cardiacbeeatch

I have had great success with Craigslist. My first place was un-freakin-believable in San Jose, CA. It was a room for about $300 a month with a Korean family in one of the wealthiest areas of San Jose (Bel Air Estates). I had a partially furnished room, the use of the common areas of the home, plus use of the W/D, kitchen and internet. Utilities included. It was a fantabulous experience! The place I am right now, I found through Craigslist. It is good size bedroom in a home with the owner and one other roommate (they have their own bedrooms). The roommate and I share a double sink bathroom. All utilities are included, as well as internet access. Use of common areas, W/D and kitchen. I pay $400 a month. I do my homework and research. You can google a street address and get a look at a home and the surroundings. Also, you can use google maps to compute the commuting distance to work, find shops and groceries in the area. Read an area's local paper online to find out crime reports or 'happenings' in your chosen area. Always have a backup plan, an extended stay in an area just in case. As well, if you do not find a place, the employee bulletin board or colleagues should be good resources. Apartment listings on Craigslist at times offer short term leases, to keep a place from being vacant too long. I had success that way also ... a beautiful 3-bedroom, unfurnished OCEANSIDE apartment in Santa Barbara, CA. When I state partially furnished, sometimes there was no bed. So what! Go buy an inflatable air mattress that you can pack and go. I purchased a lamp at Target. I have even made a comfortable pallet on a carpeted floor ... be adventurous. It is short time and cost efficient. Pocket the significant savings ... or head to Nordstroms, like I did. :)

"Wow your experience on the Marshall Islands sound amazing! :) Do you mind sharing some good agencies to work for?" Really, I do not know of any 'good' agencies to work for. They do their job which is trying to get you, the nurse to work for the least amount so that you do not eat up their profit/bill rate. They dangle bells and whistles in front of you (tax advantage, 'free housing,' etc). But it comes down to what you need at the time, how much are they willing to negotiate and whether your recruiter (and the company) is ethical. My recruiter for the Marshall Islands was ... great. She really worked to find me a position (in the middle of the Pacific Ocean LOL). But, she went to bat for me. Then, she quit, the company. Realize, this is business. Most recruiters work on commission and they have a quota. Really, really have your game together so that they want you ... they really want you. Better yet, so that they NEED YOU! I work as an independent contractor. Which means, I do all my taxes, find my housing, am self-employed and negotiate my contracts ... with an agent. It is a lot of work, but mostly worth it. I partnered with Mel Johnson at RVisions. He was my agent/partner in setting up and negotiating my contracts,with my specifications and input. Sometimes I deal directly with the client/facility. This is not for newbies. You have to have a strong background in your specialty, an unquestionable reputation as an expert in your specialty, as well as be an experienced traveller. I have all three and then some. A fellow traveler in Casper, Wyoming told me of Healthcareseekers.com. They got her an assignment in Northern Cali, Mary Splithe is the contact there. Part and parcel of the process of travelling is finding a company that resonates with you. What works for me at any given time may not work for you. Know what you want, what is your bottom figure and is it going to move you forward in your career? Maybe the money sucks at one assignment, but you will be working in a high acuity setting (gaining massive experience in a short period of time). If the place has a name and reputation, that goes in your resume. Do not forget to get a letter of recommendation from the head nurse, or charge nurse or a fellow colleague. Good Luck!

Find an agency that does government/military contracts. At that time Intelistaf was my agency and the subcontractor for that government assignment. I would google some agencies that do government contracts. OR, ask among other travelers who have worked abroad. Good Luck!

Yes! I am Black and ... young at heart ... sorta. I am an open heart surgical travel nurse with lots of experience. I enjoy the flexibility and freedom of travel nursing. It feels great to leave an assignment and the politics of a facility. I have been traveling since 2008. The absolute bestest assignment I EVER HAD was my first one. I worked for the DOD (Department of Defense) on a 13 week contract on the island of Kwajalein (yeah, I said the same thing ... where's that? Thanks google) in the Marshall Islands. It was f'n beautiful! A true tropical paradise. They had one OR (which I never got to work in). I did learn to work their ER, Med-Surg , Diabetes Clinic, and do Well checks. In other words, I learned a great many things ... including the sad history of the Marshallese people and their displacement from their native islands in part due to nuclear testing (Bikini Atoll). AND,I learned to swim in the Pacific Ocean that was constantly 85 degrees, and snorkel and make friends. I cried on the plane leaving that island. Yes, it was all that! Good Luck to you. Maybe I will see you in the mix. BTW, I work with more than one agency. I would advise staying away from HealthOne Staffing and Miles M. the recruiter. If you do, READ YOUR CONTRACT very, very carefully. They have a punitive clause whereby you have to pay them if you do not fulfill your minimum hours (facility calls you off, etc). I got caught not realizing the pay week started on a FRIDAY -- THURSDAY instead of the normal Saturday or Sunday -- to Saturday or Sunday. Right out of the gate I owed THEM money. Mr. M. could have warned me of that (and I should have noted it in my contract) but I argued with him for hours about that punitive clause (BEFORE signing) and he never mentioned my initial bend-over was coming with my first check. A bit unethical I would say. Live and learn!

What manner of propaganda is this?

Thank you for your response. First, my contract does stipulate that I get paid my guaranteed 40 hours per week as long as I notify Trustaff if my hours at with the client facility will be less than 40. I did that according to their policy and protocol. The charge nurse signed off on both days knowing that I was guaranteed my hours. I did not falsify my hours. I did not mark my timesheet as hours worked but as hours due. I also sent numerous emails to Trustaff to immediately alert them of the low hours (per policy) of the hours due me. (I know you did not mention this, but just to clear the air for other readers). Again, I explained the time lack on the timesheet, I faxed on Saturday. I am paid weekly. I would not be able to make up the hours guaranteed. Also, that was my last week of work. My contract with Trustaff specifically guarantees me 40 hours per week, as long as I immediately notifiy them of low hours ... declared by the facility ( meaning not sick time on my part, absence, etc). I took the matter to a contract/employment attorney who concurred with me that payment was due me and acted in my behalf to obtain the hours. Thanks for the hook-up! Happy New Year!

I am a RN traveller with Trustaff. Recently, I completed a contract at a client facility in Columbus, Ohio. Trustaff according to my contract guarantees me 40 hours per week. Within my contract it is also stated that if the facility/OR is closed during the holidays the guarantee may not be honored. My situation: during Thanksgiving week, I was scheduled to work the Friday after Thanksgiving as part of my 40 hours. Friday was a regular work day for the OR. On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, the OR manager closed the OR for Friday because of lack of cases. That Friday was my scheduled work day. I have been going back and forth with the agency trying to get paid for that Friday. I informed Trustaff as per their policy and protocol, about any and all hours that were not 40 to ensure that I would get my guaranteed hours. Anyone have a situation like this? Trustaff is turning out to be a major disappointment. Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions. Happy Holidays All!

Thank you for making reasoned and thoughtful arguments in favor of simply entertaining empowerment in the form of unionization, balanced with management. Unfortunately, many nurses fail to clearly see their true position/role within the administrative hierarchy in many (not all) hospitals: manipulated cheap labor, that are treated as disposable ("We can find someone else to do your job.") Many hospitals, particularly in these economic times (and in the last five or so years) have adapted a business model of modus operandi. That model does not bode well for safe patient care and delivery, nor effective and safe nurse practice. A union, particularly the NNOC which is now the National Nurses United has always had the agency and agenda of advocating for patients rights, patient safety, universal health care for all, and empowering the profession of nursing and nurses. How this nurses union and their collective efforts can be equated to 'evil' is beyond logic. Unionizing nurses is an arduous and at times thankless task. Many nurses are afraid. Some nurses fear retaliation (getting fired) within their respective institutions for just seeking information about unions or attending a meeting! Does that sound like an administration/management that is for open discussions about nurse pay, patient ratios, patient safety or nurse empowerment from you or your nurse manager? Many nurses tend to think that they will be standing alone against an overwhelmingly strong and powerful adminstration or management hierarchy. Presently, they are. That is one of the reasons for apathy within nursing and feeling that nothing will change. With unionization, there is power in numbers. No one stands alone. I do not wish to polarize, yet it appears the argument and/or argumentor is basing their information on faulty information; or better yet, no information about present day nurse unionization efforts and practice. I encourage all nurses to lend their voices to this collective empowering effort. You can articulate the direction and vision of a powerful nurses union ... only if you participate. If not, the practice of nursing will never reach it's full potential. If not for you, do it for the nurses that come after you. And yes, I am proudly a NNOC/NNU member. Adrienne Zurub, RN, CNOR http://adriennezurub.typepad.com