August 15, 2022

2652 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

6151 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

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

By Mynoucka

July 25, 2022

2298 Views

Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable

Posted on July 25, 2022July 22, 2022 by Mynoucka

If travel nursing allows you to travel all over the country and get paid while doing it, why isn’t everyone doing it? Travel is getting increasingly popular; in 2019, millions of dollars were spent on travel and people catching flights. People claim to be catching flights and not feelings. It doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. But there is something about the uncertainty of not knowing what’s next that brings about its challenges. Not knowing where your next job is going to be, not knowing the city or the neighborhood you’re going to be in, not knowing who your coworkers are, and all the things that can make you feel like the new kid on the block. Instead of feeling that for a little while and then eventually learning all those unknowns with time as a travel nurse, you’re in a constant state of change, which can be uncomfortable. So, let’s talk about it. How do you thrive when the only thing that is certain about your living and working situation is that there will be an inevitable change at the end of your assignment?

Inevitable change

The only constant is change. That is a popularized quote you have probably seen floating around on your Instagram or Twitter, but it is true. I was a checklist girl, literally attempting to checklist my way through life. There is nothing wrong with planning or creating goals; without some form of planning, it’s like navigating life with no real direction.

Getting into travel nursing was the opposite of the direction that I wanted to go but transitioning to a career that constantly forced me to face change shifted my mindset. It taught me to adapt to the important concept of flexibility. As a travel nurse, you’re constantly navigating change, like life, learning to adapt and be flexible. Learning how to go with the flow and, yes, change is hard, but like anything else, you learn how to adapt to those changes. When you go to work, you’re constantly changing even within your assignment, whether you go in. You expect to work for a few hours on one floor. You get floated mid-shift, or maybe you go into work expecting to work on one floor, but you then get floated to work on a different floor or the most recent challenge that I’ve had to face is going into work and not having enough staff and working through your shift without taking a lunch break.

Having to deal with those different changes has allowed me to carry those same concepts from work into my everyday life. Not knowing what the next five years will look like or not knowing what the next twenty years will look like is not as much of an issue as it used to be for me. Sure, plan, pray, and manifest. I have different things that I want and different things that I expect from life, but if I veer off those original plans, it’s no longer something that will make or break my day. I have learned how to embrace the change that comes with life and understand that if life begins to go in a different direction, it’s not necessarily the wrong direction. Maybe your life needs to go in that direction to set you up for something bigger and better than you’ve expected. That is a lesson within itself, and I can see how becoming a travel nurse has helped push that concept and plan.

Prioritizing your needs

The second thing that I want to highlight is prioritizing your needs. So, when you’re in a constant state of change, what do you do to bring stability? You have to find things that bring about a sense of home, regardless of where you are. What I mean by that is that I can’t plan my assignments to the exact details as a travel nurse. I can’t plan them too far ahead of time because a lot of time, the assignments come through maybe a couple of weeks or a few days before you start. So, I try to control what I can beyond the actual assignment. I have a list of places I’m willing to go based on my expectations for places I’m willing to live. Even if it ends up being for only three months. I tend to extend my assignments at least by one additional assignment to give me a little time beyond three months. I try to prioritize safety, diversity, and whether there will be a church in the area where I will live. Even though, as a travel nurse, you’re constantly changing, and you’re constantly uprooting your life and moving around, there are non-negotiables or different things that you can set to ensure that those things are constant. Having things that are constant when you’re constantly changing helps. Having that list of places I’m willing to go to gives me a sense of control. If you are the type of person who doesn’t need to have a sense of control and lives off spontaneity, and you thrive off it, then maybe you don’t need a list. Maybe you don’t have to have expectations like diversity, safety, or different things that in your mind give you a sense of peace. Many of these things stay in our minds because just because I perceive a place as safe doesn’t mean that it’s safe, or just because I perceived an area as more diverse than another doesn’t mean it is. Having these lists still gives me a sense of control over what I can control. When things are coming my way that I cannot control, like going to work and not having a lunch break or going to work and not knowing where I’m going to be, it doesn’t bother me as much because there are still some things within my life that I have control of.

Another thing that I try to do is once I get to my assignment, within that first week, I unpack everything. I put everything where I need it to be. I settle into where I’m going to live. I also find my closest gym because I prioritize ensuring I do some physical activity. I also prioritize church, so finding a church community or a church to attend quickly after arriving at my new location is a priority as well. All of these are contributing factors to your self-care and maintaining balance within the workplace.

Self-care

We discuss the importance of self-care because work and life generally cause burnout, anxiety, and depression, especially as healthcare providers. We work in stressful environments, often with patients with very serious situations. We often leave work feeling that energy within us. So, ensure that you know exactly what is important to you regarding stability. So, make sure you write these things down or put them in the note section on your phone. These things will help you thrive and maintain the level of success that you want to maintain when going from assignment to assignment.

Setting Intentions

Make sure you set daily intentions; I have made it a habit to set my intentions for each assignment. During my first assignment, my intentions for that assignment were to get myself together, make sure that I unwind, and make sure that I maintain a level of peace. A level of peace I felt like I was lacking. That first assignment wasn’t about looking around and exploring the city; it wasn’t about making a ton of money; it was more about trying to find consistency and stability in my schedule and daily life. This assignment and moving forward, my intentions for assignments are to try to pay off my debt. I want to be financially independent; I want to be financially free, and I want to get to a point where I am not exchanging my time for money, which is something I have prioritized. When I go to work, that is what I think about; I think of it as an opportunity for me to get closer to my goal.

So along with setting my intentions daily, I still struggle with trying to maintain a sense of balance and trying to maintain and manage my time. Still, I also ensure that I’m setting an intention for each assignment, which is one of the biggest things I think we can do for ourselves. You don’t have to be the type of person that micromanages every aspect of your life. You don’t have to write everything down or have everything on a checklist; everything doesn’t have to be crossed off.

Just make sure that you set your intentions. Know why you’re doing what you do, why you get up every single morning and understand that if you wake up in the morning, you have a sense of purpose. You can then assign different things you do to ensure that it aligns with that purpose. When I wake up and go to work, I want to help people and impact lives. That’s why I’m in the healthcare field. It also ensures that I have a stable job. But I know that every day I go in, even if I don’t want to, it is one more day where I get the opportunity to increase my salary. To make more money so I can pay down debt and essentially get to a place where I’m no longer having to pay down debt and pay for expenses that I’ve made years prior.

Those are some of the biggest things that I think that we can do to make sure that you thrive when you’re in a constant state of change and bring it back to your memory, bring it back to your mind. The three things that I talked about were: remembering the only thing constant is change, prioritizing your needs, and setting your intentions daily but even further than that setting your intentions for each assignment.

Follow my journey at The Vintage Traveling Nurse.

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 Mynoucka

June 21, 2022

3884 Views

Travel Nursing to Entrepreneur – My Journey and Advice

Posted on June 21, 2022June 21, 2022 by Mynoucka

I started traveling in October 2018; I began my blog and website in April 2019. I started my podcast on a solo trip to Hawaii, running my first marathon in December 2019.

The cool part about documenting your journey is looking back and seeing how far you have come. I started my podcast to share different things I’ve learned as I continue to travel in general but primarily while working as a travel nurse. It was an incredible experience, and I learned so much about the nursing profession and myself.

I did some soul-searching.

I didn’t have anyone with me, so this time alone was much-needed. It allowed me to do some soul-searching and figure life out. I was at a point in my life where I just needed a change. I talked about this often, and the reason why I talked about health care in mental health so often is that before I started traveling, I was at a very low point and didn’t know what to do. So, first, I left the bedside temporarily, not because I hated it, but because I knew I just needed some time away from it. What I felt was not entirely related to work, but I knew I had reached a level of burnout. I wanted some time, so I took some time away. I am very grateful and blessed to have taken that time away. Once I did, it showed me that I wasn’t ready to quit the bedside; I just needed a different environment.

I started travel nursing in October of 2018, and that is when the podcast came to be. All I was doing allowed me to dig deep and do some soul-searching; it got me at least out of the little rut I was in. I am incredibly thankful for that season, I have no regrets, and I don’t know where I would be had I not decided to at least take that time away from the bedside. In addition to all the good stuff, I began confronting the debt I had created and broke down some of my spending habits. I slowly began learning to leverage my income as a travel nurse, which could help me eliminate some of that debt and save.

Life as an entrepreneur

I also began to consider what life as an entrepreneur would look like. As a travel nurse, there are a lot of aspects to work that you handle independently. What do I mean by that? I am talking about the steps you go through to become a contracted employee through an agency and reviewing the agency’s contracts. Looking over the contract and understanding that you signed is a contract between yourself and the facility. Also, negotiating your rate while beginning to see yourself and understanding how much you’re worth and bringing to the table. When I started as a nurse and got my first nursing job, I didn’t think about what I was worth; I was just happy that I got a job.

The skill of negotiating

I was able to get into the field right away. As I progressed in my career and had the opportunity to negotiate my rates, I began to see what it was like to ask for more. I knew I was bringing more experience to the table and travel nursing gave me that opportunity. I wasn’t just given my two, three, or four percent raise. Or potentially no raise, depending on the economy. The conversation was more like, “okay, this is what we can give you,” and then being able to come back and say, “no, I want more,” and then going back and forth. And going through that process, you’re negotiating, and travel nursing allowed me to do that. It also allowed me to negotiate scheduling time off before signing the contract to ensure that I could still be involved in activities outside of work. Planning to take extended time off or take breaks when you need to while also thinking about how you will be able to sustain yourself still and pay your bills while taking that time off.

Learning entrepreneurship skills while travel nursing

These are things that I thought about on the travel nurse administrator side of things. Making sure you submit your time card to payroll, so you get paid on time. I was not paid for one week because I forgot to submit my time card. Submitting reimbursements, negotiating additional stipends, and so many things that I didn’t have to think about. It opened me up to the idea of pursuing entrepreneurship. I watched Monette of the traveling child and communicated with her on my podcast. I saw how a blog could be used as an outlet and turned into a profitable business. Some people blog for a living. Like many other things in this life, many things can seem abstract; Google can only take you so far. It’s helpful when you have someone willing to discuss how entrepreneurship works.

I was doing my blog, and then a few months after that, I launched the podcast. Now, even with podcasting, people are making a living. Honestly, I am learning that there are a lot of ways we may think that are unorthodox but can be used as ways that people can make a living. Whether through blogging, podcasting, consulting, writing a book, or the influencer world of social media and YouTube. I mean, you name it, and potential business opportunities are awaiting you. I believe creating different ways to bring an income has always been important.

What I am saying here isn’t necessarily revelatory. As nurses, many of us have the unique opportunity to dive into entrepreneurship because of our unit’s schedule, working three twelve-hour shifts each week or other flexible jobs, such as a telehealth position, where you can work remotely.

I think watching how our world is changing every day and our new normal is being established; if you weren’t experimenting with entrepreneurship or a home-based business, it’s a thought now.

The whys

All of us have different whys that push us in this direction. For some, it’s becoming a parent and wanting to spend more time at home with the children. For others, it’s wanting to pay down debt and save. And for others, it could be the freedom that creating your own business can allow you to have, so you can do more of what you love.

Remain Flexible

If you speak to many entrepreneurs, they will tell you to keep your job and allow your main hustle to fuel your side hustle until it can become your main hustle. I’m sure you can agree that life is about growth, and what traveling has taught me professionally and personally is always to remain flexible and pivot when life calls you to.

We hope you found this article on travel nursing to entrepreneur helpful. Have you taken a role as an entrepreneur with or after a career as a travel nurse? Comment your entrepreneurial experience or advice for fellow entrepreneurs below.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for an upcoming assignment? Click here to search 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 Medical Edge Recruitment

March 16, 2022

4545 Views

Tips for Every Type of Traveler

Posted on March 16, 2022March 9, 2022 by Medical Edge Recruitment

Medical Edge Recruitment provided this article.

Written by: Gabriel Velez, Recruitment Consultant, Medical Edge Recruitment

Travel contracts and jobs are both exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time! It is an opportunity to travel anywhere, make more money, see new things, or help in areas that need nurses. When it comes to deciding where to go, there are a few factors you need to consider, especially if you are new to travel nursing.

For those new to travel

“Wow, you are making how much?”

“You are traveling to another beach this weekend?”

“Your agency gives you bonuses just for completing a contract?”

These are probably things you or a friend have said if you are a first-time traveler or interested in contract work. Traveling is an exciting opportunity, but if you are new to it, it can also be an intimidating or daunting task to go somewhere far from home, even if it is for a job you do every day. For those just starting out or exploring the scene, it’s best to stay within your state and only a couple of hours away. Most facilities or contracts will consider anyone commuting 60 or more miles for their work as a traveler. Going to a neighboring city or even across the state can be a great way to get a feel for travel while also staying in an environment that is still “homey.” This is one of the best ways to dip your toes in for the experience!

For those looking for the most money

Money is a driving force for almost everyone. Whether you are looking to build your savings, provide for your family, or are a “treat yourself” type of person, money is very important. Traveling contracts are almost always a higher rate than local contracts. It is crucial to investigate what is being offered in your contract. Is the agency giving you a pay package that is based on 48 hours of work, but the facility caps you at 36 hours a week? Ask questions as to how often you are being paid. Ask if stipends are in addition to your pay or if the contract being presented includes it, making it seem like more money than it really is! More money is always tempting, but the best thing to do is to take a travel contract that is high pay and low risk. Sometimes what’s being presented is high pay and high risk.

Additionally, with high-paying contracts, research how much the area costs. If you are paying for housing, it’s nice to find a high-paying job, but not if your hotel, Airbnb, or housing takes half of it. Furthermore, if everything in the area is expensive (i.e., food, entertainment, etc.), is it worth taking that job just because it pays 10 dollars more per hour than another location?

For those looking for an adventure

Travel nursing is a fun way to vacation! For those that like to work hard and play hard, travel contracts are a good way to find adventure and make money at the same time. As a recruiter, it is so fun to work with adventure-seeking nurses. We work across the nation and have facilities all over the country for those that know what they are looking for. Want to work 3 days a week, and the other 4 be at the beach? Done. Want to go somewhere that’s warm during the winter but has a great city life? We can do that! Plan a vacation and work at the same time as your contract!

All in all, recruiters should be doing what is best for you and your success. We are here because we care about our nurses. Our mission is to find you money, adventure, or a comfortable place that makes you prosperous. Nurses have a tough job, one that is selfless and rewarding, and nothing brings us more joy and fulfillment than taking something stressful like job hunting off your plate!

Need help finding a travel nurse adventure?

Medical Edge Recruitment is the premier travel nursing recruitment agency specializing in providing top talent to clients in the healthcare industry. We connect clinical and allied providers to their ideal opportunities, focusing on building long-lasting relationships through honesty and transparency. In travel nursing, bigger does not always mean better. While we have an extensive network of job opportunities, our experienced team is dedicated to making a personalized provider experience a priority. There are a lot of moving parts in getting set up for a new assignment, but we take care of all the details along the way. Adventure awaits; let Medical Edge Recruitment show you where to go next!

We hope you found this article on tips for every type of traveler helpful. Do you have any tips to share with fellow travelers? Comment them below.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for an upcoming travel assignment? Click here to search 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 Sara Renwick

February 27, 2022

6422 Views

Coping with Seclusion During Quarantine

Posted on February 27, 2022February 27, 2022 by Sara Renwick

This time of seclusion in quarantine has been hard on everyone. The joke “check on your extroverted friends during quarantine because they are not ok” is so true. I am probably one of the most extroverted people you will ever meet. I thrive on being around people and being social. This time as been very eye-opening for me. I have had to learn to be ok with being with myself. I have roommates and I have coworkers to be around but I can still feel alone. I have had at least 3 breakdowns where I have cried and just felt so alone. I moved to a brand new city during a pandemic in a city-wide shutdown. Not the easiest time to make friends.

This time has made me learn to embrace this newfound “ME” time. Here are some things I’ve done to try to help.

Get Outside:

Being outside is not canceled. San Francisco has amazing green space. I got a picnic blanket on amazon and have been checking out all the parks on my days off. I bring Cooper (my dog), wine/food, and just try to relax. I’ll lay there and close my eyes or people watch. I have never been someone that would find this enjoyable. But there is something peaceful about doing nothing I’ve discovered. Most towns have some kind of green space. A simple google search or Alltrails would be a good place to start your search. Fresh air is good for the soul. Sometimes going outside can clear your mind and cheer you up. I have spent more time outside during quarantine than ever before.

Hit the books:

If you have been thinking about advancing your career, this is an excellent time to look into it. Social events may be canceled, but there are hundreds of online classes. There is no reason to say you don’t have time now. If you have been thinking about advancing your career, this is the time to look into it. I have been working on getting my BSN for over 5 years. I’ve always found a reason to put school on hold. I kept telling myself, “I don’t have the money” or “I’m too busy” but now neither of these are true anymore.

Get a Green Thumb:

Everyone is starting to have a new hobby during COVID. The house I’m renting has a large backyard for San Francisco and my landlord was fine with my using the space. I started learning about plants by downloading the MasterClass App and taking a class on gardening. Gardening has become my new hobby. Warning: Gardening can get expensive. If you don’t have a lot of money to work with or space, try just growing one planter box. Herbs don’t require a lot of space and are easy to grow. My garden gives me something to do every morning. My tomatoes are actually starting to grow. This makes me realize all the hard work I did was worth it.

In the end, remember that you are not the only person feeling this way. This is a difficult time for everyone. Try to use this time to better yourself. Focus on all the wonderful things you can do rather than dwelling on what closed. Take the time for yourself and allow yourself to enjoy things you normally wouldn’t have time for. Things are slowly being to open back up but for now, we have to embrace the new normal.

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 Leslie Deemer

February 5, 2022

20101 Views

19 Travel Nurse Tips

Posted on February 5, 2022February 5, 2022 by Leslie Deemer

Travel Nursing is a great way to see the world while still earning a paycheck. However, there are some things you need to know before you decide to become a travel nurse. Below you will find 19 travel nurse tips to help you. Even if you are a veteran travel nurse, there is a travel nurse tip for all travel nurses’ levels.

19 travel nurse tips – from a travel nurse

1. Don’t start the drive before you sign the contract

This may seem obvious, but never, EVER start to drive to the contract site before you actually sign the contract. If the situation around the assignment were to change for some reason, you have nothing to fall back on. Like any other business agreement, get things in writing and thoroughly review the contract before signing it.

2. Figure out your own weekly take home pay

ALWAYS figure out what your WEEKLY TAKE HOME PAY will be before signing any contract, and don’t be fooled by the term ‘blended rate.’ Ask for the hourly rate for taxable, weekly nontaxable so that you can figure out the actual take-home pay yourself.

3. Verify your take home pay

VERIFY YOUR OWN TAKE HOME PAY!! It is easy. Go to www.paycheckcity.com, enter the state you will be working in, and take the taxable pay, and it will calculate it for you. You can see for yourself how much taxable money you will be taking home. Add that result to the nontaxable weekly pay. Don’t forget; you pay taxes to the state you live in too. Ensure that the weekly stipend quote is based on 36 hours and not 40, or when you get your first paycheck, it will be less than what you had calculated it to be.

4. Get your hours in writing

GET IN WRITING the guaranteed hours (see point #1). Make sure it is for 36 hours a week. DON’T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER ON THIS. In every contract I ever worked, my contract said that if they canceled a shift on me, they had to pay me anyway. I knew of a nurse who didn’t have this put into her contract. She went to Hawaii on her own dime, and then the facility she was scheduled to work at canceled her for just about every shift.

And why wouldn’t they? It’s cheaper to use their own staff. And they wouldn’t cancel her contract because they had a free on-call nurse. So, she was stuck there making no money. Because of the clause in most contracts (if you don’t work 468 hours in 13 weeks, you have to pay them an hourly rate back for each hour short), she owed them money. Plus, after all that, she had to pay them back for her housing. Don’t let anyone tell you, “Oh, they never cancel us there.” Tell them, “Put it in writing, then!”

5. Overtime and Holiday wages

Make sure you are getting a decent wage for overtime and Holidays. I once forgot to do this and worked every Holiday on 13 wk contract; Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years’ all for straight pay. Remember, on holidays and overtime. You are making time and a half on the taxable money only. If you are being paid taxable $20, then your overtime will only be $30/h.

I would suggest asking for at least $65-$70/hr for any hours over 40 and any Holiday and put it in the contract. In California, where they have to pay time and a half for over 8 hours a day, have them write it like this. “FOR HOLIDAYS AND ANY HOURS OVER 40 WORKED IN ONE WEEK, THE PAY WILL BE $70/ HOUR” or something similar.

6. What are considered Holidays

Get in writing what the facility considers to be Holidays. Again, please read and understand every word in your contract before signing it (see point #1).

7. Find out what your penalty will be if you have to cancel early.

I broke a bone in the first week of a contract and had to cancel. Because I got in writing that there would be no penalty-there were no contractual issues.

8. The best time to negotiate with an agency is BEFORE you sign the contract.

Once signed, negotiations are over, and you are stuck with whatever you did or didn’t have put in or taken out. I suggest compiling a list of the things you want in a contract(as well as things you don’t).

9. Reimbursement if the hospital cancels?

Find out from the agency if there is any reimbursement if the hospital cancels you right before the start date. If you drove across the country, that would be very costly for you. See if they can put a clause in that you will be reimbursed for your expenses. This is one thing I could never get my agencies to do, but I still tried every time; you might as well too – who knows!)

10. NEVER accept the words, “Oh, they never do that.”

Or “We don’t put things like that in a contract, but don’t worry…” If it’s not in the contract, I can guarantee you it won’t happen.

11. Time off during your contract

If you know in advance that you have to take a week or two off in the middle of the contract, don’t expect the nurse manager at the hospital to work around your schedule. Here’s what I always did. I told the recruiter that my contract would end at midnight the night before I needed off and would start back up on the day I wanted to start working again.

Time off should always be put into the contract, or it won’t happen. If you tell them before you sign, they ALWAYS get approval from the hospital. They will do anything for you before you sign the contract, so that is the time to get what you want and have it put in.

Make sure you will not be short on your hours at the end of the contract because of this. They have to add the weeks of your vacation to the end of the contract. If not, you may end up owing them for the weeks not worked. If they worded it like, “Must fulfill 468 hours from august 26th to November 25th, and you took 2 weeks off in the middle, you will be short 72 hours. Make sure they add it to the end and change the dates on the contract. This is something easily overlooked.

12. When do you receive mileage and other perk checks?

When the agency says they’ll pay mileage and other perks, determine whether you will get your mileage check when you arrive or are they just calculating it into your weekly pay over the 13 weeks, which means that you are not really getting it at all.

13. Read every contract thoroughly

If you work with the same agency at the same hospital for more than one contract, READ EVERY NEW CONTRACT THOROUGHLY BEFORE SIGNING.

14. Have paperwork submitted with 3 agencies at all times

Please have all your paperwork submitted and ready to go, with at least 3 agencies AT ALL TIMES, and let them all know this. Remind them occasionally that they aren’t the only game in town for you. I used to enter it into light conversation with all of my recruiters. “Oh, one of my other recruiters said that too!” Or something like that. Be nice, but get the message across. Whenever I was looking for a new contract, I would call all of my recruiters and tell them this; “Hi! I just wanted to let you know that I’m looking for a contract in the Northern California area. I have to take home AT LEAST $2500/ week. Please don’t submit me to any hospitals before telling me because I have notified all of my recruiters and will pick the best package offered.”

15. Remember, the agencies and recruiters are working for you as much as you for them.

Their pay comes from your paycheck. You are doing difficult, back-breaking work and taking on huge liability. We appreciate them for what they do but remember, don’t be taken advantage of. The things I put in here are basic. Think about it; these contracts primarily protect the agencies and facilities. They can cancel your contract at any time without penalty, and you aren’t reimbursed for your expenses. If you cancel your contract, you will be penalized.

So, make sure your contract benefits you before you sign it. If there are no guaranteed hours, then the contract is of no benefit to you at all. Why would anyone sign a contract that appears to be totally one-sided? Make sure you feel the rate is fair and something you can work with. Remember, this is a business transaction, so both parties should feel like their needs are being met properly, particularly financially.

16. What to do if you are unhappy with your recruiter

If you are not happy with your recruiter, call the agency’s main number, ask for the supervisor or manager and tell them that you would like a different recruiter. Simple as that.

17. Beware of agency provided housing.

In 11 years, I never once used housing offered by any agency; I found my own housing. It’s a bit more work, but I found it to be worth it. I once rented a one-bedroom, furnished apartment for $850/month. The apartment building was full of travelers, mostly placed there by their agencies. I found out that their agencies were deducting $1050/ month for the same apartment. Finally, I bought an RV, which turned out to be the best way for me to travel, but I have rented rooms all over the country. They are not hard to find. Go to reputable sources when you seek housing directly. Look at the ‘travel nurse housing’ group on Facebook or the housing page on The Gypsy Nurse. I have also used Craigslist frequently.

18. Don’t accept low paying jobs.

Period. Unfortunately, the pay rate appears to be diminishing in travel nursing. While many theories and factors contribute to this, agencies need to hear it from your when unacceptable pay is offered. Years ago, the packages were so much better!! The reason hospital staff think we make such a killing is because we used to! Travel nursing jobs paid very well; HOUSING WAS FREE, leased you a car for free, etc. Now, if you factor in no benefits or paid days off, paying our own rent, using our own cars, we are making less than the staff nurses, in many cases. When travel nurses accept such low paying jobs, it brings the pay down for everybody.

Find a few good recruiters that you trust (and that takes time) but always keep your feelers out for new agencies. I once thought of starting my own agency to see the nurses paid their fair share. I really believe that the only way we will overcome unequal and unfair pay is to compare pay packages. There is no way to tell if you are being taken advantage of if you don’t know what others are being paid for the same job at the same hospital. Keeping it such secret benefits only the agencies who will continue to have wide variances in their pay packages.

I once had a contract offer in CA for a ‘blended rate’ of $72/hour. But before I signed, something came up where I was unable to take it. Liking that particular recruiter, I offered up a friend I knew who was looking. She applied and was offered $50/hour. I get that I had proven myself to that agency and recruiter. After all, I found my own housing, got myself to the contract, often got a second contract without him having to do anything, and never complained once I started a contract. So, to him, I was a “no-problems nurse,” which was more valuable. But $22/h? See how much play they actually have? Mind-blowing. If we all stuck together, compared our contracts, and refused bad ones, we could weed out the bad agencies, and I think we could improve the travel nursing profession.

Final point:

We can’t overlook our part as travel nurses in creating bad situations at times. I have seen travelers call in all the time, have bad attitudes, do a poor job, complain about floating, leave messes, and do sloppy nursing work. The biggest obstacle travelers have to overcome at every contract is the bad reputation of previous travelers. The hospital staff doesn’t seem to remember the great travelers. They only remember the bad ones.

It usually took a couple of months to prove myself. One sloppy nurse tarnishes us all. You get what you give. I never called in until I broke a bone. I was always on time and always left on time. It would help if you did a better job than the staff. That is what is expected. If you are a traveler, you must expect to be the first one to be floated. Period. That is why you are there, to fill in where they need you. It’s just part of the job. WWW.PAYCHECKCITY.COM

We hope that you found these travel nurse tips helpful. Do you have any travel nurse tips that you would like to share? Comment your favorite travel nurse tips below. Would you like to share your travel nurse experience with others? Click here to send an email to our content department.

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By AMN Healthcare

January 5, 2022

7661 Views

Ways to Make More Money as a Nurse

Posted on January 5, 2022December 8, 2021 by AMN Healthcare

This article was provided by AMN Healthcare.

Nursing is a rewarding career that provides more than 3 million registered nurses (RNs) in the United States with various workplace choices and good salaries.

According to the 2016 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report, the median nursing salary for R.N.s is $68,450 per year. The job growth rate between 2014 and 2024 is expected to rise by 16 percent, higher than the average for other occupations.

Although compensation is not the primary driving factor for most nurses who enter the profession, there are several options for R.N.s who want to make extra money as nurses.

Nurses can choose immediate or long-term options, ranging from taking nursing side jobs or travel nursing assignments to advancing their education for future opportunities.

Where Do the Majority of Nurses Work?

The country’s 5,564 hospitals employ the majority of R.N.s. However, changes in healthcare delivery in recent years have resulted in earlier patient discharges and a growing number of nursing jobs outside the hospital setting. For instance, more chronic illnesses are now handled in outpatient clinics.

In addition to acute care, nurses can work in outpatient ambulatory care, community health agencies, physicians’ offices, skilled nursing facilities, home health, and other environments.

Nurse salaries can vary widely because of location, working environment, specific job responsibilities, and individual nurses’ qualifications.

How To Make More Money As A Nurse

1. Complete your BSN degree.

Research by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing found that 79 percent of R.N. employers prefer to hire nurses with a bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN) degree as entry-level employees. There also appear to be greater advancement opportunities for BSN-prepared nurses.

Magnet hospitals and those pursuing Magnet status must demonstrate that most of their nurses have BSN degrees or are on the educational path to earn this degree.

Some hospitals will offer nurses tuition assistance or student loan repayment, based on their commitment to continue their employment for a certain amount of time.

Today’s traditional and online BSN programs are designed to meet working adults’ professional and personal needs.

2. Pursue experience in a nursing specialty.

Decide on a nursing specialty that will meet your professional and personal goals, then complete certification courses to increase your knowledge and skills. Certified nurses have a better chance to earn the top pay in their field.

Some nurse specialties also offer better compensation than others, so doing some research early in your career may help you decide which path to pursue.

3. Volunteer to work overtime on occasion.

Working some overtime not only provides more money-making opportunities but can show management you’re a team member who’ll pitch in when needed. However, too much overtime can lead to fatigue or burnout, so set reasonable limits to guard yourself and your patients.

4. Get an advanced nursing degree.

Earning your graduate degree is one of the surest ways to make more money as a nurse, either as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), nurse manager, or other professional.

APRNs require a master’s degree and lead to more independent practice as either a nurse practitioner (NP), certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), certified nurse-midwife (CNM), or clinical nursing specialist (CNS). CRNAs make the highest average salaries among all APRNs, averaging close to $160,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Other career choices with master’s or doctoral degrees include working as a nurse educator or nurse researcher or climbing the healthcare administration ladder.

5. Get creative with nursing side jobs.

When deciding how to make extra money as a nurse, some savvy R.N.s find that nursing side jobs can help them achieve their goals. Such extra opportunities might include:

Working per diem shifts on one of your days off
Teaching patients how to use medical equipment at home
Providing care for homebound patients
Tutoring nursing students online
Working as a camp nurse during weekends or vacation breaks
Writing blogs or other content for nursing publications
Giving flu injections at doctor’s offices or special clinics
Teaching patient education classes

6. Become a travel nurse.

Experienced nurses with recent experience in their specialties can earn excellent compensation as travel nurses. Travelers work temporary contracts in their choice of locations around the country, and their travel nursing agency covers most of their expenses.

The shorter-term, critical staffing assignments offered by NurseChoice are some of the highest-paying jobs in the travel nursing industry. Employment benefits include a contracted nurse salary, free housing, bonuses, travel reimbursements, health insurance, 401K, and other standard employment benefits.

If making more money as a nurse is one of your top priorities, ask your nursing recruiter to connect you to the best-paying assignments.

Are you looking for your next or first travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Need to find housing for an upcoming assignment? Click here to search 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 Luke Smith

December 31, 2021

11755 Views

Things You Can Do to Improve Your Chances of Getting a Traveling Nurse Job

Posted on December 31, 2021January 18, 2023 by Luke Smith

Thank you for working towards a career as a traveling nurse. This is an occupation that is needed now more than ever. With COVID-19, people need medical help, and they can’t always leave their home to get it. This is truly a job that makes the world a better place.

If you are just beginning your journey. You likely need some guidance on the best way to land a traveling nurse job and the certifications you will need along the way. Let’s look at how to obtain your dream career.

Get Your Certifications

As with most medical careers, you will need the proper education and certifications to become a traveling nurse. As a general foundation, you will want to go to school and acquire either an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The former is a two-year program and the latter a four-year endeavor.

Both of these degrees will teach you the technical and medical skills that you need to become a registered nurse (RN). Along with how to apply these skills to real-world scenarios. Once your education is complete, you will also need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) exam. Which really puts your skills to the test with a computer-based assessment that reviews your efficiency with every aspect of nursing. From health maintenance to physiological adaptation.

On top of your education and certifications, you will also need one to two years of experience before you can become a traveling nurse. You can get this experience in a hospital and gain the skills that you can show off on your resume. Generally, you will have your choice of specialties in which to gain this experience, whether that be in labor and delivery, ICU, or many other departments. You can also consult your school for a recommendation.

Write Your Resume and Cover Letter

Once you get the required education, it is time to put together a professional resume and cover letter to present to potential employers. Avoid using a generic cover letter. Instead modify it to the company where you are applying, including adding their address along with the person and department you are directing it towards. At the start, mention the position you are applying for and why.

Your resume and cover letter should have a mix of your past experience along with the qualifications you’ve earned up until this point. Your cover letter is a general summary, while the resume goes into further detail. Resume should include honors you received, your professional affiliations, and your best achievements thus far. When writing achievements, you want them to be specific and measurable, so an example is that you “improved patient ratings by 20% through passion and commitment.”

Your resume should include a combination of hard and soft skills. Hard skills include things you learn in schools, such as performing CPR or drawing blood, while soft skills are more like personality skills, including the ability to stay calm in stressful conditions and how to effectively communicate with coworkers and patients. As you gain more experience, continue to update your resume so you can impress future employers.

Acing the Interview

The final step to improving your chances for that traveling nurse job is to ace the job interview. Before you show up, take some time to research the hospital or company you will be working for. So you can impress when they inevitably ask what you know about the company. This also gives you a chance to ask questions. Not only about the establishment, but their values, the patients they serve, and more.

Next, take the time to research some common nursing interview questions. They may ask you about a time you dealt with a difficult patient, your most rewarding experience, or how you deal with the stress of nursing. Take some time to come up with quality answers to these questions. So you don’t hesitate when you are asked during the interview.

During all of this preparation, also make sure that your social media accounts are clean and presentable. Take down any inappropriate photos that you wouldn’t want an employer to see. Instead, add a profile photo of you in professional attire. If you want to keep your profiles separate from your professional life, then change the privacy settings so only your friends can see what you post.

As a traveling nurse, you are truly helping the world on a daily basis. Take the time to make the proper preparations and apply for these positions with confidence.

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

START HERE

Recruiter Red Flag: Not Understanding You Work with Different Recruiters

Traveler Red Flag: Social Media Negativity

Recruiter Red Flag: Not Showing a Pay Rate Up Front

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

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2. Is The Company or Recruiter Legitimate?

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Get Outside:

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Get a Green Thumb:

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