Highway Hypodermics

David McCoy

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 ensure Flo that I’ll take care of her problem. I would reachout to the facility about Flo working at facilities outside of her contract andfigure out where the miscommunication started. I would ask Flo to talk to hernurse manager or direct supervisor, reiterate the same information, and remindthe scheduling manager that she is only contracted to work at “X” Hospitals.

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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:

Sorry, the facility is outside of Betties Scope of Practice. We won’t ask her to put her license at risk. If you still need NICU help in the future,I can ask Betty if she knows any NICU RNs. She might be referred to as a traveler, OR we can get together as a team and discuss your facility paying to train Betty into a NICU RN (if that is something she is interested in).

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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:

Refer Roach to a nearby hotel with good reviews for the next few nights and work together to find her better housing.

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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:

First, I would ensure that the Asthmatic gets everything she needs and contact her family to ensure they are aware. Then, once she was all better, I would ask her if she feels healthy enough to continue the contract, or if we should look in a different area.

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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 will negotiate with the facility and try to make something happeneven if its only for a few weeks, but if I fail, I’ll help Roulette get home,and find her a different contract.

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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:

It's all about the communication!

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