If you’re just starting as an IntelyPro, you’re probably wondering what advice your fellow IntelyPros have for you. Some of the IntelyPros that we interviewed for our Spotlight Series were gracious enough to share advice on living your best life as an IntelyPro.
Below are six pieces of advice we heard from IntelyPros:
“Switch up facilities” – Dana Walker-Hess – RN, OH
Before becoming an IntelyPro, Dana found herself overworked by facilities. When she started at IntelyCare, she loved having the flexibility to work at different facilities. She found that switching facilities was just the kind of reset button she needed. “I like to keep it fresh,” she says. “New people to meet and new problems to solve keeps me excited to be a nurse.” So take her advice and “keep it fresh!”
“Take care of yourself” – Gregory Cortez-Griffith – CNA, PA
Gregory explains that before using IntelyCare, he worked 15-hour shifts on weekends, started to feel burned out, questioned his confidence, and wondered if he should continue nursing. When he became an IntelyPro, the opportunity to take the time to care for himself opened up, and it has made all the difference. So Gregory’s piece of advice for new IntelyPros is to take the new time you have to take care of yourself!
“Work holidays… Or don’t!” – Blailin Baker, CNA, PA
Working holidays is a double-edged sword for many nurses. One of the most rewarding moments of nurses’ careers can be when they brighten a patient’s day on a holiday, especially when they can’t see their family. But a lot of nurses also have families of their own. Being called in to work a long shift on a day you’re supposed to be with family is tough. But for Blailin, he chooses to work holiday night shifts after he’s had a full day with his family because the holiday pay rates are excellent, and it works for him. So if it fits your life, his piece of advice is to work a shift on the holidays that won’t conflict with your family time.
“Start a side hustle” – Shakira Hodge – LPN, OH
When Shakira isn’t traveling to places like Las Vegas and the Red Rock Canyon with her husband in her free time, she runs her very own custom facemask side hustle for friends. Knitting and crocheting are some of her favorite pastimes, allowing her to unwind and reset from tough days at the nursing facility. Her advice to new IntelyPros is to use your schedule flexibility to find ways to turn your hobbies into rewarding and productive activities.
“It’s okay to put life first” – Kaitlin Meda – LPN, RI
Kaitlin explains that she started using IntelyCare because her life drastically changed when the pandemic started. She was doing home care for a while and recently switched to working in long-term care facilities because she had some experience. But when COVID-19 started, both her work and home life started changing, especially when her kids started remote learning. She realized she could use IntelyCare to fit her work schedule around her constantly changing life. So Kaitlin’s advice to new IntelyPros is to know that it’s okay to put life first when you have that flexibility.
“Further your education” – Marilily Gutierrez – CNA, FL
Marilily’s primary goal when she entered the healthcare industry was to become an RN. But when kids were on the way, family took priority, and her goals of furthering her education took a back seat. She sees the potential to pick her education back up by using IntelyCare to work around school and family obligations, but she still wishes she could have done it sooner when she had more time. So her advice to new IntelyPros is to take advantage of your ability to make your own schedule to “further your education before anything else.” Now that she’s using IntelyCare and finds herself with the ability to pick her own shifts, she sees an opportunity to get her goals back on track. By choosing the shifts she wants to work, she can follow her dreams. So take it from Marilily and invest in your education.
Are you a nursing professional looking to transform the way you work? We have a vibrant and diverse community of healthcare heroes at IntelyCare, and we’re always looking to add to our team. Get started today.