Highway Hypodermics

Keith Kappel

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:

It is important that the agreement between the facility and traveler is adhered to. If this situation arises, I would be contacting the business development manager to resolve with facility and expedite the process for quick resolution.

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 ask the nurse to let her manager know immediately that floating to NICU is beyond her scope of practice and that she is not willing to jeopardize her license and patient care for this purpose.

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 make arrangements for her to stay in a hotel and call the apartment complex to find immediate solution.

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 accommodate the nurse in this situation as much as possible including finding her a new assignments and making sure the facility understands the situation in effort not to DNR her or him from facility for not completing the agreement.

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 work with my company to make sure that the nurse is taken care of and immediately find the traveler another assignment that best suits her their needs.

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 all about being honest with your recruiter and recruiter being open and honest back. It truly is a business partnership that needs to be based on those principals. Always communicate openly with your recruiter what is important to you in your assignments. Give clear expectations. Be flexible as much as possible.

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