soulfiremini

I'm just starting out travel nursing (hopefully first assignment in September) and I'm a bit nervous. Did anyone else feel this way at the beginning or is it just me? I get nervous at the start of every contract, and I've been doing this since 2000! It's natural, but you'll get "used" to it. How does scheduling work when you travel? Are you able to basically sign up for what you want or what the unit has available? Scheduling works differently with every place you go. If you have specific time off you want (ex a vacation or an extended weekend) make sure you have that written into your contract. You can also discuss with the people who do the schedule as to what you are working, or like/dislike in scheduling, but it's never gaurenteed that you will get what you want, just like everyone else. (at the contract I'm in now, I really have no choice in what I'm working, but they have been very nice with me requesting days off. And I also had written into my contract 2 weeks off so I could have my vacation time..but you don't get paid...and my contract is really 15 weeks, instead of 13..) How much traveling around and sight seeing are you able to do? Are you able to arrange your schedule so that you have time off to visit the locations you travel to? If you work 12 hour shifts, you have 4 days a week off.. so you most definitely can sight see. have fun! You have the right to request off!! While looking around on craiglist and such at housing, can someone give me a ballpark of how much of a housing stipend you get a month? So I can decide if I would like to get my own or go with the companys. It totally depends on the area you are in. At one contract, I stayed in an extended stay since I didn't want to take the housing offered. Now I have an apartment they've put me up in on this contract. And on the next, I hope to either have a roommate, or stay with a friend. So that all depends.. It's really tough to get a 3 month lease at some places. And the housing money depends on the area you are working in. For example, my stipend in Dallas was only 1300/mo, where here in Annapolis it's 1900/mo. You have to ask your recruiter. The company I'm going with has health care coverage up to 2 weeks after your assignment finishes. I would like more flexibility so I'm going to get my own health insurance. Is this a common thing for travelers to do? I've never had my own insurance since the company usually pays for such a large chunk of the cost. That saying, most travel companies don't have the greatest coverage. Again, ask your company just how much you will have in your check if you don't get insurance through them, compared to how much you will pay for it yourself. Also, how much time are you taking off between contracts? That's awesome if you can afford not to work! Good luck!

I was there back in 2003, summer time. It was a great place to work. And a beautiful area to live. Have a blast!

Hey, I've been a travel nurse since 2000. It's a position that's tough, no doubt. The reason why... you have a very minium amount of orientation and are completely expected to know you know what... That being said, if you are the type of person who lets people walk on you, you will find that you get poor assignments. This is a very powerful position in a sense.. meaning that the hospital and their staff have a need, that you fill. So take that with the knowledge that you aren't there for your pleasure (ok, so maybe you are traveling to the place for your pleasure, but you're still there to work) If you come on the unit with an open, ask questions when you need something, friendly attitude, you will be treated just as everyone else. Now that's not saying that you will not encounter "bad eggs" as there's one with every bunch. But you just need to speak up and use your resources. For example, I am an OB nurse, and on one assignment I was pulled to high risk antepartum. They wanted to give me 4 patients who were all on Mag Sulfate... (each of those are 1:1) I spoke up, discussed with the charge nurse, and when she was flipant, I went up the chain of command. You have to protect your license first and foremost. Needless to say, my assignment was changed. You can't let people treat you that way, no matter what your position. Traveling is a wonderful experience. Now I did it as well when I was married, but I just made sure I was far enough away from my home to be considered travel. Most companies you need to be 50 miles. Some, like the one I am with now, is only 35. So it works for me to be 42 miles away.. taking the stipend, and living at home. But that doesn't always work. My best advice is to have 1.5-2 years of experience in your field. This gets you the basis of nursing care. Be prepared for heavy patient loads, but tell me what med-surg nurse doesn't get heavy patient loads? Good luck, and have fun!