Okay, so apparently for January, if you want to travel to Southern California, Kaiser Permanente is one of the only tickets.... and believe you me, I have contacted many, many recruiters.
Well, seems like that is my only ticket--and a crappy one at that. Has anyone done time at Kaiser West L.A, Bellflower, or Panorama City? If so, have you heard that a lot of travelers are still having random cancellations/pop quizes to weed people out?
I don't know what to do...suffer with Kaiser and walk on egg shells to try to maintain a contract or just wait it out....
Definitely avoid Kaiser at all costs- ESPECIALLY for your first travel assignment.
I took my first travel job at Kaiser Walnut Creek in the bay area in the ER and it was a nightmare. It was terrible working a 12 hour shift while all the other nurses were working 8 hour shifts- you would get shifted around- having to take report on brand new patients multiple times. The ER was terrible for many other reasons but I am sure it is just at WC and not every Kaiser ER.
However, Kaiser is notorious for being management top heavy and that presence is constantly felt while working there. There is always something new coming down the pipeline that just gets piled onto the nurses. Isnt it interesting that we are all expected to do all the new tasks, while no task is every taken away?
Whatever you do, don't take a contract at Centinela hospital in Inglewood. I've heard good and bad about Kaiser too - mostly bad and am reluctant to take a contract there - but this hospital. OMG it is horrible and I'm already counting the weeks (will finish my second one tonight) until I'll be done. But, if there's nothing else out there I may have to extend. I'm looking into other states though - CA is not really were I want to work, but I have family here so it works out. Good luck.
I see a trend....kaiser is full of "kaiserisms" is seems. They have just completely turned me off travel nursing, and I absolutely cant wait to go home. I am counting down the weeks. There just seems to be so many annoying things about this place, and im sure its the same which ever kaiser you are at. Alot of the more seasoned travelers also cant wait to leave, so its not just me. So unless you are desperate, I would wait untill things pick up again to take a contract.
Can someone enlighten me on this pop quiz thing? Do you mean a PBDS? I had a PBDS in Miami and a "math quiz" in AZ. Th "Math Quiz" was 105 questions on clinical knowledge. SO I am aware of the decietful sharks that swim in the water. Fired on the spot? Really?
Coming in late on this one, I'm a Recruiter and I agree Kaiser would not be the best facility for one to work that is a first time traveler. I would only suggest those facilities to ones who worked them previously and do not mind going back. Those RNs are difficult to come by because the facilities are truthfully hard on travelers. If a Recruiter is stressing Kaiser as an assignment, it must be all that they have.
Before sending my RNs that route, I would be honest with them on how tough ones' hide would have to be to go into one of these Hospitals as I have staffed them before. I would reach out to other hospitals for hidden jobs or to fill the needs of travelers I know that will be coming off assignment.
Pop quizzing an RN should not be right. On the spot drug screening is one thing, going through Orientation is another, but pop quizzing? Goodness! We usually find out ahead of time what the requirements are for the RN so that we can turn over the documents before they start working. Must mean the Hospital does not have a strong relationship with their travel agencies to trust they are getting competent people although you RNs are top-notch.
The PBDS has been a long standing one and at least you should know that you would have to take it before you get there. However, I would only recommend an RN from the area to work a place that gives that testing so that they are not too inconvenienced if for some reason they are not succesful at the facility's standards for that testing.
For Creamsoda, I hope that you change your mind and step out to travel again. We need you!
Whew~ hope I helped let you know that there are Recruiters out here that really try to cover all angles before landing you an assignment! :)
Thank you so much for your wonderful response. Because I am new to this forum, I am not able to send Private messages yet. Please send me your email privately and I will be sure to immediately follow-up. Not sure if it is o.k. for me to post my company info...I don't want to break any rules :)
I have also heard that Kaiser floats you around a lot in one shift. I have an interview this afternoon for CCU Bellflower, Ca if anyone has any insight that would be great! I was accepted for the contract at Kaiser Hollywood and they canceled it after all my stuff was arranged and almost booked! They over interviewed and then canceled me! They felt bad and forwarded my file to Bellflower.
I hope to get this job this afternoon, although Kaiser is not the best choice, those comments above are correct. I am with 7 companies and 3 local agencies and Kaiser is the only one paying out there for a travel contract. Even registry has come down and they have minimal hospital confirmed positions, as they did before.
I am sorry for your experience. I too am from Canada, now married and living perm in the U.S. I traveled for 4 years out West, when it was good and I have to tell you it will turn around and I hope the sour taste for travel does not stay with you. I had a great time. WA was the best and the most familiar to our Canadian setting. They have strong smart nurses up there, from my experience in Seattle that is and I had some good times. I hope it will change for you! Did you go home? Where are you from?
I haven't personally worked at Kaiser, but I've personally met many travelers that worked at Kaiser facilities. They told me the same things about floating multiple times during one shift.
I am wondering if Kaiser is still treating travelers like they have in the past. I am new to traveling and am considering a position at Kaiser LA on Sunset. I know that they now have a contract with AMN Healthcare so I am hoping that maybe they have a better rapport with the agency and so therefore treat their travelers better. Does anyone have any recent experiences traveling to a Kaiser facility? This will be my first assignment so I just want to find something that will be a good fit.
Also looking for updated info. Thinking about taking 1st travel assignment in PACU at Kaiser LA on Sunset. Talked with many agencies and all they have for PACU is Kaiser.
USIJurgy
36 Posts
Definitely avoid Kaiser at all costs- ESPECIALLY for your first travel assignment.
I took my first travel job at Kaiser Walnut Creek in the bay area in the ER and it was a nightmare. It was terrible working a 12 hour shift while all the other nurses were working 8 hour shifts- you would get shifted around- having to take report on brand new patients multiple times. The ER was terrible for many other reasons but I am sure it is just at WC and not every Kaiser ER.
However, Kaiser is notorious for being management top heavy and that presence is constantly felt while working there. There is always something new coming down the pipeline that just gets piled onto the nurses. Isnt it interesting that we are all expected to do all the new tasks, while no task is every taken away?