TEMPLE, Texas — A group of travel nurses at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Temple will soon be heading home as their contracts come to a close.
To send them off, a Temple woman is now organizing a big way to say 'thank you.'
As our health care system continues to battle the global pandemic -- it's also battling staffing issues.
A lot of hospitals are having to bring in people on temporary contracts through travel nursing programs.
Rebecca Frazier, a traveling nurse, says that a lot of nurses are making the switch for better pay, full benefits and a flexible schedule.
Most travel nurses are on contracts that last anywhere between four and 12 weeks.
By contract, Frazier says they are usually required to work 40 hour weeks but many are having to work way over that for the demand.
Frazier's been doing it for two years and each assignment never gets easier. She says although they're receiving better pay that doesn't necessarily make-up for all the other hardships.
"We're still giving up so much, we're getting time away from our families, we're moving across the nation to help a city we've never been in, to work day in and day out - 12 To 16 hour shifts on the floor and a lot of times walking into complete misery," she explained.
What helps Frazier and many others in the travel nurse industry is the support system.
"It means everything," she said. "It gets us through the assignment, the hardships that we see during the assignment, being away from our children."
It's something Desire Simmons has grown to understand and appreciate.
"I see them all the time coming in from their shifts and they're always just like heads down, just exhausted, like we're beat for the day," Simmons said.
In the short time of their contracts, Simmons has connected with many traveling nurses and wants to say thank you to the unsung heroes.
"They're really nice, they've become like family to me honestly," Simmons added.
Simmons plans to make farewell bags as they will soon depart from Temple and head home.
"Just something to say thank you for coming all the way out here from different parts of the country, the world actually, just to be here to help," she said.
And now she's asking Central Texans to help return the favor through hand written letters, small gifts or whatever you can give.
"Something from the heart, something that says we appreciate you for being here, we appreciate your time, we appreciate your effort," Simmons said.
As Frazier says, it's the little things that go a long way and this small but grand gesture will definitely help those here temporarily working.
"We're really tired and it gives us hope so that's amazing that [Desire] is doing it."
Miles from home, Simmons hopes it reminds those who are temporarily here the generosity and gratitude the city of Temple has for them and all our healthcare workers.
"I wanted them to feel the same feeling I feel: home away from home," Simmons explained.
And that they all matter.
"I just feel like they they go through a lot to get here and it's hard for them to integrate themselves until the hospital, you know working with new people," Simmons said. "It's kind of like being the new kid on the block."
Simmons is asking for those who are interested in thanking the travel nurses to drop off items to the Residence Inn in Temple on General Bruce Drive by Dec. 3.