Er traveler/first time traveling

[mickeyrose912]

I am looking into travel ER nurse assignments and would love some insight from not Only ER nurses that have traveled, but general information about getting the first assignment and the transition process.

I have been a nurse for 3 years (1 cardiac and 2 in ER) in a 28 bed local Er. The facility i work at isn't a trauma center I am concerned about going to a level 2 or level 1 trauma center for travel. Is there a drastic difference in acuity and expectations(i am clearly not a trauma nurse)? How is the transition? What was your experience like going from one ER to another? I worry that I'll get an assignment at a big Er and not be able to handle it.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[NedRN]

First, get recruiters with whom you communicate well with, and appear to be honest (talk to enough recruiters and you learn honest from BS), and interested in getting you a good fit for your first several assignments (don't fuss about location or pay too much until you have successfully completed an assignment or two.

Don't trust your recruiters blindly (you know far more about ED than they do), but validate expectations during the manager interview with the hospital and turn down jobs that are too much for any reason from staffing ratios to acuity. On assignment, any RN can and should turn down patient assignments they are not competent to do. That said, you are certainly not going to be thrown into trauma by any sane manager or charge.

[GleeGum, BSN, RN]

I agree. You won't go blindly. They will know your profile and you will do your research. Ask them how many beds, what kinds of assignments do the travelers get, what's the ratio?

We do travel nursing for us, because we want the adventure, the opportunit, etc.. They want travelers because they need help. An experienced nurse who they can rely on and not train.

When you interview you can find out more!

[mickeyrose912]

Thanks for the great tips so far!