Highway Hypodermics

Brian Gray

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 get in touch with our contact at the facility and find out what is going on and why they are not abiding by the terms of the contract and see if we can get them to agree to the original terms. If they aren't willing to do so I would have the nurses back and support the nurses decision to stay or leave.

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:

We will tell them that we are advising Nurse Betty not to report to the NICU. It isn't safe for her or the patients nor part of the contract.
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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 work with her and the hotel to find another suitable room or find another hotel in the area for the night until we can find something else that will work for them for the remainder of the contract.

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 would ask the nurse if they would like to return to the facility after they are healthy again. If so, I would work to get the hospitals approval. If they would rather not return for fear of another attack, I would have their back and help them out finding another contract once they are ready to get back out there.

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:

The first thing I would do is call the nurse and apologize for our mistake. Then I would work with them to find a contract ASAP in the area since they are already there. If there isn't anything in the area, I would find out where they want to go and do everything I can to get them lined up with something ASAP.

Question 6:

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

Answer 6:

Be up front with everything that you are wanting. If it is going to be a deal breaker, it is much easier to ask about it when submitting to jobs, then after we get an offer.

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