Nursing Explorer

By Matt Hawkins

Nursing alumna Erica Turnbull ’12 wanted an adventure before she settled into a career. For that, she joined the travel nurse ranks, experienced life from the Great Plains to the coasts and watched modern history made.

In three-plus years of travel, she has experienced the cultures and tourist attractions of Spokane, Washington; Boston; Nebraska and Columbia, South Carolina. Her South Carolina venture this summer coincided with a mall shooting and state flag controversy that made national headlines.

“I always loved traveling, and this is a way I can do that and still get paid,” Turnbull said. “This pushes me out of my comfort zone, but it’s thrilling. As a result, I’ve made friends all over the country.”

As an itinerant caregiver who studied abroad while at Bradley, she discovered an appreciation for cultural differences that comprise America’s fabric. Additionally, she sharpened her skills across the spectrum of medical-surgical care.

Turnbull credited her professional success to patient care and critical thinking abilities honed on the Hilltop.

“I feel like I’m consistently one of the most-prepared nurses thanks to Bradley,” she said. “Because of the way faculty invested in me, I don’t give up on patients.”

Additionally, Turnbull has used her life and college experiences to mentor nursing students on their clinicals.

“I love asking students questions like my professors did,” she said. “It’s fun to show them how I learned to work and think, then watch when it sinks in.”

Turnbull will winter in Arizona before deciding her next adventure.