Gifted Spotlight: Chelsea Wynder

The internet has opened many new doors to education, networking, and community building for nurses around the world. In the world of social media, a community of nurse influencers has developed in recent years. These nurses give their fellow nurses encouragement, inspiration, and tips on how to live their best nursing life. Today’s Gifted Spotlight shines on Chelsea Wynder, a Gifted Healthcare nurse who has built an expansive nursing lifestyle brand named The Fabuleux Nurse.

Read on to learn about Chelsea’s journey as a nurse with a mission to educate and inspire nurses everywhere.

A Lifelong Caretaker

Born in Natchitoches, Louisiana, Chelsea Wynder became familiar with the responsibilities of a caretaker at an early age.

Chelsea struggled with severe asthma throughout her childhood, causing her to be hospitalized on a regular basis. Her mother has multiple sclerosis, a disease of the central nervous system that can cause pain and permanent nerve damage. It was Chelsea’s grandmother, a registered nurse, who cared for her mother as her illness progressed.

Despite the difficult circumstances, Chelsea remembers the caretakers of her childhood fondly.

“I remember the nurses that showed me compassion and actually cared, and the way that my grandmother took care of my mother," she said. "Those experiences got me interested in nursing when I was very young.”

“My friends say that I’m the only person they know who wanted to be a nurse in the second grade and stuck with it,” Chelsea added with a laugh.

In high school, Chelsea was chosen to go to the National Youth Leadership Forum of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She says the experience “sealed the deal.”

The Journey Begins

After graduating from Northwestern State University, Chelsea began her nursing career in Shreveport, Louisiana. After spending two years learning the ropes as a staff nurse, Chelsea embarked on her travel nursing journey.

“I started travel nursing to find a better work-life balance,” said Chelsea. ”The demands of staff nursing were stressful for me as a new nurse, and I wanted to try something different.”

In Chelsea’s words, her travel nursing experience has been “so far so good.” She believes that the unique demands of the role – adaptability, learning on-the-fly, and being comfortable with change – have made her a better nurse.

“I try to bring a positive attitude and an open mind to each new assignment,” she said. “Travel nursing has made me much more confident, patient, and willing to take on new challenges.”

So far, she has remained in Louisiana, taking assignments in Metairie, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette. This arrangement has given Chelsea the freedom to pursue an exciting career without sacrificing the people and projects in her life.

The work-life balance of Chelsea’s travel nursing career, coupled with her personal history and a strong drive to inspire others, formed the perfect breeding ground for The Fabuleux Nurse, her nursing lifestyle brand.

The Fabuleux Nurse

Despite having a bright and bubbly personality as an adult, Chelsea recalls being an extremely shy child.

“Growing up, I was super shy,” Chelsea explained. “My family encouraged me to post YouTube videos to become more comfortable.”

Chelsea started posting videos advocating for self-care, along with beauty and cosmetics tips. She fell in love with the process and began expanding her online presence. She built a website and became very active on social media platforms, sharing her experiences as a travel nurse with friends and followers.

Eventually, The Fabuleux Nurse was born, named to honor her Louisiana roots.

Chelsea described her brand as a “balance between beauty and nursing.”

“My goal is to show nurses that you can have your cake and eat it, too,” she said. “It’s possible to enjoy a great nursing career and still have financial freedom, a healthy work-life balance, and practice self-care.”

Chelsea mostly engages with her audience on Instagram and YouTube. She discusses the pros and cons of travel nursing, reviews different brands of scrubs, and even answers questions from her audience.

A Fabuleux Nurse Gives Back

The Fabuleaux Nurse is enough work to keep anyone busy, but Chelsea didn't stop there.

In 2018, Chelsea created Fabuleux Nurses, Inc., collaborative network of nurses and healthcare professionals that supports aspiring nurses through community outreach events and mentoring.

Fabuleux Nurses, Inc. provides scholarships and wraparound support services for hard-working nursing students in need of financial aid.

Learn more about Chelsea’s fantastic nonprofit work and how to get involved here.

The Ideal Nurse

To achieve excellence, one must strive for an ideal. And every time Gifted Healthcare speaks to an exceptional nurse, we try to learn about the ideals that inspire them.

When we asked Chelsea to “define the qualities of an ideal nurse,” her answer paralleled the excellent responses of the other nurses we’ve featured in the Gifted Spotlight.

“Someone who is compassionate, who is nurturing, and is the person who will be there when a patient feels they have no one else,” Chelsea said. “That’s what I had when I was sick, and what I needed…and that’s what my mom needed, too.”

Chelsea Wynder Is a Gifted Healthcare Nurse

We're thrilled that Chelsea Wynder is part of Gifted Healthcare, and we look forward to her future as an all-star travel nurse! Are you a nurse looking for exciting career opportunities and the flexibility to pursue other projects? From travel to per diem contracts, Gifted Healthcare provides clinicians with high-paying jobs at premier healthcare facilities across the nation.

Apply now and join Gifted Healthcare today!