“Home is where the heart is,” they say. But for me, home was always more of a question than an answer. 

Growing up, we moved a lot. My parents were working hard to build their credit so they could eventually buy a house, but until then, we rented and moved often. Not in the “across the country, military family” kind of way, but enough that by the time I was 10, I thought moving once a year was just how everyone lived. Even when we finally settled into the house my parents still live in, I have to admit—North Texas never truly felt like home. 

I went to college there. Started my nursing career there. Paid taxes, voted, even had a favorite restaurant. I did all the things that should’ve made it feel like home. But that deep sense of connection that some folks have with their hometown never came for me.  

Something was missing, and I couldn’t ignore it. So after five years as a staff nurse, I stopped waiting for Texas to feel like home. I knew I wanted to buy a house one day, but I also knew I needed confidence that where I bought was where I wanted to stay. That left me with one big question: “How do I try out different places, different communities, different ways of living?”&˛Ô˛ú˛ő±č;

Enter travel nursing with Â鶹ֱ˛Ą. 

At first, travel nursing sounded like a clever solution for indecision (“Don’t know where to live? Just keep moving!”) But it turns out I was pretty good at adapting and found my rhythm in the 8-to-13-week assignments, town after town, with all the road trips and new environments. On the surface, it might have looked like restlessness or a fear of commitment. But for me, it was something different. It was an experiment. 

Over the next 5 years, I took assignments everywhere: Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle, Newark, San Francisco, San Diego. In between contracts, I roamed—Nashville, Washington D.C., Flagstaff, Portland. I experienced more random local coffee shops, hikes and neighborhood walks than I could count.

I learned which Seattle neighborhood has the worst parking (Spoiler Alert: it’s Cap Hill), that Denver locals call it “Wash Park,” not “Washington Park,” that in San Diego, it’s “the 5”, not “I-5”—and that New Jersey’s nature actually lives up to the “Garden State” moniker. 

And then there were the conversations with patients and families in the quiet, in-between moments of care. They talked about their towns—why they stayed, why they thought about leaving. Some spoke with pride, others with longing. I thought I was just listening, but their stories were giving me a lens. Without realizing it, those conversations were shaping how I thought about belonging and about myself. 

Somewhere along the way, I stopped searching and started comparing. I’d reached a point where I had connections in so many places that leaving each one got harder. Every city taught me something: how I handle solitude, how I build community, what I reach for when everything around me is unfamiliar. It wasn’t that I was chasing a perfect place. I felt connected to all these places because I was finding pieces of myself in each one. 

In the arc of my journey, Denver was my first stop. At the time, I thought it would be just that—a starting point. But after every new assignment, I kept finding myself drawn back. I’d leave, explore, learn and return. Each time I came back, Denver felt different. Or maybe I did. What began as a single assignment turned into a pattern. 

It wasn’t just about the city, but about what I found every time I returned. Community. Coworkers who became friends. Relationships that became harder to leave behind. Places layered with memory. In Denver, I didn’t just see myself more clearly…other people saw me for who I was too. 

That’s why, after nearly seven years of traveling, I decided to stay. Last year, I bought a home in Denver. 

These days, I work per diem in Denver with Aya. I get to stay connected to the work I love, with enough space to keep exploring—this time from a solid home base. 

In the end, my travel nursing journey gave me answers, just not in the way I expected. It didn’t point me to a perfect city or give me an obvious sign. Â鶹ֱ˛Ą nursing taught me how to pay attention to who I was, not just where I was. 

I found home because I stopped needing to find it.

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Malik shared his experiences of navigating the demanding field of nursing and how he copes.

“It’s not a profession that you join for the money,” said Shelton, who has worked as a travel ER nurse for five years. “There is money to be made in it, but you don’t do it for the money, because if you do, you’re going to crash out in the beginning.”

Shelton said one of the most challenging aspects is dealing with patients who are uncooperative.

“At the end of the day, you have to remember that we take care of people at their worst times,” he said. “You don’t want to bring the drama from the last patient to the room of the next patient.”

Shelton said he uses prayer and music to get through rough moments on the job, while Walker emphasized the importance of boundaries and self-care. 

Shelton spoke about the added challenge of being Black in healthcare.

Shelton noted reactions he receives from patients as a Black male nurse, including being described as a “big Black scary man.”

For aspiring nurses, Shelton offered encouragement.

“It takes a special soul to do each side of nursing,” said Shelton. “There are different ways that you can serve the people of the community. You just have to find a way to do what’s best for you and to remember the reason why you’re doing this.”

Read the full story in its entirety.

At just six years old, McKenzie was inspired to pursue a career in nursing after witnessing the compassionate care her mother received during her pregnancy with her younger sister. This pivotal moment ignited a lifelong passion for helping others, leading her to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree from Washington State University in 2018. Since then, she has devoted her career to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where she provides critical care to some of the most vulnerable patients.

As a travel nurse, McKenzie appreciates the opportunities to work in various healthcare settings, allowing her to gain diverse experiences that enhance her understanding and confidence. “Every new facility I work in presents unique challenges and learning opportunities,” she says. “These experiences not only improve my nursing skills but also help me to connect with families in profound ways.”

McKenzie emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships with the families she cares for, particularly parents who often express gratitude for the support and care their infants receive. “It’s incredibly rewarding to be a part of such a significant moment in a family’s life,” she explains. “Being there for them during challenging times and celebrating their milestones is what makes this profession so special.”

McKenzie credits her achievements to her strong faith and the unwavering support of her husband, Cody, and her family. Their encouragement fuels her passion for nursing and her dedication to lifelong learning. 

As she continues her journey in healthcare, McKenzie Kennedy remains focused on her mission to provide exceptional care in the NICU, embodying the compassion and dedication that inspired her to become a nurse in the first place.

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Learn more about McKenzie .

However, my holidays have been far from traditional for the last six years as an ICU travel nurse. Most Thanksgivings and Christmases, I’ve traded home-cooked meals and family gatherings for hospital hallways and patient care across the country.

It’s easy for most of us to forget that sickness and emergencies don’t take a holiday break. They don’t wait for the season to pass, and behind every patient in need is a team of clinicians putting their celebrations aside to deliver care to our patients.

In my eleven years as an ICU RN, I’ve worked many holiday shifts as a staff nurse and as a traveler. While most clinicians accept that working holidays come with the territory, it takes on another layer of meaning as a traveler—you’re serving your patients, community, and colleagues. Â鶹ֱ˛Ąers who take assignments during the holidays often help cover shifts for permanent staff, allowing them to spend time with their families.

Years ago, I was working the night shift in an ICU in Colorado on Christmas Eve. It was an incredibly busy night, even by ICU standards. Between the holiday “skeleton crew” and new admissions from the ED, we all had our hands full. In fact, it was so busy that although we’d all brought dishes for a potluck, we never got the chance to sit down and enjoy a meal together.

Between my assignment and helping other nurses, it was almost a shift change when I finally caught up with my tasks. As I charted my I/Os, I saw a coworker staring out the big window facing the mountains. The first light of dawn was beginning to shift the colors outside. Something about the stillness of the scene pulled me in, and I walked over to stand beside her. A few seconds later, another nurse passed by, paused, and joined us. Together, we stood in silence for a few moments. That was the first time all shift it had occurred to me — it was Christmas morning.

The quiet and beauty of that moment was such a contrast to the chaos of the last twelve hours. As a clinician for many years, I’ve learned to seek out these moments of reflection — there’s always been something grounding in seeing the world still turning outside the hospital walls. The work of healthcare can be chaotic and stressful, and the hours can be long — the tasks keep us all busy, but my choice to stay connected to the deeper purpose of healthcare is what keeps me going.

Every shift is an opportunity to make an impact, regardless of the date on the calendar and even beyond the patient right in front of me. That Christmas, that quiet moment of reflection was my reminder that even during the toughest shifts, I’m a part of something far more significant than myself.

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“Sadie Skorjanc is a dedicated travel medical assistant and phlebotomist with Â鶹ֱ˛Ą. She combines her expertise in patient care and phlebotomy to provide essential medical support across various healthcare settings.

Skorjanc’s role at Â鶹ֱ˛Ą involves traveling to different locations, ensuring that patients receive the highest standard of care no matter where they are. A graduate of the College of Western Idaho’s Health Services program, she has honed her skills and knowledge through rigorous training and hands-on experience. Sadie is passionate about making a difference in the lives of her patients, and her commitment to quality care is evident in every assignment she undertakes.”

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Who Am I?   

My name is Zac Shepherd and I’ve been a registered nurse for 11 years. I started as a full-time staff RN in a Dallas, TX, ICU, transitioned to per diem and then began my journey with Aya as a travel RN six years ago. Since then, I’ve traveled extensively across the U.S. on Aya assignments, working in 20+ hospitals and completing 30+ assignments as a travel nurse. My nursing journey has enriched my life, personally and professionally, in a capacity that I could never have imagined.  

During the pandemic, I was on the COVID frontlines in ICUs in Newark, NJ, and Los Angeles, CA, and began sharing some of those experiences on my personal social media. By chance, what began as a social media post evolved into an op-ed that was published by a major US news organization. After that, Aya’s team reached out to me and has facilitated additional opportunities over the last several years for me to advocate for the nursing perspective and share my travel nursing journey: writing op-eds, doing news media interviews and speaking at conferences. Throughout this process, it has been my mission to maintain the authenticity and integrity of the nursing profession and speak honestly about the issues that clinicians face.  

Sharing the Journey 

As I’ve advanced in my nursing career, the more important it has become for me personally to share the nursing journey — not as an “influencer” or to build a “personal brand,” but because I believe in our work. It’s easy for me to advocate for nursing because I believe in nursing. It’s easy for me to talk about how travel nursing empowers nurses because I have seen it in my own journey. Throughout my career all over the US, I’ve seen the power of the nursing profession and worked side by side with the incredible nurses that populate it.  

I’ve come to realize that it’s never been about “my journey” … it’s about “our journey”. Nursing is the largest healthcare workforce in the US and a pure, powerful voice on the issues that face patients, clinicians and the healthcare system. I believe that nurses sharing their experiences and perspective has a great impact in elevating the conversation around the profession and building bridges to drive positive change.  

Aya’s commitment to empowering clinicians and position on the leading edge of solutions in healthcare has resonated with me from my first interaction with my recruiter six years ago. I know from personal experience the strong stance Aya holds as an advocate for their clinicians by helping them navigate the challenges that a travel nurse faces in the unknown of a new assignment. But that commitment extends far beyond individual clinicians and assignments. Connection matters, authenticity matters and empowering the clinician voice matters. Which is why I’m partnering with Aya to join their team as their first Nurse Fellow. 

Nurse Fellow 

As a Nurse Fellow, I will:

1. Create content and practical resources for nurses and travel nurses, drawing from my experience in various specialties and career background.
2. Continue Aya’s goal of empowering nurses to take control of their career path, keeping nurses included and informed about the changing healthcare landscape.
3. Represent the nursing perspective and voice where it’s needed, providing insight to Aya’s infrastructure from a clinician’s perspective.

Thank you for all you do. Each nursing journey is unique — I look forward to providing you with information that can help you make informed decisions along the way while advocating for the things that matter to all nurses.

In honor of her award, Jacqueline and her husband were invited to a celebratory dinner, which included a surprise guest — her recruiter, Ravi! The dinner gave Jacqueline and Ravi the chance to meet in person for the first time and celebrate her achievement.

Read more about Jacqueline’s generous care in the heartfelt nomination from her patient’s family below:

Our mother, Diane, is almost 87 and had emergency GI surgery in August. She wasn’t recovering well and spent five weeks in the hospital, mostly immobile and severely depressed. She came into the situation with a colostomy bag, then post-surgery had a PIC line inserted, was on oxygen and ultimately had a feeding tube surgically inserted. She was really in rough shape.

Jackie was her main day nurse and a lifeline to our family and the entire care team. My family and my mom can’t say enough about Jackie’s care on both a personal and professional level. Though none of us are nurses, we have to believe Jackie would be a role model for students and experienced practitioners alike.

Jackie was everything you want in a nurse; a terrific communicator, kind and caring, patient and accessible. With four adult sons involved in trying to get the best care for our mom, we know we can be a handful with many questions and differing personalities. Jackie dealt with all of us as individuals and most importantly our mom, she answered tons of questions about treatment, equipment, pharmaceuticals, nutrition, etc. She acted as a liaison with the physicians (surgeon, psychiatrist, GP, hospitalist and more), NPs and the entire care team. She held our mom’s hand, helped aides change her bedding and re-position her many times each day, explained patiently all procedures and calmed our mom constantly. And that was all while dealing with the four boys — no small feat! Her technical acumen was also obvious. With one of our brothers being a physician, Jackie went above and beyond the call of duty to complement the doctor-to-doctor communication that was occurring, and also took it upon herself to keep the other three brothers updated from a medical / treatment perspective. She attended to our mom properly and on time, coordinated our care team communication as mentioned and answered our questions with the appropriate level of medical knowledge balanced with our ability to consume (or not!) the technical jargon. We also observed Jackie’s interaction with her colleagues, fellow nurses, PA/NPs, aides, nutrition staff, PT and OT staffers, etc. and always saw the same level of care, consideration and communication she offered our mom. It’s clearly in her DNA to treat others with respect.

Our mom was discharged to a rehab hospital yesterday. She’s doing better, and so much of her positive outcome was driven by Jackie’s non-stop care and competent support. We bought a “thank you” gift card for Jackie and gave it to her on our mom’s last day. This was a problem because each time we approached her in the hallway to give it to her and verbally thank her, it caused tears all around. And it’s happening again as this note is being written. It took two approaches to finally give it to her and get the words out! Thank you, Jackie, on behalf of all of us boys and our mom, Diane. And yes, if she continues to recover, as you suggested, we’ll bring her back so she can dance in the hallway!

Diane is now out of the hospital and living independently again, in large part thanks to the care she received from Jacqueline and her entire medical team.

We’re proud to have talented nurses like Jacqueline on our team. The skillful care she provides to patients and their families embodies what the DAISY Award represents! If you know an Aya travel nurse who has played a significant role in you or your loved ones’ care, !

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Find out more about Stacy’s nomination and the sweet anniversary celebration she helped her patient plan:                                                                                                                           

With Stacy’s help, my dad concocted a little plan to do something for my mom on their anniversary, which he’s never missed. Stacy went above and beyond what would have been a nice gesture for a patient. My dad was on day 15 of his health journey, which started with ER and ICU care that saved his life, only to learn the hard-to-hear diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer. The compassion Stacy exhibited to my parents and family through the generous and heartfelt act of helping them celebrate another year together can only be described as a “God thing.” 

On the day of the surprise, Stacy came in before her shift and hung up a “Happy Anniversary” banner, some pennants and put a white tablecloth over my dad’s rolling food table. She also got several miniature cupcakes, chocolates, two plastic champagne glasses and little sparkling apple cider bottles, resourcefully using dad’s hospital water pitcher as an ice bucket! Stacy topped it off with a (Air quality safe) pinwheel bouquet that she designed. Over near the sink, she prepared a full dining experience with shiny gold plates, matching plastic ware, gold-striped napkins and dinner for two. Finally, Stacy worked with my dad on a prior shift to create a playlist, bringing much levity to all that he was enduring and thinking in the wee hours of the night. Stacy put the songs on her personal phone and left it playing on dad’s food table. She also dimmed the room lights for a romantic surprise for my mom when she walked in.

When my mom arrived and entered my dad’s room there was barely a dry eye on the unit floor. It gave my mom a moment to let go of some of the emotions that had been building under such a whirlwind of change. It also ultimately gave them time to celebrate the gift of another year together. Stacy gracefully wouldn’t accept any reimbursement when I offered several times. She only asked that my family pay it forward. She said that after hearing about my dad, she was sure that he had paid much forward in his life and now it was his turn to receive. 

It’s my hope that inspiration and good can come from this story of a caregiver demonstrating such a loving act of blessing a relative stranger under her care.

It is our family’s honor to recommend Stacy Arnold for special recognition. The biggest and most heartfelt thank you to her and the many outstanding individuals who cared for us.

Thank you, Stacy, for your generosity and for bringing joy to your patients in their most difficult moments. We know clinicians like you impact your patients’ lives every day and we’re honored to present you with this well-deserved award.

Â鶹ֱ˛Ą is proud to partner with the DAISY Foundation to recognize travel nurses who exemplify excellence in patient care. If you know a nurse who has played a significant role in you or your loved ones’ patient care, !

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