LEXINGTON, Ky. (October 24, 2024) – For some in the healthcare travel industry, it can be difficult to find a place to settle down until you experience working for UK Healthcare. Seema Varghese, a registered nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital, not only found a home in Lexington, but her daughter also secured a spot as a student at the University of Kentucky.
“I came from India as an international tourist in May 2021,” Varghese said. “My daughter got into the University of Kentucky, so I decided to stay here.”
Varghese worked as a travel nurse for more than 10 years. She worked for UK HealthCare for three years before deciding to move to the UK as a full-time employee through the UK HR Healthcare Recruitment Team's Travel Conversion Programme.
Greig Casada, UK Healthcare's nurse recruiter, said the program was an effort to convert experienced travel nurses into regular full-time positions. “This program will enable a seamless transition and also provide full-time UK benefits for these employees,” 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 50, including Christy Browning, Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department (ED) We have converted more than 1,000 domestic travelers.
“My husband and I have been traveling for 10 years of our 22-year career,” Browning said. “We were offered a weekend program that was very suitable for long-distance commuting. We worked on Saturdays and Sundays and received 32 hours of pay (1.5 hours on weekends if we worked 24 hours). (based on wages), receive full-time benefits and enjoy working on the farm Monday through Friday.”
Both Mr Varghese and Mr Browning praise Britain's benefits and working conditions. Both added that they receive guidance and support from their team members, allowing them to focus and give their patients their undivided attention.
“English emergency medicine is very respectful of the 4:1 patient-to-nurse ratio and there are so many resources available to help,” Mr Browning said.
The Traveler Diversion Program will not only help fill gaps in UK healthcare facilities amid a national nursing shortage, but will also provide traveling nurses with a forever home in the Commonwealth.
“Many of the travel nurses I talk to call Lexington a hidden gem,” Casada says. “They say they’ve found a unique place along their journey and want to put down roots.”
“If you're considering moving to full-time, talk to management and your nurse recruiter,” Browning says. “There are so many opportunities and I have no regrets about my move. This is my forever job.”
