By Sara Renwick

February 27, 2022

5984 Views

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Coping with Seclusion During Quarantine

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:

quarantine

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:

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

By Leslie Deemer

February 5, 2022

19567 Views

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19 Travel Nurse Tips

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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Are you looking for your next travel nurse contract?

Check out these HOT Travel Nurse Jobs


By AMN Healthcare

January 5, 2022

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Ways to Make More Money as a Nurse

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:

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

By Luke Smith

December 31, 2021

11255 Views

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

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:

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

By Leslie Deemer

December 18, 2021

57109 Views

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19 Tips for Traveling Nurses

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. A fellow travel nurse put together a list of tips for travel nurses to help them get started.

Tips for Travel Nurses – From a Travel Nurse

tips for travel nurses

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 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 non-taxable weekly pay. Don’t forget. You pay taxes to the state you live in too. Make sure 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). This is one of the best tips for travel nurses. 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 that is 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 one 13 wk contract; Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, all for straight pay. Remember; on holidays and overtime, you are making time and a half on the taxable money only. So, 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 putting 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.

tips for travel nurses

6. What are considered Holidays

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

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

This has to be one of the most important tips for travel nurses. 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, find out 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

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! 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”

tips for travel nurses

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 simply 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, and while there are many theories and factors that contribute to this, agencies need to hear it from your when unacceptable pay is being offered. Years ago, the packages were so much better!! The reason hospital staff thinks we make such a killing is because we used to! Travel nursing jobs paid very well. HOUSING WAS FREE, they leased you a car for free, etc. Now, if you factor in no benefits or paid days off, paying our own rent, and 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 just to see the nurses paid their fair share. I really believe that the only way we will overcome unequal and unfair pay is to be able 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 and 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 the actually have? Mind-blowing. If we all stuck together, compared our contracts, and refused bad ones, we could weed out the bad agencies. 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 just 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. You must do 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

Are you an experienced travel nurse with tips for travel nurses to share? Are there any tips for travel nurses we missed or any tips for travel nurses you think need to be included? Comment them below.


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By Ashleigh Kaminski

December 15, 2021

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3 Night Shift Starter Tips

They told you about night shift in nursing school, but they didn’t TEACH you about night shift. Set yourself up for the night shift the RIGHT way!

At least once a week during my senior year of nursing school, the professors would tell everyone about the very high odds of working the night shift as new grads. It’s true that a majority of new grads DO begin their nursing careers on night shift or rotate between days and nights after orientation. However, the professors did not teach us ANYTHING about night shift. What the professors did was create this truly intimidating mentality about night shift, leaving us feeling scared, overwhelmed, and underprepared for what we were about to face.

As that night shift nurse mentor, one of the biggest questions I’m regularly asked is about what you need to know when you begin on night shift. Whether you are a new grad just starting out or you are a seasoned nurse making a career transition, the following 3 starter tips are so important! The sooner you set yourself up for a thriving night shift lifestyle, the better you will feel in the long run.

1- Set up your environment

First and foremost, you have to turn your daytime bedroom into a nighttime one. How you set up your bedroom for sleep is crucial to the quality rest and recovery you need before and after your night shifts. Sleep disturbances occur because our senses detect sound, light, and temperature differences. All the changes made to your bedroom involve decreasing your sensitivity.

Sound– Daytime life can be noisy. Using earplugs, a sound machine, or a fan can significantly reduce your sleep disturbances to outside noise. One of my new favorite items (if you’re looking to invest in something) is the Bose Sleepbuds 2. They function as earplugs, a sound machine, and an alarm… all within your ear!

Light– Of course, blackout curtains are a MUST! The more layers to cover the light, the better. Room darkening curtains are not the same as blackout, as the material isn’t as thick and still allows light to come through. If you have room darkening curtains, you can purchase a pair of blackout liners that can attach behind them to deepen the darkness in your room. A sleep mask is always another good recommendation. Blackout curtains and liners can help to limit outside sound from getting in while also helping with temperature regulation.

Temperature– Speaking of temperature regulation… we don’t get the best quality sleep when we are too hot or too cold. In fact, the best sleep temperature is when you can set your thermostat between 65 and 70 degrees, per the National Sleep Foundation. Our core temperature decreases when we sleep and rises to wake us up. Make sure you have your thermostat set to your comfort level, but pair that temperature with appropriate blankets and pajamas. Don’t forget to account for bedroom temperature changes throughout the day depending on the season as well.

**Something important to note: leave screens out of the bedroom. Watching or listening to the TV is not recommended. The same thing applies to phones. Set your alarm if that’s what you use, and put the screen away. Blue light from the devices inhibits the release of melatonin- our sleep hormone.

2- Set up a routine

Our bodies crave knowing what to do and when to do it! This is called routine. Our body does this naturally through what is known as circadian rhythms and chronotypes. They are what help us meet our basic human needs first before we give away our time and energy to others. Night shift, however, feels super unnatural because we must work against what our body wants to do, which is wake with the sun and sleep when it’s dark. We have to create a totally different lifestyle because of the “backward” hours we work.

The thing about routines: no one routine is the same for everyone! And there are four different night shift “days” that you must plan for in your schedule to provide consistency for your body. Each “day” requires a different yet similar setup so you can prepare and recover from your shift in the best way possible for YOU.

Night on: Your first night on can be identified as the first shift you work when you were off the night before. You slept like a normal human the night before. You use this day to prepare for your shift.

Day off: A full day of normal human life. You wake in the morning and sleep at night.

Back-to-back: You worked the night before, and you’re back again that night. That feeling of “sleep all day, work all night” and do it over again.

Flip day: The day when you get home from work in the morning, but technically it’s your day off, so you want to flip back to a normal schedule.

The essential elements a successful night shift routine must include for preparation and recovery are sleep, nutrition, movement, relaxation, and quality time/socialization. Incorporating these components into the four-night shift “days” will ensure you can maintain your physical, mental, and emotional health so you can be your authentic self personally and professionally.

3- Set up your boundaries

Once you have your routine nailed down, you build your boundaries based off of that. Boundaries are how you maintain your work/life balance with a night shift lifestyle. They help you protect the essential elements previously mentioned. You can get the sleep you need to recover. You can get the quality time you miss without having to feel night-shift-hungover all the time. You say yes and no to extra shifts because you know whether or not you can properly prepare and recover from them to avoid staying up for more than 24 hours.

The thing about boundaries is that we often feel mean when we say no to something, or we get hard on ourselves for feeling like we’re missing out. Being consistent with your boundaries and communicating about them to others will help you feel good in the long run. Others will notice a change in your mood, happiness, and health because you have been able to get the rest your body needs to feel present for what/who is important to you.

In summary, if you can set up your environment, routines, and boundaries soon into your night shift career, you can absolutely THRIVE in the long run.

(I’m adding this below part as a plug for my mentorship services, so feel free to not include it, but I think it would be great to share)

I want you to know you do not have to navigate the night shift alone. If you feel like your current approach to the night shift could use an upgrade, I am here to show you the way through my free community and mentorship opportunities which provide you the education, tools, resources, and accountability you need to design your own balanced, flexible schedule and routine. Night shift nurses deserve a healthy, thriving lifestyle too!

Free Night Shift Nurse Network

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We hope you found this article on night shift tips helpful. Do you have any other night shift tips to share with fellow travel nurses? Comment them below.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Have the assignment but need to secure housing? Click here to search our housing page.

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!)

By Katie Fitts

September 19, 2021

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Charting Your Course: Travel Nursing Requirements, Skills, and Key Insights

So you want to be a travel nurse? Galavanting from state to state, making good money, and having great flexibility, right? Well, although it is a GREAT job, it’s not all unicorns and rainbows. 

But if you are flexible and adventurous, it truly is one of the coolest professions ever! Here are 5 things you should know before you become a travel nurse. 

1. Research, research, research!

There is a ton of information to try to absorb before taking the plunge to do travel nursing! What company do you want to go with? Where do you want to go? How do you find travel nurse housing? Can your pets come, and how hard is it to take them with you? How do you make money? 

Luckily these days, there are a ton of resources, most notably groups on Facebook. You have to be added to these groups, but they are worth their weight in gold. Some of the admins of these groups have even been so kind and helpful to actually have compiled files for such topics as travel nurse housing, hospital reputation, taxes, travel companies, etc.  Some of the few I have found helpful are:

Traveling the Country, One Hospital at a Time (around 15k members currently). This one has those files I was telling you about!! This group also has a subset of groups that are area-specific, like Traveling New England One Hospital at a Time and Traveling Florida, One Hospital at a Time which makes it nice as well if you are looking for one specific area or to meet up with others in the region!

Travel Nurse Network – The Gypsy Nurse has over 106k members, so a wider array of resources from all the members.

Insider pro tip: use the search function relating to your question. For example, looking to see if someone has experience in the same hospital that you have a potential job offer from? Search the hospital name, city, or both. You will usually find some helpful information, and whatever you don’t find, feel free to post a question and ask! 

2. You have to adapt quickly as a travel nurse

Most travel nurses get around 2-3 days of orientation on average.  Some a little longer depending on the hospital and if they want you to do their own specific hospital orientation (I try to avoid these like the plague, haha, when you change jobs every 3 months, orientation gets monotonous and boring REALLY quickly).

Regardless, once you are on the floor/your particular setting, you are expected to be ready to go in 3-4 days. That means absorbing the new computer system and charting, learning your way around the unit, and your new coworkers are all done in a hurry! So you obviously need to have experience in your field before doing travel nursing. I traveled for the first time with 1.5 years of experience, but most places prefer at least 2 years.  They are not there to teach you how to do the nursing job. They are just teaching you the unit and their way of doing things. So as we used to say in the ER, get your roller-skates on! 

3. Be Prepared

become a travel nurse

Travel nursing can be a flighty kind of job! Not trying to discourage this profession at all, but all I am saying is to be prepared! When I say be prepared, that means be prepared for things to go wrong, hospitals to back out of contracts, and you to not get your dream job (i.e. location, money, etc.), among other things.

In my nearly 3 years of travel nursing at this time, I have luckily not had any major issues, but I hear of this enough to where it warrants mentioning.  Hospitals back out last minute, positions close, you are holding out for that one job with the perfect money situation, your recruiting company drags their feet or makes a mistake, and next thing you know, you are out of a job for 6 weeks! I have known a couple of travel nurses to have spent time living in their cars! (This is more the exception than the norm, but still, yikes!)

Top tips to be prepared:

  1. Always have a savings fund for 3-6 months of expenses if you are in between jobs.
  2.  Be prepared to take a job that is not your dream job/location.
  3. Know your company’s policy regarding cancellation. 
  4. Research the hospital/facility experience in the Facebook groups I mentioned.

4. Your travel nurse job may not be like your permanent job

Now this is meant to be a broad brush covering many ways your job may not be the same. Yes, you have a general specialty that you will work in, say emergency department.  But the way they do things may be different. The hospital may likely be going through a huge management/hospital administration turnover. Sometimes, you may even be floated to different areas (always ask the nurse manager you are interviewing with about the float possibility), among other things.

Just be flexible and willing to go with the flow, and you will be fine!

5. It can be a little lonely as a travel nurse

It may seem that this post is a little dismal, but in all honesty, just trying to point out a few things that a lot of travel nurses have difficulty with.  In my personal opinion, the pros heavily outweigh the cons (more on that later), but just so you are prepared.

I assume if you want to be a travel nurse, you have to be pretty darn adventurous and independent! But being on the road a lot can get lonely sometimes if you don’t happen to be traveling with a significant other. You are in a town/city where you don’t know anyone, starting a new job, and your friends and family are hundreds if not thousands of miles away. 

So whereas normally you can lean on your family, friends, and coworkers who are nearby for support after those tough days at work or whatever may be going on, it may not be the case during your travel nurse assignment. On the bright side, it forces you out of your comfort zone to get out there and make new friends or explore your surroundings by yourself! In my opinion, if you take the plunge to be a travel nurse, you are awesome! So remember that and wear it as a badge! Not everyone has the cajones (nor the opportunity because of obligations) to take off into the unknown and kick butt! 

With that being said, here are some tips to stave off a little of the loneliness.

  1. Go explore your town/surroundings.
  2. Plan a trip home.
  3. Plan a road trip to another close destination.
  4. Pack things from home.

Well, again, this post may seem a little discouraging at first, but take heart! Being a travel nurse is one of the most incredible jobs out there! I can’t tell you how many people come up to me who want to know all about travel nursing and are beyond envious of my life. And I must say, their envy is well warranted.

I have been to more amazing places in my going on 3 years of travel nursing than some people have their entire lives! So go get your travel on!

Key takeaways: 

Be prepared, be flexible, and get out of your comfort zone. You won’t regret it! Good luck, gypsies!

-Katie

Interested in a travel nursing job? Our job board is a great place to search for travel nurse assignments, and if travel nurse housing is an issue, our housing page can help. It’s time to make a difference!

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!)

By Kevin Devoto

September 10, 2021

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6 Fun Ways to Spend Quality Time with Family for Traveling Nurses

Leaving your family for work is sometimes inevitable, particularly if you are a traveling nurse. Being away from your loved ones for prolonged periods can cause stress, anxiety, and sadness for everyone involved. If you travel for work and are looking for ways to spend quality time with your family when you are home, here are some fun ideas to try.

Family Quality Time Ideas for Travel Nurses:

Take a Family Trip

If time permits, take a trip with your family to get some stress-free bonding time. Family cruises are a great choice because they offer myriad activities to satisfy even the pickiest traveler. You also typically pay for the majority of the cruise upfront, so you aren’t hit with unexpected expenses while you travel.

Yet, it doesn’t matter how you choose to vacation — even a fun staycation close to home can be a great way to bond with your loved ones. Taking time off of work has health benefits as well as being fun, so be sure to take the time every so often. 

Disconnect From Technology

Having your phone or iPad nearby isn’t always necessary, but many people are joined at the hip with their devices. When you are lucky enough to be home with your family, take the time to disconnect and live in the moment. Even if there are lulls in the conversation, everyone will appreciate your willingness to give them your undivided attention. You never know what interesting things you might hear and learn if you are free of distractions. 

Have Dinner Together

Sit down at the dinner table and have a family meal. If anyone in your family likes to cook, help them in the kitchen or at least spend time with them while they prepare the food if cooking is not your forte. Having a meal together (disconnected from phones and technology, of course) is a great way to reconnect with everyone and keep the family interacting. Ask each person at the table about what is happening in their life, and share stories about your life on the road as well. 

Have a Game Night

Having a family game night is a great — and inexpensive — way to have some fun with your loved ones. Let each person in the family choose a game that they want to play. If you run out of time to play every game chosen, schedule a second game night so everyone’s choices can be included. A little bit of friendly competition is a great way to bring some normalcy back into your life, particularly if you are traveling more frequently than usual or have recently started traveling for work. 

Buy Gifts

Purchasing little souvenirs for your family when you are away is a fun way to show them that you are always thinking of them. You need not break the bank and choose expensive gifts — something unique to the area where you are traveling (food, inexpensive jewelry, etc.) is all that is needed. Even if you are not anywhere fabulous or exciting, grab gifts anyway. Your family will appreciate the fun little collection of items from around the country or globe that you have chosen for them.

Make an Itinerary

Unless you are forbidden to share your location, always ensure that your family knows where you are going before you travel. This is important for your safety, but it also keeps your loved ones in the loop and makes them feel connected to you while you are away. If you are traveling to multiple spots in one trip, create an itinerary and share it with everyone, so they know where you will be each day. Consider also adding hotel contact information in case you are unreachable by cellphone.

Traveling for work can be enriching and fun, but leaving the people you love can also be sad. Use some of these fun tips to keep connected and spend quality time with the ones you care about between assignments.

Are you looking for your next job? Click here to view our job board. Have a job but need to find housing? Click here to view our housing page.

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!)

By Theodora Evans

September 3, 2021

3048 Views

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How Travel Nurses Can Take Care of Their Teeth

Being a travel nurse is a very enjoyable profession but also a demanding one. Being on the move constantly can be a great learning experience, in addition to being a lot of fun. But, when traveling often, you can sometimes forget to stay on top of all the necessary daily routines – and one of the most important ones is to maintain your oral hygiene.

While taking care of the health of others, you shouldn’t lose track of your own dental care, which can easily happen, especially while traveling. Here are a few tips that can help travel nurses take better care of the well-being of their teeth.

Before you go

Even before you leave for your latest assignment, there are important things you can do for your teeth. The most important one is to set an appointment with your dentist. Do it early enough so you will have the time for a follow-up visit if there is a need for one.

This can seem obvious if you think about it, but many forget to do it while they are preparing for a trip. Seeing your dentist before you leave can save you a lot of trouble and prevent you from having an emergency in a new city.

Packing

Yes, packing itself can be an important part of taking care of your teeth as well. Don’t forget to clean the toiletries bag in which you keep your toothbrush while traveling. If not cleaned regularly, such a bag can become a home for many bacteria.

Additionally, you should remember not to pack a wet toothbrush for the same reason. Whenever you can, try to dry your toothbrush before packing it. If it’s not possible, clean it and dry it immediately after unpacking.

Maintain your routine

When traveling, it’s easy to forget to maintain your daily oral hygiene routine. This can be a big mistake, especially for someone like a travel nurse, who travels so often. You should always remember to brush your teeth at least twice per day, never for less than 2 minutes long.

In addition to that, don’t forget to floss. If flossing is not always convenient, using sugar-free chewing gum can be an efficient substitute. Studies have shown that using such chewing gum can be almost as efficient as flossing for getting rid of food particles from your teeth.

Be ready to act

While maintaining your routine is very important, it is also important to be ready to break your daily routines and act in case of an emergency. This can be especially difficult when you are in a new city, but when you have a dental emergency, which is something that can happen to anyone, you should be ready to find a local dentist and seek professional help.

Water

Unfortunately, not every place has clean drinking water available. Try and find out about the water conditions in the city you are moving to. If the local tap water is of low quality, it might be a good idea to use bottled water to rinse your teeth after brushing.

But having water with you at all times is generally not a bad idea when it comes to oral hygiene. It can not only help you stay hydrated but also be of great help in keeping your mouth clean at all times while traveling.

Travel food

When we travel, it’s easy to forget ourselves and to indulge in fast food, simply out of convenience. As much as you can, you should try and avoid consuming unhealthy sugary food. It can really have a detrimental effect on your teeth and health in general.

But we are all human, and sometimes it’s almost unavoidable to eat something unhealthy, especially while waiting at the airport in-between flights, for example. But when that happens, you should remember some of the previous advice about maintaining your oral hygiene and the daily routines which are connected to it. If, in such a situation, brushing and flossing are not convenient, you can always use water and chewing gum to clean your teeth and mouth.

Travel nurses dedicate their professional lives to helping other people with their health problems. But as is the case with many professionals, it is sometimes easy for them to neglect their own potential health problems. This is especially true for professionals who travel a lot, and travel nurses as a profession defined by it.

This is why it’s imperative to learn to always maintain certain practices connected to oral hygiene in all kinds of surroundings and also while traveling. Informing yourself about the place you are moving to is also a big part of that, as is being ready to act in a new environment and seek professional help when necessary. But above all, the key is in avoiding bad habits and maintaining your daily oral hygiene routine.

We hope you found these tips for caring for your teeth while on assignment. Have you found any ways to care for your teeth while on assignment? Comment them below.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Have the assignment secured but need to find housing? Click here to view our housing page.

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!)