There is no typical week for any nurse. On any given day, nurses can see people at their weakest and most vulnerable, or at their strongest and most resolute. Every single shift has the potential to be life changing, exhilarating, exhausting, energizing, or all of the above.
We wanted to hear what life is really like for two of our Seacole nurses, Julia Holden and Ashley Horn, who both joined the Seacole family earlier this year as mobile health nurse practitioners. Their roles require them to perform in-home visits or telemedicine for clinical trial participants, as well as performing other study procedures like infusions and specialist assessments.
Read more about our mobile health jobs available here
We spoke first with Julia Holden, who is one of our Mobile Health Research Nurses, on what attracted her to the role:
“I chose Seacole because my aunt had been working with them for almost a year and shared with me that they were looking for nurses in Pennsylvania. I had always found research very interesting as well as important when it comes to the best care possible for patients with various illnesses and diseases”.
“Working for Seacole has been a good opportunity for me to grow as a nurse in a field that is separate from the bedside nursing I do in the ER full time. It is flexible and easy to work around a full time schedule which I love”.
Julia also shared with us why she’s so passionate about mobile health nursing, and how it allows her to be the nurse she always wanted to be:
“I absolutely love getting to know the patients who are part of the research that I collect data for. Hearing their stories and what they’ve been through, why they decided to participate in the study, and so much more about themselves has been great. If there’s one thing I lacked in my ER nursing job it was the time to spend with my patients. Being a mobile health research nurse for Seacole has given me that option”.
At Seacole, we pride ourselves on being family-focused and providing fully flexible opportunities based on your location and available hours. We asked Julia how this unique way of working suited her:
“I would recommend this position as a career to others. I think that it offers flexibility and an opportunity to leave an impact not only on your patient but in the research being done to better the lives of sick individuals. The best bits of this position are the flexibility in scheduling and the time I get to spend with the patients. I would also say the support from the project managers makes it very stress free. The project managers are available to me for the entirety of the visit to ensure there are no missteps and no questions left unanswered, but I am still afforded my autonomy as a nurse, which I love”.
Next up, we spoke with Ashley Horn, who joined Seacole as a mobile health nurse in March 2022. She lives in Arkansas.
“I have always loved being a nurse and spent the most part of my career working in operating theaters in hospital settings. When I started out, I never even thought beyond what a career in nursing could be if it wasn’t in a hospital setting – it was all I knew”.
“But as my children grew up and moved away to start lives of their own, I began to consider other avenues that gave me more flexibility to work to my own schedule. Seacole was the dream opportunity for me and I absolutely love it.”
As well as performing her nursing responsibilities, Ashley also commented on the benefits of being part of the Seacole family.
“I love being a nurse first of all, but I have particularly enjoyed working with a network of other nurses that are so dedicated to helping trial patients and monitor them through the process. It’s really heartwarming”.
But Ashley’s drive to do the job she loves comes from the patients themselves. As mobile health nurses, our teams are critical to the smooth running of a clinical trial, visiting patients at home to perform assessments, take observations and other specific assessment tools and procedures.
“The patients are so kind and thankful that you’re there to help them. They are so happy that we can accommodate their schedule, because many of them are still living busy lives with work or family commitments. I love being able to take all my equipment with me and use my skills to care for that patient in that moment”.
Ashely is motivated too by the knowledge that she is playing her part in the development of treatments or medication that might one day change lives.
“I’m proud to play one small part in the progress of scientific discovery. The pandemic has really raised awareness of clinical trials and how selfless the participants are to take part. Being a Seacole nurse is that perfect combination of healthcare and science. I find that very rewarding.”
Finally, we asked Ashley what she would say to other nurses considering joining the Seacole team.
“Just give it a try. It is so worthwhile. This is such a great way to put your skills to use and be an outreach for patients, all on your own terms and on your own schedule. I’d recommend it to anyone!”
Start your own journey to a way of working that works for you, allowing you to care for patients and your own wellbeing
Click here to find out more about joining our per diem talent team. Select the shifts that match your skills, licensure, and availability. There’s no commitment required until you sign up for a shift.
