Fastaff nurses are rewarded and recognized for the experience, skills, and dedication they bring to each travel nursing assignment. This nurse is someone who exemplifies the Fastaff values. Read below to learn more about the April Nurse of the Month, Tiffney Daley.

Name: Tiffney DaleySpecialty: M/S TeleNumber of assignments: 11 and starting her 12th on 4/26Number of years with Fastaff: 4+ years

Why do you love working with Fastaff?

I have been working with Fastaff for a little over four years now and I love it. There are several reasons I love working with Fastaff. Fastaff is one of, if not the most competitive paying Travel Nursing Agencies. Working as a nurse is not easy and although each assignment pays differently, I have always felt I was getting paid what I feel I am worth.

What do you love about nursing?

What I love the most about being a nurse, is helping a patient or family member get through some of the difficult challenges with hospitalization and or a new diagnosis. Too many times I come across a patient or family who does not understand a medical diagnosis and needs some more information. Education, knowledge and understanding of a medical condition is extremely important for any patient or family member so they can make decisions and understand what they need to do to get back to being healthy. Just giving a medical diagnosis does not help them. Giving more education on a new diagnosis or even an old diagnosis will help a patient or family member work on improving their health. 

What makes travel nursing rewarding for you?

What makes travel nursing rewarding to me is being able to visit new areas in the US. Places

where I would never think of visiting on my own and experiencing different cultures and lifestyles. Every state I have visited is different, whether it is their food, culture, or their accent. Being able to visit and experience these differences has been exciting. 

Describe a time where you felt more valuable/respected because of the experience and knowledge you gained from your Fastaff assignment.

There were many times while working as a travel nurse with Fastaff that I felt valuable and respected because of my experience and knowledge. During my first assignment with Fastaff in Springfield, Missouri I was asked by the Float Team Manager to take over the care of a patient who did not want his current nurse to continue his care. This patient was extremely sick, and he felt like he was not being listened to or respected. After I introduced myself to the patient, he informed me what the problem was. Just giving the patient my time and listening to his concern was the ice breaker.

By the end of my shift that day, the patient requested me to be his primary nurse while he was in the hospital. The patient's condition was not going to improve, so the patient and his family decided on Hospice care within the hospital. The patient was adamant that I should be his nurse until he passes, and I was assigned to work in the hospice unit. Although I was not trained in hospice or palliative care, I felt privilege to serve as the final caregiver for this patient. On his third day in the unit, after my shift ended around midnight the patient died. The patient family insisted that I attend the funeral which I did. They treated me as part of their family, just because of my act of compassion and caring as a nurse. I felt especially important and valuable as a human being and a nurse. I would have never had this experience if I were not working on an assignment with Fastaff. 

What has been your most challenging Fastaff assignment (a difficult case, surgery, patient illness, etc.) and how did you feel that impacted your worth as a nurse afterwards?

My most challenging assignment while working with Fastaff would be the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic. When I started this assignment, the COVID-19 Pandemic had just started. No one knew what to expect, but we knew this was going to be bad. COVID Positive patients were being admitted nonstop. The lack of negative pressure rooms and proper PPE made things worse. Many of the staff were contracting COVID-19 making things more difficult. But the worst part was the large loss of life. I have seen more patients die during this time than I have in my whole nursing career. At the end of this assignment, I was mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. I decided to take a short break after this assignment and knew I needed to get back out there as soon as possible because the patients and their families needed me. My family was overly concerned about me going back to work in a COVID environment. I assured my family that I would take precautions and be careful. I have helped COVID positive patients fight this deadly virus and sent many home to their families. Being able to help patients survive the virus was extremely rewarding and meant a lot to me.

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 miraculous thing I have ever witnessed was being a part of the nursing staff in several different states and fighting COVID-19 and saving lives. 

Since becoming part of the Fastaff nursing team my various assignments, experience, and exposure have made me a super nurse. Doctors and hospital administrators ask me for advice on various practices and policies. I would tell them what I saw that worked and what did not work at other hospitals that I worked at.

How have you accomplished some of your personal and professional goals by traveling with Fastaff (i.e. family life, financial freedom, more personal freedom, etc.)?

I would not have accomplished any of this knowledge if I were not working travel assignments with Fastaff, who I recommend to other nurses. At Fastaff I have the freedom to request time off or go on vacations and I am currently working on completing a higher degree in nursing. This is all due to working at Fastaff.