Tonya Basque, RN, outside her apartment in York, Pennsylvania.

So, last March we packed up and headed out on our first adventure. Nicholas had been working long hours at his job and didn't get to spend as much time as he wanted with the kids. He was only too happy to take on the responsibility of home schooling them and taking care of the day-to-day duties of running a household.

So far, I've accepted three assignments. For my first contract, we chose to stay close to our home in Texas. Then, we ventured to North Carolina. Currently, I'm completing a travel assignment through Cardiac Staffing, an agency based in Little Rock, Arkansas. I'm working at York Hospital in York, Pennsylvania.

Travel nursing has opened up a whole new world of places and cultural experiences for us. Everyone in my family loves this lifestyle. The boys enjoy visiting historic homes, museums, and other interesting places. And we all enjoy outdoor recreation and going hiking whenever we can.

We just learned that New Year's celebrations in Pennsylvania are much different than those in Texas. People eat different foods here and hold different traditions. Even the nursing culture is different. Down South, we focus on comforting the patient first. I guess it's that Southern hospitality kicking in. Here, we're more clinical and direct with the patient. The focus is on getting well quickly. Both approaches are healthy and good for the patient, but they're definitely unique. And as a traveler, I get to experience a wide range of nursing styles.

Outdoor adventure

One of my most favorite memories as a traveler is when we were located in North Carolina. We packed up the family and joined three other travel nurses to visit a park in Winston-Salem. The hiking was fantastic; the kids had fun climbing big boulders, and we saw several stunning waterfalls.

I love that we have the time to get to know an area because we're there for several months instead of just a day or two. Whenever we have free time, we ask the locals what they think is cool to do and see in an area. People are always willing to talk about their hometowns, and we end up finding places we might never have found on our own. We also have a family hobby of racing gas-powered remote controlled cars. So, we take them out wherever there's enough room to let them run.

Meaningful professional development

I recommend to everyone that you give traveling a try at least once. I've learned so much and really broadened my professional horizons. Every hospital is unique with its own way of doing things. For instance, York Hospital is a big, community teaching facility with roughly 558 beds and residents everywhere you look. I wasn't accustomed to interacting with residents, but I've come to enjoy working with them. It can be challenging at first, but everyone is so happy to have you there. You're helping them out, so they treat you really well.

Plan of action

Nicholas and I want to see all 50 states eventually. There are seven states that he hasn't seen yet, and I haven't visited eight. The plan is to work our way up the Northeastern Corridor to Vermont and Maine, and then head west and eventually arrive in Alaska to see the Northern Lights. I'd also like to complete an assignment in Hawaii.

I think we'll travel for another few years and then return to Texas while the boys attend high school. After that, who knows?

I'm having so much fun right now; I figure we'll pick right back up where we left off once the boys are in college. I feel so lucky to have this opportunity to combine a flexible schedule and travel—I never want to give it up.

As told to Julie Anne Eason, freelance writer, by Tonya Basque, RN, a telemetry nurse with Cardiac Staffing, based in Little Rock, Arkansas.