New grad military spouse

Published

Specializes in Pulmonary.

Hi guys!
I’m new to the site. I’m a new grad nurse. I graduated in May 2019 and have been working a little less than a year on a pulmonary unit in a Mississippi hospital. It’s very stressful, but I have been able to learn a good bit. At our hospital, our floor is the only floor (except of course ICU) that takes patients on ventilators. A lot of these patients came to us directly from ICU. And since the Covid pandemic, our floor is pretty much the designated Covid unit. Our floor and one other takes Covid patients. So that’s my background, on to the question. I’m a newly wed who’s husband is in the army and stationed in California. I’m from Mississippi and have worked less than a year. Is there a way that I could work as a nurse in both Mississippi and California and split my time? I know a lot of places have a minimum requirement of at least a year experience or critical care experience. Would working on my hospital’s “unofficial” ICU stepdown unit work in my favor? I am very close to my mother and don’t feel right about leaving her as well as my aging grandparents. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am new to all of this and don’t know what steps to take.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

Not going to get into the registration requirements as not from the US. My question would be do you feel safe working in another hospital? Do they have PPE. are you ageing GP safer with you not around if you are working with COVID pts.?

Also if states shut borders or require quarantine periods will you be able to work / commute to 2 places?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
7 hours ago, Emgo said:

I’m a newly wed who’s husband is in the army and stationed in California. I’m from Mississippi and have worked less than a year. Is there a way that I could work as a nurse in both Mississippi and California and split my time?

What are the logistics of your plan? Mississippi and California are not neighboring states. Are you talking PRN, in which you work a couple days in California and then fly back to Mississippi to work a few days? That would seem to be stressful trying to juggle two cross-country jobs.

Hospitals set a minimum requirement of hours per month that their PRN employees must work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pulmonary.

I’ve read that some travel agencies have 13-26 week contracts and will pay travel expenses. I don’t know much about travel nursing besides what I’ve read/heard.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.
17 minutes ago, Emgo said:

I’ve read that some travel agencies have 13-26 week contracts and will pay travel expenses. I don’t know much about travel nursing besides what I’ve read/heard.

Yes, your best bet would be to get a year's experience and become a travel nurse. I'm not sure if they pay travel expenses but they pay housing expenses. I knew someone who traveled in Houston and got paid $2K or 3K/month and paid $300 to someone she found off Craigslist. So be sure to find a company that will give you a stipend for housing and then you find it. There are many out there so just start googling. Look for one that has self scheduling do you can get several days off at once to be able to fly back to MS. And yes, if you have experience with vents I think you'll be very attractive to many hospitals.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.
Just now, Elaine M said:

Yes, your best bet would be to get a year's experience and become a travel nurse. I'm not sure if they pay travel expenses but they pay housing expenses. I knew someone who traveled in Houston and got paid $2K or 3K/month and paid $300 to someone she found off Craigslist. So be sure to find a company that will give you a stipend for housing and then you find it. There are many out there so just start googling. Look for an assignment that has self scheduling so you can get several days off at once to be able to fly back to MS. I spent a whole Summer several years ago flying from Houston to FL to visit my parents when my Dad was sick, it's stressful but very doable. Leave clothes and toiletries at home so you can travel with just a small carry-on. Yes, if you have experience with vents I think you'll be very attractive to many hospitals.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pulmonary.

I’ll definitely start googling more about travel nurse agencies. Thank you for responding. Are there some agencies that come highly recommended? Again, I really appreciate the advice.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.
3 hours ago, Emgo said:

I’ll definitely start googling more about travel nurse agencies. Thank you for responding. Are there some agencies that come highly recommended? Again, I really appreciate the advice.

There's a Travel Nursing section on this site, start there. Also try Glass Door, they have ratings and info on salaries on many businesses. Also just try googling variations of travel nursing, you might find some other helplines, vlogs etc. Good luck! Also check out the PRN policies of your hospital, they might not make you have very many shifts/month. When I worked in Houston in 2013 they told me some nurses in the unit who were in neighboring states still picked up some shifts PRN, just to keep their foot in the door.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
On 4/9/2020 at 2:24 AM, Emgo said:

Hi guys!
I’m new to the site. I’m a new grad nurse. I graduated in May 2019 and have been working a little less than a year on a pulmonary unit in a Mississippi hospital. It’s very stressful, but I have been able to learn a good bit. At our hospital, our floor is the only floor (except of course ICU) that takes patients on ventilators. A lot of these patients came to us directly from ICU. And since the Covid pandemic, our floor is pretty much the designated Covid unit. Our floor and one other takes Covid patients. So that’s my background, on to the question. I’m a newly wed who’s husband is in the army and stationed in California. I’m from Mississippi and have worked less than a year. Is there a way that I could work as a nurse in both Mississippi and California and split my time? I know a lot of places have a minimum requirement of at least a year experience or critical care experience. Would working on my hospital’s “unofficial” ICU stepdown unit work in my favor? I am very close to my mother and don’t feel right about leaving her as well as my aging grandparents. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am new to all of this and don’t know what steps to take.

What will such an arrangement do to your marriage?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion