Lima native Veronica Gilcrease opens a nurse’s nest Airbnb for traveling nurses and contingent workers.
Precious Grundy | The Lima News
LIMA — Lima native Veronica Gilcrease is a registered nurse who discovered a gap in the community while traveling. Gilcrease previously worked as a traveling nurse in Lima and realized a need for temporary housing. She said she decided to create a space nurses can rent while they are working at the local medical centers.
“A nurse’s nest is an Airbnb that is for contingent workers as well as travel nurses in the Lima area,” said Gilcrease. “Community members can rent out the entire space or one individual room.”
Gilcrease said the road to becoming a nurse was not easy. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Biology, she decided to pursue a career in the medical field. Gilcrease did not immediately become a nurse after getting into a nursing program. She said she was dismissed from a program that led her to eventually come home and obtain her degree.
“I embrace my failures,” said Gilcrease. “I don’t feel like a lot of people talk about it. I feel like just it’s the stigma. And I’ve noticed within the hospital that a lot of nurses who have gone through it as well as students who have gone through struggles, don’t talk about it because they feel like they’re going to be judged. And I’m the complete opposite. I had to overcome so many adversities to get to where I’m at.”
Nationally, nurses are being honored for an entire week until May 12. Gilcrease said nursing is not an easy profession but worth it.
“There are many girls who are afraid to go for nursing because they hear how hard it is,” said Gilcrease. “I want to be very transparent and let them know medicine is hard but it is not undoable — I know someone who took her board (exam) five times and she was recently nominated for being one of the best nurses. I always say ‘it’s just a setback for a major comeback.’ My failures are just going to be utilized for someone else’s success.”
Gilcrease also hopes to create an online space where nurses can find a temporary home that is just right for them as they travel.
Nurse’s Nest is now available for workers to rent. The Airbnb is located at 2275 N. Cable Rd, a condo in the Gatehouse Living Community. For more information, community members can visit www.anursesnest.com or reach Gilcrease at 567-204-5064.
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
