Specialties Travel
Published Jan 5, 2013
Lovelymo79
908 Posts
Anyone work with Fastaff? Any information: good or bad? Are they good for a first time traveler? Thanks!
dovie
1 Post
I was "hired", and lengthy discussion of where I wanted to work...'Oh yes we can work you in these areas...plenty of work ....yes we can keep you busy'. They appealed to me because they do shorter contracts, and you have to be able to pick up and go...and I was able to at that point. I had moved to be near my children, wanted some time off and then would be ready to go to work. When I called ready to work, no one would return my calls. Where before while going through the hiring process they had lit up my phone lines. I finally called the director who after my questions had to admit, " We don't have any work right now"...." ( I have experience in critical care, cardiac, have ACLS, BLS, PALS ) in 6 weeks we may have some in CA" ( that was one place I did not want to go...)...never got work with them...had to go back to my home state to work, the state I had moved too was not a compact state, and I did not intend to work there, so had no license. I thought I had done my research, a friend of mine had travelled and she was helping me. But I think it is best to be registered with many many travel companies. I am sure there are some who may have had a positive experience with them, but for a new person trying to get in...this was mine.
TravelingMan76
Thanks guys! I hope to talk to them soon and get more information!
sarahc331
22 Posts
Fastaff just staffed the hospital I work per diem at during a strike. I spoke with several of the nurses and not one of them had any complaints about Fastaff and the pay is amazing. I finish my current contract Feb 9th and will be looking to start a short contract with Fastaff then. The pay rates you see in the charts they give with openings DO NOT include housing. Housing is over and above that which is HUGE. Most of the rates you see are $1500-$2200+ / week and then housing is still free. Right now I'm taking home about $1300/week which includes my housing stipend. That's with AMN who I do not recommend if you're looking to earn a decent paycheck (though they are one of the largest travel agencies and therefore have the most locations available if you're particular about where you go which is why I'm with them currently...I wanted one specific hospital and they got me there).
BluntForceTrauma
281 Posts
It's the beginning of the year, so they are pumping out assignments like crazy. I've received multiple emails and texts (1st time receiving one of those) regarding assignments. If you know any PICU nurses, they have an assignment in NY for $55/hr!! Gosh..wish I could make that!
I have an ex-coworker that is traveling for the first time with AMN. Haven't heard anything from him in regards to the company. I would prefer shorter assignments which is why I'm looking at Fastaff and the money seems amazing. I do hear you do 48-hour work weeks which is cool. And it seems they don't have much variety but I'm willing to go anywhere for 4 weeks! I'm really interested in doing it sometime after the summer.
delianelson
7 Posts
Thank you all for the info in these comments. It has provided me with alot of insight. I traveled for a couple of assignments last year and am now looking to do so again. I used the one travel company and was under the impression that its "not good etiquette"(per my previous recruiter) to use multiple companies?! (retrospectly, I was naive and new to the industry?!) Its awesome that fastaff has short term assignments available with great pay rates. Do you think it is wise to apply to fastaff and to use a larger company like CCTC (or any other suggestions) as well for more variety and options between assignments? is it ok to flip flop back and forth from one to the other?
NedRN
1 Article; 5,774 Posts
Not good etiquette? That's a good one!
If you want to maximize your pay and assignment possibilities, you need to be fully signed up with at least 5 agencies. And minimize dealing with recruiters who make up fantastic alternate universes. What's next, tipping your recruiter at Xmas?