Highway Hypodermics

Aaron Cohen

Question 1:

In a large metropolitan area, Nurse Floating Flo contracts to float between three hospitals within a 10 mile radius of her housing. Starting in the 6th week, the company ask her to float to a hospital 15 miles away, the 7th week she goes to one on the other side of the city, that is 30 miles away, plus one that is 17 miles away. The nurse is willing to take the first few, but after the behavior continues, she has had enough and voices this to her recruiter.

Answer 1:

I would contact the facility and inform them of the contract agreement and ask that measures be taken to ensure the continued success and happiness of my traveler.

Question 2:

Baby Nurse Betty is a skilled labor and delivery nurse, who also can float to post-pardum care after the delivery as well as the well-newborn nursery. At 7:30pm, the staffing company hotline gets a call stating that they want her to float to the NICU, which is beyond her competency level. What is your company’s response?

Answer 2:

I'd explain that her skill and comfort level aren't viable for NICU and I'm not going to put her in a position that could harm a patient or her standing.

Question 3:

Nurse Roach is all excited about her first travel nursing assignment. She drives 750 miles to her new assignment housing. After getting the keys from management, she opens the door and three cockroaches scurry across the floor. After further investigation, she also finds a ring of mold in the shower. She can’t stand it and immediately texts you with pictures. How do you respond?

Answer 3:

I immediately get her out of the housing and put her in a temporary hotel until we can find adequate housing.

Question 4:

You have worked with Nurse Asthmatic for 3 years now and she has done a great job for you, when she takes an assignment in Southeast Colorado. She envisions magic mountains that reach to the sky, only to find that she has landed in wheat country. Not wanting to cause problems she continues to work and everything is fine, until harvest. She has an asthma attack, ends up in the hospital, and is told that she is going to miss at least 2 weeks of work related to asthma induced pneumonia. How do you work things out?

Answer 4:

I work on backfilling her job if she's willing to take on a contract at a more suitable location. The safety, health and well being of the nurse is paramount and I'll do whatever I can to ensure that.

Question 5:

You have worked hard to find Nurse Roulette a job in Las Vegas. You send the nurse a contract that she readily accepts, signs, and sends back. The next morning the bags are packed and Nurse Roulette is on the way to the assignment of her dreams. At 0800 she is out the door and to the hospital. Checking in with HR, they inform her that there is no contract between the hospital and the company, related to the fact that it has not been approved by HR. About the same time, the recruiting manager comes to you and tells you not to send Nurse Roulette on the assignment. This shouldn’t have happened, but unfortunately it does happen. What do you do?

Answer 5:

Inform Nurse Roulette immediately and work to find her another assignment. I'd be completely transparent in what happened and why it happened. I thankfully haven't had this happen to me but I've spoken to nurses where it has. Not a good situation to be in on any side.

Question 6:

What would you like travel nurses to know about being a great traveling nurse and making your job easier?

Answer 6:

I think the main thing is laying out the ground rules of what kind of flexibility they'll have on any given assignment. I also think communicating any issues immediately rather than festering is very important. Small things can turn into very big things in a short amount of time. Having a healthy, open relationship with great dialogue will make assignments and travel much easier on both parties.

Email this Recruiter!