MotivatedOne

I suggest asking your recruiter before submitting you for an assignment if it requires PBDS testing. Try to avoid those assignments in the future as well as any other assignments that have a test that if failed your contract is at risk of being terminated.

Are you chemo certified? Some, not all oncology travel assignments require chemo certification. Like Swellz suggested, try applying for med/surg/tele positions as well. Most hospitals require at least 2 years of experience and some even want you to have a few travel assignments under your belt. Travel agencies will recruit you with only 1 year of experience but you will definitely have some difficulty securing your first contract because of the hospitals requirements. Be patient, and maybe in the meantime apply for licensure in other states to expand your search area. If you’re looking for something close maybe try a bordering state.

I found an apartment! I've been here since last Friday. I feel like nothing is close. Everything is at least 10 miles away, but I'm in NW Austin. Looking forward to starting next week. Not really feelling my work schedule for March though...I was thinking of going out downtown this weekend. If anyone's interested in joining me, let me know :)

There are a few of us heading to Austin in the next couple of weeks. Im from NC so I didn't have to worry about getting a Texas license since it's a compact state. What part of Texas are you interested in traveling to?

Hi all...EagerOne, I'm actually considering coming to Austin a little earlier prior to the start of my assignment. I'll be working nights so I'd definitely be interested in hanging out. Everyone else, especially those having difficulty finding their own housing... I was considering getting a 2BR apartment. Looking for someone to split the costs. More than likely I'd have to sign a 3 month lease. If you're interested, feel free to contact me here. Thanks!

I was wondering how do you tell your current agency you're taking an assignment with a different agency and stay in good standing with that current agency? My recruiter has been looking for a job for me but she's only been able to find positions in areas I have no desire to visit. So I used a different larger agency to find a job in an area I'm definitely interested in working. I've heard people say they've used multiple agencies and go with the one that offers a better deal but does that mean they shut the others out completely? How exactly does that work?

Try highwayhypodermics dot com. They rank each travel agency based on specific criteria. You can also read reviews of certain agencies from other travel nurses.

Parallon is one of the top staffing agencies here in Denver, and I know they're in Texas as well. I work with them through a subcontract with my travel agency. Will you be working at multiple hospitals in the area or just one?

I haven't officially accepted the offer but I more than likely will. It's an 8 week assignment from March 3rd til April 27th. This will be my second assignment. I've been in Denver, CO for the past 5 months.

Bliss911, I started traveling after a year of experience. Many told me to wait and at times I wish I had not necessarily because I still have some learning to do but because most hospitals want travel nurses with at least 2 years of experience. So it's been fairly difficult for me to find an assignment in an area I'd like to visit. So I would suggest waiting until you got at least 2 years of experience. Also, highwayhypodermics is a great resource for information about traveling and the different agencies out there! It was my go to website when trying to decide which agency to apply to. Best of luck in all of your future endeavors!

I'm not sure if 30 is considered young but I'd like to think so. I'm currently finishing up my 1st assignment in Denver, CO. Coming out here from NC was truly an eye opening experience. I work nights and at my old hospital just about every night shift nurse was a minority, mostly AA and a few Filipino nurses. I come here and at times I'm the only AA staff member on the unit. Denver is a beautiful city with lots to do. You can try using meetup dot com to find groups of people with similar interests to hang out with. I'm leaving mid February for an assignment in Austin, TX that's set to start on the 3rd. I was wondering if anyone else was heading out that way. If so, perhaps we can meet up and hang out.

I'm currently finishing up my first assignment in Denver, CO. I tried looking for housing on CL but I'm not a roommate type of person so I had no luck considering most posts were for rooms for rent. I stayed in an ESA for about 2 months before moving out. I love to bake but couldn't because there was no oven. If you can find a Towneplace Suites for equal or slightly more than ESA, I'd opt to stay there instead. The rooms are updated and they have a small stove and oven. Also, see if they offer a discount to employees of whichever facility you'll be working at. I was able to get my room for $60/night. You have to pay tax on the room for the first 30 days but after 30 days you're no longer considered a "guest" but a "resident" so your taxes are refunded/credited back to you. The pet fee was $100 or $25/night for the first four nights. When looking at apartments, they wanted me to pay anywhere from $350-$500 for the pet fee/deposit for 3 months! That's a bit ridiculous. Best of luck finding a place and congratulations on landing your first assignment!

Hi, I'm currently coming up on a year of experience on a Med/Surg unit. I'd like to transition to eventually become a PACU nurse. I was told out of nursing school that I should first get Med/Surg experience which I've done. I now think it's time I try something I've been interested in for quite some time now. Most PACU positions I've come across require some critical care experience. I was wondering, is there a specific ICU specialty that would better prepare me for the PACU or is ICU experience considered ICU experience? Thanks!

High Point is a dead end town. I can't get out of here soon enough. There is absolutely nothing to do here besides shop for furniture. It is however convenient to both WS and Greensboro. Is there any other reason you wouldn't want to stay in either Greensboro or WS besides wanting to be in the middle of both?

I think it's great advice to experience different hospitals on a per diem basis. I try to sign up for open opportunities on different types of units to gain more exposure but it would be nice to experience how things are done at a different facility. I have worked on a unit that still does paper charting. Also, my current hospital just switched from Carecast/Lastword to Epic documenting system so I've been exposed to both. I'm just so eager to travel and try something different, more challenging. They say the grass isn't always greener on the other side...you're right, I may end up somewhere completely lost and overwhelmed! I guess I should be more patient, apply at different facilities for either a per diem or PRN position and expose myself to a different way of things altogether. Again, thanks for you advice and I apologize for being defensive!