Highway Hypodermics

Brittany 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:

: Iwould be an advocate for my nurse and reach out to our account managementteam/hospital contact immediately. I would remind them that she was originallyasked to float between 3 hospitals and she is more than comfortable with butsome of the other facilities are an unreasonable distance for her. I would alsoask my nurse to speak directly with staffing/scheduling and set boundaries in aprofessional way. She is there to be flexible and float but within reason

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:

Wewould have her address this directly with charge nurse and house sup since it'safter hours. I would coach her to let her charge and house supervisor knowimmediately before floating her to NICU that it is out of her competency leveland she does not feel comfortable taking that assignment. I would advise her tostay flexible and offer alternative solutions, floating to postpartum, nursery,etc. and ask around... maybe there is another staff or traveler who does haveNICU experience on the L&D unit that can float in her place.

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:

Iwould advise her to contact the owner ASAP and see what options are available.Is there another unit? Can they send out a cleaning crew? Full refund? I wouldsend her housing resources and have my experience specialist reach out and helpher get into something comparable and clean immediately if we could get her outof the lease. She needs to be inclean and comfortable accommodations

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:

Herhealth is the #1 priority and without her health she cannot work. I would haveher send me documentation from her MD and ask her if it was okay to share withthe facility. I would wait and see if she will safely be able to return afterthe 2 weeks with proper treatment. I would be in direct communication lettingthe facility know she was out due to an emergency medical reason. If she couldnot complete the contract due to medical reasons, I would support her decisionand help her find a climate that would better fit her medical needs

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:

Iwould pick up the phone immediately and let my nurse know there was amiscommunication and the facility no longer has a need and we need to find hersomething else in the area ASAP. Unfortunately, as a traveler, these things canhappen and we hope to keep them few and far between. It is important to beflexible and communicate often so we can avoid these types of issues. I wouldsend her new options and work diligently on finding her something comparableASAP.

Question 6:

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

Answer 6:

: Iwould like them to know that they are my top priority and I will alwaysadvocate for them. I strongly believe in treating others the way I want to betreated. Communication is my middle name and I pride myself on being responsiveand helping them through the good and the bad. Travelers are not just another #or placement to me, they are my why and I truly love what I do. I am here tocreate a lasting relationship and work with each traveler on many placementsand help them achieve their financial goals while checking off amazingbucket-list places along the way!

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