Dassit82

Hey y’all! CONGRATS on your passes! I did NOT pass the exam. I studied diligently. I used Nursebuilders and, for my exam, was very disappointed in the comparison. I went back over the questions and found that maybe 20 out of the 400 practice questions were even remotely mentioned in the exam. I’m a decent test taker, decent experience, never fail anything, and studied well. I’m going to take it again, but I won’t recommend that Nursebuilders book for anything! I’m going to try the other suggestions y’all mentioned. I’ll let you know how it goes!

The year of General icu experience is still a pedi unit, yes. Looks like I'll be traveling a little more in peds before having to commit somewhere for the adult experience. Thanks for the info y'all!

I always ask the forums here before I start discussing things with my recruiter. I've been traveling as a PICU nurse for a year now. I have 3 years peds icu burns and 1 year general icu with some cvicu experience. I was thinking of making the transition to Adult ICU. Should I take a FTE position somewhere to get experience, thinking with only peds icu would make it impossible to get a travel position in adults? I met a fellow traveler who worked adult CV, no peds experience and was hired onto a peds CV unit, though that was FTE status, not traveler. Any info would be great! Thanks!

I switched from Medical Solution to Cross country on my second assignment. The pay is OUT OF THIS WORLD. My recruiter is cool, too. She's not as personable as my MS recruiter, but that's a tough shoe to fill anyway. You really can't generalize as you relationship with your recruiter is the make or break, for the most part. However, I've heard terrible things non-stop regarding AMN. It's all about trial and error after the research is complete.

Rach85, Ned is right - the relationship you have with your recruiter is essential. There's ton out there, so shop around. I have two wonderful agencies/recruiters that I've done contracts with. I did a lot of research and the No. 1 priority in travel nursing is to have an agent you feel comfortable with, listens to you, offers advice, etc. It's like love - when you find a good recruiter, you just know! Don't be discouraged. My first agent gave me a pep talk that persuaded me to dive into my first contract and I'll never regret it! There will be bad contracts, it comes with the territory, but the good ones make this experience worth it all. If you need some leads, send me a PM. Good luck!!

Craigslist helped me find a fellow travel nurse to sublet my apt in Houston while I'm on assignment in Minneapolis. AirBnB was a Godsend for my assignment here. I stayed in an extended stay and candlewood suites for 2-3 weeks until I found the right semi-perm place. Be resourceful, have fun!

Great advice, Ned. I'm finishing my first assignment with Medical Solutions and I love my recruiter. However, it just seems like the pay is lacking a little. My first assignment has been successful and I've learned a lot. Pay at this Minneapolis facility has certainly been far better than when I was on staff at a TX hospital. As I prepare for my next assignment, I'm looking for another great learning experience, but also an increase in PAY. My recruiter may or may not have said something along the lines of experience doesn't commensurate with pay in traveling, which I call BS. I had said that my next assignment should pay better and she eluded to this aforementioned point about pay/experience. She's wonderful. She's intelligent. I like her as a person, so I'm afraid to admit that this comment was spoken to me, but I'm also peeved. I have my other agencies to tap and I've been given a sick pay package for a hospital in DE. It's a level 1 trauma center. I'll be in the PICU. I grew up in the area, so I know that the hospital's reputation is awesome. I am just a bit nervous about moving forward with it because it's with CrossCountry. Their pay package was insane, bi-weekly, but insane. I find it hard to believe in DE of all states. I wonder if I'm in the same situation that's been mentioned earlier in this thread - a great pay package that doesn't seem to add up when the offer letter comes through.

I had FB prior to nursing school and then made the awesome decision to get rid of it. I'm hearing more and more that everyone uses it as a resource when doing travel assignments. How so? I'm finishing my first assignment and I don't want to make the leap back into that social media unless I know it would be worth it. What do you all use it for? What info has it helped you obtain that you couldn't find here or other resources? Any info would be awesome! Thanks!

Hey Dee, I'm sorry to hear about how lonely it is for you during your assignment. I compare this adventure to the first day of highschool or college. You literally have to go sit at the lunch table with strangers and strike up conversation. It's rough making new friends as an adult, especially when ya'll both know you're going to be gone in 13 weeks. At 8 weeks in, I say just muscle through the rest of your contract. Forget about stressing yourself out making friends. For your next assignment, be open. Strike up conversation. I'm traveling with my partner, so it helps a great deal, but I know I will be alone in my next assignment. I plan to travel and see the region I'm in. Try to live like the locals. Do what they do. A friendship will develop if it's meant to be. And, get a cat. They don't care about companionship!

Where do you plan to start traveling? I had a HELL of a time finding a decent priced apartment in Minneapolis for my first assignment, which I'm currently in at UofM. Until I found the apartment, I stayed at a hotel (Candlewood Suites) and got the monthly rate. Like Ned said, make sure you plan it properly as to avoid IRS issues, but definitely lean toward the idea of renting an apt or room share because you will save much more in the end. Don't be afraid to scope out Craigslist - there's a lot of savings to be had there. Also, if you are comfortable having a hotel for when you arrive and then begin putting "feelers" out during orientation, that's perfectly fine and common. This is my first assignment, but the greatest thing I learned is to just kick back, welcome the adventure, and be VERY flexible. This is supposed to be fun, right?! Good luck!

I'm back! I shopped through some agencies and really cliqued with two recruiters so far. One recruiter has just really put the time in and seems like she has a lot more available opportunities than the other one does. I've interviewed with a few hospitals and have gotten some offers. One of the offers just feels right. Everyhing feels good about it, even though it's in a region I never planned to look into. I'm in Houston. The offer is in Minneapolis. My thought is to stack shifts so that I can travel between the two cities. It's my first travel assignment. My partner can't come with me. We have been together for 2 years, so it's still new. This is the main reason I want to be able to fly back. Is this a silly idea? Will I be spending too much money to not make it worth it? Also, I had planned to fly into Minneapolis and just use the Light rail system, which seems to be very accessible and extensive, in order to go to and from work while either renting a place off AirBNB, or getting a hotel for 3-6 nights during my stacked shifts. These are small things, but I just want to make sure it's all going to be possible. HELP!

I've been a PICU Nurse for over 2 years in Houston/Galveston - can't really complain about the relationships between medical staffing. The only jack*** that everyone despises is a fellow from Scotland. It's a teaching hospital and he sure has hell lets you know who the teacher is. I think he's just frightened by the Chief who would crush him quicker than he could bark orders at us. I'm from Jersey, so I have an objective POV. It's been pleasant, but reading these posts excites me for travel in other states!!

I just made a rookie mistake! I've Been in contact with 3 agencies. I like the recruiters and have a great rapport. I negotiated a rate with one recruiter that Im happy with. I hadn't heard from the other recruiter that day, so I allowed the aforementioned recruiter to submit me to a hospital yesterday. The second recruiter finally got back to me and asked if I'd be interested in that same hospital, but the rate was $11 more AND a completion bonus. My question is, if she submits me as well, that will look bad, won't it? If so, how do I tell her that I had another agency already submit me hours before? Can I renegotiate a comparable rate of the agency that submitted me comes back with a Job offer? Why do I feel like a stock broker? Feeling a little silly and need some advice. 😭

Thanks everyone. This is super helpful. I appreciate it!

Thanks Argo! Do you take your wife and son with you? I have a coworker who does exactly what you do using an RV. I would love to discuss the whole travel thing with him but I feel like he has an allegiance to our workplace and he will tell people I'm thinking of leaving and there will be a dramatic uprise from that. Strange, I know, but the dynamics at my hospital are very interesting to say the least. Of course I'd give my two weeks, but if anything is discovered sooner than that, I'll feel the backlash. I will look into these travel companies y'all mentioned. Thanks again!

Thanks, Ned! I appreciate the advice. It really wouldn't hurt to start now so I have a decent idea of how it works.

Hi all! Im a PICU nurse in Houston, TX and was planning to start travel next March/April 2017 in SoCal (LA area). I recently was contacted by a travel agency saying that I should start some contracts now so I have the experience under my belt before heading to California. She said CA jobs want a candidate with travel experience. Should I start a local contract here, or is she just trying to secure me as a client? She also said that licensing in California is now up to 6 months wait time! I knew it was 3-4, but wow, 6? Lastly, When I make the move to CA next year, my partner will be coming with me. If I do travel assignments in San Antonio or Austin, I can't ask him to uproot in the next couple of weeks! He's prepared for Ca next March, but not SA or ATX this soon! How do y'all make travel work when you have family/relationships/etc? Any advice on which travel company to use, (I've been talking to TravelMaxwhat, PPR, it's like I'm the CA arena, etc, would be much appreciated! I honestly am sad to say goodbye to my current FT position, but I know I will have to come next spring to travel in CA. I just don't want to up and leave only to be doing a travel position so locally. But, if it's going to guarantee me an offer next March, then so be it. I'll do what I must.

I left an optimistic sunny comment 2 years ago on this post about how excited I was to make a career change to nursing. I got a little push back saying it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Just wanted to repost 2 years later finally as a nurse that I'm absolutely loving it. I feel appreciated, important and an integral part of something great! Just one of the many experiences I have had in this one year outweighs all of the combined experiences I've had in my previous career. That's all! I'll check back in another 2 and hopefully still feel the same!

Thanks Nola! Everyone was pretty understanding with giving me time to decide and I did go for the TX PICU position! Thanks for your input!

Thanks, Meriwhen!! I LIVE for the depressive heat!!! haha. I hope I'm still saying that come October!

Just an update, everyone. I got another offer in PA and then the NJ job offered FT too. Finally, TX came in with an offer as well and before any orientations began, I took the job offer in Texas!! NO BURNT BRIDGES!!! haha. I'm moving to the Houston area at the end of this month - it's my first big relocation. I'm really excited about it. Thank you for the insight and advice. I appreciate it greatly!!!

Thank you, Meriwhen! I appreciate the insight. That's awful to have been offered a position only for HR not to send off the official letter. I never thought about that possibility, so IF TX offers me a position, I will wait for that letter before declining NJ. As it stands, I have accepted the NJ offer. Since orientation will not begin until June, I have some time to hear back from other positions I've applied to. I know whatever happens is meant to be and I'm open to either position. Despite my preferences, new grad positions are hard to come by, yes, so I'm happy to be in the position I'm in. Thank you all for your advice. I will keep you posted if I hear back from TX! Thank you all again!

Thanks! You make a good point, Jadelpn. NJ licensure, at this point, takes up to 4 months to obtain. They no longer allow temporary permits. TX, a compact state, has temporary permits that only take about 1 week to obtain. What's up with Jersey, right?

AHHHHHH....I LOVE her. My ex just gave me a t-shirt that has her silhouette with "The Shade of it All". LOVE it! I just met Detox, Vicki, and Willam a couple weeks ago when they came to Philly. They surprised me as being very friendly, especially Willam. I'm not at all surprised that Ms. Latrice is so down-to-earth. I can't wait to meet her sometime! Ok, let me stop before we make this a reality tv thread....lol

Thanks ParkerBean! You make a really good point and I didn't think about that. My main concern has always been not to burn bridges, so it feels like I have to be very careful about how I approach this. I'm feeling much better and less stressed today! haha. P.S. - Please tell me you're a fan of Ms. LaTRIIIIIIIIIIIICE!!