On the Road and Back Again

Sonographer discovers best of both worlds

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Bill Niebauer at a "high point" in New Mexico

Bill Niebauer is a healthcare veteran. His skills as a registered diagnostic medical sonographer have taken him across the country as a contract healthcare professional for staffing agency Aureus Medical Group, Omaha, Neb.

Having grown up in a military family, Niebauer traveled during most of his childhood, from Washington, D.C., to the Panama Canal to the beaches of Florida. Perhaps that's why he feels so comfortable moving from place to place and why the excitement of each new journey burns strong.

Niebauer came across the healthcare profession when he joined the Navy in 1972, fresh out of high school. He spent the majority of his military career in Camp Lejeune, N.C., on the Navy medical staff for the Marines. Upon receiving medical training, he became a field corpsman, assisting the physicians by performing minor procedures and prescribing limited medications.

After four years of military life, he wanted to take his career to the next level. He enrolled in licensed practical nursing school, common for those coming out of the Armed Services. In a class, he and a Navy chief, also a supervisor of a radiology department in a Florida facility, crossed paths, a meeting that proved important to his future.

The man enticed Niebauer to come work for him and guided him to X-ray school. After eight years of working in radiology, Niebauer then made his way to ultrasound. He completed a training program and relocated to Dothan, Ala., where he signed on to work in a major hospital facility. He was there for 12 years, and although happy, he wanted something more.

For almost a quarter of a century, Niebauer had been devoted to healthcare. It was his chosen profession and he didn't have any regrets. But, he found himself in a quandary. He yearned to travel and see the country, but he wasn't at the point in his life where he thought could financially afford to retire. "I decided if I wanted to see the sights, my next best bet was to travel in healthcare," he says.

Niebauer chose to work for Aureus Medical, having received recommendations both from a former colleague, as well as a technologist working on assignment in the Alabama facility. "We had many conversations about traveling, and it sounded like a great idea – it fit my lifestyle."

Niebauer then began the next phase of his career on the road, and he hasn't turned back since. Best of all, he's able to share the experience with his wife, Wanda, who accompanies him on most every assignment. The duo are motorcycle enthusiasts, so they drive to their destinations and take their touring bikes with them wherever they go. He cites Denver, Albuquerque, N.M. and Greenvale, S.C. as high points.

"We like the weather in the West, especially the sunshine and lack of humidity," he says, although he looks forward to venturing to the Northwest in the near future.

He and Wanda love the outdoors, so they spend a great deal of time hiking and bicycling, as well as getting to know the local scene. "Normally, when you're on a vacation, you can only scratch the surface in terms of what there is to see and do. We're able to really get the flavor of the area by visiting with local people and seeing the more unusual attractions that you probably won't get to during a typical vacation stay."

Home Sweet Home

Although he enjoys the excitement of seeing new places and the opportunity to continue his career at the same time, he's discovered another valuable benefit to working with a staffing agency - the chance to secure assignments locally from time to time.

"It's a great situation for me. I'm able to come home in between travel assignments, take care of things at the house and still be able to stay on the payroll by working in my local area. I've been fortunate to work in the hospital I was at before I started traveling with Aureus," Niebauer says.

No matter how exciting it may be visiting new destinations, sometimes there's no place like home. Fortunately, staffing firms offer those like Niebauer the best of both worlds.

Career Advice

When asked what it's like to work for a staffing firm on contract assignments, Niebauer offers sound advice. "I tell them it's a great opportunity to learn and see how things are done differently in various facilities. I learn something new every place I go," he says. He also counsels those who inquire that once they start, they'll have a hard time giving it up. "It's an addictive thing," he confesses. "I keep wanting to see more of the country and, at the same time, I'm making a very good living."

He also encourages his colleagues to seek a reputable company, preferably a larger one, using his employer as an example. "Aureus has taken very good care of me and has a solid network of facilities. And, I've always received my paycheck on time," he says.

In terms of qualities he brings to his work, Niebauer says dependability is important, as is rapport with patients. "I have a lot of empathy for my older patients and what they're going through," he says.

What's in Store?

For now, Niebauer is very happy with the lifestyle he's living. He knows he'll reach the point someday when retirement beckons and he'll want to slow down. But, like he says, it's hard to walk away.

He's excited that Wanda has enrolled in school to become a medical assistant. They plan on seeking positions in the same area so they can continue traveling together and visiting places they've always wanted to see. And, when they decide to permanently trade miles on the road for the familiar surroundings of Dothan, he'll focus on local contract work while Wanda settles in a full-time position.

"When you're young you think you have so many years ahead of you, but life is short," Niebauer says. This is one veteran who is making the most of it.

— Mary Carrick is communications specialist for C&A Industries, Omaha, Neb. Questions and comments can be directed to editorial@rt-image.com.