Question about experience

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Hi Everyone!

Wife and I are thinking about traveling (she is also an RN). She has 12+years experience in ER and last 2 years have been hospice. I have 3 years in ER and last 2 have been cath lab. Our preference is to work together in the same department for assignments, we have heard and seen other couples do this.

My question is about our recent experience. We have talked to a couple recruiters so far and both have said that we need to have 6 months to 1 year recent ER experience to work in ER. Can anybody verify that is true? I just find it hard to believe that an agency or hospital would pick a 1 year experienced RN with recent time in an ER over an RN who has 12+ years with less than recent experience.


Are there any other options that you would know of other than our current experience (cath lab, hospice) or past experience (ER) that we could do such as a TELE or PCU/Med-surg assignment without actual prior experience. We have both taken care of inpatients, just not officially employed by those floors.

Thank you guys!

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One of the issues here is getting your profile on the manager's desk. If that happens, they will likely hire you. Two agencies said they won't do that. Move on! Hundreds more to call. I haven't seen the actual rules for JC certified agencies in the last few years, but had a recruiter tell me that they could not meet current rules and submit a traveler without recent experience in the specific specialty, even medsurg. If that is true, you will have a very hard time indeed. I was getting cabin fever and thought I'd try for a MS crisis assignment. Such rules may well not apply for a crisis position, and generally doesn't for rapid response assignments either.

Second issue: is not working on the same unit really a deal breaker? Or the same hospital? You are not on the same unit now, right?

If you problem solve the second much easier issue, the first issue goes away - poof!

Final issue solved with resolving this second issue is HR generally doesn't like to fill relatives in the same unit, or sometimes in the same hospital. It gives the worker too much power, and if one has to leave for whatever reason, the other one will too - leaving the hospital doubly shorthanded. West Virginia where a lot of hospital employees may be related, OK. Michigan, no so much. If you go to urban areas with lots of hospitals, it is not hard to get travel assignments at different hospitals and gives you a lot more assignment options not insisting on a single hospital.

Last suggestion is to not rely on a single agency. Talk to lots, and do the paperwork with the ones you like best. Then you have a lot of options, including same urban area with not all agencies having access to the same hospitals, and a Plan B if the Plan A doesn't work out.

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No, not a deal breaker if we can't work together. We just enjoyed working together and wanted to do it again. However, our top priority is to hit the road, work, and try something we have always talked about!

Thank you very much for you info!

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I would love to help out in NY for the Covid crisis. My issue is I have not been in a hospital setting in 5 years. What do you think the chances are they would take me? I would only need a refresher on the pumps and possible their computer system. I know how to assess, give medications and to advocate and call the MD for orders. I really want to help.

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It may depend on what you have been doing for the last five years. If not nursing, you are not even eligible for a license. But you can always call a few agencies or try for volunteer work.

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I was caring for elderly parents who have both since passed away so took a less acute job in an assisted living. Needed less stress on the job to be able to cope with the stress of caring for sick and elderly parents.

I would love to volunteer but am single so must have an income. I have licenses in N.H. and Massachusetts.
thanks for responding

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So call a few agencies for the only opinion that counts! (Besides the interviewing hospitals of course).

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