Castleton alumni Natalie Sargeant, ‘12, and Joshua Levandowski, ‘14, have taken their nursing and medical knowledge from the VT hospital scene to the road as the pair explore the country in their fifth wheel RV as traveling nurses.
After taking a class together on campus, the two formally met while working in the Progressive Care Unit at Rutland Regional Medical Center a few years after graduation. They began dating while Sargeant transitioned to the Emergency Department and Levandowski to the Intensive Care Unit.
“These were great years for us, but the two things that prevented us from settling down were student loan debt and my desire to live somewhere other than Vermont,” said Sargeant. “Despite how difficult it was to leave, we decided to embark on the adventure of travel nursing together.”
With the help of the travel nursing agency Advantage RN, the alumni duo began applying to hospitals in need of both ER and PCU nurses. After finding a variety of options across the US, they selected their first state assignments and began their journey.
“Our assignments are 13 weeks long, and sometimes we have the option to extend our contract,” explained Sargeant. “The company pays for your meals and housing, in addition to your weekly pay, which makes traveling a great financial opportunity.”
About a month before their contract ends at any given assignment, Advantage RN helps start the job searching process all over again as they take to the road for their next destination. The two say that being the “new kid” in town gets easier with each new place, and makes them stronger professionals by challenging them to adapt quickly to each unique environment.
Since joining the Advantage RN program, Sargeant and Levandowski have spent the summer working in North Carolina, before making their way across the country to Phoenix, AZ for their fall and winter assignment. From there they hope to make their next home away from home somewhere in the Northwest this coming spring.
To make their traveling experience have more of a home-like feel the couple decided to purchase an RV for the voyage. While the mobile home option was a significant downsize from their previous Lake Bomoseen apartment, the two say it gives them a familiar and consistent home life as they travel from state to state and makes for a perfect work escape for them and their two English bulldog travel companions.
“This way we can bring our home with us to each assignment anywhere in the country, and the bulldogs never have to leave their home no matter where we travel,” said Sargeant.
While the two miss Vermont, they credit Castleton with helping them develop a solid foundation for their nursing education and careers. During their time as students they experienced various changes and transitions within the Nursing department, which taught them the importance of flexibility in a profession and lifestyle that demands it constantly.
“This lifestyle is certainly nonconventional, but we're having an amazing time,” said Sargeant. “It is such an incredible experience to not just visit new places, but actually settle in to different areas and experience the different ways our country operates.”