Travel Nurse & Allied Personnel Tips

Nurse & Allied Travel Q & A - Part 2

2007-10-04T06:33:00.000-07:00

TRAVEL PROVISIONS

Travel Company: Travel companies offer a variety of ways to cover your travel expenses. If you are required to fly to your assignment, your flight costs will be paid in advance and your travel itinerary arranged for you plus a rental car will be provided once you arrive at your destination. If you are desirous of driving your own car to your job site, you will receive mileage compensation and/or a flat fee amount for travel expenses.

Rest of the Story: Travel companies can save a lot of money by booking you on flights that leave or arrive at undesirable times of the day or night or that re-route you all over the place, necessitating you change planes frequently.

I had that experience early on in my travel career (oh what a novice I was then!), when after 3 stops, and long layovers, I finally landed at an airport at 1 am in the morning that was a full two hour drive away from my job site! Just to add to the misery, after that two hour drive in the middle of the night I arrived to find the hotel booked for me was the ultimate rat’s nest with a stuck heater system that turned my room into an unbearable steam bath.

I also have some rather interesting stories about the type of cars that were rented on my behalf (tin can anyone?). Fortunately I’ve learned how to avoid all those nightmares and now travel comfortably and at reasonable hours.

The point is that if you don’t know your way around the available travel options, plus know how to negotiate for the best travel considerations, you can have some pretty nasty travel experiences.

JOB LOCATIONS

Travel Company: Travel companies paint a somewhat glamorous picture of the places you can travel and the wonderful experiences you can have.

Rest of the Story: If you’re a traveling novice there is a very good chance you will end up in some out of the way place or hospital that is anything but glamorous. Travel companies are anxious to fill whatever positions that present (after all, that’s how they make their money!) and so they can offer less than desirable job locations to those who don’t know how to navigate the system. That certainly happened to me the first time I took a travel position. I landed in a miserable little town with a very boring job assignment. It made for a very long 13 weeks!

Just knowing you might get dealt the “low end of the deck” if you’re new to the game can help you avoid something really dower. However, even seasoned travelers are often not getting the best assignments that are available. Thankfully, over time I’ve learned what to ask for and what to avoid, and more importantly, how to spot a bad job location no matter how many bows are on the package.

THE BEST JOBS

Travel Company: Travel companies accurately state that a recruiter will contact you about a job opportunity and will give you a general overview of the job, its requirements, and what salary and other benefits are being offered. You will also have an opportunity to ask whatever questions you wish concerning the position.

Rest of the Story: Recruiters are going to provide the basics of the potential job assignment to you but they are not going to go into any great detail unless it is in direct response to your questions. You should also be prepared to ask pertinent questions of the hospital representative if you should decide to interview for a position presented to you by the recruiter.

I remain astounded at the number of even experienced travelers that either do not ask many questions concerning a potential job assignment or don’t know what to ask to find out the “nitty gritty” of what the job really entails. As a result, there are many travelers who are quite “surprised” (and not in a good way!) about the real facts once they reach their job destination. And of course, like it or not, they are bound by a legal contract to fulfill their assignment.

Just by asking the number of staff that will be working on your floor or in your department, the number of patients or tests you will be expected to oversee or perform, and the ratio of permanent and travel staff, you can begin to get a definite feel for what you will encounter. Recently while considering a position, I was able to ask those questions plus several others that revealed there had been a recent “uproar” in the department with people leaving in mass, leading me to decide not to jump into the fray.

I am always being treated to the latest horror story concerning jobs that were anything but what they were thought to be. That doesn’t have to be your story if you learn the right questions to ask in order to get the real picture.

IN CONCLUSION

As you can see, knowledge is power! Without it, you’re in for a very bumpy ride in the medical travel world. I’ve explained just a few Q & A areas where travel companies are only giving you the basics of the process. Unfortunately, relying on “just the basics” will have you collecting a few horror stories of your own!

For more tips and techniques to make your medical travel experience the most profitable and enjoyable, please visit my website at www.medicaltravelsecrets.com

To your success,

J.D. Ryder, author
Insider Secrets to Medical Travel

Nurse & Allied Travel Q & A - Part 1

2007-09-25T06:31:00.000-07:00

THERE’S ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO THE STORY!

I’ve been a medical traveler for many years now and have had numerous occasions to review a large number of Travel Company web sites. Most of them contain some type of Q & A section that explains how they work and what they offer. I’ve found that the information given, while accurate, is very incomplete.

Most of what I’ve learned about the medical travel industry has been learned through the proverbial School of Hard Knocks. It occurred to me recently to write an article that expanded on the usual information given on medical travel websites, an article that presented (as Paul Harvey used to say) the “Rest of the Story.”

And so…here we go!

SALARY

Travel Company: On their web sites Travel Companies usually state a salary range that they offer depending on the type of position, your area of expertise and your experience.

Rest of the Story: What you are initially offered for a travel assignment is usually not the top dollar that is available for that assignment. Most travelers merely accept what they are offered believing the “deal is the deal” for that particular assignment. I used to do that too… but not any more!

You especially limit your chances of getting the best salary for your assignments if you choose to register with only one travel agency. When you do that, you give away all leverage to negotiate for better pay. I am always registered with multiple travel companies so I can compare several potential assignments at once and negotiate for the best over all packages.

There are numerous other “pitfalls” when it comes to getting the most compensation for your travel job. For example, it behooves you to clarify the stipulations for receiving certain types of bonuses and whether you must work solely for one company to earn those bonuses. Again, if you work for only one company, you may unknowingly forfeit higher compensation in other areas of your benefit package in order for the company to offer you those bonuses, in which case they can hardly be called a bonus.

Remember, you can always, “work your best deal,” (negotiate) with several companies while still remaining highly professional. In addition, knowing how to ask for more will telegraph to a recruiter that you know your business and will position you to receive the best offers.

HOUSING

Travel Company: Travel companies always state they will provide you with fully furnished housing while you are on your assignment.

Rest of the Story: You may be asked to share a two bedroom apartment with another traveler, even a stranger, who is working at your same location unless you know you can request a one bedroom separate apartment.

Some travelers have been “required” (because they merely accepted this arrangement) to live in an extended stay facility for the entire 13 weeks of an assignment. This is very cramped quarters and becomes extremely wearying after just a couple of weeks.

I have seen travelers deal with other conditions that were very undesirable such as having their housing located too far from the hospital. I had this experience on one assignment (before I learned to clear all that up in advance!). Each morning I had to make my way through 10 miles of early morning rush hour traffic to reach the hospital.

In addition, fully furnished means different things to different people. If you don’t know what to ask for in advance you can be stuck with things like a poorly furnished kitchen (only a few sad looking pots and pans for cooking) as well as sparse and unattractive furniture (an ugly green sofa and purple chair spring to mind).

Knowing what your options really are and how to ask for them is paramount to having a comfortable, safe, convenient and enjoyable living arrangement. Multiple considerations are there for the asking, but you definitely have to ask. By clarifying in advance what I need and expect, and by applying simple to learn negotiating techniques I’ve perfected over time, I now receive the very best housing accommodations on all my assignments.

GENERAL BENEFIT PACKAGES

Travel Company: All travel companies offer a variety of benefits besides housing and salary which can include per diem pay, travel expenses, bonuses, clothing and equipment reimbursement, insurance, continuing education, 401 K’s, etc.

Rest of the Story: Travel benefit packages are definitely not all equal! For instance, one travel company’s insurance coverage may not start until 30 days after you have begun your assignment versus a policy offered by another company that becomes effective the first day on the job. These and numerous other “small print” concerns can come back to bite you if you’re unprepared!

I’ve also talked to nurses who were never offered per diem pay (the average is $30.00 a day or $210.00 a week) but others were receiving it simply because they asked for it!
Some were told they could elect to have per diem pay but would receive fewer benefits in other areas if they chose that option. However, that was not the case for other travelers who refused that trade off. I know I continually receive per diem pay on ALL my assignments without sacrificing any reduction in other areas of compensation.

To make your travel experience the most lucrative and enjoyable, it pays (literally!) to know what is available as well as how to access those top of the line benefit packages.

Strike Related Medical Travel Positions

2007-09-22T06:14:00.000-07:00

If you are a medical traveler there may be occasions when you are called about taking a travel assignment in a hospital where the regular employees have gone on strike. The usual advantage of working strike situations is the higher than normal hourly wage. In fact, there are some travelers that work almost exclusively strike related situations, feeling the rewards more than balance out the disadvantages.

Strike opportunities have some unique qualities. First, be aware you will probably be entering a situation where picketers will view you as the “enemy”, a person who is interfering with their leverage for negotiating a better work contract. It is wise to inquire of your recruiter as to whether picketers in a particular town are allowed to be on the actual hospital grounds during their protests or if they are required to be across the street. This can make a difference in what you will experience as you enter and exit the hospital. The closer protestors are allowed to you, the more disconcerting and even dangerous the situation can potentially be.

I would also suggest you ask whether security personnel will be provided to take you back and forth to the hospital from your hotel (I was transported in a van with several other travelers on a recent strike assignment) as well as accompany you safely into the hospital. Occasionally if the hospital deems it necessary for your safety, you may be housed in the hospital itself and not allowed to travel back and forth to a hotel.

Although your salary will normally be higher, your assignment time could be as brief as two weeks, with an option to renew as the strike continues. Strike situations can last for short or long periods of time and usually end abruptly with a settlement agreement. Normally you will be guaranteed a minimum of hours or shifts that you will be paid even if the strike settles prior to your anticipated assignment end date as long as you have reported for the first day of work (be sure that guarantee is in your contract…written, not verbal!). However, if the strike should settle while you are in route to the assignment or before you report for that first day of work, that guarantee is usually not valid.

In addition, on a strike assignment you may be asked to work longer than normal hours with minimum time off and are often required to share living accommodations, normally a hotel room, with another traveler. While you will be provided food, remember that often the cafeteria staff is on strike too so what you will be provided can be less than wonderful at times.

However, even with all that said, as long as you ask all the right questions in advance and arrive with an understanding of the unique qualities of this particular kind of assignment, you’ll find strike situations can be quite LUCRATIVE and even FUN, especially if you happen to meet up with an interesting “cast of characters” (I did!) that have all arrived to work the strike situation with a good attitude.

Ultrasound Travel Positions

2007-09-18T07:51:00.001-07:00

Ultrasound travel positions, just like other allied travel positions, are an important and growing part of the medical travel industry. While there are a few travel agencies that specialize solely in placing allied personnel, most allied positions are filled through the large majority of travel nurse companies.

While allied positions, like those in the ultrasound area, are not normally as prolific as nursing travel positions, you can definitely work year around if you are willing to take a few things under advisement.

First, you may have to be more flexible about what parts of the country you are willing to accept assignments. Unless you have the time or finances to hold out for the “perfect thing” each time you want to work, you will probably need to be prepared to accept some assignments that are not your first pick.

Unlike your associates in the nursing area, you will need to start researching your next travel assignment a good 3-4 weeks before you finish your current one in order to secure a smooth transition to a new job site. Waiting until the last minute to notify travel companies that you are available for a new allied assignment could mean you’ll be “hung out to dry” for several weeks between jobs; plus by leaving yourself such a short time table for acquiring a new position, you will have less choice about where you are going.

In addition, be aware that some hospitals require their ultrasound technicians to be registered and will not make an exception to that rule even if you have extensive experience. However, if a hospital merely states a preference for a registered technician, they can often be quickly persuaded to wave those qualifications if you have extensive experience and great references.

Most of the allied personnel I have worked with travel full time and can always find a position they are either really excited about or one they describe as reasonable and acceptable. Allied positions have a few unique “twists and turns” to them that are helpful to know if you are to obtain the best salary and most rewarding benefits.

Getting a High Paying RN Travel Job

2007-09-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

Generally, the more experience you have and the more specialized you’ve become, the higher the salary you can command when accepting an RN medical travel assignment.

While the minimum requirement for a travel nurse is one year of clinical experience in your specialty and licensure in the state of your employment, you would need to have two or more years of experience to demand any real consideration for top dollar pay while on the road. Travel nurses are expected to immediately function on the job and often receive little or no orientation, therefore travel positions, especially high pay ones, are not for the novice.

Within the nursing travel industry salaries can range from $28.00-$32.00 an hour and can reach as much as $38.00 an hour with special circumstances warranting as much as $45.00 an hour. The lower end of the pay scale is indicative of your basic nursing candidate with one to two years experience while the higher range is paid for nurses specializing in ICU, ER, CCU, Psychiatry, etc.

In addition, you might receive higher pay for your willlingness to work certain shifts or hours that are less desirable as well as work under more extreme circumstances (like during a hospital strike situation), or for being willing to float to different areas of the hospital. In addition, if you are willing to work at hospitals where for one reason or another it is more difficult to place travel nurses, you have even more opportunity to receive a higher salary as well as bonuses and other considerations. The more flexible you are, the more money you can make.

Even though there are “standard” salary ranges within the travel industry, most nurses don’t realize they can NEGOTIATE for more money than they are usually offered. Even very experienced travel nurses are receiving far less compensation, both in their salaries and benefit packages, than they should on a routine basis. They simply don’t know everything that is available plus they don’t know some simple ways to negotiate for higher pay and more lucrative benefit packages.

Sadly, I meet travel nurses all the time that continue to make do with less when so much more is available.

What to ask Travel Nursing Companies

2007-09-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

One consistent way I see medical travelers get into trouble is by not asking the right questions (and enough questions!) about an assignment they are offered and by not getting important issues clarified in writing in their contracts. Unfortunately many travelers accept the general overview of a travel job given them by a recruiter, ask a few questions of their own of the recruiter and hospital representative, and then leave it at that. All I can say to that approach is: BIG MISTAKE!

Every assignment you accept will be in a different town, involve protocols and procedures unique to each individual hospital, and require you to adjust quickly to new staff members and physicians. NEVER assume that your current travel position is indicative of what will happen at your next assignment even if you are working with the same travel agency. Each travel job must be viewed as a completely separate negotiated contract.

Most of the complaints I hear from travelers could have been avoided if they had asked more details about the job in advance AND gotten critical agreements in writing. For example, if you are told you will be working in a specific type of unit or specialty during your stay, you may find that after you arrive you are asked to float to other areas if you have not protected yourself from that requirement in your contract. To just assume that the unit you interview for is the ONLY unit or area you will be asked to work is not always a safe assumption. You will need to clarify in advance, in writing, what units you are willing to work and float to (if you are) and where you are not. Otherwise, once you arrive at your assignment you will be legally bound to work other areas if the hospital deems it necessary.

Similarly, getting clarity in advance about what shifts, hours, overtime or call that is expected of you is of the utmost importance. Unless everything is settled in writing prior to your arrival on the job site, you could find yourself being asked to work a different shift (among other considerations) without any legal recourse to refuse. You could even be sent home early without full pay on a particular day that the hospital might be over staffed (after all, travelers cost them more money!) if you have not stipulated in your contract that you will be paid in full should that happen.

Not only will you need to clarify all aspects of your job assignment in your contract but you will also need to clarify every detail of your benefit package. I’ve run into many travelers that became outraged about benefits they were promised verbally that never materialized. Sometimes it is just a misunderstanding and not meant to deny you something on purpose, but denied you will be if it’s not in your contract. Just remember, it doesn’t matter how comfortable you feel with your travel recruiter or how much you trust him/her, business is business and a solid contract is your only protection.

Asking the right questions and clarifying everything in advance in writing is crucial to assuring you a profitable and enjoyable medical travel career.

How to prepare for travel nursing…Do you have what it takes to travel?

2007-09-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

I’ve often been asked to describe the “typical traveler” as far as personality type, age, personal circumstance, etc. While it might be tempting to try and pigeon hole the huge number of medical personnel on the road, it’s just impossible to do. I’ve met just about every type of person on the road that you would meet in your ordinary day to day life.

However, I have noticed there are some characteristics most of them have in common; at least they are present in those that have made the most success of their medical travel careers.

First and foremost, they’re adaptable. They adjust well to change and even thrive on the challenge of entering different work situations on a frequent basis. This adaptability is usually accompanied by a strong spirit of adventure that allows them to fully enjoy visiting various parts of the country while meeting a series of new people at the same time.

They also like receiving a higher than normal financial reward for their efforts in order to pursue their personal goals and dreams. (Medical travel is one of the few avenues where just by moving from a stationary work position to a mobile one, you can immediately and dramatically increase your income.) Most successful travelers therefore are clearer about what they want in life and are moving toward those ends at an increased speed.

Since quite a few nurses and allied personnel travel alone rather than with a mate or friend, the most successful travelers have the ability to spend contented period of time by themselves. It takes awhile to get to know co-workers when you are on the road, and even if you develop a social life with some of the permanent staff, those relationships can only be somewhat superficial because your stay is brief.

Generally travelers also demonstrate higher than usual organizational and interpersonal skills due to the requirements inherent in frequently changing working environments, absorbing the personalities of co-workers, and adjusting to hospital protocols and procedures that differ from place to place.

In conclusion, if you are adaptable, have an adventurous spirit, and are motivated by higher financial rewards for your efforts, medical travel can be a lucrative and exciting opportunity!

For more information on all aspects of medical travel, visit my website at http://www.medicaltravelsecrets.com.

How to hit the road as a travel nurse with a family

2007-09-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

It’s not just the single or married folks that are hitting the road in medical travel; many are taking their entire family along for the ride. Travel companies are very cooperative about accommodating parents who wish to bring their children with them on their assignments. Although the usual travel accommodations are a one bedroom apartment, they will be happy to arrange for a two or three bedroom apartment or condominium to house your entire family. While you will have to absorb some added expense for the additional space, the add-on charge is usually quite reasonable. Some families even opt to accept a housing stipend instead of a supplied apartment and travel in a personal RV stocked with all their personal items and everything they need to be comfortable.

The most often asked question surrounding traveling with a family is how to provide schooling for your child or children while on the road. The creativeness of travelers in this department continues to amaze and inspire me. One very workable approach is to home school your children while you are on assignment. With so many resources for parents in this area including support groups in almost every town (allowing your child to have socialization opportunities with other children) as well as support forums online, home schooling quickly becomes a very viable option.

A married couple I got to know, both of whom were ultrasound technologists, had an adorable young daughter that traveled with them. They often rotated working assignments on the road while the other one stayed home with their little girl. This not only kept them together as a family, but allowed each spouse to have a break from the medical work routine while spending time with their child. This is an example of an ideal circumstance for home schooling as well as a balanced family life.

For those that find home schooling too daunting for one reason or another, there are still other ways to arrange for proper schooling. Some assignments can last for nine months and thus allow a child to attend a full year in a school in the same town where the parent is working a travel position. The family can then move to a three month assignment for the summer. Other families switch assignments during the holiday break or between semesters.

One other option is to only accept travel assignments within several hours drive of your permanent residence. That way one spouse can oversee the children at their normal local school while the traveling spouse returns on their days off. The point is there are many ways to make family life work while benefiting from all the financial rewards of medical travel.

For even more creative ways to enjoy and benefit from the medical travel lifestyle, visit my website at http://www.medicaltravelsecrets.com.

What makes a great travel nurse recruiter?

2007-09-07T07:45:00.000-07:00

Medical recruiters are hired by travel companies to handle initial inquiries about medical travel, assist medical personnel with the actual sign up process, match those personnel with available travel jobs either within a specific area or throughout the entire country, and handle any and all problems that present during an assignment.

Finding a great recruiter can provide you with an enormous advantage when searching for the best nursing travel jobs or the most desirable allied travel jobs. The recruiter is actually the “Go-To” source for just about everything that affects your travel experience. They are not just a nice addition to your travel process; they are pretty much the whole deal. Since there is a high rate of turnover in recruiters because the job can be demanding and quite stressful, when you find an excellent recruiter, your travel life just got a whole lot easier.

First, you should look for a recruiter who has a good grasp of your area of expertise. You can usually pick this up in a short period of time just by talking with them. It sounds crazy but I have had recruiters ask me “stupid” questions about exactly what I do and then I know immediately they either don’t know their stuff, or at minimum haven’t even bothered to look at my resume before they called me about a position.

In addition, you definitely want a recruiter that does what they say they will do, when they say they will do it. I’ve talked to recruiters about a job, had them tell me they think I’m the right one for the position and that they will get back with me about further details or even an interview time if things have moved along to that point, and then I never hear back from them, even after leaving several messages. Very frustrating! Needless to say, I don’t work with that recruiter again.

Experienced recruiters also have more lee way in what they can offer to entice you into taking a particular assignment. If you have some basic negotiating skills and are working with a top notch recruiter, you can usually negotiate a higher salary as well as many other perks that are not in the standard benefit package.

Of course you also want a recruiter that is there for you in the bad times not just when you are signing up for a new assignment and all seems rosy. A recruiter that’s worth their salt will handle any complaints or problems that present during your assignment with professionalism and efficiency.

Finally, a truly great recruiter will get to know what types of travel jobs really motivate you and will keep in touch from time to time to see when you will be available for upcoming positions. They want to keep you coming back to their particular company and do whatever they can to make that happen.

For more information about finding the best recruiters and what to do if you’re “stuck” with a recruiter that isn’t serving you well, visit my website at http://www.medicaltravelsecrets.com.

Locating the highest paying travel nurse jobs

2007-09-05T07:42:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, most beginning travelers and a huge number of seasoned travelers simply don’t understand that they can NEGOTIATE for what they want in their travel contracts. They simply take the “deal” that is offered, no questions asked! I know I did when I first began to travel. Looking back it’s painful to know I left a lot of money on the table that could have gone straight into my wallet. Ouch!

In fact, even after years in the business I continue to meet medical travelers all over the country that remain unaware of the power they have to increase their travel nurse opportunities in a myriad of ways. They just keep accepting the initial deal offered. That doesn’t happen to me any more! I now negotiate every contract I am offered and as a result, I have increased my bank account and travel satisfaction to the max.

My point is this; whatever you receive in salary and benefits is often just what you are willing to settle for. The deal you are initially offered is not written in concrete! Negotiating for more consideration in a variety of areas within your contract will more often than not increase your hourly wage and every other benefit within your contract; things like upscale housing accommodations, a nicer car to drive, more extensive insurance coverage, reimbursement for uniforms and other job related necessities, and excellent per diem pay for things like groceries and personal needs just to name a few.

In the words of a refrain from an old song, “It pays to shop around!” However, my rendition of that old refrain is, “It pays to negotiate!”

For proven techniques on how to access the most benefits and work your best deal, visit my website at http://www.medicaltravelsecrets.com.

Find the Best Nurse Travel Company

2007-09-02T11:53:00.000-07:00

One thing I’ve definitely learned from doing medical travel for a number of years is not all nurse travel companies or travel nurse opportunities are equal. Some travel companies are far superior to others! If it were possible to be sent to the same job by two different travel agencies, you might find that one company would not only pay a much higher salary while you were on that particular assignment, but they would also offer a greater overall benefit package.

If you Google or Yahoo the words, “travel nurse companies” you will find quite a number of companies listed to choose from. (Usually these companies have strong Allied medical personnel components too. So, for example, if you are an ultrasound or radiology technician you will also find job opportunities available from most nurse travel companies.) Browsing on each of the company’s web sites to get a general feel for what they offer is a good way to start. I encourage you to place those companies that initially interest you in your favorites section so you can refer back to them later.

Eventually, I would encourage you to pick 5-10 companies that inspire you enough to fill out their application form. Ultimately, the more companies you actually become listed with, the better your chances of getting a variety of travel assignments to choose from and the more leverage you’ll have to get the best salary and benefit package.

Travel companies generally come in two sizes, large and small. Larger companies can often inspire loyalty (working just for them) by offering multiple bonuses, internal educational opportunities, and other incentives that can sweeten the deal. However, I’ve found that smaller companies can often be easier to work with (less pressure to be loyal) and can sometimes pay higher salaries because their overhead is lower. I have worked for both large and small companies as both situations have their advantages. Bottom line, you will have to explore what size or type of company best suits your needs at any given time.

For more tips on how to locate and evaluate the best nurse travel companies visit my website at:

http://www.medicaltravelsecrets.com.