March 12, 2024

2500 Views

When to Start Preparing for Your Next Travel Nursing Assignment

Posted on March 12, 2024March 5, 2024 by Emma Joyce

Starting a travel nursing assignment is an exciting adventure that offers the chance to experience different cultures and locations in addition to professional development. It’s a chance for nurses to grow as professionals, experience new things, and improve healthcare systems all around the world. Nevertheless, careful planning and preparation for your next travel nursing assignments are necessary to maximize this experience.

Every facet of preparation is essential to guaranteeing a seamless transfer and a rewarding experience, from understanding licensing requirements to making travel and housing arrangements and handling funds. With the aim of empowering nurses to take on their next travel nursing assignment with confidence and readiness, we’ll explore the important dates and actions to take into account in this extensive guide.

When to Start Preparing for Your Next Travel Nursing Assignment:

Getting Certifications and Licenses

Obtaining certificates and licenses for a travel nursing assignment can be a complex and time-consuming process. In addition to making sure all of their licenses and certifications are current, nurses should also consider the particular requirements of each jurisdiction in which they intend to operate. This could entail submitting applications for further state certifications or licenses, each of which has requirements and processing dates. For example, to practice effortlessly across state lines, nurses in the United States may need to apply for a multistate license or traverse the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).

Furthermore, it’s imperative to stay up to date on any modifications or adjustments to licensing laws in order to prevent delays and other issues that can affect how your next travel nursing assignment gets started.

Researching Your Potential Next Travel Nursing Assignments

An essential part of the preparation process is researching possible assignments, which enables nurses to choose placements that fit their interests, lifestyle preferences, and professional objectives. Nurses should do extensive studies about the standing of healthcare institutions, the patient population they serve, and the general work environment, in addition to merely noting opportunities that are accessible. This could entail utilizing the resources offered by travel nursing firms, speaking with other travel nurses, and researching online forums and communities. Nurses can make well-informed decisions about which assignments to pursue and guarantee a more meaningful and rewarding experience by obtaining personal experiences and insights from others.

Arranging Housing for your next travel nursing assignment

In addition to being a practical requirement, finding appropriate lodging is essential to guarantee the comfort and well-being of nurses while they are on assignment. The location, length, and particular requirements of the assignment may affect the housing options and availability. That is why looking into luxury apartments in Baltimore is a good option for you because you want to be close to work and also other amenities.

Among the lodging alternatives available to nurses are short-term rentals, long-term hotels, and residences offered by travel nursing firms. When choosing a place to live, it’s important to take the neighborhood’s safety, accessibility to the workplace, amenities, and affordability into account. Nurses should also take the initiative to learn about local rental markets, comprehend leases, and look into housing stipends or allowances offered by their organizations or companies.

Organizing Finances

In order to guarantee stability and peace of mind for the duration of their placement, nurses preparing for a travel nursing assignment must engage in effective financial planning. It is important for nurses to consider a range of charges, such as emergency savings, living expenses, travel expenses, housing prices, and license fees. Nurses can better manage their finances and prevent needless stress or overspending by creating a precise budget and keeping track of their spending. Additionally, nurses may optimize their financial condition and maximize their earnings by being aware of the reimbursement rules provided by travel nursing companies as well as the tax benefits given to healthcare professionals working on temporary assignments.

Packing and Logistics

It takes considerable thought and preparation to pack for a travel nursing assignment so that nurses have all they need to carry out their responsibilities and be healthy while away from home. When packing clothing and accessories, nurses should take into account the destination’s environment, cultural norms, and special requirements in addition to necessities like medical equipment, uniforms, and personal things. It’s critical to pack light and give priority to the things that will be most helpful for the task.

In addition, nurses should become acquainted with the mechanics of getting to and from work, as well as any immunizations or health tests that may be required for the assignment site. By taking proactive steps to prepare and organize their belongings, nurses can alleviate stress and focus on making the most of their travel nursing experience.

Taking on a travel nursing assignment is a thrilling chance to advance both personally and professionally. A seamless transition into their new roles can be ensured by nurses by carefully planning and following deadlines. Every stage is essential to the assignment’s success, from obtaining a license to making travel and housing arrangements to managing funds. Travel nurses can make the most of their travels and contribute significantly to healthcare communities all around the world by being proactive and knowledgeable.

We hope you found this article on when to start preparing for your next travel nursing assignment helpful. Do you have any tips for preparing for your next travel nursing assignment? Comment them below.

Find Your Next Travel Nurse Assignment with Our Job Board!

Are you on the hunt for your next travel nurse gig? Look no further than our job board! Click here to explore all our current opportunities.

Discover the Perfect Housing for Your Next Assignment

Need somewhere to stay on your next travel nurse assignment? We’ve got you covered. Check out our housing page to find your ideal home away from home. Click here to start your search.

By Emma Joyce

October 14, 2023

2633 Views

Ways to Build Relationships with Patients as a Travel Nurse

Posted on October 14, 2023October 14, 2023 by Emma Joyce

The skill of creating long-lasting relationships with patients assumes a unique significance in the dynamic world of travel nursing, where healthcare personnel shift from one assignment to another. You have a special chance as a travel nurse to not only deliver excellent medical treatment but also to create a calming and encouraging environment that encourages recovery. The relationships you build with your patients can have a big impact on their ability to heal and general well-being. In this post, we’ll examine six useful tactics that might aid you in developing lasting relationships with your patients when working on temporary assignments as a travel nurse.

Relationships with Patients as a Travel Nurse

Develop Empathetic Communication Skills

Empathy is the foundation of every successful nurse-patient connection. Healthcare environments can frequently be frightening for individuals, and feelings like fear, worry, and vulnerability are frequent. Hone your sympathetic communication abilities if you want to establish connection and trust. Utilizing open-ended inquiries, active listening, and keeping eye contact with patients might help them to express their worries more freely. Genuinely listen to what they have to say, acknowledge their feelings, and be a kind presence. You may establish a comfortable environment where patients feel heard, respected, and cared for by practicing empathy.

Build Trust through Consistency

Any effective nurse-patient relationship is built on trust, and as a travel nurse, consistency is essential to building that trust. Even though you might be moving between various healthcare settings, it’s important to keep your patient care philosophy constant. Consistency extends to your interactions with patients as well as to medical procedures. Patients are more likely to confide in you and work with you to develop their treatment plans when they see a familiar face and receive care that is consistent.

Educate and Involve Patients in Their Care

The nurse-patient connection can be significantly improved by giving patients the tools they need to be active partners in their healthcare. Spend the time to explain medical issues, available treatments, and likely consequences in terms that are understandable to them. Encourage patients to express their concerns, ask questions, and participate actively in their own care. Patients are more likely to follow treatment regimens, heed medical advice, and actively participate in their own recovery when they feel informed and involved.

Helping Them with Their Health Problems

As a travel nurse, helping patients with their health issues is a key aspect of your job. Your medical knowledge is essential on their path to recovery, from giving drugs to monitoring vital signs and caring for wounds. Beyond the technical aspects, it’s crucial to treat patients with compassion and empathy, taking into account the physical and emotional difficulties their medical conditions may have caused. Make sure to know which products to use and how to find the right ones for each patient. If you look at products from Molicare, you’ll see their benefits for patients. You considerably aid in their overall recovery process by addressing their health issues with a blend of knowledge and sensitivity.

Be Adaptable and Flexible

A travel nurse’s life frequently entails adjusting to many healthcare environments, each of which has its own practices, customs, and patient demographics. The key to handling these variances successfully is demonstrating adaptability and flexibility. Spend some time learning about the regional cultural quirks and preferences and use this knowledge to inform your interactions with patients. You can improve the link between the nurse and patient by upholding regional traditions and displaying an openness to other methods.

Create a Supportive Environment

Patients require emotional support and a sense of belonging during their healthcare journey in addition to medical expertise, which is essential. You may help with this as a travel nurse by showing warmth and compassion. Recalling specifics about patients, such as their names, interests, or prior interactions, demonstrates your sincere concern for their well-being. Simple actions like smiling warmly, keeping a steady hand, or paying attention for a few more seconds can make a big difference in how patients feel about themselves and the care they’re getting.

Extend Your Care Beyond the Bedside

Your responsibilities as a travel nurse go beyond just giving medical attention; they also include offering consolation and assistance. Even though your job’s primary responsibility is to solve patients’ health issues, going above and above can leave a positive impression. Ask patients about their families, hobbies, and other aspects of their lives outside their health when it is acceptable. After they are discharged, sending them a get-well card or a follow-up email shows them that your concern for their well-being goes beyond the hospital. These kind deeds promote a sense of connection and show your commitment to their road to recovery.

Building relationships with patients is a skill that crosses geographic boundaries in the dynamic world of travel nursing. You can develop enduring relationships that improve patient outcomes and overall well-being by developing empathetic communication skills, building trust through consistency, involving and educating patients in their care, adapting to various healthcare environments, fostering a supportive environment, and providing care outside of the clinical setting. Never forget that as a travel nurse, you have a greater impact when you help patients feel heard, appreciated, and cared for at every stage of their healthcare journey.

If you are looking for your next great travel nurse assignment, click here to visit our job board. If you need housing for your assignment, click here to explore our housing page.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Triage Healthcare Staffing

February 8, 2023

4924 Views

Decoding Scrub Style: What Nurses and CNAs Wear, Scrub Colors Explained

Posted on February 8, 2023December 19, 2023 by Triage Healthcare Staffing

Triage Healthcare Staffing provided this article.

As travelers, it’s not uncommon to have a selection of scrubs, all in a rainbow of colors. And while it’s easy to ask your recruiter what color is required, sometimes they have old or outdated information. For instance, some hospitals or units will tell recruiters that nurses need to wear a specific color, only to find out that the rules don’t apply to travelers.

That’s why we asked travelers to share their experiences. And boy, did they. Nearly 2000 healthcare travelers—most of them nurses—gave us valuable feedback on what color they wore during their assignments.

What We Asked In the Survey

To get the most out of the survey, we asked the following questions:

What kind of traveler are you?
Hospital/facility name?
City, state
Department
Scrub color
Was the department strict on color?
What year was this valid?

What Are Safe Scrub Colors to Buy?

Based on the responses, most travelers would do well to have a pair or two of navy blue scrubs—nearly a third of all nurses reported that they wore navy scrubs. Royal blue was the shade for 13% of nurses. Having a set or two of blue scrubs seems like a decent bet when you’re a traveler.

Other well-represented colors were light blue, Caribbean blue, black, gray, and galaxy blue. A few unlucky folks had to wear all-white scrubs—yikes. We’re glad we’re not doing that laundry.

How Strict Are the Units?

Sometimes your recruiter will get information from the facility that a certain color is required, only for the traveler to arrive and see that travelers are exempt. Recruiters can only go off the info they receive, which is why we asked how strict the unit was when it came down to scrub color. About 60% said their units were strict, but that means the other 40% were able to wear any color they already owned.

Let’s Get to the Good Stuff—How to Access the Scrub Color Survey?

What good is this info if you can’t access it? That’s why we’ve taken all the information and put it into an easily accessible database. Check out the what color scrubs nurses wear database and the search by the facility. The information is sorted by alphabetical order by the facility. And because some facilities might even vary scrub color by department or have more than one location, we’ve asked that too.

Using a Scrub Allowance—Yay or Nay?

Some travel companies will write a scrub allowance into your contract if you need a specific color. While there’s nothing wrong with that, here’s the real deal. Scrub and other allowances (and even lavish gifts) seem like a great perk, but the funds are actually taken out of your contract’s bill rate—and you never even realize it’s happening. In most cases, it’s better to forgo these allowances and let your recruiter know that you want that money added to your hourly rate throughout your contract.

Want to Submit Your Facility?

Have a facility or unit that’s not on our list? Fill out our short survey, and we’ll get your facility added.

Are you looking for a travel nurse agency that’s committed to treating you with respect and integrity? Check out our list of travel nurse jobs, and we’ll connect you with a Triage recruiter.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

November 21, 2022

2698 Views

Want to Start 2023 as a Travel Nurse? Now Is the Time to Prepare

Posted on November 21, 2022November 16, 2022 by TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

TNAA Healthcare provided this article.

2023 is weeks away, and a new year brings new opportunities. Many nurses use the fresh start of a new year as the perfect time to leap into a travel nursing career. If you’re considering starting 2023 as a travel nurse, the time to prepare is, well, now.

Before taking your first assignment, you’ll need to:

1. Find a Stand-out Travel Nurse Agency & Recruiter

There are hundreds of agencies and thousands of recruiters. What’s the best way to narrow down this pool of possibilities? Look for what makes an agency or recruiter stand out from the crowd.

Want to Start 2023 as a Travel Nurse? Now Is the Time to Prepare

Pick a Travel Nurse Agency

A quick way to make a top-five list is to consult reputable review sites, such as The Gypsy Nurse, to see which agencies travelers voted as the best of the best. Narrow that down to the agencies that have certification by The Joint Commission, which requires agencies to undergo an extensive evaluation process every few years and demonstrate the ability to offer high-quality and competent nursing services.

With that list, it’s time to explore each agency’s benefits, support, and perks. You’ll want an agency that steps forward to support you on the road with traveler-focused benefits, like day-one insurance and paid sick leave, mental wellness resources that meet you wherever you are, and a 401(k) plan to invest in your future.

Additionally, you’ll want to be able to rely on an agency’s well-structured, experienced support teams. Look for agencies with a QA team that ensures you’re meeting all compliance requirements, a housing team helping you find the best accommodations within your budget, and a clinical support team available to coach you when you need it.

Last but not least, you’ll want the agency you work with to have various travel nurse jobs available so it’s easier for you to get your first assignment to start your travel nursing career.

Pick a Travel Nurse Recruiter

Once your top few agencies are sorted out, you’ll want to connect with a great recruiter. Use social media networks, like The Gypsy Nurse’s Facebook group, to ask other experienced travelers which recruiters they recommend. Your recruiter should know what the agency offers and the current state of the travel nurse market, listen to your career goals and put you on a path to reaching them. You should feel like a priority to your recruiter, not just another traveler on their list.

2. Prep Your Travel Nurse File & Submit Your Application

Your recruiter is responsible for submitting your travel nurse profile to a job; you’ll work with them to get it prepped. Your travel nurse profile will consist of your resume, licenses & certifications, immunizations & titer records, references, and more. If you need to update specific certifications or obtain another state’s license, now is the time to get it done!

Meanwhile, your recruiter is hunting for a few contracts that match your requirements – whether you want to work specific shifts, go for a particular pay, or try for a certain state.

When you and your recruiter have found a few that meet your needs, and your profile is ready, it’s time to apply! You’ll begin applying to open jobs about three to four weeks before the start of the assignment. (Tip: One essential thing to consider before applying for any job is the housing market in the area. You don’t want to accept a job only to discover that you can’t find reasonable housing nearby.)

3. Interview and Land a Job

Once your application is submitted, this next step could move quickly. It takes approximately 72 hours to hear from hospitals about profile submissions. Suppose a hospital wants you for an assignment. You could have a phone interview with a nurse manager, a voice-automated interview, or an auto-offer without a formal interview. Once you agree to a contract, you can put in a two-week notice at your staff job.

4. Compliance and Housing

Congrats, you’ve secured your first travel nurse job! Now, you’ll have to think about assignment compliance and housing. If your agency has a QA department, they’ll contact you to ensure you get all assignment compliance items out of the way. Your agency might even be able to set up any appointments you need and pay for it all. At the same time, you’ll want to find accommodations near your assignment. If your agency has a housing department, they can relieve stress by finding a safe, affordable place for you to stay.

5. Now, The Fun Begins

You’re officially ready to take off for your first assignment! The good news is a lot of the hard part is over. You’ve picked a great agency, established a relationship with a recruiter who is getting to know you and your lifestyle needs, and you’ve got everything together for your travel nurse profile. With all this work behind you and one assignment on your resume, it will likely be much easier to apply for your next travel nurse position or to start your travel nursing career!

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Frank Hamilton

November 3, 2022

2934 Views

How To Write Awesome Social Media Posts As A Travel Nurse

Posted on November 3, 2022October 10, 2022 by Frank Hamilton

There is not a single day that we don’t use our social media to check the latest news happening in the world and updates for our favorite celebrities and social media influencers. In this post, we would like to take a closer look at the social media of travel nurses. The profession of a travel nurse is supposed to be interesting and quite different as they need to change their locations quite often, which means that, along with being a travel nurse, they can be travel bloggers and write about their new adventures and experiences. However, here comes the question: what type of content is acceptable for travel nurses, and what is not? Keep reading to find out what post ideas travel nurses can consider for their social media accounts.

The profession of travel nurse has its advantages and disadvantages like any other profession, for example, professional writers on service Rated by Students. You need to constantly change your place of living, which can be complicated for your mental health, as well as physical health, due to rapid changes in climate. Even if we talk about social media posts ideas, travel nurses will never feel the lack of topics.

As travel nurses change their locations very frequently, they can share their experiences of being in this or that country with their audience on social media. Of course, travel nurses have time off when they can explore the area, visit the most outstanding places of interest and share their impressions on their social media profiles.

Make connections with other travel nurses.

Social media is also a great tool to connect with other travel nurses who actively post on their social media accounts. For example, if you are going to a country other travel nurses have already been to, you can boldly ask them about the best places you would definitely need to visit. Also, you can connect with other travel nurses in the city you are currently in to spend some time together, exchanging your experiences and impressions from your new place of living. By the way, you can help each other to make appealing photos and videos for your social media to reach a broader audience.

Remain professional

Of course, as a travel nurse, your social media accounts are private. But it doesn’t exclude the need to keep your social media professional, even though these accounts are made for your personal needs. For instance, today, you had a horrible experience with your patient who made you very upset. However, you have no right to discuss the situation with your followers on social media. There is a huge probability that your employer or this patient will find out about it, and you’ll probably have some problems with your job. Once you post something in a social media profile, it will never be deleted, as all information will still be kept on servers.

Don’t post the private information of your patients.

Social media for travel nurses is not the place where they can share their use cases and information about patients, like what visits they had to use today, what diagnosis they had to conduct, and so on. All medical information is protected by HIPAA law, which is accountable for protecting patients’ sensitive information from third parties, especially if we talk about publications on social media.

Well, you can discuss various experiences you had at your work in general without not typing the personal information about your patients, the location you had the patient in, the medications you had to prescribe, etc. Due to various reviews on the writing service Top Writing Reviews, this type of content will just ruin your face as a professional travel nurse.

Keep growing skills and knowledge.

Generally, social media can influence your profession as a travel nurse differently, and this impact can also be positive. Social media is a great opportunity to build your face as a real professional as you can share the training and learning courses you passed, the certifications you got, follow outstanding healthcare leaders to find out more knowledge and develop your skills, etc. In addition, you can also share useful articles related to your job or overall healthcare industry with your subscribers to bring more value to your social media audience.

All in all, travel nurses can share general information about their traveling and new destinations, but we do not recommend publishing personal patient information as it can cause serious consequences for their job and healthcare career overall.

We hope you found this article on how to write awesome social media posts as a travel nurse helpful; as stated above, please be mindful of private information and HIPAA laws. For more information on social posting and HIPAA, click here.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Fastaff Travel Nursing

September 2, 2022

2298 Views

Tips From a Recruiter – Handling Illness & Other Curveballs as a Traveling Nurse

Posted on September 2, 2022August 31, 2022 by Fastaff Travel Nursing

Fastaff provided this article.

Let’s set the scene: You’re cruising through week one of your 13-week travel assignment feeling confident and excited for the opportunities that await. You’ve familiarized yourself with the ins and outs of the facility and your new coworkers, and you extend the highest-quality care to all your patients.

Then, on the second week of your assignment, you get sick.
Or you’re needed to aid in a family emergency.
Or you need to call out of work for an unexpected reason.

What now?

Travel nursing comes with its own set of unique challenges, and handling those challenges when you’re a traveler can be overwhelming, as many nurses aren’t clear on the process.
We asked one of our Fastaff recruiters how nurses can best handle these situations and effective communication tips to make the unexpected a little easier.

“I would always suggest that an RN call their manager or scheduling at the facility to ensure they are aware of the situation, and they can plan ahead for scheduling. They should also alert their recruiter so that we can communicate on our end (but still need to message directly to the facility because sometimes there are delays in communication with the game of telephone we play, and it’s important that the manager have as advanced notice as possible in order to find someone to cover their shift).
“If it’s a family emergency, it’s best if they can just let everyone know when (approximately) they expect to return – so that the facility can plan.” – Melissa Donahoo, Fastaff Recruiter.

We strive to have the recruiter + nurse relationship built on trust and communication. What it comes down to is simply communication – no matter what arises, open avenues of communication can pave the way for a seamless resolution so you can get back to serving patients across the nation.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. If housing is an issue, we have you covered with our housing page. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

August 16, 2022

1732 Views

What Healthcare Travelers Need to Know About Monkeypox

Posted on August 16, 2022August 15, 2022 by TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

TNAA Healthcare provided this article.

The United States has officially declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency. The first domestic case attributed to this outbreak was confirmed on May 17, 2022. Since then, there have been over 7,000 additional cases.

What Is Monkeypox and How Is It Transmitted?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), monkeypox is caused by an orthopox virus in the same family as the virus that leads to smallpox. However, monkeypox is often a milder illness. Its symptoms include fever, aches, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, malaise, and a severe rash.

Anyone can contract monkeypox as healthcare experts say the virus can be transmitted through direct contact with the rash or bodily fluids, respiratory secretions during prolonged periods of close contact, touching objects, such as linens and clothing, previously in contact with the rash or bodily fluids of an infected person, and being bitten or scratched by an infected animal.

There are a few ways to limit the disease. According to the CDC, “Smallpox and monkeypox vaccines are effective at protecting people against monkeypox when given before exposure to monkeypox. Experts also believe vaccination after a monkeypox exposure may help prevent or make the disease less severe.” However, monkeypox-specific vaccines are not readily available to the general public as of this posting.

What You Should Do As a Traveling Healthcare Professional

Know Your Facility’s Policies

Your first line of defense as a traveling healthcare professional is to know the facility’s policies and protocols. These are often sent through email before the assignment.

“Make sure to read your emails and not just skim through them,” says Misty Hood, Risk Management Director at TNAA and a nurse. “Take the time to read through them because that’s how the facility communicates with you before starting your assignment. That way, you know what you are willing to accept and are not willing to accept.”

If you need additional clarifications after reviewing the policies, your agency should be a helpful resource connecting you to the right people to answer your questions.

Take Safety Precautions

Exposure to illnesses happens all the time on the job, but there are still precautions that you can take.

The CDC recommends healthcare professionals who are caring for a monkeypox patient to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves, a gown, eye protection, and a NIOSH-approved particulate respirator equipped with N95 filters or higher. As always, it is also essential to keep your hands clean by washing them frequently with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Exposed? Here’s What to Do

If you were exposed to monkeypox while caring for an infected patient, be mindful of any symptoms you develop within the next 21 days. Additionally, notify:

Infection control, who will help the facility maintain the situation;
Occupational health, who can help travelers with their treatment;
The health department can advise on health monitoring and start contact tracing;
Your agency will bridge the gap between occupational health and your available benefits. As your employer, your agency will administer workers’ compensation benefits, should you need them. So, it is also imperative that you know your agency’s process for reporting workers comp.

The CDC says healthcare workers who have unprotected exposure to monkeypox patients don’t need to be excluded from work but should begin monitoring symptoms twice daily for 21 days following the last date of exposure.

So, before you go to work, ask yourself: Do I have a fever, did I take any medications that could mask a fever, or do I have a rash? If you report any of these symptoms, maintain communication with your facility supervisor and your agency. Your agency should be able to support you in multiple ways.

“Helping them navigate their benefits, navigate sick time – those are a few reasons we’re here,” Hood explained.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has renamed variants or clades of the monkeypox virus during the 2022 outbreak. However, at the time this article was published, no new name had been announced for the disease altogether, though the WHO plans to review potential suggestions in the future.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

Resources

Monkeypox is an evolving disease, and this scale of an outbreak is a newer situation for the United States. Stay informed on current facts and guidelines provided by the CDC and review recent updates on its “What’s New and Updated” page. Additionally, you may find the below resources helpful as the outbreak continues.

By Triage Healthcare Staffing

August 15, 2022

2568 Views

Recruiter (and Travel Nurse) Red Flags

Posted on August 15, 2022July 26, 2022 by Triage Healthcare Staffing

Triage Healthcare Staffing provided this article.

Looking for an allied or travel nurse recruiter or planning on taking your first travel assignment? Before you commit to a recruiter, check out these recruiter red flags, so you know which recruiters to avoid. But, because the recruiter/traveler relationship goes both ways, check yourself for red flags you might be throwing up too.

Recruiter Red Flag: Not Understanding You Work with Different Recruiters

Good recruiters understand that this is a competitive market—for both recruiters looking for travelers and travelers looking for jobs. Most recruiters understand that travelers have a couple of recruiters searching for jobs. Although it’s natural that a recruiter wants to be your one and only, they should be understanding when they find out they’re not. This is especially true if you’re looking for an assignment in a coveted area or one where the company doesn’t have a lot of contracts. If a recruiter asks you to sign an “exclusivity clause,” consider running far away because this recruiter is only looking out for himself.

If you are working with more than one recruiter, don’t hide it because this can actually make it harder to find a job. While it might seem like a great idea to double your chances by having two companies submit you for the same job, that isn’t the way things work. If you have two recruiters submit your resume for the same job, both will get rejected automatically. Hospitals don’t want to waste time figuring out which application was first to determine which recruiter gets the credit, so they reject them both, leaving you without a job. For this reason alone, it’s great to be upfront with your recruiters about where you’re submitted and by who.

Traveler Red Flag: Social Media Negativity

It’s common job searching advice to lock down your social profiles, but that’s not enough when you’re looking for an allied or travel nurse job. If you’re in any travel Facebook groups, like The Gypsy Nurse’s group, know that there are definitely recruiters in those groups. Remember that anyone on social media can take a screenshot of a post in a group and spread it around, so before you talk negatively about a recruiter, a company, or a facility, understand that these groups aren’t quite as private as you might think.

This doesn’t mean you can’t be honest when you have feedback about a facility. Just realize that social media may not be the best venue for your complaints. Basically, if you wouldn’t say it to someone in person, don’t put it in writing on social media.

Recruiter Red Flag: Not Showing a Pay Rate Up Front

No one should work for free. While healthcare travelers have lots of different reasons for traveling, the money sure doesn’t hurt. If a recruiter is shifty when you ask about the pay rate or gives you a vague answer to your questions about pay, keep looking. Good recruiters will give you all the information up front instead of hiding details until after you’ve signed a contract.

When you do get that pay rate, understand that it’s possible that it doesn’t match what you’ll see every week. This isn’t because of any shadiness by your recruiter, though. The number of hours you work each week may vary. Different states have different tax rates, and a recruiter can’t know your exact situation—they’re recruiters, not accountants. Plus, things like 401k deductions, whether you have single or family coverage for health insurance, or HSA deductions can all affect the amount that’s actually deposited each week.

Traveler Red Flag: Being Hard to Communicate With

A good recruiter/traveler relationship starts with good communication. We know—most travelers want to communicate solely by text message because it’s fast and convenient, but a lot of details can be ironed out with a 10-minute phone call, especially if you’re beginning a new relationship. Taking this time up front can help ensure your recruiter knows exactly what’s important to you so they’ll be able to start on your job search immediately, rather than waiting until you’re free to answer questions one at a time.

Doing this also means that your recruiter will know what’s most important to you. For instance, if you prefer an assignment in Seattle, but the recruiter has something elsewhere in Washington that pays more, your recruiter can find out what’s a real requirement and what you consider just nice to have. So next time you get a phone call from a recruiter, consider picking up the phone.

Recruiter Red Flag: Not Being Honest About a Facility

There’s no perfect job, and anyone who tries to sell you on a picture-perfect facility isn’t being honest. Everywhere, even the best facilities, has a few warts. Maybe parking is far away. Maybe the hospital requires a specific color of scrubs that you’ll never need again. Maybe the pay seems great, but housing is expensive and hard to find. If a recruiter paints a 100% rosy picture, dig deeper.

Your recruiter should know if the assignment they’re sending you on has a few bumps along the way and should be upfront about what they know about the facility or the unit. Good recruiters won’t try to sell you on a “paid vacation.” What kind of “paid vacation” comes with a 36 or 48-hour work week attached to it?

If you’re looking for an allied or travel nurse gig, look for an agency that’s committed to treating you with candor and honesty. Triage Staffing pays attention to your wants and needs and works around them—not the other way around. To connect with a Triage recruiter, apply for a travel nurse job on the Triage website.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By TheraEx

August 9, 2022

5925 Views

6 Ways to Spot Fake Travel Nurse Job Postings

Posted on August 9, 2022August 1, 2022 by TheraEx

TheraEx Staffing Solutions provided this article.

The rise of fake job postings for healthcare professionals has reached an all-time high. As a travel nurse in one of the most sought-after fields, you must be vigilant when it comes to being able to identify when someone is trying to scam you. Fake postings can fall through the cracks even on the most reputable job boards. Below are a few notable red flags to be on the lookout for:

1. All Emails and Job Postings Are Riddled with Spelling Errors and Poor Grammar

Consider it a major red flag if the job posting contains spelling and grammatical errors or has incorrect punctuation. A legitimate job posting will be professional and polished. Emails from scammers may also be overly formal or look like it was copied and pasted from somewhere else.

2. Is The Company or Recruiter Legitimate?

If you’ve never heard of the individual or company that is advertising the job opening, try performing a quick Google search. By viewing their website, recent news articles about the company, and their social media profiles, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, you’ll be able to have a better understanding of their online presence and if they have actual real employees working for them. Another way to decipher if a company is legitimate is by googling the term “company name scam” to see if there are any previous reports or complaints associated with the company in question.

If they’re a recruitment professional, use LinkedIn to research the person you’re communicating with to make sure they’re legitimate and have other connections from within the company they’re representing. Most scam artists have large amounts of information missing on their profiles and tend to spell “jobs” as “j0bs,” so they’re able to bypass LinkedIn filters.

If you are still uncertain, ask around. Thanks to the availability of social networks and online forums, you can ask for information about the company from your friends, colleagues, and other members in your network.

3. The Recruiter Has a Generic Email Address

Whether your correspondence is with a recruiter from a staffing agency or the head of HR, you should expect that they’ll have a company email address. If the recruiter is using a generic email service such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail, they’re possibly not legitimate. Another warning sign to be aware of is if the email that you receive doesn’t contain any contact information such as a physical mailing address, office, cell, and/or fax number.

4. You’re Asked to Do an Interview Via Chat or Text

If your first interview is scheduled through some type of text messaging services like Telegram, Signal, or WhatsApp, it is a huge red flag. Interviews are typically conducted by phone or through video conferencing software like Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Webex. Any hiring manager worth their salt will not conduct a job interview via instant message.

5. You’re Offered the Job Without an Interview

Some scam artists will try to offer you a job without even doing an interview. A major part of a genuine recruiter’s job is to spend time ensuring that you’re the right fit for the company and position you’re applying for and that you have all the required training and licenses.

6. They Ask You for Money

Genuine recruiters will ask you for your contact details, an updated copy of your CV, and for references. At no point in the process should they ask you to provide any form of payment.

Steps to Take if You Fall Victim to an Online Job Scam:

If you believe you have fallen victim to a job scam, there are steps you can take to minimize the damage:

File a complaint with the FTC online at reportfraud.ftc.gov or by calling (877) 382-4357.
Report the scam to your state’s Attorney General at usa.gov/state-attorney-general.
Close any bank account(s) affected by the scam and open new accounts at a new bank.
If you provided your social security number at any point, order credit reports from all three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, and monitor them for unusual activity. To be safe, you can also create an E-Verify account with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and freeze your social security number at e-verify.gov/mye-verify/self-lock.
Report the company name, contact email, and job posting to the site where the fraudulent job was posted so they can remove it and investigate further.
Contact your local police department and file a report.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

When to Start Preparing for Your Next Travel Nursing Assignment:

Getting Certifications and Licenses

Researching Your Potential Next Travel Nursing Assignments

Arranging Housing for your next travel nursing assignment

Organizing Finances

Packing and Logistics

Find Your Next Travel Nurse Assignment with Our Job Board!

Discover the Perfect Housing for Your Next Assignment

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If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

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If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)