Crisis travel assignments for Covid-19?

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Hey all, hope you are all staying safe during this insanity. I was wondering if anybody has started to see crisis/high rate jobs posted yet? If so, post the specialty and company.

Specializes in Critical Care and Community Health. Dabbled in Cor.

I have worked Critical care for 30 years. I was ACLS from 1988 or 85 until last June. As a traveler, I made less than similar peers working for the hospital I was placed at. (Started traveling due to jobs drying up where I was) I've been out of ICU for 3 years. That means, I probably can't get an agency job, and many hospitals on the west coast of they type I normally work, (teaching hospitals) won't hire me for ICU.

They're more than happy to interview for long term care and rehab though. I don't know about you, but I started in critical care and have never had any desire to work rehab or long term care. They will look at me and say, "do you really think you can do the work required for this job?" My hair is white. But, they think I can take care of 30 people at one time. That's not even rational. But it is what's happening. I would take an ICU job in a minute if they paid enough for me to support myself without taking a room mate in the area I live. But, age and this attitude that they are more progressive than anyone else in the nation (they aren't) has been a stumbling block for me. (I've had people say these things to my face. You have to smile and remain quiet)

But, back to my point. Except for this crisis rate thing, experienced travelers rarely make as good as their counterparts hired by the hospital if it is union and they are paid based on experience. Their agency does, but they don't. And, the benefits are non existent or bare minimum. A young nurse with 2 years of experience makes more, but an experienced nurse does not.

This is a response to many comments I just read....yes, I can still work pretty much any ventilator, and have a really good grasp of infectious disease. I haven't forgotten all of the different procedures, medications, and job requirements. But, in this day and age, they do prefer people who are younger, and lower risk in the eyes of their insurer.

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Specializes in Med surg.

I agree with you! The experience is invaluable, even with things being updated and changing. It just means a nurse that's been doing things for a long long time has experience with not only so many of the types of patients, illnesses and treatments, procedures, etc., but also with having to adapt to new ways of doing things and learning all the updates and changes that have happened over all those years! It's such a shame that while in other countries, those older in age are typically regarded with such respect and they are sought after for their wisdom, but in this country, it's often the opposite. It's such a shame! Younger people often seem to feel that they are above older people when they have no idea how much more that older person knows than they do!! In both knowledge and experience.

Now I do not mean to "bash" anyone here. I am in my 40's and have kids from young teens to mid 20's. It's just my opinion, mostly from what I've seen of my own kids and my younger colleagues at previous jobs. Obviously this doesn't apply to everyone!

All of your experience DESERVES to be valued. The more experience, the more one gets paid......until they have too much, then that number starts going down. How is that fair? It certainly isn't how it goes for male doctors. They can be old as dirt, but will be given all the respect in the world (as they should).

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Specializes in Med surg.
On 3/19/2020 at 6:31 PM, MunoRN said:

In my area the offers are around $5000 per week for a 3 week commitment.

What is your area?

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Specializes in Med surg.
14 hours ago, JadedCPN said:

One could argue that your blatant judgmental disgust should be directed at the hospital executives and powers that be, rather than the nurses trying to help themselves make a living while also helping people.

who??

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
5 hours ago, TravelnursePA said:

who??

LC0929, the person I quoted when I replied...

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@milmom35 I’m interested in travel nursing for Covid-19 through Aya health can u help I have so many questions, I have traveled before locally never west coast or during crisis! I would appreciate some good pointer. Thanks in advance.

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On 4/2/2020 at 4:54 PM, LC0929 said:

We can agree to disagree....I didn't become a nurse to get rich....If I wanted to get rich, I would have continued to be a bartender....same job...less germs....no poop....simple stuff...but whatever works ....

Yeah, but then you'd be out of a job right now and wishing you'd gone to nursing school... you also wouldn't have health insurance, which would feel pretty scary right about now.

Signed,

Someone still at the bottom

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@want2bsuccessful I'm glad to send a message to my recruiter contacts to get more information. The crisis positions I've seen so far range from Critical Care and ED to Telephone Triage. Will follow up with a DM.

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On 3/22/2020 at 7:39 PM, Emergent said:

I will be starting soon a contract in Washington state where I live. 48 hours a week commitment with lots of opportunity for overtime. Overtime is $144 an hour. I will be making a minimal of 5000 a week not including shifts over 48 hours a week

where did you get the information on these positions?

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On 4/4/2020 at 9:18 AM, Avenger1 said:

I recently received an email for an NYC nurse for an 8 week contract at 6700 a week, I can forward you the email if interested

would you send to me please?

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On 4/5/2020 at 5:09 AM, Nurselexii said:

A. Introduction :Howdy travelnurse PA, have you traveled before? (If not are you OK with having 4-8 hours of orientation maybe a shift and be able to hit the ground running? Are you very well versed at the various electronic medical records or confident you can learn them quickly) if yes please see the next barrier you may be facing

B. Supply and demand :New york dropped the licensure requirement allowing all 50 united states licensed nurses to apply, so agencies can just filter out which applications they see by having software filter out nurses who have worked under a year (recruiters make money off the contract so they want the nurse with the most in demand skills so that candidate gets picked and they get paid)

C. Skills you definitely have them with your background there are many ways you can help in this COVID crisis, there are still long term care contracts and hospice contracts and you can still be eligible for your standard premium (not crisis) travel rate, there are some Rehabs in a hospital setting so you can count that as hospital experience and travel experience for your next contract

Closing statement the retired and new grad nurses are being allowed opportunities they may not have had when the demand wasnt so dire. As an experienced nurse you have the assets to assist the community as you wish, you may not have the armour at this time to battle against the experienced ccu travel nurses applying from sea to shining sea

I am a new nurse and have had a hard time finding opportunities. Do you know where they are accepting new nurses?

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Specializes in Non judgmental advisor.
Just now, kathompson3207 said:

I am a new nurse and have had a hard time finding opportunities. Do you know where they are accepting new nurses?

Sure can you PM me?

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