TRAVEL NURSING 2012

[shjoll]

Hello, im thinking about taking an assignment in north carolina for 13 weesk, i am a full time nurse from georgia that wants to venture out and start something new.my only fear is that after this assignment i will not have anything to go back to once it is over. Would i be able to return to my fu ll time job, should i would i be able to take a leave or go prn. Im traveling with kids 7 and 9 the assignsment starts in july and up to october. The job will be from 8-5 in an ambulatory care center. They want to put me up in an extended stay. Housing stipend 350/ week and 37 hour every weekend off. Any advice. The kids want to leave and try another school. I thought about finding out if an extension would be possible until after christmas. Thinking about takeing housing stipend and finding an corporate 2 bedroom apartment. Would love some input. Especially ideas for child care. While they are out on summer break. What could i do for child care while im working since i will not get off until 5p.

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

Yes, Advice.

The two extended stay hotels(ESHs) I have been at, Candlewood, and Homestead both* are wonderful places, wonderful staff, and generally close to your assignment. The negative: They are so small. Both were one small room, kitchenette, and a bathroom. Homestead is actually smaller than a double room. It gets old using the laundrymats too.

You will get cabin fever in the room real quick, I would try to start out in an apartment. It will get old really quick, your children will be bouncing off the walls to go somewhere when you get off shift and want to rest. Also, for the kids, most extended stays I have been at do not have pools, and summer is coming, apartments do. Usually the extended stay hotels only have one bed, and then a chair/ottoman with a desk and chair.

The kitchenettes usually have a cooktop range, a toaster, and a microwave. Some have full size freezers, and some have dormatory size. You can go to homestead suites online for a better idea, but it's really cramped.

Find an apartment with a washer/dryer if you can. Laundrymats take away from family time, and they can be dangerous.

*If it's your ESH's a branch of Radisson, Crowne Plaza, or Marriott(Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn) nix everything I said, they are wonderful with pools, a small(surprised at moderate pricing) grocery shop with the basics, a pool/hot tub, Spacious rooms, and a hot breakfast. But gauging by your stated housing allowance, I suspect one of the first mentioned ESH's which usually charge the agency around $40 per night, so you can see it should be easy to negotiate an apartment.

I always tried to negotiate a corp. apt., and we would stay in a basic Hotel room provided until it was ready(Usually a week or two). For Single people, the earlier ESH's are perfect, but my wife was there all the time, and though she is an awesome sport, I can tell it got old being in that small room all the time. They are great places for even a month, but with two children, I don't want you to be miserable. If I can answer any other questions, PM me. I hope I was as non-biased as possible.

On Childcare note, I wish I could help, our Boston Terrier is as close as I have come to raising a child, lol, but I had to convey the difficulties of the ESHs.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Moved to the travel nursing forum

[GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

needless to say, i did travel nursing for the first year when i came to the states, and it was interesting until i got a regular position. however, i didn't have my children with me which made it more doable, not that it can't be done with children, i encountered several other nurses with their families during their assignments. in addition, i recall most of them utilized the esh living quarters, but since i was by myself i truly enjoyed my temporarily home which i became fond of, i think they are now called all city corp.housing, it offered all the amenities of a comfortable apt. for example, w/d, living room area with a sofa bed, full kitchen, ironing board with iron, etc. having said that, it all depends on what financial negotiation one makes with the temporary assignment agency to cover all or part of your expenses. regarding the children, now a days some of these corp.homes do offer child care, it's best if you have this taken care of prior leaving your state, for your peace of mind. wishing you the very best in all of your future endeavors...aloha~

[ericjameshealth]

So you came from another country? And a travel nurse can actually negotiate living arrangements with the agency? And when you travel nurse, if you take a assignment, and want to leave for say a month, will there be another assignment available or will you have to wait a while, "because of the economy". Im looking into travel nursing agencies outside of the US, in other English speaking countries.

[shjoll]

Im not.a foreign nurse im from Georgia,

[ericjameshealth]

ahh ok my bad, i been going back in force between US travel nursing and International, must of got mistaken!

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

Lol, Georgia isn't a foriegn country? (don't take offense, i'm in MS)

[ericjameshealth]

haha the funny thing is, i live on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi hahaha, na i got confused, i thought he was talking about internaitonal stuff

[shjoll]

Funny, I do feel like people forget about Georgia. So any other advice cobcerning traveling, licensing or othwer info 4 a 1st time traveler to nc

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

Oh, I Love the Gulf Coast, did some agency work at Biloxi Regional years back, Katrina really dealt a blow to the region, or I would be living there too. I originally went travel nursing to be able to afford a home there, but thanks to the storm, I ended up buying a Chalet in the Smokies, that we rarely get to hang out in. The Gulf Coast was our dream.

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

I have liked every HMA hospital I have worked at.