As a recruiter, originally, looking at details within the contract is a crucial part to explain to your Nurse. Travel reimbursements should be offered to ensure the Nurse is fully taken care of but also, as a recruiter, I will support this Nurse and empathize with this situation. In order to take the best action, the Nurse should remain in contact with the recruiter, and then the recruiter should speak to the account manager to explain the situation and try to change the current state of the consistent travel. If this cannot be changed by the account manager, then the 24/7 nurse liaison, who is also the CEO of Health Providers Choice, will be contacted to make sure this Nurse is supported and the situation is changed and taken care of properly.
If you do not have the knowledge or ability to float to a new unit, then speaking up is the correct action to take. Stating your concerns to the charge nurse/manager can help the situation. If they are uncomfortable or forced to switch, we have a nurse liaison who is a registered nurse as well as the CEO of our company. She will proceed with the next steps as she is available for discrepancies 24/7. We also have an on-call line for nurses to contact if they are experiencing any situation like this, as a recruiter. I will help and guide you in any way that I can.
The first plan of action is to help find her a safe place to stay immediately and cover the costs. The second is to ensure she is there safely and in better condition than before. The third is to write to the housing unit and explain how we will not be working with them in the future to ensure that no other nurse will have that experience.
I would sincerely apologize and make sure to send a package from the HPC as an acknowledgment of her troubles and a get well. I will also make sure to have an assignment that is in the correct location after doing extensive research to ensure this will not occur again. I will work with this Nurse throughout this entire process to ensure the best quality of care she gives her patients. Her health is a priority and should be treated as one. It will be my job to work with the hospital and account manager on the state of her contract and plan accordingly to accommodate. It is imperative that we support and assist in any way that we can.
From the beginning, every area should be covered before sending a nurse on an assignment. If this were to ever happen, I would ensure that I have an immediate follow-up position so the Nurse can redirect their travels and still have a secured position for their travel assignment. During this process, I will follow up with the account manager constantly to ensure all is taken care of, as well as the HR department and other associated departments. Health Providers Choice covers the contract from start to finish and will not send a nurse without full compliance from both the hospital and us. I work diligently to make sure all will be in place by the time of the nurses’ arrival. We also have an amazing talent support department and credentialing department that supports me as the recruiter and the Nurse throughout this entire process to ensure this process runs smoothly. All travel expenses will be taken care of during this process as well. I want to make sure the Nurse is a priority and will be taken care of.
Staying in constant contact with your recruiter makes for a successful contract. Always make sure to update your recruiter with any information that involves your contract. Allow your recruiter to educate you on the best practices of travel nursing and finding the best positions!