Recommendations for FL travel companies? horror stories??

[maverick87]

Hey all,

I have ICU and CVICU experience. Wanted to travel to Florida with a fellow co-worker (same experience) and was seeing if anyone had a good recommendation for a company? Looking at American Traveler and American Mobile. Also interested if anyone has had any bad experiences in a ICU/CVICU setting in Florida. Thanks

[79Tango]

Dont forget the Crappy FL PAYRATES and SUSPECT FL RECRUITERS that come on here solicting business without answering the most basic of questions!

[Runman1914, MSN, RN]

The absolute worst area of Florida is the Palm Beach area. Those people are a collection of the rudest, most complaining, demanding pts/families i ever dealt with in my 19 year career. Also as a travel nurse you are given the most difficult pts and families as the staff just kicks back!!

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

I do not recommend American Mobile.

And I, as a native Floridian, do not recommend Florida as a good place to work as a nurse. There may be a few nice places to work at, but they are few and far between. As there is no real nursing shortage (just places that refuse to hire new grads or maintain adequate staff) in the Offseason, most of the travelers are needed in Snowbird season. A hospital hiring travelers in the offseason generally has serious issues.

If you still want to do travel nursing in FL, I recommend staying away from the West Palm Beach/Boca Raton area and for profit hospitals like Tenet or Columbia HCA (also known as Lifepoint). Also be aware that many facilities in FL utilize PBDS testing, which if you fail, will get your contract cancelled. Do ask during the interview whether there is any testing involved in your orientation period.

Remember that most PTs in FL are older, and on Medicare. The state (courtesy of Rick Scott the governor, best known for presiding over Columbia HCA during the time that it was convicted of the biggest Medicare fraud and was given the biggest fine for that crime in US history) has cut state Medicaid reimbursement by roughly 25-30%. Since many hospitals are for profit, or barely getting by, you can imagine what the cuts have done to patient.

And in many areas, it pays to be fluent in medical Spanish.

Good Luck!!!!

[fawnsternurse]

Which Agencys staff psychiatry/Detox or Drug Rehab in florida?

[RN_travlr]

I have worked with 4 different agencies through Florida. Some be very weary of. Others...well they are okay. They are almost all nice upfront, very friendly, helpful..and then you never hear from them again. I do my own housing. I never take company housing. Even an upscale hotel is usually cheaper than what they take for their housing.I find my housing by advertising on craigslist. I usually end up getting a very cheap efficiency somewhere. Almost all of the agencies will pay you about the same dollar amount. The other nurse above is right about "all about staffing", now under another name. If they are the middle man, go straight thru them, its another 200-300 a week easy.

What these agencies need to change is not letting us take housing for the first month then go to our own. Its often hard when you have been down off assignment for awhile and then paying out of pocket for two weeks until your first pay. They know that and are hoping you take theirs so they can over charge you.

I just had a felow traveler tell me there is a way a nurse can submit herself, the same way these agencies do, as an independent contractor....she was going to try and get more information on it. Does anyone else know anything about this?

[EmergencyNrse]

If you're considering American Mobile or ANY of their minion companies then

grab a huge supply of Surgi-Lube

...because you're getting *******. Their margins are the highest in the industry

and you are paid the least. If it weren't for new-grads then they wouldn't have any nurses working for them.

Look to Highway Hypodermics. http://www.highwayhypodermics.com/

Do a little research. (RN Network isn't bad for Florida assignments).

[NurseAMK]

Does anyone know how often some of the sign on bonuses change? Best time of year to sign a contract?

[karma765]

CarolLadyBelle,

I have taken the PBDS and passed it. It was long and tedious, but not too tough for a seasoned nurse. The good news is, that once you pass it, you never have to take it again at another HCA hospital. I work @ Swedish Med in Denver at the moment. Just started. 4 days in. So far everything is wonderful except the low pay and housing stipend. It's quite beautiful and so far the people are wonderful. LOVE my apartment that I found on my own.

[NCmcMan]

I've got to be missing something here. One of the biggest reasons that I wanted to get into traveling was for what I thought was lucrative pay. I was thinking I was going to be in the 6 figs + housing included. Can someone explain to me something? This isn't making sense. I see in California your getting 40-45 an hour depending on shift. Then, anything after 8 is time.5, so that puts you at say 60/hr after 8. (560/day)x3 days is 1680/wk (plus overtime if available) Also, I was under the impression there was anywhere between a 3-6k bonus that you get at the end of the assignment, and possible a bonus to reup. Also, isn't the housing suppose to be included as well?

[NurseRies, BSN, RN]

Also, I was under the impression there was anywhere between a 3-6k bonus that you get at the end of the assignment, and possible a bonus to reup. Also, isn't the housing suppose to be included as well?

I am sorry to inform you that you are going to be disappointed. The $100,000 would be doing REALLY well and that would include your housing in that figure. But that number is not very realistic. It seems like travel nurses used to make a lot more about 5 years ago, but in today's market, a lot of hospitals have the upper hand. The now know they can pay less, especially for desirable locations. Bonuses maybe $1,000 if you're lucky. You'll prob be offered between $20-25 /hr plus a bunch of tax free benefits. That's the reality of it. I recommend anyone who is doing it for money to highly reconsider. You need to do it for the experience. The money is not what everyone thinks..

[NCmcMan]

But why would anyone work for that? I can make more working at some redneck hospital across the street. The industry needs to be fixed. People need to quit working so cheap! We are gonna be at minimum wage before we know it.

[NurseRies, BSN, RN]

But why would anyone work for that? I can make more working at some redneck hospital across the street. The industry needs to be fixed. People need to quit working so cheap! We are gonna be at minimum wage before we know it.

$75k a year while traveling the country in my opinion is doing pretty good. Better then the $45-50k a year you'll make in most smaller states. What exactly do you want me to do? Not work unless they pay me $10 more per hour then they do everyone else? There's a new nursing school opening up every 5 minutes people are desperate to pay off their debts and get to work. My suggestion is to stay ahead of the curve and go back to school. Being an RN and expecting to make $100k is a far reach unless you're in a higher up position or live in a high paying state.