Staying in communication with my nurses while they’re on assignment is super important to me. I would hope that, in a situation like this, my traveler would feel comfortable telling me about the increased travel distances as it was happening. We would talk about his/her preferences so that I know how to best advocate for them (don’t wanna drive the extra distance that wasn’t in the contract? I totally understand. Willing to do it, but need milage reimbursement outside of that 10mi radius? Done.). I would then clarify with the hospital system (or vendor) whether this was a one-time thing, or if they would like to revise the contract to include the larger float radius along with a higher bill rate (who WOULDN’T want more money? They may decline, but it doesn’t hurt to ask!). We rely on our nurses to uphold their end of the contract, so it is just as important that hospitals uphold their end as well. Regardless, we would find a solution that benefits my traveler.
Safety is always of the utmost importance. Without having relevant experience and the right credentials, a nurse should never even be asked to float to specialized floors like the NICU. Unfortunately, it does happen occasionally, and in this situation, I would encourage my traveler to decline the offer to float from L&D to NICU. We will not put our travelers’ license at risk or put their safety or patient’s safety at risk either. If my nurse is repeatedly asked to float to a unit where they are not skilled, I would ask my Client Manager to reach out to the vendor/facility so they are aware of the situation and can stop it from continuing to happen.
Omg no. We HAVE to get you out of there. Are you kidding? Mold? Roaches?? I am already Googling the nearest (NICEST) hotel we can get you into for the next few nights until we can find you the right place (and checking reviews for the next spot too; we don’t want that happening again). Housing is a huge part of the whole experience of travel nursing, and I want my nurses to be able to come home to a clean, healthy, safe environment between shifts. You work hard. You deserve a nice place to stay while on assignment.
Knowing my nurse was looking forward to mountains, we would have made sure the area was ideal before submitting to and accepting a position, but I understand things happen, especially when we’re moving fast to find a job. So, if this were a situation that arose, again, health and safety are number one. With my traveler now in the capable hands at the hospital and recovering, I would contact their facility and let them know that he/she is currently on medical leave, provide documentation, and even look into whether this qualifies for short term disability coverage. If my nurse felt comfortable returning to work in that environment after recovering and being cleared by the doctor to do so, we would usually add those missed 2 weeks onto the end of the contract to make up those hours. If they wanted a new contract elsewhere, I would totally understand, and we would start the search right away.
This should never happen, and it hasn’t to me because we get everything in writing (with signatures) from vendors/facilities, but I have definitely heard horror stories from my travelers. If I WERE presented with this situation, my first go-to would be seeing if we can find a solution to get him/her started (hopefully it was just a delay, and they’ll get to complete their dream assignment in their ideal spot). If the traveler’s assignment was cancelled entirely, and there was no way the facility could take them on, it would be my (and my team’s) top priority to find my nurse a quick start position elsewhere ASAP. I would also work with my leadership team on a way to compensate my traveler for the travel expenses they incurred – and maybe throw them a 20 to put on red for me if they have to head out of Vegas ;)
It’s not really about making my job easier, but how to be the best travel nurse.
EXPERIENCE – Get all the certifications you can, gain experience in Level I/II/III Trauma and teaching facilities, go where it is notoriously hard to work. That looks great on a profile and makes you a very valuable employee that hospitals will be fighting to keep.
REFERENCES – Form relationships with supervisors and managers at each facility so that your references consistently speak highly of you.
COMMUNICATION – I’d rather too much than not enough. Ask all questions. Be sure you’re available to hear about new jobs so we can submit ASAP if it’s something you’re interested in, answer the phone if you’re called for an interview.. be available and communicate.
KNOW THE MARKET – I can help you with this but be sure to do research consistently. The travel nursing industry is constantly changing.
TRANSPARENCY – This goes both ways. I will always be open and honest with you, and I ask that you do the same with me. Let me know what it is that’s important to you. If you want a specific location, we will do our best to get you there. If you’re open to any place with a cool view and stuff to do, that’s awesome. If money is the thing you’re after, that’s okay too – I’ll look for the highest paying jobs in your specialty. I need to know what it is that makes you tick, and what you’re truly looking for in travel assignments to help the best I can.