Sarmea Moon

Something I noticed no one has mentioned- acts outside of the hospital. I tried to get an answer out of our risk manager at my first job for nearly 18 months. She kept saying she'd get back to me and never did. I brought it up to her at every staff meeting. Result? I got my own insurance. The example I asked about was- what if I stop at a car accident? Her response was - welp, you can say you were inside scope of practice, and the Good Samaritan Act. I asked her how to go about telling a court that, with a grieving mother standing there, angry at her teenager being dead. Nobody claims the grieving are rational. SURPRISE- in order to tell a court that, you need to hire a lawyer (chaching). The judge may decide that a jury should hear the case, for which you'd be stupid to show up without a lawyer (chaching). You also have to take time off work (chaching). I'm guessing because she never got back to me, in spite of all the asking- the hospital won't do squat for you. That particular hospital is also #7 on the all time worst hospitals list, an improvement from 3rd place. I sleep soundly knowing I have my own insurance, and a new job:P

1) Most travel contracts are 13 weeks with a possibility of extension, so you might not get anyone to agree to 6 months. 2) You should also consider posting to the Travel Gypsy group on Facebook- 20,000 members in group.

The more specialized, the fewer assignments. However, the more time they require in a sub-specialty, the higher the pay. If you google one of your sub specialties (Ped onc), you'd see there are several assignments available right now. Cross Country shows 18 available this minute, with both Onc and Bone Marrow requirements, with one year experience required. If you are flexible about the where, and the hours, you shouldn't have any trouble staying employed.

To give you an oddly specific example- I know for certain my company was being paid $84 an hour for my time on a certain assignment (the vendor manager had me sign a paper that had the rate on there). This was normal hours AND OT hours. My base was $25 plus per diem. Many agencies would simply offer time and a half of base for OT, which would only have been $40. All of my contracts have offered a great deal more for OT (I got $68 that assignment), but let's say your agency doesn't. Every extra hour you work is more cash for them, too. If people aren't volunteering for more OT, they will offer more cash incentive to get you to want OT. Everyone makes more cash, and the facility gets more staffing. Yay:)

There are places that are very "first traveler" friendly. Most of them are in the compact, so you'll need a license in one of those states eventually. I've never traveled to California, as I make more per hour versus cost of living by working in other states. I do mostly PCU, Med/Tele, Float Pool. My first assignment, however, was 6 months of Oncology Med/Surg for an HCA hospital. You have a good mix of skills, but most Cali assignments seem to want 24 recent months of experience in whatever specialty you are applying for. A compact license would open a huge pool of jobs for you.

My recruiter warned me ahead of time that it might be a dollar or two less per hour, before even beginning to negotiate an extension. He got my permission ahead of time. He still ended up getting me the previous rate. I've always known ahead of time, even before the contract was emailed to me, what I would be getting. It sounds like a lack of recruiter communication. I'd call immediately, as it may simply be a typo. Usually it's not the stipend that changes, but the base rate.

Several sites. I've used trustedhousesitters.com (once) and housesittersamerica.com (twice). Several other sites work as well, and they have overseas sits available. It really depends on where you're going. My next spot doesn't have any sits at all in the state:( (very remote assignment in oil country). 99% of sits are because of pets or extensive gardens that need care (to avoid the HOA eating them alive, especially in Florida).

There are quite a few sites you can use. Craigslist, by googling the town you are going with the words "temp housing". Many professional sites advertise there, and it's pretty easy to weed out the skeevy stuff. Hotpads.com also lists places, and you can ask via email for shorter leases. Also, I call local real estate agencies. Many also do property management, and can do shorter contracts. Off season tourist rentals are seriously prime places, as you tend to get the nice furnished places for the price of the mortgage and utilities. I did it with off season ski housing in Salt Lake City, and in seaside Maine (during winter- I had a mile long beach to myself). There are several house sitting sites if you don't mind background checks- some are longer term sits, and you need to love pets- but you save a ton of cash. Most house sits are in the really big cities, which enable you to move every 2-3 weeks if needed. Edit-*also, a house sit is perfect at beginning of contract if you really want to look around and haven't found a place yet. Saves you a hotel bill while you look for longer term housing*

The only experience I had before traveling was in Med/Tele. I had my BSN, BLS, ACLS, and qualified for my PCCN. That's it, that's all. I've been traveling since, and have not lacked for VERY well paying job opportunities with just a compact license. When it comes time for a new contract, my recruiter simply asks where I want to go. Why? Over a 1000 job openings at any given time. I've taken float pool, med/surg, med tele, and PCU jobs. When you do the phone interviews with potential places, simply be open and honest about exactly what your experience is, and they'll decide if they can work with that. I did one yesterday and got an offer today- I told them flat out that while I've pulled chest tubes, I've never pulled pacer wires. I was still offered the job. Be flat out about not being afraid to ask stupid questions of co-workers (it makes them happy to hear this, and I mean it every time I say it). My most recent stupid question? I had a brain fart and couldn't remember which tubing to grab for a nitro drip (while I was standing there staring at the filter/ low absorb tubing). *facepalm*. Get some PCU time, but only because if you do PCU, most hospitals want you to be able to float to ICU. You won't take vents, big drips, etc. Some patients are there simply because they are time consuming. Some places require 1:1 suicide watches to be in the ICU. Does this require an ICU nurse? Nope. Get comfortable with floating. Really comfortable. Travel nursing is essentially the biggest float pool ever invented. Yet some nurses want it in their contract that they don't float. Some only want to work days. I get offers because I'm willing to work rotating shifts. My best paying have been straight night assignments. The more flexible you are, the more they want you. My only contract guarantee is my hours. I don't take call off unless I'm in overtime. Bottom line, with what you already have, you'll never be unemployed.