dot92

I don't really have the experience right now to recommend a good travel agency. I'm still looking to get into my first assignment. I did not end up getting chosen for the one I had posted about previously. I wish I would have gotten it, but it didn't come through for me. I've got my information submitted for two other assignments right now though, and I'm really hoping that one of these two will work out this time. They are drastically different from one another.. 155 total hospital beds with 21 being in the ED, verses 900 total with 80 in the ED at a BUSY level 1 trauma center! I really want the level 1 facility, as it will certainly have a whole lot to offer in relation to my professional growth as an emergency nurse. I submitted for that one on Thursday last week. My recruiter has followed up with it early this morning. I haven't heard anything as of yet, but I have hopes that will change by tomorrow afternoon. The pay package is even better than the one I posted about on the second page of this thread too. I want the experience, and the challenge more than anything right now though.. I can't stand the waiting. I feel every second that goes by, keeping my phone attached to my hip in anticipation of recieving that call for an interview... I am only signed up with two agencies at the moment, and so far they both seem to be working hard to find me a good assignment. If I don't make forward progress this week though, I am going to have to scale back on what it is I am looking for, and just take what I can to get that first assignment out of the way...possibly sign up with another agency? I know one thing for sure, based off of my recent and limited experience, do not go with Soliant as an agency. I personally recommend against this particular company based on my experience in dealing with them. Difficult to get ahold of, never calling back or responding to emails, and just generally not listening to my concernes or what I had to say... ymmv I would be willing to recommend either of the two I am with now, but they are yet unproven. If I can get what I am after through one of them, I will let you know...

Ten years have passed since I applied to nursing school. The story follows: I was rather rebellious during my younger years, and had a complete lack of interest towards anything academically related. I dropped out of high school during my senior year, and was going to become a truck driver. I did end up going back, and just barely graduated high school the following year (something ranked like #434 of 436 total graduating students/very low GPA). I signed up with the military soon afterwords. Halfway through my four year term, I knew with 100% certainty that I wanted to become a nurse. I soon found out that the University in which I wanted to obtain my nursing degree from was extremely competitive! Somewhere in the neighborhood of accepting only 80 students each year, from the 400 - 500 applicants applying for those seats! As such, I knew that I would have to be adequately prepared. If one of those eighty seats were to be mine, I fully understood that my GPA on prerequisite courses was going to make that possible. No other single factor was near as important. There was work to be done... With me, there was very little in the way of an educational foundation allready in place. From square one, it would have to be; to learn, and relearn the basics. In math alone, I had to take four seperate classes during the start-up of my college education, before I was able to enroll myself in the first college level mathematics course that I took. I studied very hard, always maintaining a philosophy: not-to-pass, but, to learn... Getting accepted into the School of Nursing of my choice was not difficult for me when the time came, with having maintained a perfect 4.0 prior, in the prerequisite courses needed to gain entrance. Several months into the program, we were informed that of the eighty nursing students in our class, the lowest GPA among us was that of a 3.94 (!)... Amazing! The pamphlet for this school says that entrance into their program is competitive, and requires a minimum GPA of 2.6 (I hope that prospective nursing students do focus more so on the "competitive")...

I'm wanting an opinion on a pay package I discussed with my recruiter today. This is for an assignment with a January 12th start date. It's also the very first discussion I've had with anyone regarding an actual real assignment being proposed to me. The details: 3 × 12hr shifts a week guaranteed for a 13 week assignment. Base pay rate of $16.50/hr (taxed). Stipends all inclusive; meals & incidentals plus housing allowance of $174.00/day ($1,218.00/week of untaxed money). Travel allowance to the assignment of $275.00, plus another $275.00 when the assignment is finished (I don't know if this is taxed or not?).. Compliance bonus if all of the required documentation and paperwork is completed on time of $150.00 (taxed). End of assignment/all hours agreed upon worked bonus of $1,000.00 (taxed). Overtime rate (any hours worked after the agreed upon 36hrs/week) of $36.00 per hour (taxed). I have to provide my own housing, but the agency helps in looking/setting that up if I want. They have two options available to me right now for this assignment. First option is for a one bedroom apartment at $700.00/month + utilities + small refundable deposit. The second option is for a shared (with another traveler) two bedroom apartment at $375.00/month + 1/2 utilites + refundable deposit. How's that look? I think it looks good, except for the OT rate of $36.00/hour. I think that should be maybe $5 to $10 more per hour.

I'm going to take your advice, and look into those reference forms from that website you mentioned. I've been to that site before, and believe I am a registered member there too. That makes sense to get those references down in writing. I would imagine that'll make things all around better/easier. It'll be as simple as scanning them in, to send them off to the different agencies.

travelnurseRN13, I just read your above response. I'm getting things together at the moment to start traveling, and have seriously considered using Supplemental. This will be my first time experience as a travel nurse. I am completely signed up with another different agency at the moment, and as of yesterday, my recruiter from that agency has started looking to find me an assignment. In the meantime (while I wait to hear back), I have been considering Supplemental as another agency to sign up with, and spoke to someone from them today. I forwarded them my resume, and have been told that their travel dept will contact me sometime soon... I would be interested to hear anything you can tell me about how your experiences with Supplemental have been, why you have stayed with them, what to look for with this company (hidden benefits etc, and the right questions to ask to get the most out of what this agency has to offer...), availability of assignments, how long it generally takes to find and start an assignment with them, etc... Do you have experience with any other agencies to compare them to? Thanks

I wanted to check back in here now that I am actually ready to head out and start traveling. I finally have everything in order at the home front... I have three agencies that I'm thinking of going with, and was wondering if anyone can give me some insight, or an opinion on the ones I have in mind? Has anyone used, or know much about any of these three: Supplemental, Soliant, or NurseChoice? I have done some research, and spoken to recruiters from all three of these agencies. As of yesterday, one of them has all of my information, and is looking to find me an assignment. I was most satisfied with the recruiter from Soliant, and so that is the one that im fully signed up with at this point. I still want to sign up with two other agencies to broaden my options and compare notes. I know that NurseChoice is part of American Mobile, and have heard the horror stories associated with them. However, I have a friend who had good luck with them on two seperate assignments. They also staff the rapid response type of assignments that pay very well, and they can get the shorter six to eight week assignments too. Those are the two main reasons why I like them. Although, I am sure that when working rapid response type of assignments, you do work hard and earn your paycheck. So, I'm not real sure if that would be the best agency to start out with as a first time traveler? I am confident, and know that I am a strong ED nurse, but still... I know that in the future, I would like to do the occassional rapid response assignments, working lots of overtime for one to two months, but I don't think it would be smart as my first ever travel assignment? Any comments on this? This is where Soliant and Supplemental come into play. I believe these two agencies can provide a better first time overall travel experience, getting me off on the right foot... Then, after I complete an assignment or two with either of these two agencies, I could try out rapid response travel assignments with a company like NurseChoice? Does anyone know much about either of these two agencies? I have also concidered RNnetwork too, but haven't talked to them yet. My last concerne for right now.. I would really like to sign up with and compare multiple agencies (max 5 or 6), but do get concerned about my references. If someone signs up with multiple agencies like that, providing references to each of them, then those references are constantly going to be getting phone calls and inquires... I have about eight good references. Each agency I've spoken to wants between 3 - 5 references, and they all want to talk to those references before they are willing to discuss available assignments, etc... If I sign up with multiple agencies, then my references are consatntly going to be getting phone calls... Is there any way around this? Because I dont want my refereences to feel like they are being harassed. Does that make sense? Thanks

NedRN, That was detailed information, and answers some other questions I was curious about too. Thanks. Even though I feel as though I am ready for this, its still somewhat daunting to me because I've never ventured out with my nursing career like this before. I've sailed overseas to several different continents, and fought in wars, but I have only been employed with nursing in one department, at one hospital, located in one area so far... One recruiter I have been dealing with is great! Another one with a different company is hard to get ahold of, and is also kind of pushy. Im not sure why, or how come she thinks its ok to be that way? Maybe she doesn't like dealing with unseasoned travelers? Either way, I will most likely be asking to switch recruiters soon, as I want to stay with this company for some of the typical contracts that seem to be available to them.

Hello, How is everyone? (First post) So, I'm going to start traveling soon. I've got some of my information submitted to two different travel agencies at the moment, and I will eventually add one more company into the mix. In the meantime, I have been trying to gather up all of the basic documention and such that is required before these companies can start submitting my application to the different hospitals in order to get me into an assignment... Listed below are some of these, and I was wondering what other items are recommended to have in one's professional portfolio in order to facilitate getting oneself into available assignments as quickly as is possible? 1. Drivers license (copies of both front and back) 2. Social Security card (copies front/back) 3. Nursing license (current and up to date) 4. Immunizations; measles, mumps, rubella, polio, varicella, and hep b (copies of) 5. Tb/ppd (recent within past 12 mnths seems most common) 6. Tetorifice/dipth (recent within past 12 mnths) 7. MD physical (recent within past 12 mnths) 8. Required Certifications specific to unit, hospital, and specialty (copies of) Emergency Department generally: BLS, ACLS, PALS, TNCC, ENPC etc... 9. N95 respirator fit test (copy of result/correct size) 10. 3 to 5 proffessional refferences (personally written letter, generic form, maybe just their contact info) 11. Resume The following appears to be obtained only after actually interviewing, and accepting an assignment. From what I understand, these are also generally going to be facillitated through the company/recruiter... 1. Contract from travel company final negotiations, agreed upon, and signed 2. Criminal background check 3. Urine, salliva, and/or hair drug screen(s) 4. Any math, medication, and/or facility required testing and modules (ie: PBDS) Does this all sound about right? Is there anything that I am missing? I'm excited to get this ball rolling, and start my new experiences as a travel nurse. Money is definitely important to me, but what I am most excited about, is to experience how some of the different facilities operate compared to the one I have been working in for the past 7 years. I have greater than 7 years of full-time experience as an RN in a regional level 2 trauma center, seeing approximately 90,000 patients per year. 65 bed's in the ED. The hospital has about 800 beds total. Thanks