Traveling Nurses Kim Lowder, ER & Mary Paschall, Labor & Delivery - The Atlas Life #71

Pete Geldes: I really do think of you two as family.

Kim Lowder: Me too.

Mary Paschall: Yeah.

Pete Geldes: If you guys were ever to come to Omaha, you know that you'd have a place to stay. And I know that if I ever went to Chester, I'd have a place to stay.

Mary Paschall: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yeah.

Pete Geldes: You know? If I ever went to Albermarle?

Kim Lowder: Albemarle.

Pete Geldes: Albemarle. I would have a place to stay. But I mean, I think that that's the things. I just enjoy our relationship.

Kim Lowder: I'm Kim, and I'm an ER nurse.

Pete Geldes: I'm Pete, and I'm a recruiter.

Mary Paschall: I'm Mary, and I'm on the L&D nurse.

Kim Lowder: I met Pete through Mary. Two years ago she introduced me to Pete via telephone call.

Mary Paschall: Pete was picked for me by a previous Atlas employee that was a... I guess she in client relations.

Pete Geldes: Yep, client manager.

Mary Paschall: Yeah, she picked Pete for me from another company. I like working for Atlas, and I also like knowing that I don't have to listen to the hospital politics and all that, and I really enjoy working for Pete.

Kim Lowder: My recruiter. He makes it worthwhile to get out there and be away from home. How would I pitch Pete? Very personable, very friendly.

Mary Paschall: I've already done that several times.

Kim Lowder: Like you said, Pete's like a member of the family. That's how I would push him, and I tell everybody he's the best. I've been doing this for eight years and I've worked with a lot of recruiters, and Pete has been by far A-#1.

Mary Paschall: And I've already done that several times, pitched Pete. How many times?

Pete Geldes: It's true.

Mary Paschall: I've already sent several nurses to him. I tell them... Actually, I let some of them watch when I text him and he responds, or when I have an issue and he helps, so a lot of times I just lead by example. And when we are on the floor and we have a little problem with travelers and I'm like texting him at 3:00 in the morning because I had an issue and he responds at 3:00 in the morning and they're like, "Wow!" A lot of times I don't have to pitch him. They just watch by example. And I've sent him several nurses and they've been with him. I sent Kim.

Kim Lowder: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Mary Paschall: Yeah, that's how I do it. I think example is one of the best ways.

Kim Lowder: Take your time. Do your research. You need to have a personable relationship with the recruiter you're working with, because your recruiter can either make or break your assignment and the way you perceive travel nursing. If you're out there in it for the money, you're going to have to look hard right now. But it's all about location for me, and Pete gets me usually where I want to go.

Mary Paschall: I would say take your time, be patient, learn the unit. Don't say I did this at the other place. I did this at the other place.

Kim Lowder: I waited until my boys had graduated high school. I raised them by myself and I was tired of living paycheck to paycheck and I thought it was time for me to get out and see the country.

Mary Paschall: I had worked for HCA for 17 years, and it was really bad. In Richmond there's a conglomerate of hospitals, so if you don't want to work for either company, you need to do something else. I decided to travel once my kids were old enough.

Kim Lowder: I just started one in Goldsboro, North Carolina, so my next assignment won't be until the 1st of October, so just waiting on that.

Mary Paschall: And I'm starting here in Raleigh. Durham. I'm starting in Durham at Duke Regional, and that one's going through October at the end of September. And they already talked to me about extending. I would say having to be away from home and missing... I've missed several things being away from home. That would be, for me, the disadvantage.

Kim Lowder: Because it's where you belong. That's why, Atlas.

Mary Paschall: Well, I've been with Pete three years, and through the years I've had a few issues that weren't fair. Usually I handle things on my own, but he's had to step in and say, "No, I can't let my nurse have that. That can't happen to my nurse." I just like Atlas. I really do. And I worked with another company, so I know that. Atlas just, I think they take care of their nurses. I really do. If you really are in for the money, you might be a little disappointed, but I go and stay in your home because I have issues at my house right now with a elderly father-in-law, so I like to stay, and Pete gets me where I need to go, and I appreciate that a lot. I really do. And I belong at Atlas. My Atlas glasses right here.

Pete Geldes: It's true. They do.

Mary Paschall: We belong with Pete.

Kim Lowder: Yeah.

Pete Geldes: I do appreciate you guys quite a bit.