Highway Hypodermics

Anna Burris

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 have our Account Manager to touch base with the facility to discuss the issues. Together we would work with the facility and the traveler and find a happy medium to ensure that both are happy.

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:

Cirrus is all about customer service: we would never ask our nurses to do anything that would put their license in jeopardy. If a nurse is asked to do something that is outside of their scope of practice we will go to bat for them to ensure that they are protected, while maintaining open dialogue with our facilities.

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 tell the nurse to go back to the leasing/sales office and return the keys, and let them know that it is not acceptable. If they do not have acceptable accommodations for them on site, then the nurse will stay in a hotel for a few nights while we find housing that will work for them.

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:

Anytime a traveler has medical issues I immediately get on the phone with the facility to ensure that they are aware that the traveler will miss shifts due to medical issues. If 2 weeks of shifts are going to be missed, most facilities will end the contract-which would be the best resolution in this case. IF they do not want to terminate the contract then I would work to get resolution for both the traveler and the facility.

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:

This should never happen, unfortunately sometimes paperwork is lost and assignments are cancelled. I would inform my traveler that there is a problem and that I’m working on resolution. The traveler would be my top priority and Cirrus would ensure the traveler that they will be taken care of.

Question 6:

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

Answer 6:

Being honest and up front about their top priorities makes my job easier. Also having certifications, licenses and complete resumes saved electronically makes for quick communication, and therefore helps to get their names presented to facilities quicker. Finally, quick response: the early bird gets the worm in the travel world, so if a traveler takes 2 days (or sometimes 2 hours) to respond to me most likely the job will be gone!

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