By Kevin Devoto

May 27, 2022

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4 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Accept Every Travel Nursing Assignment

Working as a travel nurse might sound like an exciting lifestyle, and generally, it is. You can work with doctors and nurses all over the country, helping people to heal and feel better, all while earning a tidy paycheck. 

But despite the high pay and jet-setting lifestyle this seems to offer, travel nursing might not be a good choice all the time. There may be times when you get an offer and find it easier or better to reject rather than accept. Here are just some of the reasons why it might not be a good idea to accept, depending on your circumstances. 

  1. The Hospital Might Not Be a Good Fit

One reason you might consider rejecting an assignment is based on the hospital you will be going to. Although all hospitals operate in different ways, if you’ve already worked at a particular location and found you did not like it, that alone can make it a smart choice to reject it.

Or, perhaps you have heard reviews from friends or co-workers about going to the hospital you would be assigned to and finding out they did not enjoy the experience, and they had valid reasons. It pays to take these thoughts into consideration, since 

2. You Are Starting To Feel Burnt Out

Are you at the point where you feel as though you are not getting enough rest, you are getting sick of your profession, and you hate getting up in the morning? This can best be described as job burnout. This might be a good time for you to take time away from work, if at all possible.

You don’t want to start feeling trapped, nor do you want to feel as though you have no way out and no options to do anything else. Getting away from your job and making time to take care of yourself and your needs is crucial, rather than taking every assignment that gets sent your way. 

3. Your Family Urgently Needs You

You might be in a situation where a family member is dying, someone is sick, or your family is going through an incredibly difficult time and needs you by their side. One downfall of travel nursing is that you might be flying several states away in order to work and thus unable to get to your family when they truly need you. 

If that is the case, it is better to take time off from your job and reject assignments, especially if you can financially afford it. 

4. You Have Reservations About the Assignment 

Perhaps you have reservations against a particular assignment. Maybe the timing feels off, or you simply do not like the idea of going to this particular location to work. Perhaps there is something you are expected to do for this particular assignment that you don’t think you can follow through on. If you feel unsure, you should listen to your instinct. 

You might consider reaching out to your PEO Solution or whoever is in charge of offering you assignments and letting them know how you feel about working in certain areas. You should not put yourself in a situation that feels off or unsafe to you, no matter how much money you are looking at overall. 

Conclusion

When it comes to working as a travel nurse, there are many reasons why you might choose to reject a particular assignment. Maybe your family needs you, or you feel the hospital is simply not a good fit for you. You should also consider your own feelings, such as getting burnt out or dealing with reservations about a particular location. Always listen to your own needs first. 

We hope you found this article on four reasons why you shouldn’t accept every travel nursing assignment helpful. Are there any other reasons you have found not to accept the travel nurse assignment? Comment those reasons below.

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

May 10, 2022

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Useful Tips for Researching the Assignment Location

As a traveling nurse, you are moving around a lot, so research of the assignment location becomes a must. Research helps with preparing for a new location and knowing what to expect. It may also help with the adjustment to a new environment.
Here are several useful tips for your research of the location.

Inform yourself on the climate

Climate may really affect your mood, health, and daily activities so make sure that you know where are you coming to. This will help you prepare for climate change and take the needed steps to prevent difficulties. Also, you will know how to pack your bag, so you don’t have to buy additional clothes when on the spot. If needed, here are some great solar power stations.

Talk to your recruiter

Your recruiter may be a good source of information for any questions you might have. Recruiter will help you with any issues as well with adjusting, transportation, housing, and everything else that might be of use to you.

Get to know the culture

Make sure that you have done research on culture in the place of the assignment. What are common habits, what is different, what is unacceptable behavior, and what are some of the requested terms of behavior? You would be surprised that you don’t have to travel around the world to meet new cultures.

Get familiar with important institutions

After you get your housing info, check the important institutions near you. You want to know where is the nearest hospital, police station, embassy, gym, grocery store, etc. It’s better to know those so you can act fast in moments of a possible crisis.

Do you need to drive?

Check if there’s organized transportation that works for you or do you need to drive to work. Do good research to see if it’s maybe easier to use public transportation like buses and trolleys, or Uber, taxi, and a shared ride seem like cheaper options? If you want to rent a car, check if that’s an option in the location that you’re headed to.

Prices

Get familiar with the basic prices range and where is the best to shop. You want to know smaller shops, family businesses, and other places that might not be on Google but sell quality goods at lower prices.

How will you spend your free time?

Plan your free time so you can make the most of the location of the assignment: research heritage places, museums, galleries, fun activities, nature parks, etc. Adjust your research to your needs and preferences when it comes to activities. Make a plan for what will you visit when and if some activity is conditioned by the weather.

Where to research?

Internet is the most common place where people do the research, but magazines and newspapers can tell you so much about a location. Also, smaller places are sometimes not on Google, so it’s best to ask your recruiter, local population, and someone who’s already been there. Try to get as big a palette of information as possible so you can get a clearer picture.

Safety of the neighborhood

There are many online tools to check crime rates and help you get a picture of the neighborhood you’re gonna live in. It’s rare to find a place where crime doesn’t exist, but it’s important to acknowledge the risks. In places with more people, crime rates are normally higher, but that doesn’t mean that you will be endangered. This will simply help you to determine how to protect yourself, like should you walk alone at night hours, etc.

Plan

Using the research you did on all mentioned topics, make a plan. You should plan your budget, places to visit, transportation, safety measures, and your daily schedule.

Planing will make your adjustment easy and painless so you can enjoy your time in a new location.

Conclusion

Research is half of a job to make your stay comfortable and with no bad surprises. It’s up to you to come prepared and make the transition as easy as possible. The good news is that it’s not that hard; you just need enough motivation to do everything upfront and thoroughly. Good luck in your new endeavors!

We hope you found this article on useful tips for researching the assignment location helpful. Are there any ways you research locations before taking a travel nurse assignment? 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 assignment? Click here to search our housing

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 RNnetwork

May 9, 2022

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Tips to Get the Best Travel Nurse Assignments

RNnetwork provided this article.

Quitting your full-time job and applying for travel nursing jobs can be a bit scary. You’re embarking on a brand-new position with brand-new people, and you’re not sure exactly what to expect. You’re also taking a temporary job and aren’t sure where you’ll be working in six months, much less a year.

Don’t let these concerns bring you down! Travel nursing is an exciting way to see the country and gain valuable clinical experience. Here are seven travel nursing success tips to help you attract the best assignments.

Build a strong relationship with your recruiter


It seems so easy — and it is. One of the easiest ways to get the best jobs and have a positive experience as a traveler is to build a positive relationship with your recruiter. Answer their calls or texts, be honest about what you want in a job, and tell them immediately when you have problems or need help. Your recruiter presents you to a potential employer and can talk you up and help you land the best jobs.

If you struggle to communicate with your recruiter or don’t tell them about red flags on your record, it can hurt your chances of getting travel nursing jobs.

Get and give lots of details.

Before you ask your recruiter to submit your name for a new job, find out as much as possible, including:

  • The pay package
  • The hours you’ll be working
  • The departments you could potentially float to
  • The patient load
  • The trauma level of the hospital
  • Orientation time


You should also have your college transcripts and other paperwork ready and give your recruiter the following information:

  • Dates when you need time off
  • Whether you have friends working there (this could help you get a job)
  • If you’ve applied for a permanent job there in the past or worked there before as a traveler
  • If you have other offers with other travel nurse agencies

Tell your recruiter who else you work with and what jobs you’ve applied for


Some travelers work with multiple agencies or even apply for permanent and travel jobs simultaneously. If you’re doing this or plan to do this, tell every recruiter you work with where you are working. By being open about how many jobs you’re applying for, you can avoid being submitted to the same job by multiple companies.

Since it’s common to work with several agencies that have contracts with different hospitals, recruiters will appreciate your honesty and work hard to get you the best package possible. If you do apply for several positions simultaneously, it’s crucial to respond quickly when your recruiter has an opportunity for you so you have a better chance of landing the job.

Give yourself time to fit in.


As a travel nurse, you’ll have a short orientation (sometimes only a day or so) and will be expected to jump right in and help. You’ll have to quickly speed on new electronic health systems, learn where the supply closet is, and even figure out what’s palatable from the hospital cafeteria.

It’s challenging to be the “new kid” every three months and get to know new doctors and nurses — but give yourself a break. Don’t expect the staff to be welcoming or invite you to company events instantly. And don’t expect to make connections with everyone quickly. If you do your job well and are willing to work hard, you’ll gain your coworkers’ respect and make lasting friendships.

Tell your recruiter why you have turned down job offers

Explain the situation to your recruiter if you’re offered a travel nursing job and decide to turn it down. They will want to know if you need a higher salary, more flexible hours, a different location, or more time off work. This helps your recruiter find you a better job in the future.

Be aware that turning down a job once it’s been offered can hurt your chances of working with that hospital again.

Be flexible wherever you can


If your sister is getting married next summer, you can’t budge on the dates you need time off. However, you can be more willing to work a different shift, try a rural hospital instead of an urban one, or work in a state you had never considered.

While it’s important to know what you want in a job and communicate that to your recruiter, it’ll be harder to find a job if your requirements are too specific. If your dream is to work in Alaska, you may have to be more flexible on pay or shifts. Likewise, you may need to work in Florida during the summer rather than the winter (at least for your first assignment).

Let your recruiter know if you’d like a permanent job.


Sometimes, you love a travel job so much that you decide you’d like to work there full-time. Or sometimes a hospital offers you a permanent position because they’ve been impressed with your work.

No matter how it happens, let your recruiter know as soon as possible if you’re considering taking a permanent job. They will need to cancel your benefits, help you transition out of agency housing, and evaluate your contract. While your recruiter will be sad to lose you to a permanent job, they may be able to help you find a place to live in the new city and give you tips on transitioning to full-time work again.

Travel nursing is an experience unlike any other, and it comes with a bit of a learning curve. If you communicate well with your recruiter, are honest about what you expect from a job, and are willing to be adaptable, you’ll be successful and have the time of your life.

Have you caught the travel nursing bug yet? Check out our open travel nursing jobs, or call us at 800.866.0407 to get started.

We hope you found this article on tips to get the best assignments helpful. Have you found any ways to find the best assignments that we didn’t list here? Comment them below.

Are you looking for your next travel nursing assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for an upcoming travel nurse 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 Krucial Staffing

January 27, 2022

1892 Views

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5 Factors to Consider for Travel Assignments

Krucial Staffing provided this article.

Written by: Maria Blong

We all want the best for ourselves. The best home, best shoes, best kitchenware – the list goes on and on. There are articles published everywhere stating thoughts and opinions in dedication to helping us find it. These are editorials providing the top reasons why this certain running shoe will reduce the likely hood of shin splints or why this brand’s stainless-steel cookware is better quality than other cookware, even if the second option is more affordable.

All this to say – we are a very research-oriented society. If we are going to travel, buy an item, or eat at a new restaurant, we like putting in the research to make an informed decision. When it comes to job hunting, it is not any different. We find a job opening we want and then spend hours learning as much valuable information as we can before applying.

The decision to embark on a medical travel assignment asks the same for any interested party – perhaps it requires even more research and contemplation than a staff job. With medical travel assignments, there are multiple variables included in the equation, ultimately leading you to choose one position over another. These are the top five factors we recommend one to consider before locking in on a travel assignment: wage, location, duration, schedule, and benefits.

Wage

The hourly wage is often the top priority for many, and most of the time, it is the deciding factor for their final choice. And we understand why – you want to accept a wage that reflects all the time, effort, and money you have invested in your career. However, there are many reasons why income in the travel nursing field varies from position to position, and it is important to analyze the reasons why it fluctuates.

First, what kind of travel assignment is it? The type of work assignment will determine the wage you will receive per hour. Many staffing agencies pay their medical staff higher for emergency response than contract positions due to the intensity of the working environment and client needs. With an emergency response, you are likely to work more hours per week, while contracts depend entirely on the facility.

Another question to ask yourself is this: Are you there for the increased pay that comes with travel assignments or the experience of traveling to new locations and helping communities? For many, it comes down to a ratio, or balance, on pay versus experience. However, if you are committing to the opportunity to live in a certain city/state and enjoy your days off – you may be okay with accepting less per hour.

Location

When it comes to your work location for medical travel assignments, you need to be cognizant of what options are available for a travel assignment and an emergency response. For most emergency responses, there’s little control around when or where clients will need your specialty to come in and support an understaffed unit. If you do have the opportunity to choose your location, there are a couple of things you should think about.

How far away do you want to travel? If you are hired for a contract position, there is more wiggle room for you to venture out on your days off. Staying close to home might give your family and friends the opportunity to come visit. However, the contract location might inspire you to travel farther away to a city you have never been before, granting you the chance to explore a different part of the United States.

Emergency response, on the other hand, does not provide you with as much freedom due to the demanding nature of the deployment, plus the health and safety protocols restricting travel. So, working close to home may be a bad idea for a couple of reasons. Say you commit to an emergency response 30 minutes from where you live, but you are in lockdown at a lodging facility. Now, imagine staying that close to loved ones, yet unable to enjoy their company and your usual past times. This situation may stir up a lot of negative emotions for you. It may be in your best interest to travel a little further from home and avoid conjuring up any feelings of exile.

Duration

The length of an assignment can also be a question mark for some people. While some assignments last as short as a few weeks, others can last multiple months. The duration of time you are willing to stay for a medical travel assignment greatly depends on your personality and goals. Some individuals find it difficult to stay away from friends and family that long, while others do not mind being gone. You just need to ask yourself what you are willing or not willing to miss back home. What do you want to gain from a longer or shorter assignment? Do you want to form stronger connections with patients and staff, or do you want to come work, make money, and go back “home”?

Another key factor to bear in mind regarding the duration of an assignment is the mental toll it will take on you. Take inventory of the type of situations you tend to thrive in. Do you like the unknown or working in a busy environment? Do you enjoy a consistent schedule where you can predict your day? How would either affect you mentally? Supporting yourself financially is important but taking care of your mental health is also essential. If you are not taking care of yourself in this way, it will impact the way you care for patients. So, ask yourself these questions and answer honestly about what you can handle.

Schedule

Schedule preferences are straightforward in terms of forethought for assignments. It is a simple set of questions: How many hours do you want to work each week? Do you want to work a regular 36–48-hour schedule? Perhaps you want to work closer to 60 hours a week? In some cases, you might even work 72 hours a week. The final decision also coincides with what kind of pay and deployment type you want as well. All three factors influence each other.

The number of days off you would like also needs to be taken into consideration. Emergency deployments typically only provide one or two days off, while others may give you three to four days. This is also impacted by whether you work 12 hours, four days a week, or eight hours, five days a week.

Benefits

The option for added benefits or insurance is also something to consider while researching medical deployments. Staffing agencies offer different benefits based on the type of assignment you are working on. Emergency deployment benefits can vary depending on the staffing agency you choose to work with.

For most contract assignments, clients typically decide which benefits they want to include. Fortunately, many of them provide housing for the medical staff coming in to assist their hospital or facility. The client may also cover the cost of staying in the area or supply a stipend for groceries.


Overall, travel assignments should be selected with careful attention to detail. Many horror stories regarding bad contracts or assignments stemmed from a lack of understanding of what the requirements or compensation were for the position. By slowing down the rush to get an assignment and diligently addressing all five of the listed factors, you can assure yourself a better, more thoughtful selection for your next travel position.

Interested in looking more about emergency response and/or contract travel options? Check out emergency response and healthcare staffing company, Krucial Staffing. Krucial Staffing specializes in high volume, rapid response staffing, driven by a mission to serve others at their greatest time of need. To learn more about what positions they currently have open, then check out their Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter page for more information.

We hope you found this article on 5 factors to consider for travel assignments helpful. Are there any other factors you consider before taking travel assignments? Comment them below.

Are you looking for your next travel assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for an upcoming travel assignment? 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 Dan Matthews

October 26, 2021

5702 Views

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How to Get the Most Out of Your Travel Assignment

As a travel nurse, you are making a big difference in every community you visit. The care you provide is without comparison, and it always leaves a lasting impression. While helping people is the goal, you must enjoy the experience as much as your patients, so creating and recording great memories is a must.

To help you get the most out of your travel assignment, we have several tips for how you can improve the communities you visit, have a bit of fun, and remember it all for years to come.

How to get the most out of your travel assignment

Help The Community

As a travel nurse, you are not only providing medical assistance, but you are helping the world as a whole. As you may know, there is a great nursing shortage on the horizon as many healthcare professionals retire and our population grows older. This shortage will greatly impact patients living in rural areas who already have to travel great distances to see a physician. As a travel nurse, you are part of the solution, but the opportunities for assistance in the communities you visit doesn’t have to end there.

One way that you can create lasting memories in these communities is by volunteering when you are off the clock. One way to do so is to call a nonprofit organization and ask how you can help. While not every organization will need assistance, many will be thrilled to have you onboard while you are in town.

That is just one of many ways you can lend a helping hand. You can also visit a website like VolunteerMatch, which can connect you with organizations that need assistance, or you can ask colleagues who have visited the area in the past for ideas of places you can contact. By helping these communities, you will remember why you got into nursing in the first place, and you’ll remember the people you meet and the adventures you had for years to come.

Don’t Forget to Have Fun

While you are traveling, don’t forget to have a little fun. A great way to pass some time is by taking a jog around the new neighborhood or hiking in the local, national park. Not only will you see amazing sights that you can photograph and remember forever, but by being out in nature, you can also relax from the busy workday and melt some stress.

After a day of activity, take the time to enjoy some of the local cuisines. This is a chance to try some dishes that you have never had before. If you fall in love with a dish, ask for the recipe. By cooking it when you are back home, you will remember the great time you had in that specific location. If you are traveling with your spouse, don’t forget to take some time out for a date night that could involve dinner made with the recipe you brought back from your travels or a slideshow of photos from the trip.

If you are visiting a city far away, take some time to try some of the activities that you don’t have in your hometown. For instance, if you are near a beach, then try surfing or scuba diving. If you are visiting a town that happens to have a county fair that weekend, go and enjoy some rides, games and meet some new people. You’ll always remember that town for the fun you had there.

Document Your Adventures

While the experiences you have in the places you visit will be fun at the moment, if you visit many different locations during your travels, it can be difficult to remember all of the special times.

One way that you can remember the places you’ve been is by taking pictures, or better yet, buy t-shirts and mugs with memorable places pictured right on the front. You don’t have to use these items every day, but during those times that you go through your closet or cupboard, you will remember the fun you had back in the day.

Another great way to memorialize the places you have been is by documenting all of your fun experiences in a journal. Whenever you go somewhere new, write down what you saw and who you met, and most importantly, notate how you felt during those experiences. You can read those entries at a later time or regale your children with your awesome adventures.

There is no denying it. As a travel nurse, you are a true hero, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your travel experiences. Take the time to meet new people, help the communities you visit, and have a little fun. You deserve it!

We hope you found these tips for getting the most out of your travel assignment helpful. Are there any tips for getting the most out of your travel assignment we missed? Comment them below.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for your next 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 Triage Healthcare Staffing

July 28, 2021

9838 Views

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10 Questions to Answer Before Taking an Assignment

This article was provided by Triage Staffing.

Are you thinking about packing your suitcase and taking your skills on the road to pursue this adventure-filled career of travel nursing? You absolutely should.

Being able to see the country while collecting a paycheck sounds like a sweet gig, and it is! But not every day is a day at the beach, and a good recruiter would never lead you to believe it’s “a paid vacation.” Unless your idea of a vacation includes working, in which case, we have tons of “vacations” available.

We’re not trying to burst any wanderlust bubbles—we like to be real with you so you can be ready. Ready to make informed decisions on what type of travel nurse assignment suits you best so you can make the most out of your career. 

That said, you need to be real with yourself, too. This means asking yourself some questions to find out what’s most important to you. What do you really want to get out of your career as a travel nurse or allied health professional? Having an idea of your priorities and communicating them with your recruiter will serve you both well. This is your life. Plan accordingly.

Here are 10 questions we think are important to consider before taking an assignment:

1) What’s your biggest motivator? 

Are you itching to stand on top of that mountain? Want to put a specific hospital on your resume? Going for the highest possible number on your paycheck? Think about those things and be honest with yourself about your answers. Know that your motivator might change in the future, which is totally cool. You’re allowed to evolve as a human.

2) Are you okay with floating?

And we’re not talking about the trendy new spas around town. Are you willing to work on other units if you’re needed elsewhere? We recommend it.

As a traveler, you’re there because the facility is short-staffed. If you can work where you’re needed most, not only are you seen as a team player (maybe even MVP), but you could see that turn into monetary value as well. Float nurses often get a bump in their pay and generally don’t have to worry about an assignment being canceled.

The same goes for our allied travelers—if you’re flexible with shifts, you’ll have more assignments to choose from, which sounds like a plus to us. 

This is definitely something to consider before taking an assignment.

3) What are the top three cities or states?

Have a general idea of some states you’d like to see so your recruiter isn’t throwing darts blindfolded—even if that’s what they do in their free time. Having an answer to question number one will help you out with question two.

Why have a why? Because you’re only there for 13 weeks, which may sound like a while, but it goes by fast. Especially if you’re having fun, know why you went there, so there are no regrets.

4) What type of facility would you consider to be ideal?

Do you want to gain experience in a large hospital? How about a teaching hospital where you could work with students? Maybe that’s what you’re trying to avoid—teaching students. Hey, no judgment; It’s just something you should think about ahead of time, so you get exactly (or close to) what you want out of the assignment.

5) What are your two most-desired shifts (in order of preference)?

 Pretty self-explanatory.

6) Are there any clinical issues that may influence your decision on a specific facility?

Do you have a facility bed size range or patient ratios that you’re comfortable with? Are there software systems or approaches to care that you are uncomfortable with? These are questions to ask yourself, so you’re ready to discuss them with the hiring manager in an interview to ensure it’s a right fit.

7) What is your ideal weekly take-home pay after taxes?

Considering that pay rates vary throughout the US vary due to cost of living and other factors, what would you want to see on your weekly paycheck? Remember, many travelers also receive stipends for certain allowances to help with the doubled expenses you could incur traveling for work. You’ll want to factor that into your calculations of what seems like a reasonable amount to take home, based on your overall goals.

8) Housing Options

In a scenario where adequate housing is within a five-minute drive to the facility, but that cute rental near the lake is a 25-minute commute, which would you choose? Think about how important your temporary home’s location and aesthetics are. Will you be home on your days off relaxing? Maybe you want the upgrade. If you plan on only being there to sleep, finding a single room to rent might work just fine.

9) How important to you is the option of overtime or guaranteed hours?

If you’re here to get the money (dollar-dollar bills, y’all), it’ll probably be essential. If you’re in it for the day-off adventures…meh!

10) Do you like job hunting?

And interviewing and packing and all the things that go along with a new assignment? If not, you should ask your recruiter about possible extensions at the facility before you head out. Or, if you end up really liking a facility, why not see if you can take off your shoes and stay awhile? The sooner you ask your recruiter about an extension, the better. They’ll let you know how to handle it from there.

Whatever the answer, you can eliminate the multiple profile upkeep with multiple agencies (including Triage) using Kamana, an online universal profile that holds all the important info your recruiter needs to submit you to a job. With a tap of a finger, you can send several recruiters your profile and know that it’s up to date.

Setting goals and expectations from the get-go will help your recruiter work for you. Having these questions answered before taking an assignment will make it easier to get you to where you want to be now and in five years. Start thinking about your answers, and then contact a Triage recruiter today to get started.

Are you a travel nurse looking for your next or first assignment? Click here to view our job board. Already have an assignment but need housing? Click here to view our housing page.

We hope you found these tips to think about before taking an assignment helpful. Did we miss any? Comment them below.

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 TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

June 22, 2021

6463 Views

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What Healthcare Travelers Should Do in a Post-Pandemic Job Market

This article was provided by Travel Nurse Across America.

The healthcare job market has seen unexpected fluctuations over the past 1.5 years. A few months ago, we heard that the demand for travel nurses was greater than the supply due to COVID-19. That number significantly decreased in March 2021 with the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. It then skyrocketed again in June 2021 as a result of life returning to (somewhat) normal. Although it’s not the industry’s typical busy season, hospital schedules are again filling up with elective surgeries and other healthcare needs.

Within this fluctuating market, many healthcare travelers are also seeing a drop in the weekly pay rates offered. While pay has decreased from crisis rates, which hospitals cannot sustain without assistance, many travel nurse agencies are still reporting an average wage higher than pre-pandemic rates. To find the right jobs with the right pay for you, be sure to tap into your agency’s resources.

What to do in a post-pandemic job market

Know Where to Look for In-Demand Specialties

You might not have time to research industry trends, but your recruiter and agency have a real-time pulse on the market. While the number of COVID-19 jobs is dropping, the demand for other specialties is growing exponentially. You have to know where to look.

Elective surgeries and other non-emergency needs on the back burner during the height of COVID-19 are again coming to the forefront. The demand is high for MedSurg, TELE, ER, and ICU specialties, and increased demand for OR nurses is expected later this year. Ask your agency contacts what trends they are seeing in regions you are interested in visiting and find the place where you will be most helpful next.

Make Yourself as Marketable as Possible

Several factors go into your marketability as a travel nurse, the most obvious factor being the information you include on your resume. Your agency’s clinical department should work with you to create a standout travel nurse profile. Ask your clinical director how they can help you secure the right licenses and certifications to be eligible for higher-paying jobs. Consider being a member of national nursing associations and add your COVID-19 experience to make your resume even more impressive.

Your marketability also goes beyond your travel nurse profile. Hiring managers will look for important soft skills, such as flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to resolve conflict. Be sure to mention these soft skills and any examples that you can provide in your job interviews.

Use Your Agency’s Financial Resources to Save Money

Your agency’s financial resources may help you save money and offset some of your costs. See if your agency has travel reimbursement programs, deals, and discount programs, 401k matching, or access to financial advisors through an Employee Assistance Program. All of these can help you save an extra buck.

Keep in mind. There will always be some assignments that pay more and some that pay less. Weigh your options, use your agency’s resources – from getting assistance on your resume to using programs to save money, and make the best decision in your current situation. Just make sure you pick an agency that has your back through it all.

If you are looking for your next travel nurse assignment in the post-pandemic job market? Click here to visit our job board.

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!)