Is there any way out??

[lorster]

I started my new assignment today, the first 12 hour shift. What a nightmare. I absolutely hate it. It was supposed to be a general surgical floor and it is really a neuro/stroke unit. Quite a difference and an area I absolutely hate. I'm already dreading day 2. Several nurses have recently quit (I can see why). They are down 4 nurses and the manager is a traveler. I do not want to do this assignment to the point where I will pay the fees to be done with it. Can I do this?

[LadyNASDAQ]

First of all, you have to think, do I want to do travel nursing? You are at a typical job. Travelers are not treated like staff. You are treated as fill in Nurses that are there to get the staffing out of a bind. Unfortunately you are feeling the pinch.

You have to decide if this is right for you. You may want to consider local agency work in your home town because then you would have more to say about where you are assigned. Most Travel jobs may promise one floor but the hospital has the right to put you elsewhere on a whim which isn't always what you want to do. Expect the worst assignments and expect that each day may be hard. When I travel, I'm there for the days off. I can work and get out of the sad mind set of a lousy contract. I just have an attitude about that and keep going like most seasoned travel nurses do. Expect the worst and if it's a better day, smile and keep going. That's all you can do. In between assignments, go home, relax and plan again.

[lorster]

I just completed week 5 and I have never had to float. The floor that I am on is short staffed to the point where we need floats. The staff has treated me like a regular staff member. I was even invited to a baby shower by staff. I agree, no matter how hard it gets, I will always smile and maintain a professional image to the other nurses. I have never once displayed a negative attitude. And I have found that if you just get through the hard times with a smile, and lighten up a bit, the shift goes smoother. The hardest part about it for me has been trying to figure out which doctor is which. And calling one of their doctors during the night, is the pits because I am not familiar and I'm always afraid that I will call the wrong doctor. It really is a perfect set up for me at this time and it has given me a chance to see my home hospital as maybe not so bad. I'm hoping to do some perdiem with my travel hospital after my contract is over. I'm not sure how that will work with the travel company I work for. Thanks for all your advice. This has been a good experience for me.