LadyNASDAQ

Culinary Chef. I'm 50 y/o and wished I was younger because I should have considered a second career,not sure if I still should think about it.

I've worked 28 out of 30 years in Critical Care and trust me, in the past if I wanted to move on, I did. I left my staff job 9 years ago to become a travel nurse and that was ideal. Now the economy is keeping me from working steadily and I'm expensive on a staff nurse payroll and trying hard to find a staff position because I am competing with 30-40 applicants who don't even have my job experience. Don't allow yourself to burn out so easily. Take time off, take a vacation but hold onto your staff position because there are very few jobs out there. Just a fair warning. If you have to quit your present job be sure you really have the new one absolutely guaranteed because what I wanted to do was go back to my old job and there is some kind of policy about not rehiring past employees. It shocked the heck out of me and made it even tougher. Just a warning.

I have been a Nurse for 30 years and have been traveling on and off for the last 9 years so my advice is on the money... you do NOT give verbal permission for an extension and you do NOT sign any extensions. Instead, you send a letter to your Recruiter and to this person's boss that as of July 11th, this is your last day at this facility and if there is another opportunity that sounds good to you in another facility you'll consider it. You made a little boo boo so let me point this out to you... NEVER say I'll etend woith this new criteria. What you are saying is that YES I will extend again. You can't easily refuse a float anywhere, trust me jobs in travel are super hard to come by. Instead you get done with this assignment and you have closure without egging anyone on. They being the agency can't make demands on this hospital for now.

I have been in orientation since last week in Orlando and both another RN and I were cancelled. Both of us have been Nurses 30 years and there are just no guarantees that an assignment will be honored. So what to do???? Well, I had an awesome opportunity to work local agency and it's busy in my area for more money and I can self-schedule. To me that's heaven but here's the silver lining... I get to go on COBRA. That means that in a year and a half I can decide what I want to do until then. I can work local agency, actually have a life, take better care of myself and not feel that I can be cancelled off an assignment at anytime. I'm also registered with a second local agency so I should do just fine. Travel is having issues right now and as my new friend puts it, they're afraid that they will have to pay us our bonus money at the end of the contract. That's the sad part so wherever possible, ask that the $$$ be in your base rate and never at the end of a contract because you may never see that money.

To me, I have gone on assignments but just want to get from point A to B.

Without a second driver, no way would I go it alone and also, why put all those miles on the car when I can totally get back all the expense of shipping and not be burned out right before an assignment starts or ends? I just want to get there. If I wanted to go sightseeing I would go on a train, a bus or a plane. I wouldn't be driving where I'd be exhausted. I can't drive more than 8 hours a day and that hammers me good!

Yes I stand corrected with the wording I used lol. My problen is just with the clock hours. I think I would enjoy working Internationally. I have Aussie friends online that are so nice. I've learned a lot about the culture, the people and the areas and would enjoy working Internationally. Can you tell me about the hospital equipment and charting? Anything similar to what we do and have? I work ICU. Thanks! Stacy

Thank you Suzanne!

Ho to all. I am considering doing some travel out of Country and I think I'd enjoy going to Australia. I have a lot of friends online who would even help me once I'm out there. Here in the States I'm at day shifter all the way. Just can't tolerate night shifts. I get sick and I know this would be an imposibility here but realized I don't have a problem working either in AU or NZ because they're pretty much on the other side of the clock lol. I know, I know it's cheating but after working in Nursing 29 years and trying 3 different times to work night shift and #3 attempt was the worst ever, I know I can only do night shift as long as I don't flip my cascadian rhythm over lol. Curious if anyone has worked in AU or even lived there or vacationed there.

You want at least 3 years for most companies. Two isn't going to get you into most hospitals. My advice is stay staff, really hone your skills because some hospitals aren't easy to work in and you need the experience before you plunge in. When you do go to different hospitals pick the big medical centers so you get even more experience. You still need to learn more and you can. Most hospitals want you to have background and then they'll hire you as a traveler. You want to then make friends fast and ask questions. Beofre you work with equipment and meds you don't know, you ask before implementing these.

May I make a suggestion? You're smart to take the assignment but then you want to rake it in so you also sign up with a local agency and add a couple of shifts here and there and you'll have the green you're looking for. Just make sure that you work with a calendat and pace yourself. Any State can be a green one this way. You need an agency that might work in multiple States so you don't have to keep signing up and taking tests, etc.

My first assignemnt was with American Mobile. My goodness, they were so good to me and when I extended, I had unexpected bonuses added. I was very happy with them and always recommend them. If you work with them, you will be busy. If you also register with Cross Country travel Nurses, between the two you could virtually get into any area, any hospital without any stress. They are not the highest paying but as for work, you will have to push work away like crazy. Travel nursing is a very good way to work and make money to put away for your future. If you have the freedom to do this, do it because this is such a wonderful way to get away from hospital politics and just focus on your patients and give good care. I just want to say one more thing... you decide when you want to take off. If you love your Holidays free, do so. You don't have to be stuck with requesting time off and you know this includes going on vacation. I have seen Nurses actually cry when I was on staff because they paid for tickets for a cruise that were non-refundable and couldn't get the time off. I still swallow hard everytime I think of this one Nurse who was still newly married and hadn't taken a honeymoon yet. I was devastated for her and tried to convince the Nurse Manager to allow it. She told me we'd be too short staffed. I was surprised that this gal didn't quit. Instead, she cried and took the loss.

I've worked for American Mobile and always had a very good travel experience with them. I wouldn't hesitate to work for them again.

I think they are one of the best agencies around. I have worked for them for years and they always have good rates plus car. I have shipped my car on some asssignments and I have used them as well. I think they're a great agency to work for.

When I went to Calif. back in 2004 for the first time, I shipped my car and I was very happy that I did that because I stayed in Cali for 9 months. It was a very enjoyable contract and I think in retrospect that I should have stayed the full year but I was mistaken as to how long I could be out of State before I would lose residency. Anyways, ship your car and write off the cost. You will end up with a better contract and a better way of managing everything. The cool part is that you can ship your car and fly in. For the time it takes you to receive your car just renta car. Send your car out ahead by a few days. This will make it easier. I used a car shipping service that worked out great and they called me in the middle to check in with me which I thought was wonderful. I live in South Fl. so I hear ya about an impossiblility to drive all that way. One thing to do is to get a copy of the driver's law at the DMV because their laws are different and you need to know about ramps on and off the freeway, what a red line means on the street/sidewalk, etc. You don't want to be ticketed out there.

I think you don't know too much about staff salaries in Florida. You are being paid what an Open Heart Nurse gets in a specialized Unit. You won't get above $30/hr. staff in those areas you are able to work in. For me, I work sttaight local agency and I do contracts when I can. I have a sick Mom and cannot budge out of area. If I could, I would be home in Florida about 13 weeks or so a year. My house and car is paid for but the best way to work is to have your own insurance and go for the money. My advice is work part time for bennies and then do either local agency or per diem in another hospital to get your salry where you need it to be. If I could I'd be back in Calif. working travel and local agency. I have no choice right now but I'm telling you that I could do quite well with that and some ot with my main job. Right now I have no choice but to give shifts.

It may not be what you want to hear but I think this is a good idea to get rid of dangerous Nurses and as far as price fixing, they know that many Nurses won't work for low wages so they'll have to rethink out what is fair and affordable. They know Nurses will go over State lines if needed. We are our own entrepreneurs and by low balling wages, there would be no staffing.

I'd definitely pick my season. Summer is a good 120 degrees for days. Winter gets cold so plan on Spring or Fall for temp/climate. Shop this carefully. Also, you may want to find your own housing and take the stipend instead.

I think you're Intinerant and you have no tax base. You can go that route or be looking to get a cheapo apt. somewhere. My pick would be Panama City, FL. because I know that rent is cheap and the area is beautiful and low priced. Many apts. there go for some really good rents and you will always have a home which will help at tax time.

We have a single Mother who is a traveler in our ICU as we speak. She is doing great. You have an advantage of a husband being there. Just treat it all like you're home. If you need child care, do a search and check things out. My sis used to do assignments when her kids were 11 and 12 y/o. They did wonderfully well and enjoyed themselves as a family with houserules. They also enjoyed going to school in other areas of the Country and were the kids making the A's and B's in class. It's all how you plan your Plan.

I have a friend who lives in TX. He's a night shift ICU Nurse and does as many stikes as possible and fills in with travel and some local agency during the Holidays. He makes over 6 figs and is doing quite well. He says he could care less about any of the red tape because he claims these are the hospitals that HAVE to go on strike and he does feel that he is supporting the Nurses who walked off of the job. I am quite leery of agency nursing like that but still curious about it. US Nursing calls me all the time to work them but I always say NO because I'm not sure about personal safety.

I did exactly that when I was a LPN many years ago. I was a LPN about 3 years or so first then went back for my RN. Total of 28 yrs. doing Nursing. I have been working travel contracts and you know, local agency is a better option for me right now. The pay is better and being off of contract, I am enjoying my work life better so I say try it. If you get cancelled a lot, you can ask for contracts and at least work for higher pay than staff.

I work travel part of the year. Almost every Nurse I work with is married with older kids. They call in the am on break. Many take shorter assignments so they may be away 8 instead of 13 weeks but not always. Some do 13 weeks, take a month off and do it again. They take off December and go back out the 2nd or 3rd week of Jan. They also make good money and are happier workers because every time they turn around, they're off a month.

First off, every agency offers something different. I'm divorced and would take my Mom with me who I wouldn't leave alone. It's a piece of cake once you know what you want and need. For me, I want to fly in and out. I don't want to drive a long distance. Just arrive there with my suitcases, pick up my rental car provided to me by the agency and drive to my apt. or extended stay that has everything in it that I need. My last assignment ended Oct. 1st and I was in Calif. My place had everything in it and all I needed to do was to go shopping for groceries or eat out, my call. I was also shuttled to work. That was a rare instance but it was a nice thing additional.

Are you on night shift and do they still do the rotating shifts?