Henry Bariteau, RN, knew he wanted to work in healthcare from the time he was a child. With a little guidance from his aunt, who was a naval nurse, and plenty of self-determination, he began finding opportunities in the field as early as high school.
Henry volunteered as an EMT during his junior and senior years, spent a summer as an orderly at a local community hospital, and eventually started nursing school in New York.
Around that same time, Henry began investing more time into another passion of his—one that has grown alongside his nursing career for the past several decades: his photography.
“When I graduated nursing school in 1984, the first thing I bought was a Nikon FG-20 camera,” Henry recalls. “I think I spent my entire first paycheck on [it].”
Photography had always been an interest Henry hoped to someday pursue, but for the next 32 years of his life, he focused on his nursing career, working in the intensive care unit (ICU) as a permanent staff nurse at a Level I Trauma Center. Between 1985 and 2001, Henry also served as an Army (Reserve) Nurse.
Following an impressive nursing career like that, his retirement was well-earned—but it was also short-lived. “I got bored after about ten weeks,” jokes Henry. “I thought to myself, ‘Let’s see what else I can do.’”
So in 2016, Henry came out of retirement and made a career move that would allow him to grow his skills as a nurse while also providing an opportunity to fully embrace his love of photography.
He decided to give travel nursing a try.
Despite the many differences between staff nursing and working as a travel nurse, Henry had no trouble adapting. “As long as you understand your [nursing] theory and why you’re doing what you’re doing, it’s not that bad [to adjust]. Every facility has a different way of doing things and different priorities,” says Henry.
It’s this exact concept that Henry considers the most challenging and rewarding part of travel nursing. “One approach doesn’t fit all,” he explains.
This open-minded attitude has allowed him to thrive as a travel nurse and helped him make several close connections with people he’s met through his career. One of the strongest connections he’s made is with his TRS Healthcare recruiter, Spencer Puryear.
“Spencer is awesome. I can call him [with] an issue, and he’s going to listen.”
Henry didn’t always travel with TRS Healthcare, but once he made the switch, he knew he was in good hands. Now, working with Spencer, he’s confident his needs will be met, and that he’ll be presented with assignments that are in line with his personal and professional interests.
“For me, [choosing assignments] is all about where I want to go and what I want to see,” says Henry.
Often, photography opportunities are top-of-mind when making decisions about which locations he wants for his next travel nursing assignment. In particular, he enjoys photographing events like the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which he has attended three times. He has also visited more than 50 national parks, thanks to his travel nursing career.
In addition to photography, Henry is passionate about community engagement. He’s been a Past Master at a Masonic Temple Lodge, the president of a local chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, and a variety of other leadership positions in other societies and organizations. His other volunteer work has included time with the Friends of the National Parks Foundation and Shriners International.
Whether he’s on assignment or spending time with friends and family in his home state of Florida, Henry makes the most of life wherever he is.
Ready for your next travel nursing assignment? TRS Healthcare can help you get started and connect you with jobs that fit your unique lifestyle. Browse our current jobs or apply with us now!
Photos provided by Henry Bariteau Photography.
