Contracting yourself out independently as travel nurse

[newrn93]

I'm wondering how I can go about contracting myself out for a temporary travel assignment to a specific hospital. Does anyone have any information on this. There is a strike coming up at a hospital, I work at the same hospital but in a completely different region/state and they are independent from each other. After working 1 strike before I realize how important having a resource nurse is who know the charting is to the unit. I would like to highlight my charting experience and the fact that I know the ins and outs of the policy/procedures of this hospital. For those who have contracted independently, do you think this would be possible. I'd like to bill the same rate that the hospital is paying the agency for each nurse. Do you think sending an email to a manager with a thorough cover letter on who I am and how I can help and resume would garner success? Any help on the topic would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Moved to the Travel Nursing forum

[NedRN]

I've been independently contracting since 2004 and there is no way I'd even consider this without a pre-existing contract with the hospital. You have to have your own agency with full agency insurance. It can take time to get the main contract and many hospitals have a vendor manager to handles agencies, which means you would need a pre-exsisting contract with them. Strike agencies do have a direct contract bypassing any vendor manager, but those are set up well in advance (months to years). Such contracts are not a simple hourly bill rate either, but cost plus.

That said, you can certainly make a pitch to a manager. I might be wrong and you might be able to do something. I'd suspect they are not going to enter into a separate contract with an existing system employee though. Easiest route is signing up with the strike company, or going as an employee with some sort of bonus.

From a practical standpoint, you are risking your relationship with your peers. It is bad enough undermining a union that is trying to help working conditions, but when you are actually a member of the union crossing a picket line to undermine a union negotiation... Unless you are angling for a management job.

[newrn93]

On 9/23/2019 at 6:14 AM, NedRN said:

I've been independently contracting since 2004 and there is no way I'd even consider this without a pre-existing contract with the hospital. You have to have your own agency with full agency insurance. It can take time to get the main contract and many hospitals have a vendor manager to handles agencies, which means you would need a pre-exsisting contract with them. Strike agencies do have a direct contract bypassing any vendor manager, but those are set up well in advance (months to years). Such contracts are not a simple hourly bill rate either, but cost plus.

That said, you can certainly make a pitch to a manager. I might be wrong and you might be able to do something. I'd suspect they are not going to enter into a separate contract with an existing system employee though. Easiest route is signing up with the strike company, or going as an employee with some sort of bonus.

From a practical standpoint, you are risking your relationship with your peers. It is bad enough undermining a union that is trying to help working conditions, but when you are actually a member of the union crossing a picket line to undermine a union negotiation... Unless you are angling for a management job.

I really appreciate your response. I agree regarding the strike, I wasn't particular seeking out a strike but felt it may be a short term opportunity that would allow me to test out said theory. I'm more interested in contracting myself out for assignments or rapids.

What do you mean by pre-existing contract? Do you mean without you yourself having an established contract with the hospital already. How would you go about creating a contract with a hospital??

What would make a hospital accept you and your rates instead of hiring their own employee as staff? I figured that pitching a rapid or strike would make them much more likely to accept your rates/conditions.

[NedRN]

To contract at a facility, you need a contract with them, right? Lots of boilerplate, some can run to thirty or more pages (mine is just two but haven't need it for some years). They can be hospital written, vendor manager written, or agency written. Then to place someone there, you need to agree to those details - name of supplied professional, term, dates, shift, unit et cetera.

I have a blog on how to start an agency and actually get yourself placed. A bit dated in these days of vendor manager dominance, but still provides a valid road map. Search Google for my screen name and "FAQ".