The first step would be to continue communication with both the nurse and the client and refer to the agreement regarding any float policy in place and whether these issues came up in the past or is this the first time that has happened.
Communicating and talking through the traveler's frustration is essential to finding out if the frustration comes from the locations she is floating to, gas for mileage, or the fact she is being pushed to other locations and feels like she is being taken advantage of because she said yes. Depending on the answer, I would regardless bring these issues to the client to try and address them; if there is a history with this client would prep the traveler about the client and what has happened in the past to make them aware before signing her agreement if this is the first time this has happened.
I would also bring this up to the client and find out why they are floating her, do they have other travelers, and ask if we could limit her floating back to the agreed-upon locations. If it comes down to being canceled or being floated, I would bring this situation to the RN to make them aware and communicate with the RN and client based on what they would prefer to do. Regardless of client or RN would ask if cancellation or termination was required and would request a two-week notice to have time to make adjustments for the RN or client and keep them from being marked as a DNR with the facility.
Speak with the facility regarding the concerns for the safety of the individuals having an RN working in a unit she does not have the skill set to do. This puts the patients at risk and would ultimately put the facility at risk if something happened. I would try and find other solutions with other staff within the facility or offer alternative solutions to staffing this specific RN.
Get her set up in a hotel for the next few times with plenty of time to work with her on finding other options for housing.
Communication and documentation are essential. I would ask for a doctor's note to provide to the hospital; Colorado offers 48 hours of sick time, so I would let her know she is offered 48 hours of pay and to take care of herself. When a medical situation arises, and she is under a doctor's care, they must take care of themselves. If an RN can't take care of themselves how can we expect them to take care of the patients in the most chaotic situation?
I would never send a nurse on a contract without confirming that client confirmation has been signed or approved by all parties involved. Even if this happens, let Roulette know what is going on and find out what happened. Why is this not approved yet? Is it going to be approved, or is there no position? If the position hasn't been approved yet, speak with all parties involved regarding when or how long that process will take; if this is a quick process, reassure Nurse Roulette that it will be taken care of and that she will be working fine shortly.
If this can't be saved and there is no contract, let Nurse Roulette know she was fully credentialed to start; then, we would be able to move quickly with another contract. I would ask Nurse Roulette where she wants to go and call client managers and facilities to let them know we have an RN credentialed and ready to move quickly to their most urgent needs. Nurse Roulette would be at the top of my focus to give her another option and let her know we will provide some compensation due to this.
Communication is always the most important. We understand things happen, and life gets hard, but we want to help you, and communication helps so much. Let us know what is going on so we can best help you, and don't be afraid, to be honest with us. We want to put you in the best situation possible, and being lied to because of fear of the outcome isn't helpful. A good recruiter can give you honest advice when a problem arises and direct you to make the best decision possible. Remember, we are people as well and do make mistakes at times, it's something we never want to do, but it does happen, and let us know what we can do to try and fix those if they come up.