From campus to the coast: Purdue alumna balances Counseling and Psychological Services role with travel nursing career

Written By: Rebecca Hoffa, rhoffa@purdue.edu

Alyssa Cutter(Photo provided)

Thirty-nine states, 26 national parks and counting, Purdue University College of Health and Human Sciences alumna Alyssa Cutter is passionate about traveling. Through her role as a staff registered nurse in Purdue’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Cutter has the opportunity to balance work on campus during the academic year with work in crisis units across the country during the summers, leaning on skills from both her Department of Psychological Sciences and School of Nursing degrees. This summer, Cutter is traveling to Cocoa Beach, Florida, to translate her nursing skills to patients on the country’s southeastern coast.

“It’s the perfect work combination of being able to work at Purdue during the school year and then having an adventure during the summer while brushing up on my nursing skills,” Cutter said. “I think having the knowledge and background of both degrees has prepared me immensely for my current roles. Being a psychiatric nurse, it is imperative that I have a strong grasp of psychological concepts as well as nursing skills to be able to show up for my patients to the best of my ability.”

How did you end up as a psychological sciences student at Purdue?

I always knew I would most likely go to Purdue because I grew up in the area, my mom went to school here and my dad works here. I originally came to Purdue majoring in pre-veterinary medicine but quickly learned that wasn’t my path. I switched to psychological sciences initially because I enjoyed the courses and potentially saw myself going to grad school to become a therapist or a psychologist.

Then, you completed an accelerated nursing degree; what made you choose that path?

In my junior year of college, I started to explore what my life would look like after graduation. I missed the medical aspect of my major but still wanted to do something with mental health. I came across psychiatric nursing as a career option, and I thought it would be a great crossover between medical and mental health. I found out Purdue had an accelerated nursing program, so I completed the prerequisites for the program and applied to the nursing program during my senior year.

What led you to return to Purdue as a staff member?

When I applied to my current role at Purdue, I had been a travel nurse full time for over a year and was looking for more stability. I was also interested in trying a different setting in mental health and thought working in an outpatient setting was a good opportunity. The cherry on top was the job being at Purdue because I thought it would be enjoyable to work at my alma mater.

Cutter rides horseback in the Grand Canyon.(Photo provided)

Where have you visited as a travel nurse so far, and how do you select the locations you work in?

I have lived in Wisconsin twice, Maine, Washington, Montana and Arizona. A lot goes into selecting the location of where I travel. I love the outdoors, so I like to choose locations where there are copious amounts of outdoor activities, such as national parks or historic landmarks. I also research the hospital where I could be working to ensure it aligns with my interests and goals. There is also a housing aspect in choosing which location too because sometimes there can be a perfect contract but little-to-no housing options. I always like to compare choosing a contract to the NFL draft because the contracts go quickly, so you have to constantly calculate the risk of waiting for a better one to come along or choosing one the same day you see it listed.

How has working in different parts of the country shaped your perspective as a nurse?

I think working in different parts of the country has expanded my perspective on different populations, and it has given me an appreciation for just how many different, unique cultures are present within the United States. I think it has helped shape me into the nurse I am today, and I wouldn’t change those experiences for the world.

How does travel nursing compare with your role with CAPS?

I think my role at CAPS has shown me how diverse nursing can be, and I am thankful to have a leadership team that allows me to expand my role into areas I am most passionate about, such as doing outreach initiatives and talking to students about improving their mental health by incorporating lifestyle changes. My travel nursing roles, however, can differ greatly, as I am mainly working with a population that is actively in crisis, so it can be a higher stress environment. I think even though they are vastly different environments, they both challenge me in different ways, which I really enjoy.

What has been your proudest accomplishment in your career thus far?

I think my proudest accomplishments in nursing have come from all the little moments. The satisfaction I get from having patients tell me I have taken great care of them while I am on a travel nurse contract or having students at Purdue tell me the psychoeducation appointments I administer have taught them a lot — these are some of the proudest moments that make this career worthwhile.