Travel Companies (On Assignment)

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Hey Im new to travel nursing looking to go on my first assignment in Jan with On Assigment. My recruiter so far has been very helpful and questions he doesn't know the answer to he finds out.

Is there anyone else with experience with ON Assignment? Pros? Cons?

This is actually the first time I'm living on my own and I hope that this company can give me the resources to be successful.

Thanks

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On Assignment is great. I have worked with them. They are consistently very professional and honest. A LOT depends on your recruiter and it sounds like you have a good one.

I hope we hear from others who have had some experience with On Assignment.

Good luck to you and let us know how you make out.

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I've been with On Assignment for my last 3 assignments and they are great! The only reason I would think about leaving them is that I'm having trouble finding assignments where I need to be right now (central VA). I love my recruiter.

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Specializes in L&D/MB/LDRP.

Love OA. Trust my recruiter (which is rare in this industry). Agree w/ above poster about limited assignment options.

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Specializes in paediatric.

how about the intelistaf?

am on awaiting for my visa...will be w/the company

once i get there,you think hav found the good one?

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how about the intelistaf?

am on awaiting for my visa...will be w/the company

once i get there,you think hav found the good one?

You will need to have work experience in the US to be able to work for any of the true travel companies, the ones that do the 13 week assignments. You are expected to drop right in and be able to function without any oriuentation, or very little. You will be doing yourself a great disservice if you do not go thru an American orientation first and get experience under your belt. You will find things are done differently in the US from what you are used to, as well as just the different idioms. You want to have a "home" unit and not be moving around until you feel comfortable with how things are done here.

Do not sell yourself short, or you will have a higher chance of losing a license that you worked hard to get.

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And to the others, I love OA.

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Specializes in paediatric.

that's 'something' for me to ponder on....

thanks very much for the input

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As a foreign nurse, you always need to go thru a complete orientation when coming to the US, things are just too different for you. You will find that the more reputable agencies will not even consider offering you a position until you have at least one year of experience in the US.............

Even if you have years of experience out of the US. And the other thing to consider, just because you sign with an agency, they may not be able to place you, at least in someplace that you would want. Managers noramlly review the resume of a nurse submitted and what they are looking at is experience and how fast that you could be ready to work on your own. With travel assignments, you will get anywhere from a few hours to three days of orientation, and that is usually for their computer system, etc. You are expected to know how things function over here.

Good luck to you..............

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Specializes in ICU/CCU/ER/CVICU.

I have only had one place give me three days of orientation in 20 years of travelling. It's usually one day with HR (tests, certifications on machines, namebadge, etc) and one day (at the most) in the ICU.....then it's off to nights and taking patients.

I work with a number of foreign nurses that have come over with O'grady. I can truthfully say that it really doesn't matter how much experience you have if it's outside the US. It won't prepare you for US hospitals, the pace, the doctors and the methods used here. Do yourself a favor....get some US experience so you won't be left to sink or swim on your own.

The wolf

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Hello,

First my thanks to Nightingale and the moderators who do such a good job for this discussion board. I am an R.N. with 33 years experience, (28 of it NICU

26 yrs,-Level III, the last 2 yrs at a Level II nursery, (I prefer more challenging pts.) I also have worked general peds while at the bigger place, PICU and adolescent/child psyche for a few years on the side. I have been unemployed for more than half of this year for the first time ever, because of a sleep disorder that was complicated by night shift. I could never sleep more than 2 hours at one time and sometimes 2 hrs /day or less on my time off. I love night shift, but have struggled with it for 2 years. Most meds on the market did not work for me and after finding a non sleep med that did work, I weaned my self off of it and have now been sleeping at night without medication for almost 3 months! This is the best I have felt in the last six years. Long story short, I have been working with AMH for a few weeks and just this week talking with ON Assign. OA has some dayshift positions, but have more limited options on all shifts. I realize that one place can not satisfy everyone's needs. I have to say that before working night shift for the last 8 years, I was for 2 decades a day shift person. I am concerned with what I have heard about the big conglomerate that AMH is a part of, (the E.....Empire?). In all these years I have never traveled before. My only child is in graduate school for a Masters/PhD in Birmingham, Ala. I am adaptable because I have worked more than 2 places at once before. I know it will be my decision based on what my needs are, the facts, rounded out by my own strong intuitive sense, (the best way to decide anything is to combine the logical fact base with intuition, provided one has learned to trust it...which I do). Is there anything that anyone can offer in a respectful way, regarding the companies, that might be of help?

thanks,

Colleen

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I think it is important to review what you want: position, hours, location, size of facility, and to think about the pros and cons of what you have like about what you have done. That said, start your research.

If you know where you want to go, and better yet, what area, how lucky you are. You can find out, from the facility, who they use. The more unknowns you are dealing with the more complicated your decision and research. I am sure you know to keep good notes, make a list, etc...

There are the big companies talked about here. Try to look into the smaller companies that go unnoticed. I have heard of, and am currently attempting to subcontract with a smaller Agency that really is working on my behalf. Their billable is lower so I can, theoretically, get more extra shifts. The down side is, processing takes longer and the "owner" is pulling shifts and not available 24/7.

We are the commodity, we just need to know what we want, and be willing to wait it out to get what we want. Interview, take notes, know the billable ;)

Thank you for your kind words ;) It is appreciated.

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