Bright Lights – Big City! NovaPro Takes Times Square By Storm…

Who says travel nurses never get their due?! Earlier this month, as the entire healthcare community honored the work and dedication of nurses nationwide during National Nurses Week 2009 (May 6 – 12). In fact, a few of our very own travel nurses found themselves smack dab in the middle of Times Square, NYC, for a truly grand gesture in their honor.

NovaPro’s parent company, Cross Country Healthcare, was invited by the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York City (you know – they trade stocks on Wall Street and have that HUGE video billboard flashing nonstop in Times Square) to take part in ringing the ceremonial closing bell. They were also joined by representatives from the University of Virginia School of Nursing for the event, which took place on Friday, May 8, 2009.

To mark this special occasion and thank our nurses for their tireless effort and skill, two NovaPro travel nurses, Kristy Hernandez and Michele Pavone, on assignment in the New York area, were invited to join the ceremony. This personal recognition of the important role they play as travel nurses was no doubt the thrill of a lifetime. Pictures of each scrolled across the 7 stories tall NASDAQ billboard in Times Square – thanking each, and thanking all nurses everywhere for being the backbone of the healthcare industry.

As the crowning moment of this year’s National Nurses Week festivities, this closing bell ceremony was the perfect platform for national exposure to the travel nurse industry. It was also a great way to celebrate this year’s theme “Nurses: Building a Healthy America.” There’s no doubt that travel nurses have a unique perspective on this rapidly expanding industry of ours, seeing it firsthand in the ERs, ORs, clinics and schools across the country. While the importance and necessity of a strong healthcare system becomes more apparent, that perspective and insight will only become more important and useful.

So as we take this moment to thank nurses everywhere, we also take pride in our role as travel nurses. The ability to pack up, hit the road, take an assignment here, refer a friend to an assignment there – it’s all part of the real-life journey we take everyday. There’s no telling where your travel nurse career might take you next so long as you’re willing to enjoy the ride. Who knows – you might just wind up seen by millions in the middle of Times Square too!