Highway Hypodermics

Kaitlin Slattery

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:

Check the contract to see if floating was agreed upon and discussed prior to interview. If not, then contact the facility to see if we can minimize the floating.

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:

I would let the facility know that she is not comfortable floating to NICU as it is outside her skill set and unsafe.

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:

If we set her up for the housing originally I would call my department and get her switched to a new unit or place. If she found it then I would help her search for a better option and offer to put her up in the hotel for the night.

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:

I would have her reach out to her manager to explain her situation.I would suggest adding on 2 weeks to the end of the contract to fulfill the entire contract. If the manager isn't welling to work with her/can't wait then we will work on finding something else.

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 reimburse for her travel money and immediately begin finding her a new position that meets the same expectations. I would apologize and learn from the mistake to make sure it never happens again!

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 a partner relationship. I really want the best for all my nurses and it helps with my nurses communicate with me and are flexible. As a traveler you're there to fill a need so it's always better to be flexible!

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