Name: Lindsey Swoboda

Specialty: Operating Room

Number of Assignments: 1

Number of years with Fastaff: 2 years

1. Why do you love working with Fastaff?

I love working with Fastaff because I believe that it is an agency that truly cares about its travelers. My recruiter has been really great to work with. If I ever have questions, she has always been there to help me. I have had an excellent experience overall with Fastaff, & I’m so glad I was able to work with them for the last two years & look forward to hopefully be with them for more.

2. What do you love about being an OR Nurse?

There are so many reasons of why I love being a nurse in the OR. I have truly found my niche in my career & for that I am so grateful! This specialty is very rewarding, even though unfortunately most patients may not remember me after their surgeries. I am able to be an advocate for them when they are in their most vulnerable state & make sure that they are comfortable before, during & after they are asleep. & Contrary to what may be a popular belief, nurses in the OR have to be very quick on their feet & efficient because most days it is a very fast paced environment! It requires excellent time management skills & being able to remember a lot of different surgeries along with the unique preferences of each one according to the surgeon. These include a variety of things, but mostly different positioning, equipment, medications, & dressings. I love the fast pace & challenge of it every day. I do my very best not only for my patients, but to help every surgery run smoothly & try to make everyone’s job easier on the OR team. I truly enjoy what I do!

3. What makes travel nursing rewarding for you?

I am so thankful that I made the decision to start travel nursing. It has changed my life for the better in countless ways. I plan to continue to travel in the future as long as it is feasible financially. I truly love the flexibility & being more independent by no longer being a direct employee of a big corporation hospital.

4. Tell me about a time when you felt more valuable/respected because of the experience and knowledge you gained from your Fastaff assignment.

I have felt more valuable as a nurse since starting this assignment than I have before in my career. It has shown me that I can jump into a variety of surgeries & remain proficient. & If I’m honest, I wouldn’t necessarily have been able to do that a few years ago. I have proven to myself that over the past ten years of being a nurse, seven of those years being in the OR, that I have gained so much experience, knowledge & confidence in my abilities.

5. What has been your most challenging Fastaff assignment and how did you feel that impacted your worth as a nurse afterward?

I have been on the same assignment since starting to travel for the past two years, however that has not gone without challenges. I feel that one of the hardest things to overcome as a travel nurse, is that you have to be able to adapt to many different things when jumping into a new facility. Specifically in the OR for me, means a lot of different kinds of equipment, new rules & policies, different preferences & medications for each surgery & surgeon, & trying to learn where every instrument is kept so I know where to go when the team needs something quickly during a case. To be able to adapt very quickly, while also slowly gaining the trust of people on your team is so important. With that being said, these challenges are also what I love about the OR. There is never a dull moment!

6. Describe the most miraculous or impressive thing you’ve witnessed or been a part of during your time as a nurse with Fastaff.

The most impressive thing that I have been a part of during my time as a nurse in the OR, even before this assignment, has always been the pure ambition & ability of the surgery team. I truly love the idea of the entire OR running quickly, yet efficiently because of everyone working together. I often joke with my patients before they fall asleep that we are all a ‘pit crew’ for them because we each have our jobs & work so well together.

How have you accomplished some of your personal and professional goals by traveling with Fastaff?

Since becoming a travel nurse, I have achieved so many things, both personal & professional. It would be difficult to put them all into words. At first, I was scared of change, but I dived in anyway & never looked back. I have no regrets & have proven to myself that it pays off to chase after your dreams. Again, I truly hope I can continue to travel as long as it is financially feasible. I have grown in so many ways after taking that first step towards travel nursing & I am so very thankful!