September 2nd, 2010
Travel nursing allows the nurse to continue to grow in a specific field of practice. If a nurse wants to specialize in caring for elderly patients, she will not be limited to jobs in just one city. Through travel nursing, she can continue to work and grow in the specialty she has chosen.
via Travel Nursing Jobs Can Change Your Life : Geo Travel Blog.
One of the under looked perks of a travel nursing job is the ability to continually build your resume as you move from assignment to assignment. Sure it’s tempting to travel to a beach front location in the summer or choose that assignment paying $55/hr in the winter months. But many RNs benefit from travel nursing jobs by finding the assignment that will best help them the best in the long run. This may involve taking a low paying assignment in a prestigious teaching hospital or working as part of a team to open a new unit at a hospital. Having this experience on your CV when you are looking to finally settle down in a perm nursing job will often give you a leg up on the competition and land your ideal dream job.
August 13th, 2010
When packing for a travel nursing assignment, it’s essential to make a list of everything you might need while living on the road. Onward Healthcare offers a detailed Travel Nursing Checklist which covers everything from clothing, toiletries, house wares and gadgets to a handful of other items that you might not normally think of.
Your first step when preparing to pack should be to check with your housing coordinator to find out exactly what’s included in your travel nurse housing package (Ex: Does the place have kitchen appliances and bedding). You can then cross all of these items off your checklist and focus on what’s left. A major thing to consider is the climate of your new location. If it’s between seasons, read up on what the weather patterns are typically like; this will help you pack efficiently and accordingly.
Next, make sure all your financials are in order and that you have nationwide access to your checking account. It’s also beneficial to sign-up with a bank that has an online bill paying system. Finally if you’re driving, make sure to have your car checked out before hitting the road and that you have flares and other roadside amenities which can also be found on our Travel Nursing Checklist. If you follow these guidelines, you’ll prevent any nerve-wracking hiccups upon your arrival in your new city.
August 3rd, 2010
Lindsay Francis, Travel Nurse Recruitment Manager
In this month’s episode of Travel Nursing Insider, Sera Cullen, director of travel nursing, and Lindsay Francis (pictured), travel nurse recruitment manager, offer tips and advice on how to select the travel nursing job that is right for you. The two delve into the typical questions they hear from most first time travel RNs and offer up answers. They then break down the differences between big city and small town hospitals and what travelers can expect from each. Finally they offer some advice on how to secure the location you truly desire. To listen to the show, visit the Travel Nursing Insider home page or click the link below to find it on iTunes.
July 19th, 2010
Each month, the recruitment teams at Onward Healthcare select a RN travel nurse and rehab professional to be recognized as our Travelers of the Month. Below are the recipients for June:
Jamela B., DPT – Travel physical therapist currently in Pennsylvania on her 3rd assignment.
“Jamela has been working for us since November ’09 when she came to us as a new grad looking for a travel physical therapy assignment in California. We successfully placed her in a facility in Salinas and they loved her. They extended her offer which she accepted, and offered again after that but her wish was to experience the travel lifestyle. We discussed several possibilities and she ended up choosing Texas for her next location, followed by Pennsylvania where she is now. Working out of the Cherry Hill (NJ) office, I’m extremely excited to meet her in person while she is in the area. The best things about Jamela are her enthusiasm, professionalism and open mindedness. She is such a sincere and lovely person, which comes across in all dealings with her!”
Submitted by: Claire T., Allied Health Recruiter, Cherry Hill, NJ
Adegoke A., RN – ER nurse on assignment in New York.
“Adegoke has been working with the All Care division of Onward Healthcare since 1999 and has completed over 36 travel assignments and local contracts in the NYC and Long Island area for over 10 major healthcare facilities. His skills are superb, he is very reliable and his attendance is almost perfect. Adegoke consistently shows eagerness to obtain his next assignment and is deeply committed to delivering quality patient care at each facility he goes to!”
Submitted by: Catalina V., Travel Nurse Recruiter, Melville, NY
July 13th, 2010
Obtaining your state licensure is an important component when vying for a travel nursing job. As you most likely know, the majority of states have different licensing requirements for RNs, so the timeframe to obtain nursing licensure can take anywhere from one to eight weeks. There are also a handful of states that have formed the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), which allows RNs to practice in any of these designated states, assuming they are a permanent resident of one of them.
Having the appropriate nurse licensure can often be your edge in getting the travel nursing job you truly desire. Hospitals with immediate needs will often lean towards the RN who can start quicker when choosing between similar candidates. Thus, you should begin the licensure process as soon as you have decided where you want to go on your next travel nursing assignment.
When starting the licensure process for a new state, your travel nurse recruiter can often walk you through the process and provide you with all of the needed documentation. In addition, many travel nursing agencies such as Onward Healthcare will reimburse you for the cost of your new nursing license upon your acceptance of a travel nursing job.
For a list of nursing licensure timeframes by state, visit Onward Healthcare’s directory.
July 1st, 2010
Hitting the beach is a great way to relax during a travel nursing assignment.
For many travel nurses, one of the best things about the flexibility of a travel nursing schedule is the ability to hit the beach for a long weekend. With the 4th of July extended weekend approaching, we thought we would offer up some quick beach safety tips for travel nurses to stay safe as you enjoy the sun, sand, and water on your days off.
Limit your exposure to the sun
While everyone wants that perfect summer tan, it’s important to take proper precautions while soaking in the rays as the growing rate of melanoma demonstrates. Sunscreen is great protection against harmful UV rays, however you must remember to reapply it at least every two hours. And while many lotions are marketed as “waterproof,” they are normally only effective for 40 minutes following water activity. Wearing a wide brimmed hat, eye protection, and close-knit clothing will reduce harmful radiation, as will limiting your midday sun exposure (between 10am-2pm).
Be careful of your surroundings
Follow your nurse’s intuition when it tells you that a heavily populated beach is ridden with germs and bacteria. The sand on the beach is a trap for animal droppings, contaminated trash and broken glass, so it is a good idea to wear foot protection to shield the soles of your feet from hot sand and sharp objects. Unlike a swimming pool, the ocean lacks a carefully monitored balance of bacteria-killing chemicals, so avoid swimming with an open wound or infection and try to hit the public showers upon vacating the water.
Play by the rules
Water sports are a great way to enjoy a relaxing day at the beach while getting some exercise, but like any other kind of physical activity they can end badly if you’re overtired or undernourished. Before engaging in any sort of activity in the water, it is important to eat, rest, and digest in order to avoid cramping and fatigue. Stay safe by your limitations and studying your surroundings, most importantly the currents and tides in the area. In the event of a rip tide, stay calm and let the current carry you—do not try to swim against it.
Following these simple but effective beach safety tips for travel nurses will allow you to protect your well being while enjoying some much needed fun in the sun on your travel nursing assignment.
June 28th, 2010
Onward Healthcare is having an Open Interview Day for Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists in search of work in Central New Jersey and Greater New York City. We have both full-time occupational therapy contract positions that offer benefits packages, as well as shift-to-fill per diem assignments.
WHEN:
Wednesday, June 30th
4:00pm – 8:00pm
WHERE:
Calabria’s Restaurant
585 South Livingston Avenue
Livingston, NJ 07039
RSVP INFO:
Phone: (866) 696-8773
Email: alliedliv@onwardhealthcare.com
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