Highway Hypodermics

Travel Nurses Making A Difference, One Hospital At A Time

With so many travel companies out there, how is a nurse to pick the best one?  We all place different values on different benefits; therefore, I have come up with a chart here to help you choose the right travel company for YOU! 

Choose five to ten companies whom you believe will give you what you need in a travel company, visit their website and give them a call.

The following questions were asked of the travel nursing companies:

1. Does your company have FREE medical, dental, and vision insurance for the employee with moderate fee insurance for family? 

2. Does your company offer insurance to those nurses with domestic partners?

3. Does your company offer first day medical insurance coverage?

4. Does your company provide professional insurance?

5. Does your company fully reimburse the nurse for licensing?

6. Does your company provide FREE private one-bedroom housing for the nurse?

7. Does your company give nurses a choice in the furniture package?

8. Does your company offer free utilities, including basic cable and basic phone?

9. Does your company offer the option of corporate housing?

10. Does your company offer salaries over $30 on SOME assignments?

11. Do you give full reimbursement for CEUs?

12. Does your company provide 401K with company vest of at least 50% for the nurses 5%?

13. Do you give completion bonus on SOME assignments?

14. Do you have WEEKLY direct deposit?

15. Are you JCAHO certified?

16. Does your company offer a minimum of three sick days per 13-week assignments without financial penalty?

17. Does your company offer one month off between assignments without penalty?

18. Does your company pay for the pre-employment physical and drug screen?

19. Does your company pay the standard mileage (37.5 cents/mile currently) or free airfare to the assignment?

20. Does your company guarantee payment on time, and have a backup plan if something does go wrong with a nurses' paycheck?

21. Does your company offer a rental car package or stipend?

Thanks again to all the travel companies who took time out of their busy schedule to help me with this chart by emailing me about your companies benefits!

Like a fine wine, I would like to here what YOU the NURSE is looking for in a travel company in benefits?  If there is something that I have left out here let me know, and I will make every effort to find out the answers to your questions! 

**Special Note...  Because of the simplicity that I wanted for this chart, I require that for a "YES" from the nursing company to meet that requirement.  In all fairness, I wanted to add this statement, that even though a company may NOT have a syringe indicating FULL CEU reimbursement, or FREE medical insurance, for example, does NOT mean that they don't offer medical insurance for a small free, or some money for CEUs.  Please check the company website for further information.

**Additional Note:  These benefits are as report to Epstein by the companies themselves.  If you, a traveling nurse and find these to be reported faulty, please let Epstein know for a follow up.

And Now... 

Epstein's 21 Syringe Salute To Travel Companies & Their Benefits

(those listed in bold also have completed an company spotlight interview and are eligible for the Top Ten List.)