Student BSN seeks travel nurse info (specifically AK)

Reigen · Sep 5, 2012

Hi. I am currently completing my BSN. My husband is from Alaska, and his children live there. My family and my son's father live in Georgia. I need to know the most effective/efficient way(s) to become a travel nurse and what is the likelihood that I may obtain repeat assignments in AK (preferably near Homer) and GA (preferably metro-Atlanta area) so that I may travel back and forth. I do not have time to waste on rabbit trails. I need concise action that will get me to my goal as quickly as possible. Thank you for your input/advice.

This is pretty long, but I hope it helps you with all the information to have some idea on how travel nursing works... Godd luck in finishing school, and passing the NCLEX and your nursing carrer.

Reigen

The usual requirements for becoming a travel nurse are a minimum of one year of clinical experience in one's specialty and licensure in the state of employment, usually granted through reciprocity with the home state's board of nursing. Some travel agencies will reimburse travelers for the cost of the license or other required certifications. While only a minimum of one year of experience is required, it is highly advisable to have two or more years of experience prior to becoming a travel nurse. A travel nurse may receive a minimal orientation to the assignment hospital, most often only one or two days. Some travelers may receive no orientation at all. This is a subject that should be clarified in the interview. Travel nurses are expected to be very experienced and knowledgeable in their specialty by their assignment hospital.

If the nurse's home state has joined the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLCA), the nurse can work in any compact state using their home state license. The nurse must have a license (RN or LPN) in good standing in their resident Compact state. There are currently 23 states participating in NLCA with Missouri pending implementation.

Applying with one of these agencies usually involves a substantial paperwork burden. This includes completing an employment application, work history, verification of licenses and certifications, skill assessments for your nursing specialty, verification of immunizations or titers for common communicable diseases, current TB skin test or chest x-ray, a physician's statement certifying you are fit for work, and numerous other documents required by the agency. However this paperwork need only be completed once per agency. Some agencies will accept much of the paperwork completed for competing agencies. The information provided is then condensed by the agency into a summary/abstract of the traveler's credentials, skills and experience. This summary is usually referred to as a profile.

After completing the agency application process, each agency will search through temporary job postings to identify those that match your profile. The agency, after obtaining your consent, submits your profile by fax or email to the hospital. A human resources employee or department manager will review all profiles submitted for the specific job posting. No single agency has access to all temporary job postings. This is why many travelers choose to apply with several agencies.

The amount of money a hospital pays to the agency is referred to as the Bill Rate. The agency will calculate and subtract their costs, overhead and profit margin from the bill rate and then, with the difference, make a detailed offer to the traveler. Offers should include the specific dates and location of the contract, details of pay, housing or stipend amounts, insurance or other benefits as the agency may choose to include in their offer package. Agencies' costs and profit margins vary widely. This will directly affect the amount of money available to package into an offer for the traveler.

Further, different agencies will package the same amount of money quite differently. One agency may offer luxury housing, high end health insurance, license reimbursement, a rental car and many other perks. Another may not offer health insurance, may provide low quality housing or even no housing at all. It is important to understand that there is no such thing as free housing or other free benefits. All of these things have a cost. Since all costs and compensation must come out of the bill rate, a traveler working for an agency offering a high level of "extras" will probably be paid lower wages than one working for an agency that offers few or no non-wage perks.

If the traveler, tentatively accepts the terms and conditions of the offer, the agency will arrange for a telephone interview between the manager and the traveler in most cases. Assuming a successful interview, a formal contract will be prepared by the agency and sent to the traveler for their signature. Every aspect of compensation, including wages, stipends, reimbursements, housing, insurance, and any other perks is subject to negotiation between both parties and should be adjusted and spelled out in the written contract which ultimately is, with both parties signature, legal acceptance of the terms and conditions of the assignment contract.

cadkinshead · Sep 5, 2012

Reigen, thank you very much for the info. I appreciate the detail.

NedRN · Sep 6, 2012

Concise action: find suitable agencies that staff AK and GA (doesn't have to be one that does both). Next take an assignment in those places and do a great job, such that the hospital wants you back. Rinse and repeat.

Concise enough? Once you are really in with the hospitals you like, or are at least geographically appropriate, you may want to consider negotiating direct contracts with the hospitals, cutting out the middleman agency. You will make more, and the hospital will have the seasonal traveler that they like.

cadkinshead · Sep 6, 2012

NedRN, thank you. I was unaware you could negotiate directly with the hospitals. I will definitely add this to my plan of action.

NedRN · Sep 6, 2012

Unless they already have a seasonal program, it is probably not worth trying unless you want to set up a real agency. Travel there first and prove your worth.