Highway Hypodermics

Ron York

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:

I would hesitate to place any RN is a float situation like this unless the nurse is very easy going and flexible to work the needs of the hospital. If the nurse voices a complaint I would listen and remind them that flexibility is the key to any float pool situation and encourage them to fulfill their commitment to the hospital and then we can get them a new contract once the assignment is completed.

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:

All of my travelers have access to me 24/7 for emergencies. If the RN is not comfortable floating to the unit and its beyond her scope of practice. I would notify Trinity’s Chief Nursing Officer who handles all clinical matters. She would get involved and be my nurse’s advocate and help resolve the situation.

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:

First let me say that the traveler works with my housing coordinator to select their housing and the nurse has the final say on where they stay. My travelers have access to me and Trinity’s housing coordinator – 24/7. In a situation like this I would put her in a hotel for the night, notify my housing coordinator who set up the housing of the unacceptable filthy apartment. My housing coordinator and I would work together to present suitable (clean, safe, affordable) housing options to the nurse and get her moved as soon as possible.

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:

Keep in constant contact with the nurse to encourage her and see how she is feeling. If she is going to be out of work for 2 weeks we would coordinate with the facility to ensure we get her back on the schedule as soon as she is well and extend the contract by the 2 weeks she missed. Unless the traveler has shor-term disability then there is nothing I can do for her financially. If she is unable to continue then we would cancel the contract and look for a suitable new assignment when she is ready and well enough to get back to work.

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:

In my entire recruiting career in the healthcare field, I have never had a situation like this. Trinity has procedures in place to ensure something like this would never happen. We ensure the traveler is fully compliant and credentialed the week prior to start so they dont show up at the hospital and have a problem in orientation. We also coordinate with the facility the week before as well to get any last minute reporting details. This should never happen to a traveler.

Question 6:

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

Answer 6:

Flexibility – the more flexible a traveler is the easier itis to find them an assignment and keep them working. Most companies benefits and pay are similar. The key to a successful long term relationship is trust and integrity. Trinity’s motto is ‘we do what we say we’ll do. I strive to live by that standard. I have travelers that have worked for me for 7+ years strait and we have a wonderful working relationship. I am very easy going and will work hard to find the right job for you. I am not looking for the RN who is agency shopping for the highest bidder. My goal is to get someone on with me and keep them traveling with me until they are ready to settle down and stop traveling.

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