Trouble getting references..

Specialties Travel

Published

Specializes in Trauma, Education.

I applied to a travel co. and got a first interview. I have not travelled before. I had a heck of a time getting my references for this co. I am wanting to apply to another co. in case I don't get a second interview, and to see if there are more options.

My problem is that I had such a time getting references and was even somewhat 'reprimanded' for using them, that I don't know what to put on another application. My immediate supervisor told me she was told by my director that she cannot give me a reference and that she shouldn't have done it.

How do I tell another co. I cannot give these people for references? On the other hand, I should be able to use them for references-they are the ones I have worked with for two years!!! I know they are severely desperate for people and don't want to lose staff, but this is ridiculous. Any advice would be helpful from anyone...thank you!!!

rbs105

Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

Lately, it is so hard getting references that I am tempted to start a business called 'Rent-A-Reference' to overcome the problem many of us are having. What do you think about my idea?

Specializes in Case Management, Utilization Review.

I had the exact same problem when I applied for travel positions! After I had trouble getting my nurse manager to give a ref, the travel recruiter said I could use anyone in a supervisory role; charge nurse, preceptor, etc. It also helped if I very kindly approached the person and asked if they wouldn't mind giving a ref. Maybe you could even add in a personal ref to back up your prefessional ref's.

Specializes in ER, ICU, Neuro, Ortho, Med/Surg, Travele.

I had the same problem. But fortunately I had a house supervisor who had been a traveler and who I consider a friend. I asked if I could use him as a reference and he agreed. I have also asked a couple of friends/coworkers if I could use them. I had never run across anything like this before. To me it seems unprofessional and unethical. My evals have always been excellant. Seems small on their part to act this way.

Specializes in PCU/Tele.

Funny thing, my current assignment at a Sutter facility said that if travelers don't complete their orientation skills checklist by the 30 day deadline, they would not get a reference from them. So...I turned that bugger in on day 28! And emailed my recruiter and the staffing manager a scanned copy! (I'll show them!)

I've been having my recruiter dog the facilities for references with great success. I've asked nurse managers on assignments (the ones that aren't too overwhelmed) or friendly charge nurses for quick letters also, and then sent scanned copies to my recruiter.

Specializes in Level III NICU PP Mother Baby & MICU.

I'm currently on my first assignement and have signed up for a per diem agency as well,and funny thing my recruiter called one of my last hospitals worked and the lady who hired me actually told him she would not give me a reference because I had taken a position at another hospital. The recruiter said she seemed kinda p*ssed " and then I had him call a girl I worked with in the ICU at the same hospital and she said due to their policy She could not give me a ref. So luckily I was able to use a former preceptor at a totally different hosp.

I applied to a travel co. and got a first interview. I have not travelled before. I had a heck of a time getting my references for this co. I am wanting to apply to another co. in case I don't get a second interview, and to see if there are more options.

My problem is that I had such a time getting references and was even somewhat 'reprimanded' for using them, that I don't know what to put on another application. My immediate supervisor told me she was told by my director that she cannot give me a reference and that she shouldn't have done it.

How do I tell another co. I cannot give these people for references? On the other hand, I should be able to use them for references-they are the ones I have worked with for two years!!! I know they are severely desperate for people and don't want to lose staff, but this is ridiculous. Any advice would be helpful from anyone...thank you!!!

rbs105

Hi. I just read your blog on references. I know it was a few years ago, but I was wondering if you could help. I started filling out job apps for travel nurses. I was doing private duty on acute patients, and many other things. When you do private duty, you're the boss. I spoke to the nurse superv. from the agency I worked with and they refuse to give out references. I contacted a friend of mine who works in a big teaching hospital in Manhattan and she gave me an excellent references. I just received an offer on Fri. for a travel assignment. The nurse manager was very nice, offered to help me if I needed refreshing, etc.

Well, the reference I used (I'll call her Mary) called the travel company and the company called my former employer and they said they never heard of "Mary".

I've been worried all weekend that they are going to drop me. I worked in many cath labs and this compay won't accept any references from more than TWO years ago. I'm anticipating them calling me and saying it was a misunderstanding and that I worked under "Mary" in the hospital, but I was a volunteer. Wouldn't they rather have a reference from a former cath lab manager as opposed to a private duty/home care agency? And many of the people I ask downright tell me no. I don't get it. If you did finally get a reference, how did you get it and also did your reference have to be within the past TWO years? I'm so disgusted with the way nurses are treated. My travel company said it's JCAHO policy to have references within the past two years. I've been submitted to other facilities with the same reference/s and had no problem Please give any advice you can, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Specializes in Level III NICU PP Mother Baby & MICU.

Hello

Unfortunatley I still run into the same problem, but now I have learned to keep a copy of my evaluations from former employers it can act as a reference being if it is a good/satisfactory eval. I dont understand these employers all that is being asked of them is to verify the person worked for you,if they were a good employee (would you re-hire) and maybe attendance.

Specializes in ED, Med-Surg, Psych, Oncology, Hospice.

Rarely will a hospital give a reference anymore. I get mine from charge nurses at the faciities I work in. They frequently offer me thier names and numbers.

What about the agencies, like Medical Solutions, who say that the reference has to be on their form? I have two written references, but they are on different forms, and so my recruiter won't take them. Have you run into this?

I just wrote you a long response in another thread! So you have written references already? They are like gold to most agencies. If Medical Solutions doesn't like them, forget them. Can you imagine redoing your references every time you work with a new agency? There are around 400 agencies out there. Kind of like dating. If something bad happens on the first date, you drop them right away. If you have an established relationship, well that is more valuable so there is more give and take. Something bad happened, forget about them and move on to the next one.

You could give them your references and perhaps they can contact them and duplicate it on their form, but I have written references in no small part because I don't want them called by every John, Dick, and Harry agency.

I have an ER friend with a different tack on getting references. He get them from the physicians! Typed up on their own letterhead no less. Works very well for him, but you have to be in a position to work closely with physicians, and also be the kind of person they are willing to do that for. I've never considered that before, but I recently met an OR tech who also did that (found out from a surgeon much later). Can you imagine having some agency you've never worked with before (so you don't even know if they are any good or not) go to a physician and ask them to type something up on the agency letterhead?

Specializes in They know this too!.

Sorry to bump. But, written is the best way. Stinks to be me this time. The Nurse Manager left by the time I asked her. So I was stuck with numbers again. Thankfully, I have Charge Nurse numbers.

And boy some of them when you don't establish some kind of friendship and get a cell number, really try to give you a bad one by saying they wouldn't hire you when you say no to extending or even getting hired. That is another lesson I have learned. :banghead:

+ Add a Comment