NurseKylie

We definitely should! I'm planning on staying the couple days after, as are some people I know that went last year. I had never been to Vegas until last year at the conference. It was so much fun, but I think this year is going to be even better. They are using a different format at the conference and the couple running it (the same that run healthcaretravelbook.com) are so awesome. I'm with ya on enjoying life RNWhit07!! I'm 26, starting traveling a year ago and am loving every minute of it :)

Traveler's Conference | Conference for Healthcare Nurses & Allied Professionals

Well...I'm from the south...mainly Texas & Florida. I'm on an assignment in Baltimore, MD right now until mid-July and trying to get to Boston for the fall. Once I book my next one, I'll get tickets to Vegas :) I should probably go ahead and get a hotel though. I'm planning on staying at the Aria. Where are you from & currently located RNWhit07?

Definitely going :)

Hi there! I'm a pediatric med-surg nurse and have not had any trouble finding a position in the last year of traveling. Now, I do agree with a lot of what Ashley said re: experience. Usually the minimum required to start traveling is 2 years, so you'll want to gain that first. I started with 3 years peds experience (4 as an RN) and my CPN. However, it does depend where you are as far as chemo-certification. Many smaller hospitals do not care for pediatric oncology patients (and even some larger ones) and many larger hospitals have separate oncology floors. I am not chemo-certified, so I don't apply for the positions that require it. I still have never had trouble getting where I want to go. I will say as far as peds jobs go, they are definitely more plentiful in the winter months and there is less variety in the summer, but they are still there. One thing I have noticed is that usually the bigger companies tend to have more selection as far as jobs go. It is more challenging to get variety with a smaller company. Try checking out peds jobs postings on Cross Country Trav Corps or Medstaff to see what's out there (this is usually how I find the biggest selection for peds floor). Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions, I'd be happy to help :)

I'll definitely be there :) I went last year and it was very informative and tons of fun. I'm not sure where I'll be leaving out of yet (pending my fall travel assignment) but I know some of us from last year were planning on staying the weekend after the conference is over to enjoy Vegas! Kylie

hahaha I have the same issue! I've found that scrubs with an elastic waistband really help, like some Cherokees have. I really took a liking to Koi bottoms and the brand Rampage fits me really well.

I went to the traveler's conference in 2011 and it was so much fun! It's a great way to learn about life on the road, taxes, and network with other travelers. This year it is October 18-19 in Las Vegas at the Aria. Should be a blast :) Traveler's Conference | Conference for Healthcare Nurses & Allied Professionals Another great resource: www.healthcaretravelbook.com

I did the same thing last year about this time. I went from Texas to getting my CA license and because I was not in the state of CA, I had to do paper prints, send them in, and then they were sent to the FBI. Hence, the licensing process took a full 6 weeks. :/ It would be so nice if the livescans would go state-to-state!

I agree that 3 years is enough to start traveling since 2 years is usually the minimum requirement. Having 3 vs 4 years starting travel nursing doesn't seem to make a big difference, as long as you have the minimum. However, it does seem that many hospitals want you to have travel experience (kind of like the new grad predicament!) and some states/hospitals seem to be more first time traveler friendly than others. There are quite a few helpful travel nursing books on Amazon.com, Highway Hypodermics is definitely one of them! Also, www.healthcaretravelbook.com is a great resource. The couple that runs the site are amazing and they are planning the next Healthcare Travelers Conference in Vegas in Oct. (see website for details). The conference last year was really helpful and so much fun. I highly recommend it for first time and experienced travelers. Feel free to message me if you have any other questions!

I worked with Flexcare for 2 assignments from Aug 2011-Feb 2012 and the only reason I left was to get an assignment on the East Coast. At the time, they mainly had West Coast assignments (both mine being in CA) but now they have a new accounts manager who is working on getting more contracts out East. I loved them and never had any issues...I got paid accurately and on time every time. My recruiter is AWESOME! She went to bat for me several times...even finding me a contract for a peds position in the Bay Area when there were not advertised. I am anxious to work with them again when I head back West. Hope this helps! Feel free to message me with specific questions :)