How The Founder of The Gypsy Nurse Built a Life of Freedom Living Abroad

"I've built a life around the same freedom that travel nursing first gave me: the freedom to work, explore, and build community anywhere in the world," Treft says.

She's a nurse without a home base, but don't feel bad for Candy Tref, founder of the Healthcare Traveler Academy (HCTA), because she's living exactly the life she's dreamed of. 

"I don’t really live anywhere anymore," Treft tells Nurse.org. "Travel’s become my lifestyle."

The former founder of The Gypsy Nurse has been to over 40 countries around the world, but she's not stopping now. "I've built a life around the same freedom that travel nursing first gave me: the freedom to work, explore, and build community anywhere in the world," she says.

While Treft may not have put down any permanent roots, she is laying the foundation for her next permanent venture for fellow travel nurses with the HCTA (@healthcaretraveleracademy). According to Treft, HCTA is a resource for travel nurses to provide them with everything they need, from certifications to courses, to get started in and succeed with travel nursing. 

A Winding Journey

Anyone who has ever traveled knows that traveling is rarely a straightforward journey. There are often plenty of twists, turns, and bumps in the road to create a winding path from Point A to Point B.

Treft's journey to and through nursing was no different. She tells Nurse.org that she first started in healthcare as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), then became an LPN, and finally, an RN. Throughout her 20+ years of nursing, she notes that the only areas she hasn't worked in are ER, ICU, and pediatrics. Otherwise, her experience includes everything from long-term care to home care to oncology and cardiac units. 

She adds that transitioning to nursing, especially as a single parent trying to make ends meet, "completely changed the course" of her life.

"It gave me stability when I needed it most and opened doors I never would’ve imagined," Treft explains. 

Still, after a long career as a floor nurse, Treft began to experience many of the challenges that other nurses will recognize, like the long hours, endless charting, short staffing, hospital politics, and "begging" months in advance for vacation time. 

"I started to burn out," she admits.

"Travel Nursing Saved My Nursing Career"

It was at the point in her career when Treft says she was "giving more of herself than she had left to give," that she heard about travel nursing—an almost accidental occurrence, she notes—and decided to try it for one summer. 

That summer turned into nine months, and before Treft knew it, she'd built an entirely new career as a travel nurse. 

"Travel nursing quite literally saved my nursing career," she says.

She worked everywhere from her first travel contract in home health in Boston ("That was quite the adventure for a small-town Midwest girl!" Trefton quips) to volunteering in Liberia to even spending a year with the US Department of Defense in Germany. 

"Those experiences showed me that compassion really is the one language that translates everywhere," Treft says. Over the past 20+ years, she has traveled to more than 40 countries, using the flexibility of her career to explore the world while continuing to grow as a nurse.

"Travel nursing gave me back my sense of freedom and reminded me why I became a nurse in the first place," Treft adds. "And honestly, knowing that even the hardest assignment only lasts 13 weeks? That alone can keep your sanity intact."

Sharing What She's Learned

Because she's so passionate about the opportunities that travel nursing can offer, Treft has carved out another niche in her career building resources for fellow travel nurses. 

She started as part of the original small team that co-founded TravCon, the first large gathering for healthcare travelers in the U.S., in 2008. Following TravCon's success, Trefton founded The Gypsy Nurse, a website that curated resources and job boards for travel nurses, and has recently launched her newest venture, the Healthcare Traveler Academy (HCTA).

"I wanted to give other nurses that same power to create possibility," Treft says. "I wanted to show them that their career can be more than just a job. HCTA grew out of my own journey, out of all the lessons learned along the way, and the belief that when nurses are supported and educated, they can build lives filled with both purpose and freedom."

The goal of the HCTA is to provide new and experienced travel nurses with reliable, comprehensive education, trustworthy resources, and tools to help them feel confident. The Academy offers things such as:

• A healthcare traveler certification program
• Mini-courses
• Templates
• Hands-on guidance
• A mentorship-like feel 

The Academy is also hosting "The Shift," a live event for travelers, in Hoi An, Vietnam, where Trefton is currently based.

"The Shift is a space for both new and experienced travelers to breathe again," Treft explains, calling it part workshop, part retreat, and all about connection. "We'll explore new cultures, talk about the real stuff, like burnout, balance, and purpose, and learn the things that make life on the road easier." 

Treft adds that the Shift can be a great opportunity for new or experienced healthcare travelers to have a chance to rest, reset, and meet fellow nurses who get what working as a travel nurse is like. (And it can often be a lonely gig, as you don't stay in one place very long!)

"Some of the realest friendships start at events like The Shift, during those late-night talks, shared breakthroughs, and 'me too' moments that turn strangers into lifelong friends," she points out. 

You could say that Treft's career has been centered on cultivating those connections, whether it was in her early days as a hands-on nurse working with patients or today, in bringing together travelers for community and connection—and she has no plans on stopping anytime soon. 

"I’m most passionate about helping travelers succeed and feel less alone in this industry," Treft says simply. "So many nurses start this journey chasing freedom, only to end up overwhelmed by logistics, stress, and unknowns. HCTA is built to give travelers the tools, knowledge, and confidence they need to thrive, not just survive."

If you're interested in learning more about the HCTA or connecting with Treft, you can find her on Instagram and TikTok, or reach out to her through her contact page.

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