Travel agencies for newbie travelers??? Need advice

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Specializes in ICU.

Hello all, I will be traveling soon as a first time traveler and would like to get your input on any recommendations for travel agencies that are particularly "newbie friendly" or in general any agencies you would suggest or to stay away from..I know people ask this all the time on this forum, but needed some updated info..Ive looked all through this website and google and there are a million agencies to choose from! I have no idea where to begin! I have heard that new travelers generally have a hard time getting their fist time assignment, so I didnt know if there were any agencies that particularly like to hire new travelers...Thanks so much in advace!

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Specializes in Critical Care Emergency Room.

Highway Hypodermics has a list of the top 10. I can tell you from my experience as many can stay away from American Mobile. I have had several good experiences with On Assignment.

Other than that trust your intuition. Private furnished housing with all amenities should be there. You should not have to bring a thing. That is a baseline. Get everything in writing and ask your recruiter if the nurses at the location are happy.

Good luck. It's fun.

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Specializes in ICU.

Alaskaman, thank your response. I did check that website out and saw the list for top travel agencies, but would still like input from nurses that have actually used them. I have heard horror stories about AM, but they seem to be some of the few that will offer a new traveler a contract. I spoke to a recruiter recently and she told me Kaiser hires a lot of new travelers in California (which is where I wanna go)...Anyone know anything about that?...Also, say Im planning on going in August, how far in advance do you start the process? I already have my Cali license..Thanks all!

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Hello all, I will be traveling soon as a first time traveler and would like to get your input on any recommendations for travel agencies that are particularly "newbie friendly" or in general any agencies you would suggest or to stay away from..I know people ask this all the time on this forum, but needed some updated info..Ive looked all through this website and google and there are a million agencies to choose from! I have no idea where to begin! I have heard that new travelers generally have a hard time getting their fist time assignment, so I didnt know if there were any agencies that particularly like to hire new travelers...Thanks so much in advace!

I did a travel assignment a number of years ago in northern California with TG Healthcare out of Omaha. It was my first and only travel assignment, and I was happy with it. I don't have much experience to go on but this one assignment for me was fun, I learned a lot, and maybe will do it again someday.

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I did a lot of per diem type work with Favorites several years ago. I was pretty happy with them. They had a nice range of benefits and were able to supply the work I wanted.

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Specializes in ICU.

Do some research and try hard to find a company other than AMN or any of their ugly stepchildren to travel with. I'm on my 13th contract and have yet to find someone who has been happy and stayed with AMN long term. The only way they stay in business is by victimizing new travel nurses. Their pay is substantially less from my experience than other travel companies on the same assignments. My current assignment has travelers from over five different companies and the AMN travelers are making at least $200 per week less than the rest of us. Kaiser facilities are typically not traveler friendly which is a perfect match for AMN.

Travel nurses are treated poorly at Kaiser hospitals=AMN is one of the few who hire new travelers=new travelers don't have a choice where to work=after one or two travel assignments, the new traveler gives up.

Try Cross Country Trav Corps. I felt a lot more respect from them as a new traveler. Don't get frustrated, doing some research will save yourself a lot of headache down the road.

I'm happy to try and help with anything!

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Specializes in ER.

I agree AMN is for the experienced RN only and only if you are setting up you own housing. I have been with CCTC for about 20 contracts and use AMN when I want one of their exclusive contracts. Stay away from Kaiser float you a lot anywhere they want to even multiple times in a shift.

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Hello all, I will be traveling soon as a first time traveler and would like to get your input on any recommendations for travel agencies that are particularly "newbie friendly" or in general any agencies you would suggest or to stay away from..I know people ask this all the time on this forum, but needed some updated info..Ive looked all through this website and google and there are a million agencies to choose from! I have no idea where to begin! I have heard that new travelers generally have a hard time getting their fist time assignment, so I didnt know if there were any agencies that particularly like to hire new travelers...Thanks so much in advace![/quote

Aureus Medical Group is a great company to work for. I have worked for numerous companies over the years and Aureus has been the best in my book. I worked for AMN years ago but I prefer Aureus. I have a great recruiter and account manager. They offer tuition reimbursement which is great and they watch out for you when calculating numbers to keep you from having to worry about the IRS. They have their ducks in a row and I have not had to worry about anything. On the other hand, stay away from Nightingale Nurses. It was an awful experience. A word of advice make sure the company you work for guarantees hours or has a shift cancellation policy. Oh one more thing, Aureus has gone green! Everything from the handbook to your contract to your timesheet is online. Good luck! Welcome to freedom!

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Specializes in ICU.

Thanks so much everyone for the advice so far keep it coming! Yes, after all the horror stories I heard about AMN I will stay far away from them..I am currently looking into RN Network, Medical Solutions and Cross Country still shopping around..will look into Aureuas too

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hi and welcome to traveling- i think you will really enjoy it-

you are doing it right- asking questions- getting advice- and you will learn more with every contract

when i first started-i sorted thru 4 companies before settling on one for my first contract-but when i showed up for work -all my paperwork etc wasn;t in-

but- i had been talking to sunbelt staffing out of tampa florida and the recruiter i had been talking too-stepped in - got it all sorted out and i have never looked back

they are professional- knowledgable-got your back-there for you 24/7-and -if they don;t have it or offer it- will find a way to do so--

i will stick with them as long as i travel

my recruiter's is absolutely incredible--

so please check out sunbelt staffing and ask for jennifer zeigler

thanks-beaujacques

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Specializes in Hospital, Foot Nurse, NRSNG Educator.

Well good to hear all of this advise... and it is good for my planning.... my goal is to be able to do travel nursing, into central Fl mostly, ( family there) but as a Canadian, with an RPN, and Flordian LPN lic have heard that there are some agencies due to the need, that hire Canadian LPNs to travel nursing as well. Anyone know any thing about that ??? currently working now, teaching and hosp, planning to do LPN to RN.... just thinking and planning,,,

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Specializes in OB.

You might want to go to the delphi travel nurses and therapists site and do a search on Aureus. They've kind of developed a bad rep among a lot of travelers.

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