A Gifted Love Story: Katy & Richard

Gifted Healthcare’s mission is to provide extraordinary career opportunities that allow nurses to pursue their dreams, both inside and outside of a clinical setting. Sometimes, those pursuits include true love. Read on for the story of Katy and Richard, two Gifted Healthcare clinicians who fell in love while following their passion for Travel Nursing.

Katy & Richard

Katy and Richard met while working in Slidell, a small town outside of New Orleans, LA. Richie worked night shifts, and Katy worked day shifts.

At first, they exchanged hellos while crossing paths during shift changes. Right away, Katy told us, she thought Richard "looked cute in his scrubs."

Through shift reports and small talk, their exchanges became warmer and more friendly. Short conversations became longer, and Katy and Richard began to learn more about each other. At the time, Katy and Richard were in separate romantic relationships.

Coincidentally, both of their relationships ended around the same time. At this point, the pair had become close friends, and they offered each other support while they both went through breakups.

Soon after, the two realized that their friendship had blossomed into something more substantial. As Katy recalls, “We both realized we had feelings for each other at the hospital Christmas Party.”

When Richard became a staff nurse at a different hospital in New Orleans, they officially started dating.

Traveling with Gifted Healthcare

Eventually, Katy and Richie joined Gifted Healthcare so that they could take travel nursing trips together. Their first Gifted Healthcare adventure took place in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

When we asked Katy about their trip, she said, “It was the first travel nursing assignment either of us had taken. And it was the best first assignment we could have hoped for. The people were so welcoming, the patients were wonderful, and Chattanooga was great! We biked across bridges over the Tennessee River, hiked Signal Mountain, hung out at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel…it was all really beautiful.”

Katie and Richard decided to keep traveling, following their passion for nursing together while falling in love.

"I've worked with other agencies, but Gifted Healthcare is different," Katy says. "I've never worked with another agency where everyone is so nice, helpful, and willing to do whatever it takes to make the travel nursing experience a positive one."

Tying the Knot

Katy and Richard were married on March 22nd, 2019. After a honeymoon in Barbados, they decided to settle down and start their lives together in Slidell, back where it all began. Katy has joined the staff of a nearby hospital, and Richard continues to work with Gifted Healthcare on local and regional travel assignments.

Katy and Richard consider Gifted Healthcare a part of their heart-warming story, and our team enjoyed supporting their careers while they discovered true love. Stories like Katy and Richard's strengthen Gifted's commitment to providing great travel nursing experiences.

Become a Gifted Healthcare Nurse

Apply now or contact us today to learn more about the unique range of contracts, career opportunities, and travel experiences that we offer clinicians.

Who knows? Your next Gifted Healthcare assignment could lead you to your soulmate!