American Mobile

Specialties Travel

Published

Hi all,

I am in touch with American Mobile to begin my adventure in travel nursing. Has anybody worked with this company? What have your experiences been like with them? Give me the good, bad, and ugly!

Thank you in advance!

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Tele/Cardiac, Camp.

I haven't traveled yet, but honestly have heard only bad things about them. I was actually just talking about them this morning to a friend of mine who travels.

I imagine there are some who have had good experiences, but all the travelers I've talked to who have worked through them have had only negative things to say.

I would check out Highway Hypodermics: Where Travel Nurses Make A Difference, One Hospital At A Time

It's a fantastic site for getting a break-down of the pros and cons of a bunch of different companies. The top ten for 2010 has been very useful for me. Goodluck!

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

If you like working for less then contract with AMN.

Less money, less compensation, inferior housing,

less care or concern about YOU.

I wouldn't do it but you have fun.

PLENTY of opinions on AMN. Here's a few:

Kaiser exclusive to American Mobile - Nursing for Nurses

Verbal Contract Cancelation Fee with American Mobile? - Nursing for Nurses

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Specializes in MedSurg Tele.

I've worked with American Mobile for 3 years. I started my first travel assignment with them and I'm still working for them. They're a well known company and therefore have more assignments available in more states. I would say for a new traveler, I would rather start out with an experienced company than a new small company for stability reasons. I almost signed up with a company called Voyager and they went out of business a few months later. A friend suggested me to join them. I would have been in a bad position if they went out of business in the middle of my assignment. Glad it wasn't me!

From experience, I haven't had any conflicts with them. At some hospitals, I met other travel nurses that worked for different agencies. I'm usually the highest paid and I work with American Mobile! For example, in Hawaii I made $27.50/h. My coworkers made $18, $20, and $22 - I don't remember what agencies they were with. Another example was in Florida; I made $24/h, someone from CrossCountry was making $20/h but we both had great housing. She needed to buy plates and bowels.

Not all hospitals are great. Sometimes you don't know what you are walking in to! Just be ready to hit the ground running. Staffing may be poor, expect large nurse to patient ratios (1:8), over-worked staff, lack of aides, lack of help, pharmacy slacking with bringing up meds, outdated equipment, outdated protocols... I've seen all of this and more. As a Travel Nurse, You're providing relief into over stressed facilities. In a great hospital, sometimes there are no major issues, and the only reason why you're there is to relieve the high census. For example, Florida has a higher census in the winter due to tourism. And when you're there, the nurse ratio changes from 1:8 to 1:6. What a relief for everyone!

Housing comes with furnishing/linens/kitchen items in safe areas. It has been a great experience. The commute can be far from the hospital. In one place, it was a 45min commute. In another place, it was about a 20 minute commute. Sometimes it's safer to commute to a busy city than live in it, plus it depends what housing is available and what kind of area you're in.

I've had 3 different recruiters. The one I'm currently with is new since last week. The one before her worked with me for 2 years (left because she had a first baby) - She was the best & I miss her. The one before her worked with me for only 4 months (left because she was promoted).

Hope this helps.

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Specializes in L&D, OR, travel.

Amy, Good post. Glad to read a good comment about Am Mobile. The best reviewers give examples of their positive comments.

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Specializes in ER, Oncology, Travel Nursing.

I worked for American Mobile only once, on a 6 month assignment in Florida in 2001-02 snowbird season. My information might be a bit dated, but still hopefully helpful. Deciding the best company for each person is different. In my experience, I have found American Mobile average at best with the various companies I have worked with as a med/surg and ER travel Nurse

A few perks include the fact they are the largest travel nurse agency out there, so they should have at least a few jobs in your speciality. The travel nurse market is severely depressed right now, and they do have alot of exclusive contracts. The housing I had was decent, had a nice pool and on site fitness center. And they will do more "hand holding", especially if you are new to travel nursing. I was new to med/surg travel nursing when I started.

Other than that, American Mobile has more flaws than benefits. Pay rates are particularly low. Recruiters tend to be pushy used car salesmen mentality. Insurance is free, but is crappy insurance. Only provides a couch, table, and bed in their"free" housing...and will charge you all sorts of fees after the fact for anything extra...IE, television or anything extra that is not in the housings rent.

And where in Florida actually has a nurse/patient ratio of 1:6!

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Amy I think we might have had the same wonderful rectuiter at AMN! :sniff: I know I definetely miss her!

Ann, to answer your question about AMN, I have had very similar experiences as Amy above. So I won't reiterate...but, I have been with them (and my original superhero recruiter) since 2007. I started traveling in Florida (where I would be shocked and AMAZED to find a 1:6 ratio as well!!!) Pay in Florida generally sucked where I was so I moved on and my recruiter knew what I wanted and was quite the advocate in finding a good fit for me. I think the key to ANY company is finding that good recruiter who is not only knowledgeable about the company, their policies, the facilities, etc. but also who pays attention to what YOU need and want. Right now I am trying to FIGURE out who my new recruiter is and I'll take it from there. Gotta find that good fit. Generally, AMN has been able to find mulitple assignments in the regions I desired and that is one of the most things right now... Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Tele/Cardiac, Camp.

Just to clarify, I'm not the OP on this thread. I just posted to add what I had heard from other travelers and reading Highway Hypodermic's ratings.

I agree it's always good to have a balanced discussion.

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

Please please please listen to the bad things & go with another company. I have been with AMN for 2 years...and I use to stick up for them. Until my most recent assignment where the light finally went off in my head and I realized what a dishonest company they really are.

What you hear about them is TRUE. All of it. I stuck up for them for 2 years and said I never had any problems. My recruiter has completely taken advantage of me. I feel like an idiot, but that's life. You have to travel smart. Don't be taken advantage of by a recruiter..please. Stick up for yourself.

I was in tears last week over how I've been treated by AMN. I feel like an idiot and I'm so frustrated. It's a really long story...but basically, it's all about their bottom line. The cheapest is what they aim for. Cheapest housing, pay, etc... DISHONEST company.

On my previous assignment they STOLE money from me. They knowingly took money out of my paycheck for "unearned housing" that was actually NOT suppose to be taken out. They did this to dozens of travelers at this hospital, in hopes that we wouldn't notice. And most of us didn't notice unfortunately. I remember faxing in a sheet to AMN saying that it was a facility call off so I wouldn't get penalized...AMN claimed they never received it. It was difficult for me to get my money back. I had a receipt of the fax that went through (with an image of the image that was faxed).

And my recruiter....I have been with her for 2 years and felt that yeah, that is a long time in the traveling world and I should be able to trust her right? She flat out lied to me last week and tried to screw me over. Well, no she DID screw me over...big time. I won't get into all the details but please rethink traveling with AMN.

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Specializes in ICU, forensics,.

I have been with three companies. Currently AMN/NursesRx. Recruiter can make or break the experience but I have to agree with the lowest pay. I am at a hospital which required numerous computer modules prior to arrival. I complaiined after I diligently had worked over 18 hours on "my time" without being told about it in interview. AMN swore up and down its the hospitals doing. Interestingly enough during hospital orientation I was asked to sign a peice of paper to be reimbursed for those hours. AMN still wont pay me for it. The housing is nice...as others (equivalent furnishings). Insurance lousy. Many job opportunities.

It comes down to what is important to you in the here and now. The beauty of traveling, when your needs change...you can smile and walk away from those companies with their hand in yopur purse. Before long things will turn around.

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This is the worst company you can work for!!

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

AMN the biggest and greatest some of you say???

If for no other reason just check out Highway Hypodermics. A site for travel nurses.

http://www.highwayhypodermics.com/2010_TopTenTravelCompanies.pdf

They have archived lists of top 10 for previous years as well. AMN is nowhere to be found.

Coincidence? I think NOT!

Here are evals from travelers working in the industry:

http://www.highwayhypodermics.com/TravelCompanyEvaluations.htm

Look for some of the AMN companies AT THE BOTTOM.

For those of you that like them so be it. You are ultimately worth what you're willing to be paid for the work you do. If you're happy with them by all means... somebody has to work for them. Meanwhile the rest of us are getting paid more in wages, benefits and compensation.

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