Highway Hypodermics

Michelle Williams

AHS Staffing - NurseStat, MedStat, RenalStat

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:

AHS would support our Nurse by approaching the facility and discussing the original agreement of floating to only a 10 mile radius. AHS would hold the facility to the terms agreed upon, or ask for additional compensation only if the Nurse was willing to float to a larger radius with higher compensation.

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:

AHS would back our Nurse! We understand that working a Nurse in an area to which they are not clinically experienced and trained to subjects all parties to risk - the Nurse, the facility, and our firm. AHS would 1) encourage the traveler to relay that she/he is not clinically competent to work in the NICU setting 2) let our Nurse know that we fully stand behind her/him. 3) contact the facility to relay our position on this and ensure she/he is not asked to float to any areas he/she is not clinically experienced and trained in.

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:

AHS would apologize and take action to move the Nurse asap. We would provide a hotel with a kitchen for a day or two, until we set up appropriate, clean housing. Since the Nurse is there locally, we would ask her/him to look at the new proposed location for their approval.

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:

AHS would respond by supporting our Nurse to health. There is nothing more important than the physical, mental and emotional well being of our travelers. We would notify the facility that the traveler cannot, due to medical reasons, complete her assignment. We would support our traveler through the course of our commitment.

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:

AHS would attempt to first resolve any confusion so that the contract can be honored. If the facility confirmed the Nurse's reporting instructions, we would reach out to facility to clarify where the mis communication / misunderstanding occurred, and try to resolve. If there is not resolution, AHS would support our traveler's expenses and get to work to find another assignment she/he is equally excited about.

Question 6:

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

Answer 6:

AHS is grateful to work with so many stellar travelers. They are clinically competent, professional, caring, and responsible. AHS wants them to know we are committed to them and their success. It makes our job easier by just being themselves - great people, great clinicians and caregivers!

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