Travel to Texas?

dixRN · Feb 25, 2012

Go to www.indeed.com & enter your specialty & location in their search box. You will get job postings for whatever city you enter. A lot are different companies posting for the same job. Do NOT let different agencies submit you for the same job. That can be the kiss of death. I have worked in Houston for several contracts with Supplemental Health Care & Travel Nurse Solutions (now Jackson). The HCA hospitals use their own agency which I believe is now Parallon. You can call one of the big companies like Cross Country & ask if they have any exclusive contracts in these cities. If you want specific info on Houston I can give it to you. I am not medsurg & know nothing about hospitals in respect to that specialty, but love the Texas Medical Center in Houston.

PMKNSE, MSN, RN, APRN · Aug 17, 2012

My first contract will be up at the end of March. I'm hoping *crosses fingers* to go to Texas next. I'd like to focus in on the Austin and San Antonio areas, but I'd go to Houston or Dallas if need be. (I'm tele or med/surg)
1) Anyone travel to these areas before? Where were you? What was your experience? What companies have more texas contracts?
2) Will anyone be traveling to Texas in April? It would nice to find a buddy in the area.

Hi jab3da,

Was curious how your traveling has been going as being a MS/Tele nurse? I plan to start traveling next June and I've only worked in the same specialty. I've always wanted to travel but I'm scared to death to commit to it and them have that anxiety every 13 weeks as to whether I'm going to have a paycheck or not. Have you had any trouble getting contracts? Any info you would be willing to provide me would be great. In'm thinking about going to the Travel Nurse Conference in October.

natashacardiacrn · Aug 18, 2012

I did a 8 week assignment in San Antonio at Baptist Downtown. It was a nightmare. I was told it was a cardiac step-down when in fact it was nothing but MS and nursing home residents with a tele box. I would have 6-7 pts a night. I couldn't wait to get out of there.

jab3da · Aug 19, 2012

So, I've been traveling since January now. Previous to traveling I was working med/tele in a 100 bed hospital on a 24 bed unit. I was used to taking up to 6 pts when I was just straight med-surg and 5 on med/tele. My first contract was med/tele at VA Hospital in Nashville. It was busy for sure.I took 6 patients, we had 1-2 techs on 36 bed unit. No lab techs so drew my own blood. They were very welcoming there, and all in all it was busy but a good experience. At the end of that contract I was getting very scared about finding a contract. I very specifically wanted Austin, TX. It came down to the wire but I got a contract at a private 23 bed hospital, Westlake Medical Center. I have taken up to 5 patients, but usually only 2-3 with a tech also. I lucked out here and extended my contract. I'm not so worried about looking for a contract next.

PMKNSE, MSN, RN, APRN · Aug 19, 2012

So, I've been traveling since January now. Previous to traveling I was working med/tele in a 100 bed hospital on a 24 bed unit. I was used to taking up to 6 pts when I was just straight med-surg and 5 on med/tele. My first contract was med/tele at VA Hospital in Nashville. It was busy for sure.I took 6 patients, we had 1-2 techs on 36 bed unit. No lab techs so drew my own blood. They were very welcoming there, and all in all it was busy but a good experience. At the end of that contract I was getting very scared about finding a contract. I very specifically wanted Austin, TX. It came down to the wire but I got a contract at a private 23 bed hospital, Westlake Medical Center. I have taken up to 5 patients, but usually only 2-3 with a tech also. I lucked out here and extended my contract. I'm not so worried about looking for a contract next.

Thank you so much for your information. I've sent you a private message as well. Maybe I'll run into on the road sometime.

Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 22, 2012

A lot are different companies posting for the same job. Do NOT let different agencies submit you for the same job. That can be the kiss of death.

I'm sorry if I sound naive or uninformed, but why is that? What is bad about having more than one agency shop your resume to a hospital? I'm only working with one agency, but if I work with more than one, how can I be sure that this won't happen?

NedRN · Aug 22, 2012

The hospital doesn't want to mediate a fight between agencies over who "owns" a traveler who several agencies have submitted - and may just disqualify you altogether. It is far better to find out about an open assignment and ask several agencies if they have it. Then pick the one you like the best to be submitted by.

The way to be sure multiple submissions do not happen is not to fill out paperwork with multiple agencies. Control your portfolio, only do paperwork for agencies you are sure you will work with, and make sure that even they do not submit you without your specific permission.

By the way, more and more hospitals are demanding agencies only submit travelers that have traveled with that agency before. Those hospitals certainly won't consider you when they see five different agencies submit you. To their eyes, that looks like a problem traveler who has difficulty finding work and has to jump agencies.