[rnnaomibsn]

I hope this is the place to get the "real deal". I am looking for an excellent company to travel with...any suggestions? I am a NICU nurse.

[suzanne4]

I took the liberty of moving your post to the Travel Forum, there is a difference between the two.

You need to be much more specific, such as where you wish to travel to? State? Time of year? etc..............Not every company has jobs in every state...some have more in certain areas.

[jillyk*rn]

[millkay]

I am also a travel nurse and have been struggling with the same question. I work for two agencies, Aureus Medical and Resolve Staffing which are basically the same. They pay about the same, have approx the same benefits. They try to push me to go to where they want me to go, without regard to my wants. Bad company (or recruiter).

I've applied with INS because the recruiter is nice and not pushy. She started off with where do you want to go, what's important to you, and told if she thought I had a doubt about an assignment she wouldn't consider it. Doesn't work on commission like some do. So far I'm impressed.

Are you planning on going on in school? Just a thought, but I was reading yesterday and found that AMN Healthcare is a partner with Drexel University, who offers discounts to those employees. Also they staff at the big hospitals: Mass General, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Vanderbilt... Drexel has an online NP program I am looking into.

Find a company the pays well, recruiters are easy to talk to, care what you want, ask about completion bonuses, and which hospitals they staff , in case you had one in mind. I've found that many companies are connected to a corporation, so you could be working for someone like AMN Healthcare, even though you filled out papers and spoke to Nurses Rx or RN Demand. (Soliant is connected to Sunbelt Staffing corp, so offers many of the same assignments).

Mostly I've been offered assignments at small to medium-sized hospitals through the companies I work for. That's usually where the greatest needs are. Met some really nice people in Po-dunk, America.

Well that's the extent of my experience. A friend of mine works for AMN and loves them. Another feels the same about Aureus. It can vary person to person. Hope I've been a help. Good luck in your travels.

millkay

[JRapha'sRN]

Originally Posted by suzanne4

You need to be much more specific, such as where you wish to travel to? State? Time of year? etc..............Not every company has jobs in every state...some have more in certain areas.

I think that after you decide on the things Suzanne listed that you will get different opinions. Check them all out. One thing to realize is that your recruiter will make all the difference. You may find a great company, but not click with your recruiter and want to change companies or the other way around. Make sure you really like the recruiter you are dealing with--they are the ones to get you the best travel assignment and bene package.

[rnnaomibsn]

Thank you Suzanne for putting my question in the right place and thank you all for your replies. Maybe if you all know what I want then you can direct me to some companies that you have had good experience with. I know I want the maximum pay available with private, nice, fully-stocked, safe housing in Charleston, SC. I want to work for 26 weeks in the NICU at the Medical University of South Carolina starting August 2006 thru Februuary 2006. I do not need health insurance, but would like a company that is willing to consider a rental car or willing to pay high mileage reimbursement if I am to drive my own car. I would like to be able to take time off after my assignment is over before I took another one. My husband is military and so we move often. It would be nice if the company was large enough to have contracts all over the USA, however, not so large that I soley become a $ to them. I do have a dog and a cat (can have someone watch my dog if necessary) that I would like to travel with. Also would like a company that offers sick time (just in case) and allows me to contribute to a 410K plan on day one.

Now, I feel like a demanding and spoiled child! It just seems that if nurses are in such high demand and we all work so hard, pouring our lives into what we do for the sake of others well-being then we should be duly compensated. It is not a job that all can do or do well.

Ok - thank you again and in advance for all your help and advice. I desire to really make travel nursing work for me.

[NephroBSN]

Originally Posted by rnnaomibsn

Thank you Suzanne for putting my question in the right place and thank you all for your replies. Maybe if you all know what I want then you can direct me to some companies that you have had good experience with. I know I want the maximum pay available with private, nice, fully-stocked, safe housing in Charleston, SC. I want to work for 26 weeks in the NICU at the Medical University of South Carolina starting August 2006 thru Februuary 2006. I do not need health insurance, but would like a company that is willing to consider a rental car or willing to pay high mileage reimbursement if I am to drive my own car. I would like to be able to take time off after my assignment is over before I took another one. My husband is military and so we move often. It would be nice if the company was large enough to have contracts all over the USA, however, not so large that I soley become a $ to them. I do have a dog and a cat (can have someone watch my dog if necessary) that I would like to travel with. Also would like a company that offers sick time (just in case) and allows me to contribute to a 410K plan on day one.

Now, I feel like a demanding and spoiled child! It just seems that if nurses are in such high demand and we all work so hard, pouring our lives into what we do for the sake of others well-being then we should be duly compensated. It is not a job that all can do or do well.

Ok - thank you again and in advance for all your help and advice. I desire to really make travel nursing work for me.

Let's see. SC has a hospital association. You'll be looking at less than $30 most probably.
I don't know what you mean by fully stocked. If you mean linens, furniture, dishes etc. That's probably doable.

Remember there is only so much money in a contract. If you want a rental the monthy amount will probably come out of your piece of the pie. Around $5-$8 per hour. As for high reimbursement for traveling. The federal min is around .46 cents so for it to be tax free that's the top amount you'll get.

Moving often might make it hard to claim a tax home and get all the deductions a travel nurse with a legit tax home is entitled to.

If you get sick time please let me know. I'll change companies. Actually, when you take sick time you lose that day's pay and you have to pay housing for those hours. Usually, $6-$8 per hour. Travel nurses aren't supposed to get sick. Sorry about that.. Many now give ONE week's vacation now. If you make enough money you might be able to take time off between contracts but it will be without pays.

Yes there is a nursing shortage. But not so much a shortage of travel nurses. Many are savvy enough to ask for the things they should get. Many settle because they just have to be in a certain place. And they company knows they want to go there so they hold out for the nurse to lower her demands..

Sorry about that too.

Good luck.