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Leaves a Major Impression on Us

Joyce Hamlin wanted to be a Junior High School science teacher... fortunately, change is the driving force in her life. Instead of furthering the youth of our nation she decided to deliver them. Joyce ended up putting her nurturing nature and her love of helping others to a different use - she became a Labor and Delivery nurse.

Today, the healthcare professionals and facilities that have worked with Joyce will agree that they're happy she decided to stay out of the classroom. This is because she has gone on to become an excellent RN. And as an acknowledgment of her exceptional abilities, Joyce was presented The Outstanding Performance Award (T.O.P.) by her travel staffing company, Cross Country TravCorps.

At 52, Joyce is calm, content and still percolating
Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Joyce explains that finding her calling as a nurse was easy... the inspiration came from home itself. Like many younger sisters, Joyce looked to her older sisters for guidance. And with two of them being nurses the decision seemed to be a given.

Today, she has a quiet strength that speaks volumes when she talks about her journey as a travel nurse. Joyce graduated in 1973 and was with the military for close to a decade where she stumbled upon a passion for traveling. When she was with the Air Force, she held the rank of a Major.

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It's no mystery why Joyce is the 2004 T.O.P. Award winner
In her leisure time, Joyce loves to read and travel whenever she can. Her favorite genre is mystery and she correlates that directly with her traveling life. "Whenever you move to a new place, the experience makes you sharp on one hand and humble on the other as you learn different ways of life. It's almost like fitting together the pieces of a puzzle" she adds as a matter of fact. When she's not on assignment, Joyce spends as much time with her family as she can. Joyce thinks that the best part of being a travel nurse is that work hardly feels like work and you get to see family in different parts of the country as an added bonus.

For her, nursing is not a job, it's an experience that helps you grow as a person. On a philosophical note she says, "Especially when it comes to being true to yourself, I think it's related a great deal with your integrity and it follows you everywhere you go". She loves working with people and enjoys being with her patients. Her need for teaching is fulfilled in many different ways when she is training younger nurses or even sharing her wealth of experience with her patients.

Now entering the 21st Century
A part of Cross Country TravCorps' team for 13 years, she distinctly remembers when she first joined, it was her 40th birthday! When we asked her about the prize options offered to winner of the T.O.P. award, she had no hesitation. Since she was actually looking for a computer, she quickly chose the new laptop. Joyce calls it her ticket to the 21st century.