Travel Companies to Avoid

I am currently in mountain view, ca working with american mobile at stanford. I like the job and area a lot. However, the one thing that I dread is talking to my recuiter and to be honest I have met nearly ten other american mobile nurses and they feel the same way. They try to screw you every chance they get.. my new thing w/ them is the are like lawyers..I'm not sure how they can go to sleep at night after doing that they do to nurses. Anyhow, if you do end up w/ them like I did hopefully you'll have a better experience. It is to my understanding that they have the most contracts out here. I was told and read about how bad they were and ended up with them as well. Like I said I like the job, love the area, hate the recruiter buisness *&%$... just had to throw that you there for you.

Sometimes to know which companies to avoid is to be the guinea pig for one. Also, if I hear a bad experience from a fellow travel nurse about a company that they currently work for, I would not even consider that company. I haven't heard any yet.

I know which ones are great that I've signed up for, but haven't taken an assignment yet with them - Fastaff, OnAssignment. Sigh, maybe in the future. Right now I'm on a great assignment with American Mobile.

Hopefully no one will have the dishonesty and shadyness that I have experienced. I am so enjoying myself and glad that I have done travel nursing.. I will just say that I feel as though I have learned a lot about business on this go round... happy holidays everyone!!

To tell the truth, when I read posts on how bad some of these companies are, I count my blessings. I have talked with AMN, but didn't go with them because of their pay scale. I also didn't like the stuff with housing. I went with a medium size company that has listing nationwide and I have really been pleased. Housing is excellent. Actually, big then I need. They have been upfront with payrate when I ask. I always ask before I submit to the position. My recruiter is not pushy either. Some of the ones I have spoken with were really pushy. I hope things get better for you.

thanks. you know what?? I have no one to blame about the travel nurse company decision. I read on the internet about how they were and I went with them anyways. Heyy you live and learn and that company has taught me a thing or two about bad business and shady, greedy people in business. So I can not say that I came away from amn not knowing anything, b/c I did learn a lot about business. ON the other hand I am glad that you like your company, thats great. I hope that you have a wonderful christmas season traveling... where are you at now?? And of course you know I'm going to ask which company you are with?? Take care and thanks for the advise..

I'm in SC currently, near Charleston. Temp. is around 70. Not bad for December. I'll be happy to let you know which company, just pm and I'll give all the details. Hope you have a great holiday season and that things get better for you. Just remember "it's only 13 weeks, and counting"

I have been a travel nurse for quite a few years. At all cost, AVOID American Mobile and all its children companies like Medical Express, Travel Nursing. They do not in any way care about the actual nurse, for them it is just getting you in a contract and then they leave you to hang out and dry. Their insurance sucks and so does their attitude. Some smaller companies are much more personal and attentive to the needs of a traveller. We all know that going from place to place can be adventuresome and sometimes lonely. Soliant calls me for my birthday, send me cards and give me paid time off. It took me a long time to find a company like this. They have great insurance both health, dental, etc.

Good luck to all you travellers! I love it. Remember, strangers are just people you haven't met yet.

Sal

hi, not sure how to pm on this yet? i'm new
can u tell me which agency you work for?!!

I work for AMN. My recruiter would never dream of asking me to pay for housing. If they did, I'd be gone. And they would never get me back.

I have to be the devil's advocate here unfortunately. If you have an AGGRESSIVE personality........not assertive......aggressive, AMN are a bunch of kitty cats. First rule is............being under contract doesnt mean you have to take whatever is thrown at you. They've played their games and thrown the "but you verbally committed" stuff at me. I tell them "now I'm verbally uncommiting", something better is on the table.

Once had them try to charge me for housing for a week we had off between renewing. Story was: AMN and the hospital wanted us to renew. We really didnt want to. We told them we were keeping the week we were supposed to be finished off. If that was OK, we'd stay the extra 7 weeks. If not, we'd find another contract, either with them or not. No skin off our noses either way. They agreed. No charge for the week in the apt. when we didnt work. Then, we got charged for it, taken out of our paychecks. I called the recruiter hours before a shift was to begin and told him we were done. If the money was put in our account, we'd go to work that day. If not, we were done. They cried and moaned, called me unprofessional. "Its not our policy to reward addendums, we can not send you the money under the threat of you quiting. And you were given an opportunity to work OT to make up for the week you were off (lie, hospital was not offering OT for over a month before all this, not even to staff much less travelers).
I responded "Its not my policy to go to work when my company owes me money and refuses to pay. So, I guess we are in a checkmate. We'll be out tommorow morning and will use another agancy to seek our next job." Hung up.

Two hours later, a call, message left. Money would be in my account tommorow but it couldnt be done sooner. But I had to go into work. I went in against my best wishes. The money came. The subject never came up again.

They will bully you if you let them. Dont.

I will admit too, since then, they have done great things for me, I am fine with them. I wouldnt hesitate to change to another company if I thought I would benefit me. I might just do it to do it next assignment.

Remember. As a traveler, you hold ALL the cards. If you are not happy, leave them. If you stop going in, the hospital has to spend more money looking for other workers and doesnt have the immediate help it wanted, the travel agency not only doesnt get paid but ends up with a black eye. NO ONE IS HAPPY IF I AM NOT HAPPY.