“They always call us the dynamic duo,” says Shelby Liddell, RN, referring to her friend and travel partner, Nora Enrique, RN. The two had recently wrapped up their travel assignments at a facility in Asheville. “They were trying to get us to come back!”

Liddell and Enrique met early in their healthcare careers, back in 2010 while working at the same nursing home. Enrique was working as a LPN, and Liddell as a CNA. Since then, the two have become Registered Nurses and worked in orthopedics, general-surgical, and medical-surgical nursing. Today, they both call Florida home.

Enrique got into nursing as a way to provide for her family. She felt it was an industry that would never go away, and provide security. Liddell was drawn to healthcare from the beginning. 

“I wanted to be a physician, and then I didn’t want to be in school that long,” Liddell laughs. “But I wanted to take care of people.”

About two years ago, the two transitioned to travel nursing. 

At the time, Liddell was a nurse educator, and she wanted to return to the bedside. Plus, Liddell and her husband were looking to buy a house. “Traveling definitely provided a lot of higher income for us to be able to make that dream come true,” she says.

Pay transparency is something that stuck out to Liddell when choosing to travel with Nomad Health.

“I like that Nomad is upfront about the pay packages, that makes a huge difference,” says Liddell. “I can see what would work for me.”

Enrique and her husband were also on the hunt for a forever home, but weren’t sure whether or not they wanted to stay in Florida. Travel nursing was a way to try out new cities; cities that may have not initially been on their radar. Nomad Health has relationships with facilities all over the country, so travelers can find assignments in cities that excite them or that they’re curious about.

Their favorite place to travel and work so far? The North Carolina/Tennessee border area has caught their hearts. 

Traveling together isn’t without its challenges. It can sometimes be difficult to get contracts at the same time in the same facility, but they’ve found that there’s usually a way to make it work. Another challenge is finding short-term housing that’s affordable, and big enough. They both stress that the good that comes from having a travel partner far outweighs the hiccups.

“It makes it 100% easier,” says Liddell. “It makes starting at a new place, when you don’t know anyone at work, a lot easier."

Travel nursing can get lonely; it’s a lot of goodbyes, and a lot of being the “new kid.” There’s an incredible sense of security that comes from having someone to share the ups and downs with.

“It makes being away from home a lot more bearable,” Enrique adds. 

So where’s next for these two?

“I’ve wanted to go to Texas for a long time,” exclaims Liddell. “You’re obsessed with Texas!” Enrique laughs, who then adds, “I’d love to go to South Dakota, that’s where my mom is, that’s where my sister is.” 

The two make it clear that at the end of the day, they’re open to going just about anywhere.