Nurse lost her job from the only pediatric hospital in Mississippi. Two months later, and she’s making quadruple in California as a travel nurse

Mel (@_nursebaemel), a nurse originally from Mississippi, shared how she relocated to California after her termination. Despite a rough patch, she explained that what she went through turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

“I was terminated from the only pediatric hospital in the state of Mississippi on August 28th,” Mel told TikTok. She was anxious because of the sudden job loss and had to figure out her next steps. The next day, she considered moving to California to start earning immediately. So, she applied to reactivate her license in California; however, the website allegedly said it was already delinquent. Mel needed 30 continuing education units, her fingerprints, and $280 to reactivate her license.

Despite the roadblock, Mel still looked for flights to San Francisco because she wanted to expedite her fingerprinting. She had to pay $580.60 for her flight. Mel checked the Delta Airlines website, even though she usually books through Google Flights. There, she discovered an unknown credit of $581, which meant she could fly for free. She booked the flight, and on Monday, she allegedly received an email from the California Board of Nursing.

She was allegedly informed that she no longer needed fingerprinting and that her license was back on active. This was only a day before she was scheduled to fly out to California. But her streak of luck didn’t stop there. Mel said her coworkers at her PRN nursing job banded together and gave her their shifts so she could earn more money.

“So, I was able to work my PRN job, and cover my bills, and surplus, solely off my coworkers giving me their shifts,” Mel said. She added that her coworkers took a loss from their paychecks for her.

Her move to California as a nurse had been smooth

The following Monday, she applied for a travel nurse position in California. On Tuesday, the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) manager in California interviewed her over the phone. That same night, Mel said she got the job. On Wednesday, she received the information she needed to start her new job. But she still hasn’t sorted out one thing: her living situation.

Mel was looking for Airbnbs, and she found one with a connected bathroom for $1,200. She described the find as “unheard of,” given California’s expensive cost of living. One woman who got stuck in Northern California shared her hardship with rent and medication as someone with a chronic illness. Mel could only afford to book the Airbnb for two weeks, so she felt stressed about not being able to secure housing.

Then, the Airbnb owner allegedly messaged her to say another travel nurse wanted to book the property after her two-week stay. The owner asked if she wanted to stay longer and, if so, said they would hold the Airbnb for her. They added that they understood she would want to get a feel for the environment, so the property owner allegedly took the transaction off Airbnb and allowed her to rent at a discounted price. The owner also offered to let Mel pay only on the 16th of the month, after she gets paid.

Everything fell into place

“God took my life that was in shambles, you understand? And restored me within two months. Now, I’m in California, making quadruple what I was making working in Mississippi, working in that PICU,” Mel shared. As a Black woman, she said she no longer had to deal with microaggressions or racism in her new workplace.

Her work environment improved after she moved, and she feels her education and degree are valued. But while Mel was pushed by life to move forward after an unceremonious firing, this woman turned her life around after her car’s transmission blew up at a Walmart parking lot.

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