Highway Hypodermics

Jessica Ketant

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:

First thing I would do is reach out to the facility to find out why there is a change in the original floating policy. I would reiterate that she was only contracted to float within 10 miles of her housing. If the facility was unwilling to accommodate the nurse to the original contract, I would then follow up with the nurse to put in a proper notice (2 weeks) and find her an assignment more to their liking and true to the contract.

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:

Unfortunately, Nurse Betty will not be able to float to the NICU - This is out of her scope of practice. We would reach out to the facility and let them know that unfortunately, Nurse Betty is not a NICU nurse and should not be floating to the NICU.

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 immediately reach out to our housing department to see if there was an Extended Stay we could immediately put her in for the night. From then on, I would help her find other housing options in the area.

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 make sure that Nurse Asthmatic is okay. I would have the account manager reach out to her facility and let them know what is going on with her. Once her health is okay, we would get her back to work.

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 would start by apologizing to Nurse Roulette. I would state to her that this isnt the norm for MedPro. I would then reach out to the MedPro Experience ( Our customer service department) and see if they would be able to help Nurse Roulette out with a mini Vacation in Las Vegas. At least we made the most of a mistake! I would then find her another contract at another facility and make sure that it is ready to go before she packs her bags and jets out the door!

Question 6:

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

Answer 6:

I would like travel nurses to know that the greatest way to be a travel nurse is to be flexible! Everyone is in it for their own reasons, whether it be money or travel. When you are going to a travel facility, you are going to help out a facility in need of employment assistance. Not everyday will the same unit have the same needs.

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