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Posts tagged: traveling nurse

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What is a Traveling Nurse?

A traveling nurse travels around the United States filling temporary nursing positions. If you are a nurse and love to travel this may be the right career move for you. There is a high demand for traveling nurses in areas in which the population changes. These changes can be seasonal like the snowbirds going to Florida for the winter and then returning to there home state. They could be in high tourist towns during peak travel seasons. Whatever the case may be where the population fluctuates a traveling nurse is needed.

Although a traveling nurse, job can be for a period as short as 4 weeks or as long as 52 weeks, they generally fall within the 13 to 26 week period. Another scenario of a job that a traveling nurse might fill is when a full time nurse quits and a replacement has not been found. A scenario likes this could possible turn into a full time position for the traveling nurse if she is happy with the facility and they are happy with her performance.

There are something’s you need to consider before becoming a traveling nurse. These are the things that can make up your mind on whether being a traveling nurse is right for you. The jobs that you accept may take you away from your family for up to a year. Depending on how far away the job may be this could be a deciding factor. Generally, it is best if you do not have pets because it is possible that the housing provided for you will not accept them. You will have to be licensed in every state that you choose to work in. These are things that a good traveling nurse agency will help you work out. Jobs are often assigned months in advance to give time to prepare. They can happen in as little as two weeks from application to beginning your traveling nurse job.

Being a traveling nurse, you will be able to work in many different settings. For example there are Hospital and acute care facilities or surgery and out patient surgery centers for the normal hospital type settings. You could work with the elderly in nursing home and assisted living centers or with children in the school and camp nurse’s offices. Other traveling nurse positions can include doctors offices, correctional facilities, occupational health facilities, and clinics and labs. It is usually required that you have at least one year hospital experience when becoming a traveling nurse. This may vary from place to place.

If you are looking for a rewarding career that allows you to travel across the United States, then a career as a traveling nurse could be just what you are looking for. Look for agencies in your town or on the internet to help get you started on your journey of a traveling nurse. They will help place you in a job that is right for you and show you how to take care of the little details you may forget.

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Destination Anywhere! The Traveling Nurse

A traveling nurse has much control over their life. They choose where they want to work and what assignment they want to work for, but do not let that fool you. There is a process to being accepted for the assignment you want to obtain.
Once you have joined with an agency that you feel suits you best and have been hired by the agency you will be assigned a personal recruiter who will help you obtain the assignments that you wish to be employed for. Discuss with your recruiter exactly what you are looking for in an assignment and the destination where you want to be employed. It is your recruiter’s job to help you obtain those assignments. She will then match you with the best assignments suitable for the skills you have already obtained and the choices that you have stated.

When choosing your destination your possibilities are endless. If you are looking for warmth and beaches you can ask for destinations to be along the west coast or if you are looking for snow, skiing and the mountains you can request specifically by state and request that your assignment be in say Colorado. If you are more of a country girl at heart you can ask for assignments in rural communities and small towns or if you want nightlife, glitz and glam your choices are endless with the
top biggest cities that our country has to offer.

After your recruiter has found you an assignment that you feel will suit yours wants and desires you will then do a telephone interview with the hiring facility. Your recruiter should help you prepare for your telephone interview to help you obtain the assignment that you have chosen. Your recruiter will help you so that you will be prepared and have the best chance to obtain this assignment.

Once the facility has accepted you for the assignment the fun begins! The next step will be for you to obtain any of the licensure process or credentialing requirements that you may need for your assignments state. Most states offer a temporary license that is fairly easy to obtain quickly. Remember your travel nurse agency has been working with nurses, facilities and different states for as long as they have been in a business and the top agencies will know exactly what you need to do and how to go about getting the work done so that you will have no problems in obtaining your license in the state of your assignment.

After your acceptance your housing will start to be worked out so that when the times comes for you to go on to your new assignment your utilities will already be on and your new home during the assignment will be ready for your occupancy. Your travel nurse agency will help you with any details or problems that you will have a long the way to make sure your move into your new assignment goes as smoothly as it possibly can.

Along the way your private recruiter or someone from your agency will be keeping in touch with you to make sure everything is working out smoothly for you. Remember you are not a long and your agency is always a phone call away.

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Choosing the Right Agency: Travel Nurses

When its time to choose the right agency to which you will become employed with what exactly do you look for? First look for an agency that has the values you want to instill in your nursing career. It’s most important to make sure the agency you are working for treats there employees good and is there for their employees when there employees need guidance. Look for an agency that offers 24 hour support for any of your possible needs that may arise.

You will also want to make sure the agency you choose is well known and respected and those they have a viable databank of jobs available for you to choose your assignments from. You want to make sure the benefit packages that the agency offer are competitive to what other agencies are offering.

Does the agency offer medical malpractice insurance? Is it free? Do they offer you sign on bonuses, medical benefits, travel reimbursement? Travel reimbursement is one of the top things you will want to look for since this can be come costly to pick up and move when your assignment is over and move on to the next one.

First you need to ask yourself what exactly are you looking for the agency to offer you as an employee from there you can
make a list and then start to research into different agencies and find the one that best suits your needs and desires.
When contacting agencies never be afraid to ask them certain question you feel may be important. If an agency is not willing to respond to your questions or give you the time of day before you are hired that is a big indicator that you could have trouble down the line with this agency when you may truly need guidance and help. You may at that point want to keep looking into other agencies.

Choosing the right agency is essential as you plan for successful and fruitful career in becoming a traveling nurse. You can also ask an agency if they would be willing to put you into touch with other nurses who work with their agency to see if travel nursing is the way for you to go. Then you can talk to other nurses and see if they are comfortable working for the agency and ask them how any problems have been handled.

If an agency acts in a professional helpful manor the whole time this is a good indication the agency cares about their employees and will do what is necessary for you.

Other important information is to find out how long the agency has been in business, do they carry any awards or licenses?
How do the facilities that use them regard the agency? Ask to view a contract before you agree to any hiring process. You may also want to find out how your personal information is treated and will you be dealing with a team of people or will you have more interaction with say just a few people. Sometimes the more individual treatment is more important to some then to others.

When you feel fully comfortable that you have found the right agency for you then comes the time to sign up and begin your rewarding journey into becoming a traveling nurse.

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