kalbo3

Hey there TravelguyFL, So are you back in Cali yet or just starting to appreciate the hot humid summer days in the south. I have heard about a lot of high paying assignments in Cali. Who you working for now and do you like them? Hope all is well. Happy Travels, Jason

I think it is unappropriate in the work place. We are all supposed to be professionals and work is not the time or place to be talking like that. Just my opinion.

I would love to make six figures. Please let me know if you get more information about this company. Thanks in advance. Jason

Wow Wolf, You have really experienced a lot. I am mostly interested in you summer as a medic smoke jumper. I have often thought of doing that since I am a professional skydiver, EMT, ER RN and was a full time firefighter for 3 years. How does one obtain a job such as that. It sounds perfect for me though I don't think that my new wife would agree with me. Thanks in advance. Happy travels, Jason

I have found that most of the facilities in Northern California do pay much better than do facilities in Southern California. I'm not sure if it is the travel company or the facility that determines the hourly rate though. As a traveler in Northern California I have always been welcomed and treated fair by the regular staff. I only have experience working in large hospitals so I don't know if this is true for smaller hospitals as well. Would love to hear from a traveler that has worked in a small hospital in California to find out about their experience. Thanks in advance. Happy travels, Jason

A good start now for you would be to at least get your Basic EMT license and do some volunteer work whether it is for an EMS company or a local fire department. I was a firefighter, EMT and CPR instructor before I entered nursing school. I also volunteered in the ER at a level I trauma center that coincidently had an air ambulance. It was a big motivating factor for me being around these types of people and is probably what pushed me into this field of work. I love what I do and would think of doing nothing else. Good luck. Jason

I enjoy working in the ED when not flying. It makes the time go by much faster and also keeps me close to the staff in the department. They know that I don't have to be there helping them but they sure do appreciate any help that I do give them.

I would also look into another job. Who is going to be the first one in your department to kill a patient or lose their license because of fatigue or stress? You must take care of yourself before you can take care of others. Food for thought.

It all comes down to the mighty dollar. Sometimes money can out way ethics and morals.

Follow thru with what you say you are going to do and return calls in a timely manner. Nothing more than I hate is not having my calls returned or when I do and by then it's too late. Having your recruiter there for you when you need them is of the utmost importance.

Wow. I have experienced just the opposite with California. Where did you hear all this?

My favorite thus far is UCSF. Very travel friendly and a great environment to work in. Would definetly consider working another assignment there.

Go ahead and be "Greedy" Kate. You have the right. I do agree that you should really shop around with some other companies to make sure that you are getting all you can out of your assignment. Don't feel like you owe any travel company your loyalty. This is business and not friendship so treat it appropriatly and don't intermingle the two. Why you are choosing Manhattan I do not know, maybe for the crappy weather cause there are about 100 other places I would choose to go for my first assignment. If you want to be close to Washington DC please let me know because I know of a company that has many Med/Surg assignments available in Maryland. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Happy travels, Jason

You will need at LEAST 1 YEAR experience working in the same specialty in an acute care setting. Some travel companies even require that you have 2 years experience working in your desired specialty. Get a good feel for what it's like to work in an acute care setting before taking on travel. When you start to work travel assignments you should really be able to adapt to many environments with little to no problem. In regards to you getting licenses in other states the agency that you choose to go with will usually give you alot of help obtaining one for the area that you end up going. If they do not I would strongly suggest shopping around other companies to find one that matches your needs. Good advice, BE VERY PICKY and MAKE THEM WORK FOR YOU. Trust me, they need you more than you need them. They just won't admit that to you. Good luck with your studies.

"F" him. I had a run-in with an intern working in the ED at a very large and respected teaching facility. I was assisting this intern with a periotineal lavage on a very sick pt that was dying of AIDS. The pt was in obvious pain and was complaining that he could not tolerate the proceedure. The intern began to scream at this man like he was some kind of third-rate human that didn't deserve anything but what he got. I politely asked the Doc to ease up a little and then he began to berate me. Screeeeeeech (the sound of slamming on the brakes). I politely asked the intern to come with me to the supply room so I could have a word with him in private. When we arrived in the supply room I blew into him like he was the anti-christ. I told him "who in the h#ll do you think you are to talk to another human being that way, especially a pt." I stated if he chose to continue that behavior with me I would happily meet him in the parking lot after our shift and I would gladdly teach him some manners. Of course that statement completly changed his attitude and we continued to carry out the procedure. Every 5 minutes he was asking the pt if he was OK and to just stop him if he was uncomfortable at all. After the procedure was completed I was cleaning and dressing the incision and the pt asked me what I had said to the Doc to make him change his attitude so drastically. I simply stated that his behavior was a silly way to ask for an Ass Kicking. We both laughed. Do these doc's take a course on "How to be an A**hole" while in med school. Makes me laugh.