Pulse

Nurse trades scrubs for an 18-wheeler

When LPN couldn’t advance in her career, she got her trucker license and hit the road

Looking For a Career Change , Amid the 'Great Resignation?', Here's What To Do.Experts say as the 'Great Resignation' unfolds, now may be your best time to find a better opportunity.Here are a few ways to increase your odds of landing a better career opportunity, according to experts:.Learn New Skills.Experts say one of the best ways to better yourself is to educate yourself.It is never too late to go back to school, obtain a certification, set a goal, or educate yourself on something you’re passionate about. , Karen Gaski, human resources manager CareerBuilder, via CNBC.Transferable Skills.Before you send your resume to any potential employers, make sure to highlight how your skills will transfer to their open position.Make sure to emphasize these skills in the executive summary of your resume and reference them again in your cover letter.Keywords.Mirroring the language of a job post may help your application stand apart.Experts suggest including keywords from job posts in your resume, including any company lingo used to describe the position.Anecdotes.Preparing anecdotes before a job interview could be the key to landing your next great opportunity.Experts say to give specific examples of how you have utilized your transferable skills in the past to forge positive outcomes.Practice.Experts agree to ace a job interview, preparation is essential.Play through some scenarios beforehand, and rehearse your anecdotes.Be prepared so that you can go into your interview with plenty of confidence.Practice what you’ll say ahead of time, but talk conversationally. , Vicki Salemi, career expert Monster, via CNBC
By
Jan 26, 2022

Lots of nurses are leaving their hospital jobs. But there aren’t a lot of them becoming truck drivers.

That didn’t matter to Leah Gorham, who left her job as a licensed practical nurse at Saint John Regional Hospital in New Brunswick, Canada, to hit the road in an 18-wheeler.

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“A lot of the nurses are getting burned out,” Gorham told CBC News while en route to Indiana and then South Carolina. “They’re crying every day; they’re crying in the bathroom. The people I know who are tough as nails, they just can’t take it anymore.”

Gorham said she couldn’t take it anymore after being assaulted by a male patient who apparently hit her in the face with his catheter bag, then pinned her up against the wall and tried to strangle her. She told CBC she later learned he had been confused and aggressive overnight, but nobody had a chance to tell her.

She also had been thrice rejected for the University of New Brunswick’s bridging program so she could become a registered nurse.

“I wanted to be a nurse for the rest of my life,” Gorham said. “I applied at least three times and was flat-out rejected and honestly, I had no idea why.”

That’s when she started looking at her boyfriend’s career choice — trucking. Gorham paid $10,000 for a 12-week driving course and earned her Class 1 transport truck license.

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“I really miss working with the girls,” she said. “We really formed a strong relationship and a huge trust and I loved looking after people. But I was so frustrated with not getting ahead in nursing, I feel like this is a better fit for me right now.”

What kind of salary could you expect as a long haul driver based in Georgia?

While ZipRecruiter said it is seeing salaries as high as $86,496 and as low as $27,338, the majority of long haul truck driver salaries currently range between $47,057 (25th percentile) to $68,569 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) making $77,533 annually. Indeed.com lists the average base salary at $71,815 a year.

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About the Author

Follow Nancy Clanton on twitter

Nancy Clanton is lead editor for revenue content, but also writes stories about health, travel, events and entertainment. She also coordinates coverage of Pulse, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's digital magazine for nurses in the Southeast. A native of Knoxville and graduate of the University of Tennessee, she has worked at the AJC for 23 years.

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