Travel nurse workload vs. staff nurse

Specialties Travel

Published

Specializes in Telemetry.

Hello,

I'm wondering if being a traveler usually means higher patient ratio, harder patient assignments. I'm concerned about the toll this can take on my body. Will I need a vacation after an assignment?

Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We have had travel nurses come and sign on by us for 4-13 weeks at a time. As a nurse in the report room, we do not give the traveling nurse more patients or harder ones typically. If we need a travel nurse, the last thing we want to do is make it miserable for her so she doesn't ever come back. We are just happy to have the help and treat them fairly.....at least where i work!

vikichck

Hello,

I'm wondering if being a traveler usually means higher patient ratio, harder patient assignments. I'm concerned about the toll this can take on my body. Will I need a vacation after an assignment?

Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i agree...i work traveling and have being floated everywhere, but it does not mean i get the hardest patients or that nobody will help me...actually most of the time they know you are there for extra support and no to take the heaviest load.

every assignment is different and some days are harder than others, i have taking assignments back to back, but you can take off a week or so if you want. i think that's great!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

I have been both traveler (although it has been about 5 years) and charge nurse doling out patient assignments. I have never heard of dumping on the traveler (you don't want them to run off, never return, and tell their friends not to come work with us), and I never felt I was being treated unfairly while I was traveling. Just my 2 cents. I would specify in your contract any things you do not feel comfortable doing (like CVVH,IABP etc) so there are no surprises when you get your assignment.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I find, more often than not, that travelers get tougher assignments. Not clinically more complex, just busier and heavier or with insane family dynamics. Every traveler I have worked with has agreed. Of course, not every hospital would do that, but more often than not is my experience.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Dept and Rehab.

I've only been a traveler for 6 weeks, so obviously my experience is limited...but at this hospital my assignment is no different than anyone else's, and the staff RNs have been great about making sure I have/know everything I need to know to do my job. In all reality, it's been easier than my staff job at home.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/PACU.

I've been traveling for 2 years and only once (at my current assignment at USC) do I feel I am being treated differently as a traveler. I am floated all over the place at USC but one particular unit treats me poorly, always giving me the worst assignments. I'm in the ICU, and I can think of 5 different times where I have 2 patients and they are so busy they end up making them a 1:1 AFTER my shift is over. Always dumping the worst patients on the travelers (the busiest). Not necessarily the sickest, but the agitated patients or the ones who are being transferred to the floor only to receive 2 new patients while the regular staff sits easy with an easy 1:1 all day.

So it really depends on your unit. I think my circumstance right now is NOT the norm, but sadly I took an assignment in a poorly run ICU who is always short staffed and the management is beyond terrible.

On the flip side, I have floated so much and while I'm being treated as a number here and not a person, I have learned A LOT.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I've been traveling for 2 years and only once (at my current assignment at USC) do I feel I am being treated differently as a traveler. I am floated all over the place at USC but one particular unit treats me poorly, always giving me the worst assignments. I'm in the ICU, and I can think of 5 different times where I have 2 patients and they are so busy they end up making them a 1:1 AFTER my shift is over. Always dumping the worst patients on the travelers (the busiest). Not necessarily the sickest, but the agitated patients or the ones who are being transferred to the floor only to receive 2 new patients while the regular staff sits easy with an easy 1:1 all day.

So it really depends on your unit. I think my circumstance right now is NOT the norm, but sadly I took an assignment in a poorly run ICU who is always short staffed and the management is beyond terrible.

On the flip side, I have floated so much and while I'm being treated as a number here and not a person, I have learned A LOT.

Hopefully it's just an LA thing. The same is true of Cedars. I've worked other places and was treated well, but Cedars would always give travelers the harder/more stressful assignments and send travelers to the worst units while in house floats would go to the better managed/ run units. It was obvious that placement was wasn't random or by experience but by status. (staff vs. travel vs. inhouse float) I agree that the floating and the crappy assignments were a great learning experience.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

It's kinda hit-and-miss.

Some absolutely stick it to you while others do not.

I have discussed the merits to "networking" to many would-be travelers and job hunters in other threads. The more people you know, the more travelers you associate with, the more you are able to talk with your peers about traveling will empower you to make informed decisions and avoid the nightmare assignments.

Word-of-Mouth drives the travel industry. The ones that get caught in ****** assignments are noobies to travel, new grads, and those that don't ask questions. Recruiters rarely fail you. YOU fail you.

This site is a decent resource for information. Use it.

I don't hesitate to tell people about facilities I have worked for that are good, those that are marginal, and those that are absolutely horrible. I talk to others about their assignments and get a good idea about which ones I will avoid.

We also talk about contracts, bonuses, how to maximize dollars for your efforts. You will never get 100% of the things you don't ask for (they're trying to maximize their profit margins and don't routinely give up the farm when they don't have to). We also discuss things to do, places to eat, and where to go to enjoy your travel assignment. I have friends that I still talk to from assignments 3 years ago.

Traveling is fun, it's dynamic, and will make you pretty good money if you let it. Good luck. -Ty

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I agree about Cedars. For example, there may be 4 nurses with only one patient and an open bed for an admission, 2 of those 4 nurses being travelers. The travelers will definitely get the admissions and if they transfer one of their pt.'s out, they'd get a second admission, even though the 2 other staff members still only have 1 patient all day. And, it's not because the staff have the more complex and unstable patients.

It does depend which floor your assigned to, but in general, Cedars treat travelers poorly and give them the craziest patients. And, they will be the last ones to take break or lunch.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, Public Health, Travel.

I did travel assignments at 5 different hospitals and I was always treated as an equal part of the team. Generally, they are happy to have you so they don't have to work (as) short staffed anymore.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg.

I have been travelling for 8 yrs and it has been rare that I have routinely been given a harder workload than regular staff. Unfortunately the one hospital where I was treated very badly treated ALL of their float nurses badly, including regular staff/float pool. Needless to say I did not extend!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment