Gifted Spotlight: Ashley Wright, RN

Happy Nurses Week from Gifted Healthcare! To celebrate, we are spotlighting five of our incredible and inspiring nurses. Read on to check out today’s clinician spotlight, Ashley Wright, RN, from New Orleans, LA.  

Life in the ER 

In the emergency room, a monitor is always beeping. The space is filled with moments of chaos, times of silence, bits of calm, and everything in between. Ashley works the night shift in the Emergency Room and experiences the ups and downs of the ER through all hours of the night.  

Ashley doesn’t mind the yoyos of the emergency room because of the sense of fulfillment created when a patient is healed and walks back out of the hospital.  

“You see different people in the ER every shift,” Ashley started. “They come in, you assess, and you do everything you can to help them leave healthier than when they walked in the door. It has some instant gratitude in times of success.”  

A Nurse's Intuition 

Ashley finds solace in the harder times knowing that she is always putting her patients first, doing everything she can to fight for a good outcome. She remembers one patient, specifically, that reminded her to always trust her ‘nurse’s intuition’.  

When Ashley was working in Tulane, a woman had gone into labor early and delivered her baby while still in the ambulance on the way to the ER. Her child was tragically stillborn, and Ashley cared for the mother once they arrived at the ER and while they waited for the coroner to arrive.  

“She had declined the opportunity to hold her son while we waited, and after a little bit my intuition kicked in and I just sensed that she needed and wanted to hold him at that moment,” said Ashely. “I kindly nudged her to hold her child while she could and told her I didn’t want her to regret this moment in time.” 

“She held her son for two hours while we waited and thanked me profusely afterward. Seeing her hold him was all I needed.” 

This story is a reminder for Ashley when she faces a bit of doubt in the emergency room. She leans back on her nurse’s intuition and prioritizes her patient with compassion.  

Travel Nursing 

Ashley is currently on a contract in Baton Rouge, but travel nursing has placed her in facilities all around the country. Her previous contracts in cities throughout Delaware, California, and Louisiana have given her the experience to advance her career.   

“I remember my assignment in Wilmington, Delaware just being so insanely busy,” said Ashley. “Those were long shifts, but I stuck through it and gained a lot of knowledge. I also learned a lot while I was in Rehoboth, Delaware so I appreciate having been able to experience a variety of facilities.” 

Ideal Nurse 

For Ashley, the ideal quality of a nurse was an easy answer. Empathy was the first thing that came to her mind. She believes that nurses must treat their patients like they are a part of their own family, and that is how she approaches every new patient. She puts herself in their shoes and fights to give them the best care possible.  

“I have always wanted to be a nurse – since I can ever remember,” she said. “I approach every bedside with empathy and strive to do everything I can, no matter the situation.”  

Celebrate Nurses Week with Gifted  

Clinicians make a difference, and we want to celebrate their strength during the month of May. Gifted Healthcare is highlighting the strength of our clinicians and the difference they make every day on our blog and social channels.  

Gifted Healthcare is also giving away $3,000 to celebrate Nurses Week! Learn more about how you could win this Nurses Week, and learn more about working with Gifted Healthcare.