Highway Hypodermics

Joseph Centauro

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 follow up directly with the Account Manager and then reach out to the facility together. We would all work together to seek out a solution that will be beneficial to the Traveler to make them feel secure.

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:

We will never let anyone of our Travelers be put into a situation that they are not comfortable in. We would let the facility know this is a High Risk and this particular traveler will not be working in a Unit outside of her competency level.

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:

We would immediately have our travel department search for another location and have her relocated to a new place for housing that very same day. We would not stop until we confirm the new location is clean and up to quality standards.

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:

We have everything situated with the facility granted her the needed time off. We will also compensate for missed days and also provide an extra bonus to make up for any losses. I would personally send out a get well soon card and be checking in daily with phone calls to make sure everything is ok.

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:

We come into direct contact with the facility to see if there is anything that can be worked out. If not then we contact every other contracted facility in the area to try and drum up a position particularly for this traveler. If we are unsuccessful in finding a new position then we will automatically compensate the traveler for her cost and add in another bonus on her next assignment when we find her something new.

Question 6:

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

Answer 6:

Communication, Communication, Communication!

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