Highway Hypodermics

Allison Kaipust

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:

In this situation, I would first encourage Nurse Floating Flo to discuss with her manager the terms of her contract (10-mile radius). I would document that the company has asked her to float beyond her radius and connect with the client manager on three separate occasions. I would reach out to Nurse Floating Flo the following week and ask what the outcome of her conversation with her manager was. If no changes are made, I would file a formal documented "problem" with the client manager to request them to connect with the facility to remedy the issue.

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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:

In this case, I would instruct Baby Nurse Betty to advocate for herself and express to her manager that this is beyond her scope of practice and she does not feel that she can adequately provide the best care for NICU patients. If there was an insistence for Baby Nurse Betty to float to the NICU, I would immediately reach out to the client manager to directly contact the facility and alert them that they are requesting the traveler float beyond her scope of practice and it is not in the best interest of patient safety.

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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 would let Nurse Roach know that she can absolutely head to a local hotel for the evening since she is exhausted from her 750-mile journey, and I would reimburse her for the hotel stay that night. I typically encourage my travelers to take the housing stipend for this reason. It is essential that they are comfortable with locating their own housing and request to see photos of the accommodations beforehand. Each traveler has their own preferences, and taking the housing per diem ensures that the traveler controls their housing accommodations.

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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:

With Nurse Asthmatic being such a loyal nurse, I know that this is truly a medical issue out of her control, which would not result in disciplinary action. If possible, I will fully advocate for compensation on her behalf with our Review Board team. I hope that Nurse Asthmatic, ahead of time, may have chosen a short-term disability insurance plan for cases such as this. Moving forward, I fully support Nurse Asthmatic in continuing with the assignment when she is ready and able or putting in her two weeks and moving on to a new assignment that does not have a negative impact on her physical health.

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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:

I would immediately call to touch base with Nurse Roulette to inform her that we have just received word of the miscommunication on our end. Digging in further with the client manager, I would figure out a plan for the next steps, whether it’s working with HR at the current facility or finding an immediate replacement position nearby. "I think it is important for travel nurses to figure out their "why." Regarding travel, nurses have different motives: financial gain, seeing the country, or moving nearby family members, just to name a few. It is important that whatever you tell your recruiter, you stick by it so we can work efficiently for you!

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Question 6:

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

Answer 6:

I would remind travelers to be as flexible as possible! This may mean taking shifts during evenings instead of days, but the money and location are right. I encourage nurses to consider submitting to the position; or taking a position for their desired shift, an hour or two away from the desired location. Finally, I remind travelers that organization goes a long way! You're already one step ahead of the game if you have your profile pieces ready for a recruiter (resume, reference contacts, and skills checklists). In this industry, jobs can move FAST. Getting your recruiter a requested copy of your certifications or an updated reference could make the difference between submitting to an open job and the desired job closing before you get a chance to submit because the paperwork was not in order. This also helps the compliance/onboarding process go smoothly as well!"

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