Stephanie Nordstrom and Amanda Beaver met eight years ago as new nurses. Between the two, they have worked at close to 15 different hospitals as travel nurses, and through it all, they have become the best of friends. It was a work experience in the Emergency Department at Baystate Wing Hospital that made them realize how this experience stood apart from the rest.
Nursing was a second career for both of these two special nurses. Amanda was in hospitality management, and Stephanie was working in marketing and real estate. Both note that after someone close to them went through a medical situation, they felt drawn to a career in healthcare as a nurse.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Stephanie was working on an observation unit at BMC, which was redeployed all over the hospital, including the ICUs. Wanting to know about critical care skills and be comfortable with them, she sought out a position that she said would make her ‘fearless.’ Amanda, who was working at another large Level 1 Trauma Center, says, “I felt isolated there and left the position in search of happiness in my career as a nurse. When I landed at Baystate Wing in its Emergency Department, I finally felt like I had found my home; being able to remain calm, smile and at times even laugh with the people I worked with amid the chaos.”
After working eight months as a travel nurse in the BWH ED, Amanda decided to leave travel nursing to become a member of the Baystate Wing team. Similarly, Stephanie worked in the BWH ED for almost a year and then also chose to become an official member of the team.
“What makes the work in the ED truly exceptional are those moments when everyone comes together in a show of camaraderie,” says Stephanie. “We both found great satisfaction in caring for people on what was for them their worst day and doing everything we could to help them that day. This is what solidified our decision to work as ED nurses.”
Together Stephanie and Amanda have shared stories and experiences throughout their nursing journey, from caring for the critically ill to delivering a baby in the ED.
“Nursing has its ups and downs but when you connect with the people who provide care through extreme circumstances and understand the work you do, you develop what many nurses know as a trauma bond,” says Stephanie.
Amanda agrees. “It was like an invisible string tied us together as our nursing careers would randomly land us in the same place at the same time,” she says. “It was in the Emergency Department at Baystate Wing Hospital that we witnessed the ‘enchanted’ team of caregivers who worked so well together. That’s why we made it our home.”
In photo: Amanda Beaver (left) and Stephanie Nordstrom (right)
