Anxious about traveling...

Every company will tell you something different. Travel companies are a business and they are also looking out for themselves. The only thing I can suggest is research each company before making a decision. My first travel experience was a nightmare! I decided to put travel nursing on hold.

I just was contacted by a different company looking to fill a 2 week contract position for a nurse who had to leave her contract for major personal reasons. They are making it worth my while and I agreed to fulfill the rest of her contract. I am still leary with traveling, but I figured 2 weeks won't kill me especially with what they are going to pay me!

Have you tried agency nursing in your area? I really enjoyed that when I was doing it.

I have researched many agencies, and reviewed doucmented comments from previous travelers. My conclusion is traveling (RN) nurses should not hire in below a certain dollar mark ($38 plus) and demand overtime after 8 hour shifts. After all, its you money.

Question: Have any of you travelers developed an acceptable check-list as a quide to make sure an important step is not omitted when developing a contract with a travel agency? If so, please share it with us. Getting screwed by agencies seems to happen too frequently.

Answer: I have made my own contracts from modified contracts that my Agencies have. This is a VERY good question that I am hoping we can inlist others in answering.

Devising your own Contract boils down to: If it is not written it may not get done. Also of great importance, the nurse MUST receive a signed copy of the contract (and I write this in when I first sign my contract). I specifically write: that the contract is NOT BINDING until we both receive a signed copy.

So... allow me ask what is of importance in a Contract for a Nurse Traveler?

Really, this should be the list you have in hand when you talk to the Agency and the DON (if you get that far) at the facility you want to work at).

1- Guaranteed Shifts (i.e. say 3 12's or 4 12's or whatever).

2- Guaranteed Overtime (no longer is ths federally guaranteed).

3- Your agreed shift when you talk to the DON (write days and the hours if you do not want to be flipping around days to nights).

4- No more than say 3 days in a row (write your preference or if it does not matter then fine).

5- How many weekends if you have a preference.

6- Will you float and to which floors, get it in writing if you will not float to say NICU and will float to all others.

7- Rate of pay (shift diff, weekend pay, charge pay - if willing and able)

8- Orientation commitment of the facility.

Surely there is a lot more to add. Please add your comments and ideas.

Thanks night

Does anyone have an idea of a minimum that an LPN traveler should ask for? I know there are many variables, but I was looking for a ballpark figure. thanks

Thanks for posting some really good information. I have asked some others about traveling in the past and got answers like "you have to research yourself" as if asking them was not research and "it is different with each person", no kidding. You gave some excellent real world advice and real information to those of us considering traveling. Thanks again.