Travel nurses find home in Lexington with UK HealthCare
Lexington, KY (Oct. 24, 2024) – Finding a place to settle down may be difficult for some in the health care traveling industry, until they experience working at UK HealthCare. For Seema Varghese, a registered nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital, not only did she find her home in Lexington, but her daughter did as well as a student at the University of Kentucky.
“I came from India as an international traveler in May 2021,” Varghese said. “My daughter got admission into the University of Kentucky, so I decided to stay here.”
Varghese was a travel nurse for more than a decade. She worked at UK HealthCare for three years before deciding to transition to UK as a full-time employee through the Travel Conversion Program from the UK Human Resources health care recruiting team.
The program is an effort to convert experienced travel nurses into regular full-time positions, said Graig Casada, nurse recruiter for UK HealthCare. “The program allows for a seamless transition and also offers these employees UK’s full-time benefits,” he said.
Since the Travel Conversion Program was implemented in 2022, HR Health Care Recruiting has converted 11 international travelers to full-time positions and more than 50 domestic travelers, including Christy Browning, a registered nurse in the Emergency Department (ED).
“My husband and I traveled for 10 years of our 22-year career,” Browning said. “We were offered a weekend program that works very well for our long commute. We work Saturday and Sunday, get paid for 32 hours (based on weekend time-and-a-half pay for 24 hours worked), receive full-time benefits and enjoy our farm Monday through Friday.”
Both Varghese and Browning praise UK’s benefits and work environment. Both add that they receive guidance and support from their team members and can focus on their patients and provide them with great care.
“UK’s ED is very respectful of the 4:1 patient-to-nurse ratio, and there are so many resources available to help,” Browning said.
The traveler conversion program not only helps to fill the gaps in UK HealthCare amid a nationwide nurse shortage, but it’s also providing travel nurses a forever home in the Commonwealth.
“Many travel nurses I speak with call Lexington a hidden gem,” Casada said. “They say they found a place that’s unique in their travel journey and want to put down roots.”
“If you’re considering transitioning to full-time, talk to management and nurse recruitment,” Browning said. “There are many opportunities available, and I have no regrets about my transition. This is my forever job.”
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