I would immediately advocate on behalf of Nurse Flo and reference the specific floating requirements that are included in all of our contracts. I would counsel Nurse Flo that in the future, she should always stay within the terms of the agreed upon assignment and if ever asked to do otherwise she should immediately reach out to me so that I can correct the issue right from the start. We stand by the terms of our contracts and I would inform the facility that this floating requirement was never agreed upon and therefore cannot be required moving forward. If the facility wanted to include this new floating requirement moving forward and Nurse Flo was interested in doing so, I would renegotiate the contract terms to ensure Nurse Flo was compensated fairly for the inconvenience.
I would let Nurse Betty know to stay put and not to float to the NICU while we handle the issue.I would contact our Chief Executive Nurse, who handles all clinical issues and is available 24/7 for anything like this that may arise, to step in and help determine the level of competency in this area. If it is determined that Betty is not equipped to serve in the NICU we would inform the facility of the severity of this situation. The last thing we would ever want is to put patient safety or the nurse’s license in jeopardy. To avoid issues like this, we require competency tests for any and all clinical areas where the Nurse may work,including float areas.
I would have Nurse Roach immediately leave the premises as her safety is most important. I would contact the housing complex directly and explain the situation and force them to rectify the issue by providing suitable housing, refunding money, and ensuring a clean and safe environment by any means necessary. If Nurse Roach no longer wanted to stay in this specific housing complex I would contact other hotels, apartments, extended stays, etc. until a new housing accommodation was found.
I would immediately reach out to the facility to inform them the nurse will be out on medical leave until further notice so that they could make proper accommodations. I would let the facility know that the intent is to complete the contract and we could makeup any missed hours by adding time to the end of the contract IF Nurse Asthmatic is able. I would inform her of the option for Short Term Disability so that she could still receive compensation even though she would be out of work for an extended period of time. Once completed with medical care, I would speak with her to find out if she is willing and able to return to work and complete the remainder of her assignment. I would also give her the option to make-up the missed time and recoup the financial loss. If she is unable to stay in the area due to her asthma I would seek out contract opportunities elsewhere in an area much more fitting for her condition.
Before sending any reporting instructions we ensure that all contracts are signed and complete to avoid instances like this from occurring. Generally, from the time of interview to the assignment start date, there are a few weeks were details like this are surely taken care of. In the event this got overlooked and this did occur, I would immediately reach out to the facility to take the necessary steps to complete the contract between us and the hospital. As an agency, we are fully prepared to take on new clients at any time so we would be more than willing to comply with the contract terms and move forward as planned. If there were issues with contracting, I would reach out to other facilities in the same area in an attempt to contract elsewhere. I would use the strong relationships I have built with Account Managers to explain the urgency of the situation in an attempt to make things right and change this from a bad experience to a positive one.
Travel nursing can be a very fun and rewarding career! You have the ability to go to places you have always wanted to visit and gain excellent work experience while doing so! Have the right mind-set and try to make the best out of every experience. Many facilities have a need because of a shortage of employees, high patient census,or because the facility is overwhelmed so be prepared to possibly encounter hectic types of environments. It is important build a strong, open and honest relationship with your recruiter. Together, a strong recruiter and a great nurse can make great things happen. Most importantly, have a great time and enjoy your travels!!!