considering travel nursing

Diary/Dairy, RN · Jul 11, 2007

I just started traveling after some extensive research - read on here about the companies. There are 2 books that might help you. Highway hypodermics, by Epstein LaRue,,,not very wel written but does have some info that can be useful. The book that I most highly recommend is Hitting the Road by Shalon Kearney - it is awesome, an older book, but VERY well written and informative - Good Luck.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2007

The best thing about traveling is being employed! Where I live there is a surplus of nurses and no jobs to be had, so I became a traveler.

In the higher paying and union states, some travelers make the same as or less than reg staff: We don't always get great money.

In right-to-work states, and in areas of acute need, we usually make quite a bit more than reg staff.

The other best thing is not being a regular employee- I never feel like I'm at anyone's mercy or under their thumb- trapped- like I've sometimes felt at perm jobs.

The worst part is sometimes, the reason a unit needs travelers is because it's badly managed, and they can't hold on to regular staff.

Another worst part is the constant setting up and tearing down- packing and unpacking, lugging my stuff all over the country. It's a lot of work to move all the time.

Also, I miss my husband so much when I'm away.

Riverhopper · Jul 12, 2007

I thought the shortage was a national problem, all states being affected more or less??

The best thing about traveling is being employed! Where I live there is a surplus of nurses and no jobs to be had, so I became a traveler.
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neurorn73fl · Jul 12, 2007

I am considering traveling as well. I heard that you get put into scab positions quite frequently. How do you avoid that?

caliotter3 · Jul 12, 2007

If you do not care to work as a strike breaker, ask your recruiter each and every time whether or not the assignment is for a place undergoing labor problems. Tell them upfront that you don't want these assignments. Some people are stubborn, so you may have to repeat yourself a few times.

stayseerrn · Jul 12, 2007

What I love about traveling: getting to choose where I want to work. Plus I know that I am only locked into one position for 13 weeks. So, if I hate it, I know I will get to move on soon. Not all units are needing travelers because the units are undergoing management issues. I haven't encountered that experience yet. Usually it is due to some kind of nursing shortage on the unit - marternity leaves, vacation leaves, seasonal increase in pt volumes, etc. Plus, some of the hospitals tied to great names: Stanford, Yale, Duke, UCLA, MD Anderson, use travelers. This gives you a great opportunity at some nationally known hospitals. Also, you get to learn all these great ways to deliver nursing care. It is amazing how much I have learned.

Yes, there are some units that are way under staffed and over stressed which use travelers. However, if you talk to your recruiter and other travelers, then you can usually be prepared before you go there. One way you can figure out if a unit is in "dire straights" is that their pay rate will be way higher than the rest of the market in that area. Let's say most of the area hospitals are quoting $2 an hour, and there is one hospital that is quoting $20 an hour, then that should send up a red flag for you.

As for the money. Yes I am making more per hour as a traveler than per hour as a staff member. However, most of the assignments I have been working are on the west coast, and the cost of living is significantly more than in the South. So, you have to take that in consideration. Also, the thing about traveling: NO WORK = NO PAY. Some companies have PTO, but most do not. So, if you call in sick on one of your scheduled days, you can get shorted money on two terms. First of all, you don't get paid for your shift - duh. Secondly, you can get "docked" so much money for each hour you don't work of the weekly required minimum. That means if you are supposed to work a minimum of 36 hours a week, and you only work 30, then you get docked 6 hours at a certain dollar value for those 6 hours. This is your "unearned housing benefit." So, you really have to keep yourself healthy. Not all hospitals have completion bonuses. So, after you complete an assignment, you may not have the money to take a couple of weeks off between assignments. Before I started where I am now, I had two weeks of downtime between my last assigment and this one. So, I had to wait until I completed two weeks at this assignment before I got another check. Basically, I was one month without a paycheck. Definitely required some major penny pinching.

As far as the constant moving, it can be a pain. There are a lot of places which will offer to extend, or there may be another hospital in the area hiring travelers, so that can help on the number of moves. You definitely learn to condense things and get down to the "bare minimum" of necessities. That was hard - learning what I could and could not live without. But, you just kind of accept it as a part of the job.

For missing family, yeah that can be rough. Although, having a webcam has helped. At least that way I can still see my family when I talk to them. Skype is free internet service that lets you talk to people over the internet internationally.

This is really long, but hope it helps. I would definitely recommend traveling. It is a great adventure.

Diary/Dairy, RN · Jul 13, 2007

Thanks for the informative blog staysee!! I have noticed that too about being a traveler and not having PTO. I have been taking vitamin c and mucinex daily and nothing else just trying to be healthier so that I never get put into the situation where I would need to call in sick!