Highway Hypodermics

Taylor Cieslik

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:

First and foremost, I would thank the nurse for being so flexible with the first few instances. But I am hoping I was already aware of the situation and could have intervened by then so it never became a bigger issue. That would definitely be a conversation that would need to be had with the facility as it was never anything that was mentioned in an interview to the nurse; therefore, something the facility is not able to do.

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:

Very simply, no. She is not competent to work on her own in the NICU and we would potentially be doing more harm than good with putting her in that position.

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 call and get her a hotel for the time-being until we were able to look at some other place and find something a little more long-term. I typically advise against signing anything or agreeing to stay somewhere until you've seen it in person. "Let me set you up in a hotel until you get a chance to check out a few places in the area."

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:

Well, both her and I should've had a better idea or expectation of where the assignment was going to be in the first place - seems to be some disconnect somewhere with wanting mountains but finding out she's in wheat country when she gets there. Health comes first and we would have to figure out the best plan of attack and find out if the facility will be okay for those few weeks where she will be out. People get sick and things come up but it will be a case by case basis with working things out. Facility can either accommodate her being gone or they can't, in which case we figure something else out.

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:

It definitely should NOT have happened, but I get that unexpected things of all calibers can come up. I would apologize, be honest, and own the mistake and find out what I can do to make it right. Whether that is finding another assignment, helping her get home, etc - it really depends on what the nurse needs and what they would want me to do.

Question 6:

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

Answer 6:

Don't hold grudges. There is always going to be someone on an assignment that seems to be a "bad egg" - just smile and move on as you will be gone before you know it anyway. Enjoy your time exploring and being on the road but remember that you still have a full time job that need to have your full commitment. Last thing is to be honest and really communicate well with your recruiter(s) - this is a fast moving industry and time isn't always a luxury that is available.

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