martjohn

I had the same difficulty when I first started; having known nothing but computer charting throughout school and my first job, my first travel assignment was nothing but PAPER CHARTING!! ARGH!! How I got through it was targeting the areas that gave me the most difficulty and trying to conquer those and make small connections as to how I used to do them. Take a deep breath and focus your energy on learning rather than stressing! Also, when I get to my first day on the floor with a preceptor, I take a moment to do a little charting to-do list specific to that floor. Keep it up! It gets way easier! The more you do it, you'll notice you adapt to new systems quicker. Just make sure to keep your mind open and ready to learn your new surroundings! Best of luck!

The company that I've been with since I've started travelling will provide housing and pay for all housing expenses (rent and all utilities) except for a pet deposit (usually about $250-$500, depending on location). I've always chosen to take the stipend, but I've met other nurses in my company that take the housing and they end up with varied arrangements. Long story short, it varies depending on your situation and location. A few examples all from the same company - 2 nurses traveling together in Austin, TX got a nice furnished 2 br apartment in a gated community, but it was a 20 minute drive through the most congested traffic in the city. Another - single traveler with a dog in Tucson, AZ ended up in a 2 bedroom, furnished, gated community again, 25 minute drive from hospital. I almost took housing for a last-minute 5 week assignment in Austin too, but heard it was an extended stay hotel and decided to opt out. I always find my own housing, because of what I think are great benefits: 1. You usually end up being able to pocket most of the stipend. I find short term housing options on Craigslist (and vet very thoroughly before making any definite plans or send any money) and they end up being much cheaper than any furnished corporate housing that is readily available in most cities. During these tough times, a lot of great folks are opening up rooms in their homes for some extra money to help with the mortgage. Look at the climbing popularity of sites like airbnb.com. 2. Making local friends quickly/getting to know the area better, quicker. What better way to get to know the area better than knowing someone who's a native? I've found the "places to be" much easier by way of the awesome people I've lived with. Plus, it's nice to be able to come home to other people after a long or difficult day. I may have just been super lucky 3 times in a row, but I feel like it has alot to do with my high standards and how hard I work at asking tons of questions from the potential roommates. People that are worth living with will be more than happy to answer all the questions you may have and provide plenty of references, photos, etc.

When you first start out, having to fill out all the forms and get all of the tests completed CAN be very frustrating. A few tips to anyone who hasn't gone through all the trouble just yet: 1. Make a call to you current (or previous) employer's Occupational Health office; chances are that you had to go through all the immunization titres and shots before you were employed... this'll save you from more blood draws and shots than needed. 2. Before you sign a contract for another assignment, ask them to cover any medical expenses needed as pre-requisites. I was able to do this when I explained my frustration of having to pay for a second MMR shot in the past few years and saying that a "friend" of mine in another company had hers covered. (They may at first not want to pay for it, but will typically be willing to pay $50 for an immunization if it means to keep you happy and have another reason to stick with their company) 3. KEEP ALL PAPERWORK FOR ANY OF THESE TESTS THAT ARE EVER DONE. I typically keep a folder full of paperwork from each assignment that I do and just stick any flu shot, N95 fit-test, TB test, etc. paperwork in there so that it's somewhere if I may need it in the future. 4. Stick with it. It may seem super stressful at the time, but every time you get something done, just think of one less thing to worry about. It might be a few extra expenses at the beginning, but you will be glad you stuck with it once you get to experience all the adventures the road has to offer!!!

Craigslist is where I've always looked for housing... I've been using it for several years, though and have gotten pretty good at weeding through the good, the bad and the ugly!!! I love finding my own housing through either roomshares or sublets. You tend to end up with spare cash in your pocket at the end of the month and I usually end up with a roommate that has lived in the area I'm visiting for a while.

I was in your situation when I first started! Was living in OH when I set out to start travelling but decided to move back to TN, where my mom lives (and now where I call "home"), and get my license there, as it is a compact state. You might already know this, but a license in a compact state does not truly become a compact license unless you are a resident there (aka, have a driver's license, car titled there, paying rent or a mortgage). So make sure you get that all squared away and clarify with your WI board of nursing that you will be able to use your license in another compact state BEFORE you leave town. (I found this out just days before I had to leave town for an assignmet in TX... HUUUGE HEADACHE!!)So with that squared away, you're good for 23 (i think) different states! Whew! As for non-compact states, I suggest you sit down and make a list of a top-3 or 5 places you'd like to go to. Next, whatever states on there that aren't compact, go ahead and apply for those licenses now! Save yourself the stress of having to wait for those licenses when you may need them. Some states charge extra for having to send you a temp license, so you could be saving some moo-lah in the process. Good luck with your travels!!!

I'm currently at a position in Tucson, AZ, the floor I work on is stressful, but the staff is so much fun to work with!!! The pay is excellent, especially for how cheap living expenses are here. The wage I make here are close and sometimes more than Cali wages and like I said, cost of living is muuuch lower here. Plus, I find if you find your own housing, you end up being able to pocket around half of your stipend (aaand it goes straight to my student loans)! Good luck with your travels!

I don't have any experience with supplemental, so have no feedback there, sorry! I can say that I haven't been met with an unfriendly staff at either of the jobs that I've taken so far. Maybe I've been lucky, but I think that as long as you go into the job with an open mind, good attitude, and be willing to work on their "turf", you're usually welcomed as much needed help. Very excited for you! Where is your first assignment?

Austin is wonderful! I spent 5 weeks there as my first assignment and I really enjoyed it. Living expenses will be much cheaper than you find in LA, the people are very friendly and there is so much to see and do around town! I managed to make friends with a neighbor who was very active and had a dog, so we got out to dog parks to go hiking several times a week. Lots of water sports down on their river; no motorboats are allowed on it, which leaves more space for the canoes and kayaks! The nightlife, restaurants and venues are unending, there's definitely something there for everyone. The job that I had was pretty high paced, but I found people were very willing to help me out. I've used computer charting ever since I've been out of school and most places in the Austin area still use all paper; this was alot to get used to, but totally doable. Still, this was a small blip in my whole experience in Austin... so much more to enjoy outside of the doors of work. I HIGHLY suggest you go to austin... It sounds like you're kind of not wanting to go to NY anyway. I say go for it! If you decide to commit, let me know what you're into and maybe I can suggest some places to go and things to do. Good luck!

At the hospital system I work in, nurses wear all white. Despite being a magnet for the display of any spills, I like our dress code. I think it looks very professional and there are still plenty of ways to add your own style to what you're wearing despite the color limitations. Since we are such a huge system, many uniform shops in the area have a large white department and even have frequent sales on their white inventory. Many times I've had patients tell me that they appreciate the color code system, (RT navy blue, Lab red, Nursing assistants hunter green) that way they can concentrate on knowing our names and not our role on top of it. I've never had another job where I could wear whatever I wanted, but I'm pretty glad that I don't. I feel it'd would be embarrassing if a colleague who I'd be compared to professionally were wearing a scooby-doo or cartoon print. For a profession that is still struggling to gain more respect in the public's eye, I don't need Mickey Mouse or kittens playing with butterflies on my co-workers scrub top to battle with. I can see how this could be a pain if your whole work wardrobe would be unusable in the future. Still, color is color, and does wearing any particular one truly satisfy your need to display your individuality in the workplace?

I'm a new grad from the U of Iowa that was just offered a job at the Clinic on the Heart/Lung Transplant Unit. I'm super excited to get started in the next month, but the idea of moving to a city that I've never been too is kind of freaking me out!!! What are the best areas to live in for a young adult/new grad? Most importantly, I'd like to live in a safer area with the shortest commute possible! I've been riding my bike almost everywhere for the past 5 years, is this possible around Cleveland? I would like to live relatively close to the Clinic and have been looking mostly at downtown, Cleveland Heights, and Shaker Heights. Let me know if I'm headed in the right direction!!