Newbie Q's

PanTravelers has a state board resource with up-to-date estimated times and costs. NY requires all licenses ever held to be verified, so it is good to get that one early in your career - it will take more time and cost more after you have held a few licenses. California uses snail mail only to verify licenses, so if you want to go later to another state later that verifies all licenses, California will be the time limiting factor if you have a California license (besides NY, NJ and MA also require all licenses to be verified off the top of my head, and one of the Carolinas if I remember correctly - it was 15 years ago I went there). So California is a good one to do later, not earlier. Of course, how hard it is to get licensure by reciprocity is no doubt a minor factor in deciding where to go, but if it takes too long to get a license, you will miss out on hot assignments. If you get the licenses well in advance, you will end up spending a lot of money. Tough tradeoff.

I wouldn't recommend Fastaff for new travelers, but if you are all about money, they are usually good for that. Medical Solutions should be OK, but I would recommend talking to a dozen agencies and establishing a relationship with 3 to 5 of the agencies or recruiters you like best.

Talked to a traveler who worked in NY this past year and it took her 2 weeks to get her license. I've heard in general that it's 2-8 weeks processing time. You also have to take 2 classes to apply for a NY license, one on reporting child abuse and the other on infection control. (the state website offers several options to take the classes online, they are easy but run around $30 each).

I sent in my application for a NY license last week and they cashed my $143 check for app fee so I sure hope they're working on processing it. lol

Thanks for the advice! I had a Ca license a long time ago. NY should be interesting as i have had 7 licenses. I travelled 1988-1990. Right now i'm checking all options

Ned - thanks for all the excellent info younpst

Dorsey- do you know what hospital?

Thanks!

The hospital my friend traveled to? I believe it was medsurg at Cornell and her contract was through AMN.