Best Travel Companies

miam · Jun 6, 2013

primetime,

so your saying that you are really happy with this one smaller company but you didnt mention which one that is. Do you want to post their name so other peope can look into them?

miam · Jun 6, 2013

oops, just saw where it was a sales pitch response.

NedRN · Jun 6, 2013

About that sales pitch, there is some truth in the bit between small agencies and large agencies, but of course things are much more nuanced than the big guys will not get less than ideal candidates travel assignments. In fact, they are probably a better place to get started. Start up agencies like this one have some serious minuses for most travelers, especially the kinds he referred to.

It doesn't take much to find the referenced agency on Google and I was struck by how sterile their site was. Not even staff names on them although Google found the names of the agency founders (although no entrepreneur of the year award). No real jobs posted. All the effort put into shilling online and personalizing the company would be utilized on their own site.

There are lots and lots of smaller agencies (close to 400 agencies out there that do at least some travel nursing), but I'd probably be doing a disservice to present a list. Every one of them is better suited to only some travelers. I would recommend reading through many posts on this and other travel nursing forums to collect names and opinions on agencies. Of course, larger agencies will be mentioned more often, and due to size dynamics, large agencies get negative reviews far more often.

Glad you are doing great with Cross Country. You might want to tell your recruiter that you are up for making more money. They have a lot of better paying assignments, although they often pay more for good reason. But as a vast generalization, you can make more money working for smaller motivated agencies will lower overhead.

Oh, and 3 of the 4 largest agencies are not located in Omaha. How would that be possible since the 2 largest are Cross Country and American Mobile located in Florida and California respectively?

MotivatedOne · Jun 7, 2013

I've recently been speaking with a recruiter from both Cross Country and Aya. I also used highway hypodermics' ratings to choose agencies to apply to. I've yet to start traveling or even be given an assignment as I'm waiting to hit my year mark. I will say that the recruiter from Aya has been more responsive when I've had questions and trust me I almost feel as if I've bombarded her with questions but I honestly thought that was what they were for...to answer any questions. I recently emailed my recruiter at CCTC and she emailed me back saying she'll be in touch with me as soon a she speaks with my references. That honestly didn't sit well with me. So I guess now I'm considering a second agency to replace CCTC. I've read bad reviews about them but wanted to go with a larger agency just in case a smaller agency couldn't find me a job in a location I'd like to travel.

The most important factor for me is location and housing. If I'm going to be put in an extended stay hotel. I'd like for it to be one of my choosing not some run down hotel in the middle of the ghetto! Both recruiters at Aya and CCTC informed me I'd be put in a 1 bedroom apartment, especially since I'll be traveling with pets! As long as I get paid more than what I make now as a staff nurse at my local hospital, I'd be satisfied with the pay!

Any suggestions on a larger company or should I just go with a second small company?

NedRN · Jun 7, 2013

Waiting to hit your year mark? I would suggest rethinking your plan and working a minimum of 2 years before starting traveling. Worst case is that you will bomb spectacularly traveling as those hospitals expect you to hit the ground running, and not requiring additional experience. Then you may find it hard to get another staff position based on job retention and longevity.

Traveldee · Jun 7, 2013

I've recently been speaking with a recruiter from both Cross Country and Aya. I also used highway hypodermics' ratings to choose agencies to apply to. I've yet to start traveling or even be given an assignment as I'm waiting to hit my year mark. I will say that the recruiter from Aya has been more responsive when I've had questions and trust me I almost feel as if I've bombarded her with questions but I honestly thought that was what they were for...to answer any questions. I recently emailed my recruiter at CCTC and she emailed me back saying she'll be in touch with me as soon a she speaks with my references. That honestly didn't sit well with me. So I guess now I'm considering a second agency to replace CCTC. I've read bad reviews about them but wanted to go with a larger agency just in case a smaller agency couldn't find me a job in a location I'd like to travel.
The most important factor for me is location and housing. If I'm going to be put in an extended stay hotel. I'd like for it to be one of my choosing not some run down hotel in the middle of the ghetto! Both recruiters at Aya and CCTC informed me I'd be put in a 1 bedroom apartment, especially since I'll be traveling with pets! As long as I get paid more than what I make now as a staff nurse at my local hospital, I'd be satisfied with the pay!
Any suggestions on a larger company or should I just go with a second small company?

I am doing my first travel assignment and it's with Cross Country, and my recruiter has been awesome. A travel nurse friend of mine referred me to her. Sometimes it has more to do with the recruiter than the agency. If you have friends who travel, ask them if they have any recruiters that they especially liked and then mention you'd like to work with that recruiter when you first contact an agency. This has worked well for me.

Another thing to take into consideration with the lack of responsiveness from your recruiter might be that you are not ready to go for an assignment. Recruiters make money when they actually sign a traveler. When I first started talking to recruiters at different agencies, everyone was responsive, but I also had 2.5 years experience in my specialty and was definitely looking to start an assignment within the next month. I had documents/certifications/etc. ready to go. I doubt I would have had the same level of prompt responses if I was just "thinking about" traveling. No offense intended at all, I know it's frustrating to not hear from someone, but maybe just something for you to consider?

And I agree with NedRN. I would get 2 years experience, not 1. It's not completely unheard of for people to travel with 1 year experience but that makes for a ROUGH assignment.

MotivatedOne · Jun 9, 2013

I hit the ground running as soon I started working as a Nurse. I've been in the healthcare profession since 2007...4.5 years as a NA. This isn't new for me. I work at a level 1 trauma facility so we get the sickest of the sick! Cross Country says on their website that you can start applying once you've gotten 9 months of experience. I know plenty of people who have started traveling with only 1 year of experience. They've yet to burn out. Also, I'm not thinking about it...this is something I've wanted to do since before even starting Nursing School! I know there is more that I need to learn but learning is a lifelong process. Not everyone, not even the so-called seasoned nurses know everything there is to know about nursing. If in fact, my traveling turns out to be a bad decision then it's a mistake I have to make myself!

My recruiter from cross country got back with me and she did mention the fact that with me having little experience, I may be limited on where I can go. If that's the case, and I can't go where I'd like to, then I'll just stay where I am until I get more time under my belt and have better options.

I appreciate your advice and I apologize if I'm being defensive but I can't stand hearing "you're not experienced enough" when I know differently!

NedRN · Jun 9, 2013

"When I know differently" is a big red flag I hate to say - don't ever say that to a manager or even an agency.

The responsibility and thought process of a nurse is very different from an aide. It is not uncommon for LPNs with 20 years of experience to have big trouble transitioning to RN. You know one Level 1 hospital, one workflow, one computer program. What happens when you get to the for-profit understaffed community hospital that has a very different workflow and patient population, and different documentation systems, and different communications and processes externally and internally? Different parts of the country also have very different customs, and some just cannot adapt. There are good reasons why many hospitals insist on seasoned travelers on top of sufficient experience - neither of which you have despite your exposure as an aide.

One thing that seasoned nurses have is judgement. Yes, learning is continuous, especially for a traveler who experiences a much wider gamut than virtually any one-hospital nurse. How will you deal with a hospital that "does things differently", or in your opinion, has unsafe practices? "You know differently" is an attitude just begging for conflict on exposure to something different than your experience.

You might well excel, but until you at least work in another setting, you have no idea about your ability to jump into another facility. I worked a full three years before I thought I might be ready, at least in my subspecialty - CVOR, and I tried per diem at other area hospitals to see if my skills translated to other facilities. I did fine, but I can tell you that the first two travel assignments I did completely blew my mind on how different practices could be at different facilities.

Anyway, don't take this personally, but there are reasons why standard advice of getting two years in before considering travel is standard and oft repeated. Again, you might excel, but you will probably end up in a difficult first assignment at a hellhole given your current marketability right out of the gate that may kill your desire to travel even though you would otherwise have done well having put in the time first. Demand is getting high enough that if you seek out enough agencies, you may be able to start now.

By the way, nine months experience might be enough for a medsurg nurse to travel, but other than LTC, I can't think of another specialty where that could be close to being sufficient. Just because CC has some text on their website doesn't mean that it applies to you. That kind of stuff is just marketing anyway. Kind of like saying you will make big money and everything will be taken care of. They are just feeding into dreams and the romance of travel.

meandragonbrett · Jun 9, 2013

You don't know what you don't know.

BluntForceTrauma · Jun 9, 2013

You think you know enough to start until you start traveling. I worked at a level 1 trauma unit for over 4 years before traveling and sometimes I still see things on a daily basis that I've never heard of.

MotivatedOne · Jun 9, 2013

I think it's great advice to experience different hospitals on a per diem basis. I try to sign up for open opportunities on different types of units to gain more exposure but it would be nice to experience how things are done at a different facility. I have worked on a unit that still does paper charting. Also, my current hospital just switched from Carecast/Lastword to Epic documenting system so I've been exposed to both. I'm just so eager to travel and try something different, more challenging. They say the grass isn't always greener on the other side...you're right, I may end up somewhere completely lost and overwhelmed! I guess I should be more patient, apply at different facilities for either a per diem or PRN position and expose myself to a different way of things altogether. Again, thanks for you advice and I apologize for being defensive!

rn_abbey · Jun 12, 2013

Travelling is actually pretty easy, but you need to be exceptionally clear (so a recruiter can't twist your words, and B) you get what you want). Make sure you get everything in writing. THe quality of recruiters really varies per company, I've travelled with four different companies, and been with a few different recruiters at each. I've found better luck with larger companies for a few reasons: the first and foremost being that they seem less desperate to place you than smaller agencies. Small agencies need to place every nurse that applies because they simply don't see many applicants: I was sent to jobs all over the place despite asking for a specific relocation. A larger agency has many Rn's to find jobs for, and can often reamin more patient Sure, they will call and give updates, but as I've said before, it never seemed desperate to me. AS iv'e mentioned in other threads, I've had a satisfactory time with Aya Healthcare, but AMN was also a good comapny. The pay is basically the same between the two, and they both found me jobs. I didn't travel for a few years and my travel liaison at amn left and I didn't like my new one, so I moved. Once i found my current recruiter, Cheryl at Aya, I felt a great connection and have yet to find a reason to leave.