While looking for inspiration for a topic to write about, I came across a New York Times interview with Rick Steves, the American travel writer, television host, and advocate for cultural understanding through travel. He is best known for his PBS television series Rick Steves’ Europe and his guidebooks, which focus on budget travel and immersing oneself in local cultures. In this interview, Mr. Steves says one can travel as a tourist, a traveler or a pilgrim. He says most travelers are proud to be known as a traveler as opposed to a tourist. For him, tourists go about the world to shop for ephemeral trinkets and post as many selfies in social media to brag about their exploits. To be a traveler is to become a temporary local, someone who learns about the world. To be a pilgrim is to experience transformational travel, to learn about ourselves by leaving home and looking at it from a distance. And for those who believe, pilgrims walk about, trying to get closer to God or to a virtuous life.
Mr. Steve’s reflections on the types of travelers lend a certain resonance as to why people choose the careers that they do, be it nursing, or any career in general. An often-repeated refrain is that nursing is a vocation, a calling, not a career. The idea stems from the deep sense of purpose, commitment, and compassion associated with the profession. But is this notion still valid today? Or is choosing nursing largely influenced by careerist goals, financial rewards, and upward mobility of those who are in the right place at the right time? I would like to propose similar categories of nurses who choose to remain in the nursing profession: the tourist, the traveler, and the pilgrim.
The tourist
A “tourist” in nursing could be described as someone drawn to the profession by its perceived excitement or social value. They may relish “Instagram-worthy” moments, such as spotting a celebrity at the hospital or experiencing the rush of adrenaline during a “code” situation. Perhaps, these individuals document their shifts with selfies in staff bathrooms and share curated highlights of their 12-hour workdays with friends and family. On social media, some nurses, clinicians, and academics seem passionate at self-promotion, with a few even building a niche around creating memes that mock aspects of the nursing profession. Routine yet essential tasks, such as managing bedpans or repositioning patients every two hours, are unlikely to hold much appeal for the “tourist” nurse.
The traveler
The “traveler” nurse is someone who made a well-thought-out decision to become a nurse. Perhaps a life experience as patient or as a caregiver, or being around caregiving role models inspired them. The traveler walks the talk, they become the civic minded citizen of the unit and the local leader without the official title. They are deeply dedicated to the shared goals of their units and take a proactive approach to personal and professional growth, often learning more about themselves through their interactions with patients. For them, reflection is a constant and meaningful practice, not a social media transaction.
The Pilgrim
Pilgrim nurses not only walk the talk, but they go the distance without destroying anything in their path. Many of us encounter these remarkable individuals in the workplace—they are the colleagues we turn to in moments of moral distress or when faced with ethical dilemmas. Whether consciously or not, pilgrim nurses embody creativity, embrace universal truths, and inspire others to excel in their nursing practice. They are meaning-makers and gratitude-givers, interpreting the world through a lens of compassion and care. Reflection—both in action and after the fact—is second nature to them. Their emotional intelligence and self-awareness are central to the thoughtful decisions they make, both personally and professionally.
The challenge for educators
When nursing education is narrowed to focus exclusively on technical skills or utilitarian objectives, such as preparing students solely for the job market, it risks neglecting its broader purpose: fostering reflective, ethically conscious pilgrim nurses who can engage meaningfully with society. The humanities, with their emphasis on empathy, critical thinking, and challenging assumptions, play a vital role in cultivating these qualities. These skills are not only essential for personal and professional growth but also for sustaining vibrant, caring communities.
The pilgrim nurse would probably agree with what Oliver Sacks said when he was asked how he wanted to be remembered. “I would like it to be thought that I had listened carefully to what patients and others have told me, that I’ve tried to imagine what it was like for them, and that I tried to convey this. And, to use a biblical term, bear witness.”
Fidelindo Lim, DNP, CCRN, FAAN is a Clinical Associate Professor at New York University Meyer College of Nursing.
