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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 4^th 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.

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

Marla Pelle, Director of Quality Management

In our latest episode of Travel Nursing Insider, Deb Shea, vice-president of travel nursing, and Marla Pelle (pictured), director of quality management break down the compliance and credentialing process for a travel nurse. They start by explaining the requirements set forth by the Joint Commission, as well as the role the federal government and registries play in the process. Then they describe the different nursing files that are required, which the separate into three different buckets – personnel, medical and payroll. Finally, they close out the show by giving RNs some inside info on how to best manage your compliance info so you can move fluidly from one assignment to the next.  To listen to the show, visit the Travel Nursing Insider home page or click the link below to find the TNI podcast page on iTunes.

Lynn F., DPT – Travel physical therapist currently in New York on her 6th assignment.

“Lynn has not only excelled at each assignment through her performance, professionalism, and hard work ethic, but has been one of the most loyal travelers I’ve had the pleasure of working with.  Lynn has has demonstrated her allegiance to Onward through a countless stream of referrals over the two years she has worked with us.  In addition, this past month she accompanied me on a visit to her Alma mater, Daemen College, to speak to their graduating class about a career as a travel physical therapist and her enjoyment working for Onward Healthcare. I could not ask for more out of a candidate then we get from Lynn!”

Submitted by: Adam P., Senior Allied Recruiter, Wilton

Tim D., RN – ER nurse currently in Oklahoma on his 8th assignment.

“Tim is the ideal travel nursing candidate in every which way you could ask for. He is responsive, flexible and a very hard worker.  He continues to impress at each assignment he travels to and consistently warrants top notch evaluations from each hospital he works at. Moreover, Tim is simply a pleasure to work with as a recruiter and always puts a smile on my face when we talk!”

Submitted by: Debbie R., Travel Nurse Recruiter, Wilton

Travel Nurse Director, Cassandra Lindquist

“A great recruiter is personable, educated on the industry, and motivated to help others,” says Cassandra Lindquist, travel nurse director for Onward Healthcare. “He or she is truthful and honest, and is willing to walk away from a booking versus pushing the wrong fit. A great recruiter thinks outside the box and finds a way to make things work for all parties involved. A great recruiter is responsive and tenacious, and above all else is a great listener and treats all healthcare professionals like they are his or her one and only.”

via Nurse travelers and recruiters go above & beyond – Travel Nursing.

The above excerpt is from a May feature in Healthcare Traveler magazine entitled “Nurse travelers and recruiters go above & beyond” by Mark S. Kuhar.  The piece attempts to answer the question of what elements comprise a successful travel nurse and travel nurse recruiter.  Featured in the article are Onward Healthcare’s own Cassandra Lindquist, travel nursing director (quoted above and pictured left), and Kelli Harrington, travel nursing director. The pair rely on their years of industry experience to describe the traits they deem most important:

For a travel nurse: Flexibility, commitment and a positive attitude

For a travel nurse recruiter: Strong worth ethic, good communication skills and a sense of humor

Kuhar points out how similar traits are often found in both professionals and demonstrates how these characteristics are the differences between a good employee and a GREAT employee. Whether that happens to be a registered nurse who is constantly requested by a medical facility or a recruiter with a proven track record of getting their employees the job they desire, Kuhar concludes the best of the best always go the extra mile to get the job done!