zipporah

I figured this out myself recently by picking 2 travel companies and comparing their benefits. Some travel companies have more assignments than others and so many travelers sign on for more than one. But you have to start somewhere. So pick a place that you want to see, find a travel company that has positions at a hospital there, complete all the laborious paperwork and other stuff. It takes time to get liscensure, medical physical etc but then you'll be on your way. The travel company will walk you through it. There is also a healthcare travel magazine online and many travelers to talk to probably in your own hospital. Have fun

ER and ICU are quite different but both exciting. I am an ICU nurse working in CVICU and enjoy the detail that I have on my patients. My job is a job of detail. The ER has a more cursory establish the problem and stabilize and ship. Sometimes a persons nature fits in one or the other better. It probably doesn't matter so much what you pick, make a list of the important things and compare the jobs. Nothing is carved in stone and you probably have time to try both within your career. Have fun

I am traveling locally now and so took my stipend as wage because it isn't "free" to me now, I live in my home. I pay tax on that stipend while I am at home. And I pay more tax when it is a stipend than when it is part of my wage. If you can legally claim that you are maintaining a second residence, it is better to recieve your stipend tax free.

agency usually gets paid more because you are starting with no orientation, you just hit the floor and go and you will be cut if they can cut you. Then comes travelers who have their shifts guarenteed, get some orientation and are on contract for 13 weeks or whatever so get oriented and become like staff if they extend. I don't know what canadiens get paid as nurses so I can't factor that in. Newer US nurses make money as travelers, someone like me with over 20 years doesn't make appreciably more but it is still a good life.

I met a number of travelers who worked "the season " (nov-april) in florida and then returned to their northern homes and worked the rest of the year at their former places of employment. The key is to be a good employee I guess. I couldn't get a leave of absence from my hospital to travel but after a year, I came back and took a travel assignment with them and they were glad to have me , someone they new.

you'll be ok, noone knows everything. If you assist others they will assist you so just be a good team player. Look for other travelers too because there seems to be a kinship. I have over 20 years of experience and probably had similar feelings when I started traveling. You are needed there, be a good employee and you will be fine.

I am thinking that Brugada syndrome indicates a Left anterior desending coronary(LAD) artery lesion implicated in sudden cardiac death, it is indicated on an EKG as ST depression? or elevation? in leads V1 and V2 it seems to me....I have read about it but Dubins book of EKG interpretation discusses it.

It is a shame to transfuse our patients to replace phlebotomized losses. There are risks to transfusion that are dose dependent and involve morbidity and mortality. The presence of lines doubles the blood loss that ICU patients experience. There is excellent research out there to promote blood conservation and only thoughtful transfusion. I am so pleased that my facility has adopted VAMPs for all arterial lines, and central lines. We have a great intensivist team.

I have had some interest in content for CNAs also. There was an excellent article in an AJN inthe last year I believe on dehydration in older adults. Having left my educatiom position I gave it to the reigning educater who promised to work it into a module. It was excellent information and would be beneficial to give CNAs a stake in outcomes. I'mtoo lazy to recall the issue now but would find it if asked. :nuke: melissa

I got 34.50 in naples for cardiac surgery recovery but I know that is high for florida.

So Greywolf, DO you get overtime on that last shift? Your contracts are renewed every 2 months? If you find your ownhousing, does your rate of pay go up? Are you working nights? Is it common in NM to have 48 hour week contracts? Appreciate your information, I am headed that way next.

I worked in florida last year in Naples in cardiac surgery. They needed nurses and so the travel company was offering a good wage. (34.50) It was an idyllic place to be in many ways and I remember it fondly. The florida weather and beaches are believed to be some compensation and as my husband and I look back, well at least we were glad to linger there for awhile. Money isn't everything and as a nurse with more than 20 years, the money isn't generally competitive but the assignments offer variety. For what it is worth.

I took the PBDS in naples florida. Travelers that "flunked it" didn't have a job. I got a copy of my results, don't want to do it again. I wondered if it would become standard. Nurses only need 1 or 2 years of experience to travel, hospitals want a measuring tool. I had no heads up at all; I was traveling with American Mobile.

Could I ask how you negotiated the sign on bonus? Did you ask? Did they offer? Does a big sign on bonus mean a dive job? What unit will you work? Have ou been at this for awhile? These sign on bonuses are something i am trying to understand. Who will pay it? The hospital? The travel company? As for driving, time of year is important, you can take a ferry instead and arrive in anchorage. Alaska is on my list of places to visit and work also.

There are not always nurses nice enough to help a traveler, sometimes they dump on you and and aren't available to help. I have been there. I worked in a hospital in Philadelphia that if you could find a drug book, the index was missing. I got one day of orientation though new core staff got weeks. Whay do you suppose that is? Travelers are supposed to have experience. Be a little patient because your liscense is at stake.

I am keeping track of floating too and am interested in hearing what goes on in other parts of the US. In tacoma, wa, travelers float in turn, in philadelphia and naples fla, travelers float first and float out to tele. every 4 hours is too crazy.

Naples Community Hospital, there are 3 surgeons, it is a seedy little unit right now but they are getting thier new 11 bed unit soon, not sure when.

I struggled at first too thinking it was such an important decision which company i traveled with but if you have done some good research, pick one. A recomendation is good. You won't be able to avoid learning form experience. Call each company and ask them the big questions, write down the answers and compare. I am delighted to be traveling after spending almost 20 years in the same hospital!

Maybe I can finally get an answer from you knowledgable people! Who pays this sign/ completion on bonus? The hospital or the travel company? DOes this bonus always equate with a lesser pay rate? I always have the feeliing it is such a secret where the money comes from and the travel companies perpetrate the secrecy! Why would the nurse turn down the bonus, it was still extra free money right? (sunglass icon because I am on assignment in Naples Fla)

I am drawing the same conclusion about smaller companies paying more. But the larger companies have more contracts. I have spoken with my recruiter about submitting my resume to where I want to work... They want more contracts so they can make more money. I am finishing a contract with American mobile and will return to my other company for the next job.

I have had the same question and have figured that it won't be a US travel company that sends us to the down under. They bring nurses in to the states. I think there are travel companies out of Australia that might staff New Zealand. I'll be interested to know more too. There is an international forum that is a good resource, i'll look for your posts there and see what you learn.

Naples Florida also has a CVRU. In fact they getting close to moving into their new unit. They send pts out quickly if they are doing well or to the icu if they are not for the most part. Maybe balloon pts stay, but the balloon doesn't stay in that long and when it comes out? Voila, an ICU pt.

I passed my CCRN in 1991 and had taken a dynamite review class but I think the key to success was the Core text for AACN and enough experience to put it all together. I know the test has changed some since then but use the core text as well as these big name speakers. I have listened to nancy townsend (NTI speaker) as well as other big names and they are great; but look at that core text becasue that is what we are responsible for.

There are some good guidelines about wedging swan ganz catheters. Don´t inflate over 15 seconds or over 4 respirations, don´t inflate with over 1 cc of air. Yes, pad correlates to pcwp in some patients but not many that we see in ICUs. I worked in a military hospital when I saw my first pulmonary artery rupture. They actually changed the swan ganz every 3 days! The doctor should write orders for checking wedge but in a unit that uses swans a lot, the nurse will want to use it to gather information so she just needs to be really savvy. PACEP.org is a great site and an effort to give thorough education on the mangement of swan ganz catheters.

I am actually looking at signing on with Favorite too. I thought they were local in Wa state. My only input is to remind you that working agency at different hospitals has implications if you might ever want to work as staff at those hospital . There can be a year delay between your work as a temp and being able to apply for staff. I left my hospital of 19 years to travel and now will return home and take a travel position there but not until a year had passed could I do it.