National Park, in Utah, during the Colorado assignment, and “had a blast.” She went mountain biking and hired a guide to give her a private tour, climbing in and out of crevices in the mountain.
When her dad needed some medical treatment and her mom a little tender loving care, Chastity accepted an assignment in Tulsa, Oklahoma, about 1.5 hours away from her folks. She stayed nine months, before moving on to Southern California to discover Sequoia National Park.
“I spent every weekend up there,” Chastity said. On one of her hikes, to see the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree in the world, Chastity wondered off the trail and stumbled upon a bear not much larger than a Golden Retriever. She made herself look big and made noise, but the bear just sat down.
“I watched the bear and watched around me. I made myself small and back tracked,” Chastity said. “I got out of there and let the ranger know where I was at.”
California also offered the opportunity to raft down the Kern River and camp during the two-day journey.
“I had a lot of fun and cannot wait to do it again,” Chastity said.
Yet with all California’s natural amenities, Chastity also experienced its perils. The recent wildfires forced her to evacuate her apartment. Not willing to leave her cat, Chastity couldn’t stay in a shelter, and all the hotels told her they were full. Her unit manager contacted a relative who worked at a hotel. That provided Chastity a roof over her head, rather than sleeping in her car.
“It was an enlightening experience. I’d never seen a wildfire and never want to see anything like that again,” Chastity said.
The experienced traveler also felt her first earthquake during her stay in the Golden State.
Next, she heads back to Colorado for another assignment and to take up snowboarding. Chastity has a long list of places she wants to work, including northern Utah and northern California.
“I have a mental list of things I am looking for when I go to a place. I’ve gotten close, but I haven’t found it yet,” Chastity concluded. “The hunt continues.”
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