OR Travel Nursing

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Hi All-

After working nine and a half years as an OR Nurse, I plan to start travel nursing in February. I feel overwhelmed with the amount of companies to choose from.... and there doesn't seem to be a lot of openings in that specialty when browsing open jobs at different travel agencies. Does anyone know if OR travel nursing is not as abundant, and should I stay at my current job instead? Does anyone have suggestions for companies that seem to have a lot of OR positions available?? Thank you for any help or guidance you can give me.... I really appreciate it!

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

It may not be this way other places, but I know the hospital I work at as well as many others in the area did away with travelers when the economy went south in the interest of saving money. Even if they're paying some people call pay, it's still cheaper than paying the traveler (especially if the traveler was also responsible for taking call). It could also be there are no openings because people who were working part time have picked up more hours or that people are delaying having surgery because of no insurance or can't afford to take the time off, therefore decreasing cases and the need for staff. I like to play things safe, so if I were in your situation I'd stay put until the economy and surgical cases picked up again, but that's something I can't decide for you.

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Many staffing companies will collect your profile without even having a real job. If you are not available until Feb you might want to hold off on even talking to a recruiter. Most of the travel jobs out there are immediate/quick starts, you are setting yourself up to get strung along by trying to "plan".

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Specializes in Education.

I've been O.R. traveling for a year and a half. I haven't had any problems getting a job. You have a good amount of experience in, you'll be well sought after. They need travelers in the O.R. because it takes so long for a new nurse to the O.R. to get thru orientation. You can at least talk to a recruiter, get some of the paperwork done, get your references out of the way, and then when the Feb jobs come up they will be able to submit you right away.

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Specializes in L&D, OR, travel.

Beka, There's plenty of OR travel out there. Like above poster I'm an OR traveler and I'm just finishing my 3rd assignment. I've worked in the USVI for 4 months, Wash DC 6 months and rural New England at Dartmouth for 3 months. Next assignment, New Orleans. I'm with NovaPro (part of CC) now and will probably stay with them. Very happy with all assignments regarding pay, housing, communication and the ORs have been great. All happy to have traveler who know what they're doing. I have 6 days left here at Dartmouth. I'm excited to move on to something else but as I was leaving work on Friday I had a moment's thought wishing I could stay. I LOVE this!

Deb

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Bekah, I start my first OR travel assignment Jan 2nd. there are plenty of jobs out there, the hospital I currently work at in central NY has openings for travelers. Also there are a lot in Denver, where I am moving to. A lot of companies have job searches on their websites, look around those and see who has OR jobs posted.

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Specializes in OR.

Nurseinadream:Considering Dartmouth OR offer. I see you liked it there! Will probably wait till fall. Thoughts on housing ???

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Specializes in L&D, OR, travel.

Lots of travelers at Dartmouth and there's good housing, decent apartments that the big agencies keep rented full time, ie Cross Country. Our complex had travelers, residents, fellows, and other re-locaters working at Dartmouth short or long term. A coworker did find something at VRBO and she was real happy with it. I find the company housing OK.

We loved NH, was there for the season change Aug-Dec, beautiful landscape, took lots of drives.

Deb

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