New Travel RNs Can't Find Assignments?

NedRN · Jan 9, 2015

Where did you read that and what specialties are affected? If medsurg I can believe it perhaps. Every year there are fewer jobs and travel assignment will go to those with travel experience, not new travelers.

Flygaze · Jan 9, 2015

That would be me. I have been looking for the past month for an assignment. I have 2.5 years experience in med/surg at two large teaching hospitals, one is a level 1. I am working with four recruiters. Maybe I am picky with my location (Denver, DC/Maryland, Florida...branching out to California now that I'm kinda getting desperate). I don't think I am picky with pay (willing to take $1193/wk takehome for Hopkins...is this low for Hopkins and Maryland??). I've been submitted to a dozen positions and only had one interview (declined the offer bc didn't have ortho experience and wasn't comfortable with the hospital and area). I'm getting frustrated.

Anyone else going through something similar?? Any advice/tips??

NedRN · Jan 10, 2015

If you must travel now, take any assignment that is not a hellhole to get a successful assignment under your belt. Hopkins looks nice on a resume but it is true they don't pay that well in part for that reason.

Better would be to upgrade your skills or specialty now whole you are still on staff at a teaching hospital.

michlynn, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2015

I've been having the same problem. I have 2 years in cardiac/tele and every hospital that I've been submitted for has turned me down because I don't have travel experience.

Lovelymo79 · Jan 10, 2015

I just accepted my first assignment, which happened to be my first interview. It came fairly quickly so I consider myself lucky. I wonder if it has to do with speciality. I'm in CVICU.

NedRN · Jan 10, 2015

CVICU is a super specialty so of course you will be in demand. But almost any specialty will be more competitive than medsurg.

Soliloquy, MSN, APRN, NP · Jan 10, 2015

That's very interesting. I always figured so few people wanted to do med/surg and preferred places like the ICU or even mother baby and PACU.

NedRN · Jan 10, 2015

Traditionally, medsurg was a rite of passage for all nurses before moving to a specialty. Medsurg also used to be the majority of patients. Time changes things and medsurg has been declining for 20 years. The ACA is only going to accelerate that trend. Medsurg will be around for some time to come, but most nurses will have to be tele certified and travel assignments will become very scarce.

Ag15 · Jan 11, 2015

My first travel assignment was at a Hopkins hospital in DC, they love travelers there and have a lot of them. I'm from the midwest and was a little nervous about going to the east coast but the people at the hospital were some of the nicest people I've ever met!

Flygaze · Jan 12, 2015

So went from almost nothing to three offers in the span of three hours. Any information about these three hospitals and their surrounding area would be great! Info of how safe the area is, ease of finding housing, public transportation, things to do, etc... anything! Thanks!!

Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, CT (how easy is it to get a temp license?)

Providence Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hill, CA

Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, CA

Soliloquy, MSN, APRN, NP · Jan 12, 2015

Wow! congratulations, Flygaze. :)

I was just about to come on here and post that maybe you should be a little more open to location and here you go and got 3 offers. lol

So went from almost nothing to three offers in the span of three hours. Any information about these three hospitals and their surrounding area would be great! Info of how safe the area is, ease of finding housing, public transportation, things to do, etc... anything! Thanks!!
Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, CT (how easy is it to get a temp license?)
Providence Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hill, CA
Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, CA