GeminiRN2007

Hi my fellow nurses , I am currently a RN with 5+ years experience in MS/Tele, and working with a travel nurse company on my very FIRST assignment. I'm excited about the new experience and nervous as well. I've wanted to travel for years, and finally going for it, praying all goes well!! I'm just interested in any feedback from any other travel nurses, experienced or on their first assignment as well. The company I'm working with has been very professional and diligent, and my recruiter so far has been a pleasure! I'm from NC and hoping to get a first time assignment in NC as well, just so I can get a feel for things, and in case of any problems, I'm not far from home! I know people's experiences and opinions vary, but any feedback would be appreciated. I know that nursing is nursing wherever you go, and I'm comfortable with my nursing skills. I'm shooting for a good assignment, good pay, and good housing!! I can do anything for 12hrs is my motto!

So I'm a currently a RN with 5+ years experience in MS-telemetry. I work at a large teaching hospital now, and I've been thinking about travel nursing for a long while now. This year I'm hoping to venture out and at least give it a try. I feel comfortable with my nursing skills and knowledge so thats not a problem for me, I'm just nervous and antsy about finding a good company, a good recruitor, and proper pay and housing. I know that some people have had good and bad travel nursing experiences but I want to atleast give it a try and if it doesn't work out I can always come back home and to my current staff job. I'm thinking about Trinity HSG and American Mobile; does anyone know of any first time traveler friendly companies? what kind of pay can I expect? I'm also wondering about transportation and if certain companies reimburse for rental car expenses or provide a rental car? Like if I get a first assisgnment in texas, if I choose to fly instead of drive from NC will certain companies reimburse for travel expenses and a rental car for transport while I'm on assignment? I think for my first time travel experience I will take the company offered housing to make things a little easier for me! what can I expect realistically in regards to take home weekly pay? housing? and the overall travel nursing experience?! any other advice and info will be greatly appreciated! Thanks and happy new year! :)

I know what you mean, because I also feel sad saying that...I went through 4 years of nursing school, blood sweat and tears, and only 4 years into, I feel like I've been doing this 40 years....

Thanks for your reply and I must say that I agree. Sometimes I feel like my personality has also changed and I'm not the person I use to be. Even on my few days off I'm still tired and ill, and often dont really feel like being bothered or doing the fun things that I use to do, not to mention my back hurts half of the time...and yes those student loans dont make things any better!

It has definitely become a mess! Alot of our patients are obese as well and my back is currently paying for it.

If you could do it all over again...would you still have went into nursing??? I'm in my late 20's, only been nursing for a few years and I'm totally burnt out!! I dont know if it's the patient's, the workload and stress of the job, my insane co-workers, or all of the above!!! More often than not, I feel overworked, underpaid, overstressed, and at times treated unfairly as their is a lot of favoritism on my work unit and if your not in the clique of the "can never do anything wrong, holier than thou nurses" they treat you like sh*t (excuse my language). I work 12hr shifts, and usually end up getting off of work about an hour or at least 45 min late, as we have to wait for the last nurse to finish report before we can leave....thats because we're a relatively small unit and there has to be RN's on the floor at all time, which makes sense, but taking 30min to give an end of shift report is ridiculous....with that being said I often get off of work late, and by the time I get home, shower and eat, my alarm is going off the next morning and I'm up doing it all over again! I AM SO TIRED! mentally and physically tired! I often ask myself why I went into nursing, and I answer myself, "because I love nursing and helping others", but not enough to lose my sanity or have a nervous breakdown over. Nursing school prepared me for everything except the "real world of nursing." I've tried applying for other jobs within and outside the hospital, but I never get so much as a call back and I think I may be getting black balled from leaving my current job! Sometimes I wish I would have went into physical or occupational therapy or even respiratory therapy...come in see your patient's and move on to the next one! I know your going to encounter difficulties in any job and that's just life, but I often questions myself...If I could do it all over again, would I honestly have chose nursing knowing what I know now??? All responses welcomed! :)

Personally, I would much rather be at a doctors office. My experience with hospital nursing has included being overworked, underpaid, overstressed, disrespectfully talked to by MD's, and burnt out...but if those things don't bother you, or you've been blessed enough to not experience any of the mentioned above, by all means, go back to hospital nursing and be happy :)

Hi all, thanks for your responses! I already have my bachelors degree in nursing, I obtained that in 2007. I'm wanting to get out of the bedside nursing and more into an administrative role. I chose an associates degree in healthcare management, because I'm currently paying back over $30,000 in student loans, and going back for my MBA would be even more expensive!!! obtaining my associates degree is less expensive, and its only a 2 year program. I ultimately want to become DON of a nursing facility. I dont think NOT having my masters in business would be of any hinderence. I currently live in NC, and have worked at 3 nursing homes in this area as a nursing assistance, before becoming a RN; and the highest degree those DON and ADON had was a BSN, which I already have. Plus the highest degree many RN's have in the hospital that I currently work is their ADN, and they get paid the same thing I do, have the same job title, and their badge says RN just as mine, our degrees are not displayed on our badge...I guess my point is if you can become a RN with a 2-year ADN, then I should be able to find a decent administrative position with an associates degree in healthcare administration.

Thanks for all you guys input, I really appreciate it. I became a nurse because I wanted to help people and I like the hands on aspect of nursing...nonetheless, the "real world" of nursing was a shocker, as it was completely different from what I had experienced in nursing school. One good thing about it is nursing does have many avenues. I'm going back to school now to get my degree in healthcare management, gonna try my hand at the administrative part of it, and give the bedside nursing a rest for a while . But one thing is true, if one patient says "thank you" it makes it all worth it, and thats what keeps me going. I'm very grounded in my faith, and prayer helps me as well.

Hi all, I currently have my 4 year degree in nursing (BSN) and I'm going back to school to get my Associate degree in healthcare management. I chose a community college for my healthcare management degree because the classes were all online plus the tuition and cost of attendance was a lot cheaper than attending another 4 year university. I chose healthcare management because I'm wanting to get out of bedside nursing and more into the administrative part of things. My question is, what do you think my chances are of landing a pretty good administrative position in a hospital with a BSN and associate degree in healthcare management? Do you think it will make any different since I'm not obtaining my bachelors in health management?

I ask myself this question almost everyday lol! Nursing is a people job...you deal with people and their problems, both mental and physical for 12 long hours. Its exhausting!

Hi all, I'm 26 years old, been nursing for only 3 years, and I feel overworked, over stressed, under appreciated, and BURNT OUT! I'm starting to wonder why I went into nursing and wish that I wouldn't have. Is it possible to feel this way after only 3 years of being a nurse??