chickpea49

I know it's been a while since you posted - I live in Milwaukee and we have 2 travel nurses in an ED at a local hospital who love working with TG (I don't work with them but am hopefully traveling in Jan, so a coworker who also works with them asked).

Since August, I have had Intelistaff (who I really don't want to work for, based on reviews from this and other forums, plus the distinct impression that my recruiter was really not looking out for what I wanted - but I work local agency for MSN and thought it would be easier) and Travelmax trying to find me a position somewhere between Tampa and Sarasota for Jan 09 start and haven't even had an interview. My recruiter from Travelmax said that I shouldn't get an ulcer yet, she just read that Florida was 'tight' right now but that positions would probably open up in November/December. I traveled in 96/97, have been an ED RN since 1995 and have almost every certification possible (I teach most of the ED RN classes - TNCC, PALS, ACLS, etc). So I am very glad to hear that others are having problems! I was starting to get paranoid and think that something on my profile was raising a red flag for a reason that I could not fathom. My plan B is to take anything they've got from a compact state (I paid for the Florida license but am primarily licensed in WI - thank goodness, if Fl falls through I've got other warm-state options!). Best of luck to everyone out there!

If you have internet access, the FL license application is not too complicated. There is an online application to complete, you have to pay $ to Nursys for WI to verify to FL that you are licensed, you have to take a mandatory Medical Errors continuing education course (available for $15 on line), and get fingerprinted (another step on line, then you go to your local police department and send it to FL). It sounds like a lot of hoops but really wasn't that bad. Make sure you save your receipts - either for taxes or if your travel company will reimburse the expense.

I'm also from Wisconsin and will be taking an assignment in that area in January (am really hoping for Bradenton). I have not heard anything bad about either Bradenton hospital - Manatee or Blake (I've been searching the forums and have found 2 good reviews about Manatee - wish I could tell you where I found them). Have you been down there already? I LOVED Sarasota - but know nothing about the hospitals.

I will be taking a travel assignment in January - I'm going to Florida with my 2 dogs to be close to where my parents have been spending the winter. I was a traveler in 1996/1997 and there were so many questions I didn't ask! Of course there were not these wonderful forums back then. Wondering if anyone has taken an assignment in Bradenton, FL - and if you have, how it was. I would be in the ED. Also wondered if anyone has traveled with Intelisaff or TravelMax, and what they thought of those agencies. I am currently working with Medical Staffing Network (who owns Intelistaff) per diem at home - so far I've been enjoying the extra money but have not been very impressed with the office's communication. From the beginning I have felt a bit like a piece of meat that they want to get out there so they can make money off of me. And when I asked about January in Florida I was pretty specific about where I wanted to be - and they send me high-pressure emails (these won't last long - sign up today!!!) with contracts well over an hour away from where need to be. Maxim owns TravelMax, and also has local per diem and national travel assignments. I've talked to a local recruiter and so far have gotten a better feeling from them - didn't know if anyone had any input. Thanks!!

I was in St. Croix. The islands and beaches are beautiful, but the health care is way below US standards (funny, since they are officially part of the US and JCAHO accredited). I was grinding my teeth in my sleep after being there 3 weeks, which I had never done and have never done since. There is also quite a bit of crime on St. Thomas and St. Croix. I was in the emergency department so I saw a lot of it. That said I am glad that I went - I know now to always have travel insurance that covers air ambulance whenever I am off the continental US.