Travel Nurse Blogger

2011-05-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

Kindle, Wi-Fi, Graphite, 6" Display with New E Ink Pearl Technology - includes Special Offers & Sponsored Screensavers

As a Travel Nurse I appreciate anything that can make traveling lighter and easier. The new electronic readers allow you to carry an entire library in the palm of your hand. The Kindle Reader for example will carry fiction books and reference books too.

My usual travel kit can include almost 200 pounds of books. The Kindle Graphite weighs only a few ounces.....

2010-10-17T17:16:00.000-07:00

If you enjoy this newsletter be sure to share it with your
friends. They can subscribe at
http://www.the-travel-nurse.com/ezinesubscribe.html

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Nursing News
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Violence Increasing for Healthcare Workers

Did you know that if you work in a hospital or nursing home that
the chances are you are 4 times as likely to experience violence
in the workplace? As a nurse who works with alzheimers patients,
dementia, drug addicts and patients or family members who are
stressed out you are 4 times more likely than any other profession
to experience an assualt or other violence while you go about your
job.

According to the U.S. Department for Occupational Health & Safety
as well as the Washington State Dept of Labor healthcare workers
experience work related violence at a rate of approximately 8.3
assaults per 10,000 workers as compared to the private sector rate
of 2 per 10,000. The rate can be even higher depending on where
you work.

In a survey conducted by the Emergency Nurses Association in 2009
50% of the respondents reported that they had experienced some
type of violence within the past 3 years while working in the
emergency room.

Many factors account for this increased risk including poor
planning and training by hospitals and other facilities.

Headlines like this are very common
Fight At State Supported Living Center Leaves Female Staff Member
Healthcare worker injured

Nurses confront violence on the job

Violence against nurses is rising in hospital EDs
I suspect that if you have been a nurse for at least 3 years you
have experienced violence, aggression, bullying or sexual assualt
in some form while on the job. And the perpertrators are not
limited to patients or visitors.

You assailaint may be a co-worker or a doctor. Fortunately, many
organizations and states are starting to recognize the seriousness
of this issue and are taking steps to curb the violence and give
nurses tools to deal with violence in the workplace.

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Featured Website
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The Month of October is National Breast Cancer awareness month. In
honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month the featured website is the
Susan G. Komen for the cure website.

Susan G. Komen fought breast cancer with her heart, body and soul.
Throughout her diagnosis, treatments, and endless days in the
hospital, she spent her time thinking of ways to make life better
for other women battling breast cancer instead of worrying about
her own situation.

That concern for others continued even as Susan
neared the end of her fight. Moved by Susans compassion for others
and committed to making a difference, Susan's sister promised that
she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer
forever.

That promise is now Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the global
leader of the breast cancer movement, having invested nearly $1.5
billion since inception in 1982. As the worlds largest grassroots
network of breast cancer survivors and activists, were working
together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for
all and energize science to find the cures.

Thanks to events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, and
generous contributions from our partners, sponsors and fellow
supporters, we have become the largest source of nonprofit funds
dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.

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A Word From Our Sponsor
-----------------------
Do you have a passion? Something you can talk about all day long?
Do you love to share that passion? Have you ever wondered how you
could do that? and maybe make a little money while you are doing
that? Learn how to make money sharing your passion
Don't worry if you don't have that kind of passion. SBI can help
identify an area that you can relate to. I used to tell people my
favorite job would be one that allowed me to talk to people all
day and drink coffee. Well, how about that? In a sense, that's
what I do with this newsletter and my websites. And I built it
with SBI. So, do take a moment to see if SBI is something you
might be able to use to find your passion.

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Spotlight On Alternative Careers -Nurse Lobbyist
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Have you ever thought about being active in politics and helping
to craft legislation that deals with issues such as mandatory
overtime, patient safety, workplace safety issues, patient ratios,
licensing and other nursing or healthcare issues? Welcome to being
a nurse lobbyist. The basic purpose of a lobbyist is to get a
groups message in front of local, state, or national legislators.

Another invaluable purpose is to educate those legislators about a
particular issue and how it impacts nurses. Not all nurses who act
as lobbyists are paid for the work. But, there are roles in state
and professional nursing organizations such as the American Nurses
Association for nurses who also lobby or whose primary job is to
be a lobbyist. Other places where you may find work in this area
is with labor organizations such as the California Nurses
Association or the AFL-CIO.

Read about it in Capitol Clout an article about nurses and lobbying on the Nurseweek website.

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Nurses In History
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In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness month the person I am
featuring is a woman named Nancy Brinker. She isn't a nurse but
she has done something that embodies many of the principles of
nursing and shows a caring and compassion that many nurses have.
She currently serves as the World Health Organization' s Goodwill
Ambassador for Cancer Control.

What makes her truly remarkable is the organization she founded in
1982 which has raised over $1.5 billion dollars to help the fight
in preventing and curing breast cancer. It is the largest breast
cancer charity in the world. And it all started as a promise to
her sister that she would do everything in her power to eradicate
breast cancer from the world. Because Nancy's sister was dying
from breast cancer in 1982 and even while she was dying her
thoughts were about trying to save others from the pain and the
horror she faced in dealing with her own breast cancer.

And that's why Nancy founded the Susan G Komen For the Cure
non-profit organization. Read Nancy Brinker's Biography
.
The next time you get into a discussion on whether one person can
make a difference you can use this story as an example of how one
person can.

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Travel Nurse Tip - Breast Self Exam
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Since it is National Breast Cancer Awarness month the travel nurse
tip this month is...think pink! and do monthly self exams of your
breasts. Early detection and treatment is still the number one
factor in successfully treating and curing most forms of cancer
including breast cancer and other cancers.

2010-09-03T10:00:00.001-07:00

2010-09-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

NURSING STATION Nursing News $667 Million Fine

A for profit nursing home company, Skilled Healthcare in California, was assessed a $667 million penalty for gross neglect of the patients in its care in a class action suit. The suit which represented 32,000 plaintiffs is supposedly the largest claim of this type to ever be awarded.

The suit was primarily brought by the daughter of a patient who suffered from Alzheimers. She found her father in urine soaked clothes almost daily and often had to wait for lengthy periods before staff would come to help.

The court ruled that the company had deliberately short staffed its facilities and violated the California law regarding patient to nurse ratios. Read the full article

What is especially disturbing about this story is the fact that in spite of California laws mandating staffing hospitals and other care facilities are ignoring it.

Another disturbing fact is that when stockholders get involved they can influence patient care by putting pressure on corporate leaders to put profits ahead of patients.

Featured Website
Ok, sometimes the serendipity just appeals to me. I found a site called The Nursing Site . The site is owned by Kathy Quan, a former guide to nursing on About.com. The site has a bounty of articles about nursing. It also has links to nursing history, nursing issues and even some basicskills articles to teach/reinforce nursing skills. I always say when you don't know what to do...go back to the basics. You can never go too far wrong sticking with the ABC's of nursing. Airway, Breathing and Circulation.

A Word From Our Sponsor

Do you have a passion? Something you can talk about all day long? Do you love to share that passion? Have you ever wondered how you could do that? and maybe make a little money while you are doing that? Check out http://passion.sitesell.com/JKesler.html.

Don't worry if you don't have that kind of passion. SBI can help identify an area that you can relate to. I used to tell people my favorite job would be one that allowed me to talk to people all day and drink coffee. Well, how about that? In a sense, that's what I do with this newsletter and my websites. And I built it with SBI. So, do take a moment to see if SBI is something you might be able to use to find your passion. http://passion.sitesell.com/JKesler.html

Spotlight on Alternative Careers -Nurse Educator

Have you ever thought about being a nurse educator? Someone has to teach the next generation and share that nursing knowledge with the neophyte nurses.

Sure, you hear the cons. The pay sucks, the students hate you, and the colleges all hate nursing because it costs more to educate nurses than it does to educate accountants or liberal arts majors.

But, there are pros you know. The hours of work are usually Monday through Friday and you usually do have an eight hour day. Many Nurse Educators work 9 months out of the year but get paid year round. You get all the major holidays off and you don't have to trade to get Christmas off. Additionally, if you work for a state university chances are you have a true retirement program and you can take additional education classes for free. Imagine being able to earn your PhD for practically nothing.

The requirements for being a nurse educator vary. Some 2 year programs will let you be a clinical instructor with a BSN. To teach didactic classes you usally have to have at least a Masters degree.

If you really have a passion for teaching or you think you have a talent for it you definitely owe it to yourself to check it out. And if you have your doubts about being a college educator there are lots of other places a nurse educator can work. Virtually every facility has a nurse educator who is in charge of planning, forecasting, scheduling, teaching, and managing the professional development and mandatory education needs of the organization.

Nurses in History

This issue I am not going to feature a nurse in the Nurses in History section. This issue I want to focus on a unique holiday... Labor Day. This year September 6th is officially Labor Day. For many nurses this is a paid holiday. The history of this holiday or national recognition of the labor of the working person all over the country dates back to 1883.

The first Monday in September 1883 was celebrated by the Central Labor Union of New York City. This eventually grew to be recognized as a national holiday to recognize the efforts and hard work of the average working person in the United States and a formal act was passed by Congress in 1894.

Nurses definitely are hard working and deserve the recognition afforded to all working stiffs by this national holiday. And besides, its usually a great 3 day week-end to enjoy one last family get together before school gets into full swing and the fall weather makes outdoor activities less pleasant. For more information about the history of Labor Day check out http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Labor_Day.shtml

Nurses and Labor Unions actually have a lot in common. Historically they have championed unpopular but important causes. Labor day, the 40 hour work week, week-ends and holidays off, patient safety, nurse to patient ratios, safe lifting initiatives and much more are all things that we owe historically to nurses and labor unions.

So, while we enjoy our long week-end and the BBQ before the kids get back into the full swing of school and the weather turns nasty lets all give thanks to the nurses and the other people who fight for the right causes. :)

Travel Nurse Tip- Call the Doctor?

It's 0200 and Mrs Smith's pulse is 120 and her BP is 102/62. The two have been going up and down respectively for the last 2 hours. Do you call the doctor? Or do you wait until morning and call just before your shift ends? The answer is not always easy. You just got to this assignment and the nurses have all told you what a bear the doctor covering Mrs Smith is when he is called in the middle of the night. and the MAP is still in safe territory.

Wait and see? Or call now before the crump? Your instincts tell you Mrs Smith is going crump. It's just a matter of when. Here are some things to consider:

What is Mrs Smiths baseline?

Did the Doctor leave any parameters in his standing orders? such as call if: BP < = 100/60 or >= 140/90, Pulse <= 60 or >=120

What is the hospital/nursing policy? Check to see if they have a standing policy for just such a contigency

What are the other factors in this situation?

What is the fluid volume?

Is Mrs Smith a fresh post op?

Does she have a fever?

What is Mrs Smiths level of consciousness? Is she less responsive now or the same?

What are your legal and ethical responsibilities to the patient? why am I including this one you ask? Because, the truth is that most of us know when to call the doctor.

We usually hesitate when we want to spare ourselves some degree of discomfort. Dr Wisenhammer is nasty at 0200. I won't call and then I won't have to answer rhetorical questions like "how stupid are you nurse". Well, sometimes we get to deal with Dr Wisenhammer and the choice is to let the patient suffer or deal with a cranky person who doesn't appreciate being woke up at 0200. I guess it didn't occur to the doctor that this was an occupational hazard when he/she chose it.

So, we get to say witty things like "Dr Wisenhammer, I didn't call to discuss my intelligence. And I do appreciate that you probably are very tired. I called because I think Mrs Smith is getting ready to decompensate. Her pulse has gone from 80 to 120 and her MAP has dropped 20 points in the last 2 hours. What are your medical orders sir?"

Chances are when you put it in terms like that Dr Wisenhammer will respond like the professional he/she is supposed to be. The key is to be professional. Don't hesitate and act like the reason you called is trivial. know your facts and rehearse the details. Don't lead off with...."um, huh, well, you see, she doesn't doesn't look right...you know what I mean?"

No, Dr Wisenhammer does not know what you mean. The medical model is not the nursing model and they deal with facts, physiological changes, parameters and other details that help them diagnose what is going on with the patient. Your misison is to provide those facts and details. Once you do that you can tell the doctor that your instinct tells you she doesn't look right and that you think Mrs Smith is going to crump and you really prefer to be proactive not reactive.

If you still aren't sure after consulting the standing orders and the nursing policies then consult with the charge nurse, a resource nurse, or the house supervisor. Once you have done all this be sure to document what you observed, the details such as vital signs and fluid balances, and your interventions including when you called the doctor, what information you shared with the doctor and what orders you received.
A special thank you goes to KKelli for suggesting this topic.

Suggest a Topic

Got a topic you'd like to see? Suggest one to alphatraveler@the-travel-nurse.com and you just might see it in our next monthly issue.

The Travel Nurse Journal Back Issues

2010-07-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

NURSES STATION

Hello and a warm welcome to all the new subscribers since the last issue. I am your host Alphatraveler. My recent travels have me in San Antonio Texas. I have visited the Riverwalk, Seaworld, and many other Texas attractions. Including the big boots of Northstar Mall.

If you enjoy this newsletter be sure to share it with your friends. They can subscribe at http://www.the-travel-nurse.com/ezinesubscribe.html or follow this blog. :)

NURSING NEWS
Nurses Support Healthcare
Nurses have led the way on many fronts when it comes to advocating for healthcare. In the early 1900's nurses were at the forefront of the push to reach out to rural communities and include them in the public healthcare net. Nurses endorsed Medicare. So, it's no surprise that nurses through organizations such as the ANA have supported and endorsed the Healthcare Reform Act that is now the law. If you are looking for more information on how this law will affect you or want to share this information with your friends, family and patients this site is a good resource http://www.healthcare.gov/

How old do you have to be to stop being a Nurse?For, some there is no such thing as retirement. Janice Shinn is 81 years old and still nursing. And not because she has to. She does it because she loves nursing.

FEATURED SITE -The Travel Nurse
I am going to put in a self serving plug for The Travel Nurse website this issue. I have recently added to pages or articles to the site that I think you will enjoy. the first is about men in nursing .

The second article is about a day in the life of a travel nurse. Truth of the matter is this could be the day of any nurse on the med-surg floor or any floor where a large assignment can occur. I invite you to enjoy a day in the life of a nurse.

SPOTLIGHT ON ALTERNATIVE CAREERS
Have you ever wanted to put a band aid on Tom Cruise? How about treat George Lucas for an upset stomach? You might be able to if you were a movie production nurse. Most movie studio's and movie production companies hire a nurse to work as an occupational health specialist and sometimes technical consultant for the current movie in production. The main duties are first aid and primary healthcare according to Skillset a UK based website about jobs in the movie industry. The offical title is Unit Nurse and the work is usually part time unless you have built up a reputation and are well liked according to Skillset. Of course, an interest in film production and television media are a big plus. In the U.S. the title to look for in the job directories is most likely occupational nurse.

NURSES IN HISTORY
Edith Shain. She is probably the most famous nurse in history. Almost everyone is familiar with her picture. She was captured on film in one of the most famous moments of WWII - The picture is of a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square. It was seen as a grand gesture of celebration for the ending of WWII and the return of all the soldiers, sailors, marines and other folks who could return home. That picture was actually turned into a statue of the kissing couple in Times Square. For over 30 years Edith kept her identity a secret as she was embarrassed about the moment. Edith lived until she was 91 and only just recently passed on after working as a nurse, a school teacher and in public television. The sailor has never been positively identified. VJ Day in Times Square

TRAVEL NURSE TIP
When was the last time you took a basic assessment class? How about breath sounds? Cardiac auscultation? Don't scoff. The truth is that periodically it's smart to get back to basics and take a class on the basic skill set of nursing. There are usually some new ideas you pick up and you refresh skills that may have gotten a little rusty. Is it lub dub? Or dub lub? and just what does a murmur sound like? Well that depends on where you are listening from...and that's another thing you can refresh in a basic assessment class. The landmarks you use to listen and palpate from. Did you know the landmarks have changed for CPR? Better get to that basic refresher soon. :)

2010-06-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

NURSES STATION
Hello and a warm welcome to all the new subscribers since the last issue. I am your host Alphatraveler. I have also been a deployed reservist since Jan 2005. I have been working recently in the San Antonio TX area for the Army Warrior in Transition Program. It's a great program that helps injured and sick soldiers, airmen, marines, sailors and other military personnel navigate their way through the military medical system while receiving the care they need to transition to optimal wellness. It is a rewarding position and lots of work too!

I apologize for not sending out The Travel Nurse Journal more frequently. This year's resolution is to publish more frequently.

If you enjoy this newsletter be sure to share it with your friends. They can subscribe at http://www.the-travel-nurse.com/ezinesubscribe.html

NURSING NEWS Nursing Shortages

Is there ever a time when there isn't news about a nursing shortage? http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/new-survey-finds-nursing-shortage-likely-increase

The 2010 survey of registered nurses released Wednesday by AMN Healthcare, a San Diego-based provider of healthcare staffing and management services, found 28 percent of nurses surveyed plan to leave the nursing field entirely or cut back on hours because the job is affecting their health.

The strange thing about the current nursing shortage is that the if you hang out on any of the nursing forums you read a lot of posters talking about how they have applied for many jobs in nursing but they aren't hiring. The consensus among the talking heads is that nursing shortages exist but nurses need to be willing to re-locate to find them. This makes travel nursing an excellent choice for a career option because you can go where the jobs are.

Largest Nursing Strike in History
June 10th is the deadline for the one of the largest strikes in nursing history that might occur. In Minneapolis and St Paul Minnesota a one day strike is being prepared for by the Minnesota Nursing Association representing 12,000 nurses. In California 13,000 nurses are threatening to also participate in the one day strike. Both groups are represented by National Nurses United.

The biggest issues according to the nursing union are patient safety and safe staffing. If the nurses do strike this will be the biggest strike by nurses in nursing history. Here is just one link to the story. http://www.mndaily.com/2010/06/02/metro-nurses-strike-june-10

FEATURED SITE
This issue our featured nursing related site is The Nursing Site. This site has an excellent series of articles on why you might choose nursing and the different levels of nursing along the way to RN. starting with CNA and moving up to Advanced Nursing http://www.thenursingsite.com/article_index.htm

SPOTLIGHT ON ALTERNATIVE CAREERS - Military Nurse
Have you ever considered being a leader in nursing? Does the idea of living in a tent appeal to you? Are you intrigued by stories of heroic nurses in WWII or Vietnam? If so, you might consider becoming a Military Nurse.

Military Nurses enjoy good pay and benefits, serve in leadership roles, conduct research, perform nursing care in a variety of environments, and are some of the most respected military members in the U.S. military.
If you would like to learn more about military nursing you can find it at:
http://www.military-nurse.com/
http://www.medi-smart.com/articles/nursing-careers/military-nursing.htm
http://allnurses.com/government-military-nursing/
http://www.ultimatenurse.com/forum/f125/

NURSES IN HISTORY
She flew the friendly skies before they were called that. She is possibly one of
the most famous aviators of all time. She vanished on a cross pacific flight in
July 1937 attempting to fly around the world. To this day there are
many theories about her disappearance and her life story is an inspiration to
thousands of women around the world.

Yes, dear reader, I am talking about famed aviator Amelia Earhart. Who before she was a famous aviator worked as a nurse's aide in WWI and a social worker in Boston. You can find her official biography here at http://www.ameliaearhart.com/.

She was also revisited in a movie released last year starring Hilary Swank in the
Amelia Earhart Movie.

TRAVEL NURSE TIP -Banish Depression and Loneliness

This issues travel nurse tip is about traveling with pets. Being a traveling nurse doesn't mean you can't have pets. Traveling with a pet can reduce depression from being away from friends and family and can give you someone to share the journey with. For ideas on how to overcome the challenges of travel nursing with pets read more here http://www.the-travel-nurse.com/travel-nursing-pets.html

2009-02-28T13:57:00.000-08:00

The Latest Edition of The Travel-Nurse Journal Online

NURSING STATION
Hello and a warm welcome to all the new subscribers since the last issue. I am your host Alphatraveler. I have also been a deployed reservist since Jan 2005.

Many Things have happened since my last update to you. The price of gas has risen and fallen. The economy is doing the roller coaster ride of the century. Nursing shortages continue with some interesting twists.

The number of technician roles being created is at an all time high. I just talked to an individual the other day who is being recruited for a new vocational program a college has started in San Antonio. The title is Cardio-Vascular Interventional Imaging Tech. Basically, he would become a very specialized ex-ray tech with a very narrow focus. The money is good. But, I have to wonder...How many jobs are there really going to be for this career? How many raises will there really be?

Other considerations exist too. Will he be licensed? Or will a Registered Nurse be expected to manage, supervise, and sign off on the work of this tech role?

I suspect that many of you are running into this where you work. The healthcare industry was already experiencing a shortage of skilled workers. The economy will only increase the pressure as hospitals start to feel the pinch even more.

Travel Nurses & the Economy
Welcome to a recession proof industry. The news does have reports of hospitals that are scaling back. Some are refusing to hire new nurses. Others use techs, CNA's, and LPN's to perform tasks that are traditionally the role of the RN.
Lets face it. Does an RN really need to do a bedbath? Probably not, but they do need to assess and re-assess the patient periodically. One of the chief arguements for having the RN do the bedbath was that was also a good time to do a thorough physical exam.

Back to the nursing shortage. Yes, it still exists and there are hospitals and other employers who are still working hard to find nurses. Unfortunately, wages are not going up in huge leaps and bounds. But, the wages aren't bad either. Unless you are still living in some parts of the south where wages for everyone are traditionally lower than the rest of the country.

So, while the job growth has slowed nursing is still experiencing job growth and increased demand. Predictions are that 233,000 jobs will be created in nursing between now and 2016. This is in addition to the 2.5 million jobs already in existance. The U.S. Department of Labor is predicting that only 200,000 candidates will be licensed as RN's by 2016.

These shortages will be in addition to shortages caused by retirements, drop outs and increased demand for other reasons. It is estimated that 1 in 5 registered nurses do not work in nursing because of burn out.

Links to some of the stories out there:

Roll Out the Red Carpet

Jobs Increasing Despite the Economy

Students looking for Job Security

Still Travel Nursing Jobs

Weight Loss Secrets are really not a secret. As nurses we all know that we eat too much because of stress, long hours and never enough time to fix the right foods. We also know that exercise reduces stress, increases energy and helps us burn the fat.
But, did you know that you can gain huge benefits just by changing your habits. Did you know that there is a way to Burn The Fat & Feed the Muscle

Featured Website
This issue’s featured site is http://www.codeblog.com/
Code Blog is written from the P.O.V of a pediatric ICU nurse. Its warm, funny and reminds me of why I am a nurse. But, if you have ever wanted to do "extra" procedures on your patients family members I think you can relate to the latest post.

If you are curious about what your fellow nurses think about, write about or just want to laugh lots go to your favorite web browser and type in Nurse Blogs. Be sure you have a few minutes because this is interesting stuff.

Clinical Research Nurse
Nursing is more and more all about evidence based practice. Where does that evidence come from? Why, evidence based practice comes from research. And who better to make sure that research meets the standards than nurses? A short but informative article on the Clinical Research Nurse career http://alternativenursingcareers.blogspot.com/2007/08/alternative-nursing-careers-cra.html
Notice that's a blog.

Nurses in History
She was arrested for creating a public nusiance and sent to jail. She was indicted for mailing "obscenities". She has been accused of being an advocate of eugenics and racism. She was a member of the Socialist Party and was forced to flee to Europe to avoid arrest and prison. Yet, she is one of the most influential nurses in history....
And now, for the rest of the story (as Paul Harvey says)

This infamous nurse is Margaret Sanger. The founder of the organization known as Planned Parenthood.

Margaret was born in 1879. She worked in the East Side slums of New York and became a champion of Womens Rights. It was in large part because of her advocacy for the right of women to use birth control that led to laws that allowed doctors to discuss birth control with their patients in the U.S.

She established the first "planned parenthood" clinic in 1916(or 1917) and was sent to the "workhouse" or county jail for creating a public nusiance.

She died in 1966 but no one will ever forget the legacy that a woman who was "just a nurse" left behind.

Links to Margaret Sanger Bio and DVD

Woman of Valor: Margaret Sanger and the Birth Control Movement in America

Choices of the Heart: the Margaret Sanger Story (True Stories Collection)

Travel Nurse Tip
It's Tax time again so this travel nurse tip focuses on items that you can deduct as a travel nurse. Deductible items include:
Stethoscopes
PDR
Scrubs purchased for work
Subscription fees to Nursing Associations
Travel expenses not re-imbursed by your travel agency
Job search costs when you change jobs
Nursing License fees
CEU costs. Any fees you pay for continuing ed

for more information go straight to the source: www.irs.gov

Suggest a Topic
Got a topic you'd like to see? Suggest one to alphatraveler@the-travel-nurse.com and you just might see it in our next monthly issue.

2009-02-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are with another post from the hinterlands of travel nursing. In my last post I talked about taking a gig in Washington DC. Since then, my main travel vehicle has morphed. It grew up to be a Jeep. The economy has tanked and I took another travel assignment with U.S. Army. This time I have traveled to San Antonio Texas. I have been here since October 2008 and I am impressed. San Antonio is a friendly town and the Riverwalk is an incredible place to visit. I even took a horse drawn carriage ride.

The economy is having an impact even on travel nursing. Reports are that even though there is a nursing shortage many hospitals faced with tough choices are cutting back on nursing or just not filling the slots. This only increases the pressure to create less skilled categories of workers. Med Tech, Nurse Tech (for nursing students who have not quite graduated) and other categories of healthcare workers are being talked up. The danger to the public is they may be fooled into believing that having less skilled technicians at their bedside is as good as having a skilled registered nurse at the bedside.

There is a role for the CNA, LVN or a licensed Medical Technician in healthcare. What they are not is a replacement for the registered nurse. Too many administrators and other healthcare decision makers when faced with budget woes and nursing shortages are going to be very tempted to make that choice.

2008-08-07T07:39:00.000-07:00

Are you an economy traveler?

When you travel to an assignment do you look for the least expensive options? Or do you look for comfort and convenience? I know that there are a vareity of ways to travel. Some travelers prefer to fly to an assignment and use public transportation to commute to work.

In some respects that is the most economical method as you don't have auto maintanence, gas, oil and wear & tear on your car to worry about. Unfortunately, I have never been much of one to rely on taxi or public transportation. So I have developed a method of traveling that suits my needs.

I have a little ford escort that gets great gas mileage. It's an awesome little car in many respects. Repair and maintainence costs are less than for a comparable import car such Toyota or Honda. Of course, it doesn't hold much stuff. I have solved the extra luggage issue quite handily however. as you can see from the picture :) The car top carrier gives me additional carrying capacity and I can take most of the bare essentials needed for an travel nurse assignment with me in one trip.

Comments and huzzahs are always cheerfully accepted. This is a moderated blog so I may take a short while before I give permission for your rasberry to show up. ;)

Your faithful traveler

Alphatraveler

www.the-travel-nurse.com

2008-07-31T07:16:00.000-07:00

Cross Country Travel

I just finished driving from Washington DC to Washington State. Amazingly it only took 4 days. I came across the upper northern part of the country. Using a GPS device I fondly refer to as "Mother" I came through Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, Illinios, Wisconsin, Michigan and North Dakota. I then drove through Montana, Idaho and Finally on into Washington State. According to mother the total mileage was about 2625 miles.

The trip was wonderful. I saw some awesome scenery. It looks like I will be traveling back to Washington DC next month for an assignment there again though. I have a really good offer that I am considering.

If you are traveling with children now is the time to be scoping out the school districts where your next traveling assignment might be. Unless you home school of course. If you are a home schooler you might want to check out some resources online for home schoolers.

The Home School Mom features a free newsletter, links to other homeschool resources and some free home school educational materials. May be worth a look

Home School Central features a new to home schooling page. They also have a state by state resources directory so you can find local stuff.

2008-07-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

Travel Nurse Timeliness

Too long since I last posted here. Time flies when you are having fun. I have been busy working on my Masters Degree and at Walter Reed Medical Center. I spent a year there being a staff nurse, education coordinator and almost but not quite the assistant head nurse in the Intermediate Care Unit. The soldiers are awesome people who work hard at recovering. There just isn't enough that can be said about the men and women in our armed forces.

I have been working on a couple of really good sites that still need some work but they are good complements to the The Travel Nurse .

I have finally put the finishing touches to a site that details healthcare salaries for over 50 healthcare occupations. The site is called http://www.healthcaresalaryonline.com/ Did you know that a benefits package can be worth over $20,0000? see how a typical benefits package breaks down

A site that I am really proud of creating (yes, I feel there is more to be done) is called military-nurse.com. It's good site for those who are curious about the Military Nurse experience. I have also created a pretty good history of military nurses page that should be familiar to most nurses. A lot of the nurses who were pioneers in modern nursing were involved in military nursing as well. Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton and Dorothea Dix all had a part in modernizing military nursing

2007-09-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Some Fun Nursing Facts

National Nurses week which is celebrated the week of May 6th-12th annually co-incides with the birthday of Florence Nightingale. Florence Nightingale was born May 12th 1820. The idea of a nurses holiday was proposed in 1953 by Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. In 1974 President Nixon declared a National Nurses Week.

2.5 million - The number of Registered Nurses in the United States.

3.0 million - The number of Registered Nurses in the United States by the year 2012.

92% - The percentage of nurses who are women

600,000 - The number of licensed practical or licensed vocational nurses in the United States.

Largest Healthcare Profession in the U.S. - Nursing

7569 - Approximate number of hospitals in the United States.

1873 - First year a nursing degree was awarded in the U.S.

1846 - The first hospital training school for nurses is established in Germany.

25% - The percentage of Registered Nurses who work part time.

$28.71 - Mean hourly wage for Registered Nurses in the U.S.

Want to know what a travel nurse does?

2007-09-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

Are Foreign Nurses the Answer to the Nursing Shortage in the USA?

Over the last few days and weeks I have received a number of interesting articles in my e-mail box proposing an interesting contradiction in viewpoints.

One of the viewpoints states that importing foreign nurses to solve the nursing shortage in the USA is causing nursing wages to be kept artificially low and discouraging qualified nurses from becoming instructors at nursing programs. The net effect is fewer nurses in the profession and lower wages overall for everyone. Foreign nurses are willing to work for lower wages for a variety of reasons. In many cases it's because they don't realize that prevailing wages are higher than they expect. Often, it's because the nurses fear asking for more money because of the perception that the employer will take steps to have them deported if they "rock the boat". According to one article over 30% of the nursing workforce are foreign born nurses. The call for higher wages is coming from a number of groups including nursing instructors and other health care advocates. One of the detrimental effects often cited as a reason to limit the number of foreign nurses we use in the USA is that it steals critical skills needed in the countries that these nurses come from.

The opposing viewpoint states that part of the solution to solving the nursing shortage should involve bringing in more nurses from foreign countries. These nurses are critically important to filling the empty nursing jobs advocates say. There are barriers that need to be overcome including language proficiency and making sure the nurses can meet the standards required to be licensed as a nurse in the USA. Advocates of increasing the number of foreign nurses point out the disturbing facts that nursing shortages are having a direct impact on patient care and potentially harming patients who don't receive adequate care or the right care because of the nursing shortage.

Issues are raised by both sides that are relevant and require answers. Are nurses who come from the Phillipines (0r other countries) the health care equivalent of 'sweatshop labor" forced into an economic slavery? How much harder is it to be a patient advocate if you live in fear of unemployment and deportation? Are we just being selfish when we take the best and the brightest nurses and bring them to the USA? What is the impact on the other countries? The world is in the midst of a global nursing shortage. Aren't we just making the problem worse when we "rob Paul to pay Peter"?

One thing this author knows for sure is this... In times of turmoil come opportunities. Travel Nursing is alive and well in these turbulent times.

If you are a nurse and you are curious about wages and benefits of nursing you really should check out healthcaresalaryonline.com

Until next time I remain your Travel Nurse commentator

2007-08-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

Nursing as a Community

Nurses love to be part of a community. One of the places I used to work at was really great at fostering that sense of community. Sometimes we refer to it as being part of a “family”. It seemed like at least once a month we would have a potluck. I don’t know about you but I love potlucks. It’s better than going to a buffet restaurant because it’s like you get to choose from 15-20 homemade dishes all at once. Not to mention the desserts. While we ate we socialized, talked nursing and re-enforced the bonds that made us a community. But, how does a travel nurse who might have as many as 4 new assignments in a year keep that sense of community?

Enter the online community. Online communities have proliferated on the internet. For virtually every type of hobby or interest there is a community for that; including nursing and travel nursing. Online communities have a number of different styles. One of the most popular is the online bulletin board or forum. Nursing forums allow nurses to communicate on a personal and a professional level. With an online forum you can exchange recipes, talk about current events, discuss clinical practice and review work conditions in different areas. You can view comments made by your fellow nurses and respond to them. The nice thing about this is that you don’t have wait for your friends to be out of bed or off work to log in and visit.

Nursing forums can be very focused such as the forum for emergency nursing found on the nurserve.co.uk at http://www.nurserve.co.uk/newforum/forum_topics.asp?FID=1 or quite broad and appealing to the general nursing community such as the forums at allnurses.com or ultimatenurse.com.

There are also nursing blogs, e-zines and mailing lists where users post to the list and you can receive emails with everyone’s reply. These tend to get a bit of spam but nurses still do use them to communicate, encourage each other and provide the kind of support you would expect from a community.

Some travel nurse specific forums that I have found online include
http://www.nurse-forum.com/nursing-4-0.html
http://www.ultimatenurse.com/forum/f7/
http://allnurses.com/forums/f54/

Want to know how much a registered nurse makes in California?

Not sure about travel nursing? Check out my site The-Travel-Nurse.com and learn what Travel Nursing is about. You don't have to worry about being called 6 times by a travel agency recruiter because the site is not sponsored by an agency. It's written by a travel nurse for travel nurses.

2007-08-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

Temporary Nurses Equal Quality Care

Detractors of using temporary or travel nurses have often cited lower quality of patient care as one of the outcomes of hiring temporary nurses. Yet, the truth is that the majority of temporary or travel nurses are highly qualified nurses who do deliver quality care. And now there is a study that says what all you travel nurses have known all along is the truth. "Temporary doesn't mean worse when it comes to nurses"

Its a short article in the The Star Ledger. They will ask you for a couple of bits of demographics such as your zip code and gender if you want to read the second page of the article but you don't have to register to read it.

Have you ever wondered how much employment benefits are worth? I have done a basic analysis and the value of medical, vacation and other benefits can be astonishing. Go ahead and click on the link to see what a typical nursing benefits package is worth.

2007-08-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

Travel Nurse Resources

Occassionally, I run across a travel nurse resource or internet site that I feel should be shared with all my fellow travel nurses. One of those sites is a nursing magazine that focuses on the traveler. The last time I checked the magazine is free of charge to any nurse who wants to receive it. It's called Healthcare Traveler and you can read it online or even receive a regular magazine subscription in the mail.

Each month they feature stories about real travel nurses and some of the adventures they are having. This month features include an article about oreintation. Do they oreint travel nurses?Humor me folks ;) They also have a story about a nurse who is on assignment in Alaska. They feature clinical know how and other good topics.

I have received the magazine for a while now and throughly enjoy reading it.

2007-07-24T14:14:00.000-07:00

Technology Friendly

That might be described as one of the key characteristics a travel nurse should have. On my web page about Travel Nursing I included a list of characteristics a travel nurse should have. I did not include Technology proficent or "techy friendly". Maybe I should have. Your average travel nurse can take anywhere from 1 to 4 new assignments in a year.

In addition to figuring out new routines, places to shop and more she or he will also have to jump right in and start using a new computer charting system, new IV pumps and different monitors than what was used at the last assignment. For the average person just adapting to a new computer charting system once can be quite traumatic. Imagine doing it 4 times in one year. Ouch!

There are those who love challenge and new things. They often buy the latest gadget when it first comes out. Travel nurses come in all sizes and shapes but I am betting that the majority of them are technology freindly and are willing to be beta testers and innovators.

2007-07-18T19:00:00.000-07:00

Interesting Career Possibility

It seems that a popular career has started to become quite popular in Canada. The newborn night nanny. They actually call it a Night Nurse. Not everyone of them are registered nurses but many of them are. And the salary appears to be comparable with RN wages in other areas. Of course, the possibilities for this to be something that could be managed/arranged through a nursing agency are definitely there. The full article can be read here.

It's amazing what nurses can do to help people. The skill set we develop lends itself to so many incredible opportunities.

Until next time.... you can always reach me at alphatraveler@the-travel-nurse.com

2007-07-10T10:55:00.000-07:00

Once again the looming nursing shortage is in the news. Depending on who is projecting the shortage we are A) already experiencing a nursing shortage B) Will experience the beginning of a much larger nursing shortage by 2010 or C) the Mega nursing shortage will be upon us by 2020. Why is there such a disparity in the data?

Partly because there are different factors being looked at. One thing we know is that the nursing shortage is not a universal "everyone, everywhere is suffering" type of shortage. There are significant regional differences that play into it. Salaries, population and even geographical factors contribute. More often these days almost all of the studies looking at nursing shortages agree that one of the significant factors is that schools of nursing cannot produce enough nurses. Shockingly, many nursing schools are turning away applicants because of a shortage of instructors and lack of adequate funding. Creating nurses is not very profitable for colleges so "surprise, surprise!" they don't expand the programs to meet the demand. But, just as importantly is the shortage of qualified instructors. Being a nursing instructor requires at least a Master's degree in Nursing and usually a pay cut for most nurses so it should be no surprise to anyone that nurses don't have much incentive to switch from clinical practice to teaching.

What this means for travel nursing is that opportunities should continue to grow for nurses interested in traveling. My site www.the-travel-nurse.com has details of how to become a travel nurse. The number of facilities and nursing areas that are recruiting agency nurses and travel nurses is pretty impressive. Don't expect to be able to travel easily if you want to be a diabetic educator (yet) but if you are an OR, Med/surg, ER or Critical Care nurse you would be amazed at how fast you can be traveling.

2007-07-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I have been a bit absent from my travel nurse blog. What brought this to mind is that I am once again embarked on a travel assignment for the military. Of course, technically since I am an Army Reserve Nurse I am not a travel nurse but a mobilized soldier. But, as I start my assignment at Walter Reed Medical Center I am reminded of the many similarities. I have to travel away from home for an extended period. I have to arrange temporary housing (or have it arranged for me). The job is "temporary". I get to make new friends and integrate myself into a nursing team that I did not know last week. I will get to see a part of the country I haven't seen before. I am actually looking forward to booking some sightseeing tours of the Washington DC area. I get a "housing allowance" and "travel pay". Of course, none of this is intended to be a recruiting poster for the military. I just feel there are some obvious parallels between being a nurse in the military and being a travel nurse.

Until next time fellow travelers :)

Jesse aka alphatraveler@the-travel-nurse.com

2006-08-12T14:33:00.000-07:00

Travel Nurses & Unions

Now there's a controversial topic ;)

Mention Nurses and Organized Labor in some circles and you just might get treated like the proverbial guest at a banquet who just vomited on the host. But, the topic is one that deserves a fair look. Recent news headlines linking a serious medical error (wrong surgical site) to temporary nurses hired during a strike highlight one of the facts about travel nursing. Some of our compatriots do accept assignments to hospitals that are involved in nursing strikes. And when that happens they are likely to get blamed for all sorts of things. Some of them are not fair or appropriate.

But, the question arises... and it is one that is central to the Nurses and Unions debate. "Should nurses accept assignments as temporary workers at a hospital that is on strike?"

One side of the argument says that it’s about patient care. Nurses who care about patients shouldn't be striking and if they wanted better working conditions there are better ways to achieve them.

Yes, says the other side...but what if patient care is jeopardized by a hospital administration that refuses to listen to nurses and won't consider any alternatives to the current way they are doing business? And when nurses don't support nurses it just allows the hospital to keep doing business as usual.

Opponents of temporary nurses say they weaken the nurse’s ability to bring hospital administration to the bargaining table. That nurses don't strike over issues like better wages as much as they strike over working conditions, patient safety and the right to have more say in the environment of care. Hospitals with high burnout rates and poor job satisfaction are more likely to find themselves in the midst of a strike and that temporary nurses help these "bad hospitals" to stay bad. One recent study even supports the argument that unions improve patient outcomes http://www.massnurses.org/News/2002/002004/study.htm

Those who support temporary nurses point to patient safety...who will take care of the patients when regular nurses walk off the job? They point out that if the strike is completely successful the resulting loss of income could be the figurative equivalent of "killing the goose" causing loss of jobs and income. Another point is that by filling in as temporary workers they assure that jobs will still be there for the permanent staff once the current dispute is over.

So, why do nurses decide to join unions? According to the SEIU (a union that represents nurses) there are a variety of reasons including safer staffing, higer wages, better benefits, a voice in hospital policies and political clout.

If unions are so much better then why don't nurses join them? Nurses don't join unions for a variety of reasons. Some believe that the Union vs. Management "struggle" creates an adversarial environment instead of a collaborative one. Others perceive the union as being “greedy and only there for the dues”. There is also a belief that nurses are a special group and that “petty issues” should not be allowed to interfere with the true calling of nurses – Patients. In fact, for many years it was believed that “professionals don’t go on strike”.

So, back to the question – Should nurses accept assignments as temporary workers in a strike situation? That, like so many complex issues in nursing, is really up to the individual nurse. I certainly won’t presume to dictate to my colleagues…after all that’s management’s job. ;)

This article ran in the most recent edition of The Travel Nurse Journal. The back issues are found at http://www.the-travel-nurse.com/TheTravelNurseJournal-backissues.html

2006-08-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

Travel Nurse + PDA?

What do the words travel nurse and PDA have in common? They are both full of potential and portable. Whether you are talking about a Palm or a Pocket PC these small portable handheld computers have the ability to become a nurse's best friend. Or at least a fantastic resource. :)

Some examples of the resources you load onto your PDA include a complete medical dictionary, lab values, hemodynamic assessment tool, pulmonary assessment tool, ABG calculators, dosage calculators, PDR or Drug References and more. Of course, many of these resources are priced comparably to thier hard copy counter parts. But, did you know that there are many of these that are no cost? That's free to you and me! www.skyscape.com has a really cool program called archimedes which can calculate 70 medical formulas which is completely free. You can also find some programs at www.rnpalm.com or www.studentdoc.com .

It can take some digging to find the really useful free stuff but if you are on a budget and don't want to spend literally a couple thousand dollars putting every neat must have program on your PDA then you need to seriously consider doing the research and finding the freebies. :)

Some examples of what you can do with a PDA include using it to track tasks, meds and even charting notes. On a personal level you can use it to keep track of people including friends and supervisors, listen to music or watch movies and even check your e-mail. You can load map programs or use mapquest mobile and even use it as portable road atlas.

Jesse

aka alphatraveler@the-travel-nurse.com

2006-07-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

Just an update on my traveling experiences. I have been "traveling" on the same assignment now for approximately a year and a half. Now there are some that could argue that being an Army Reserve nurse who has been deployed to Ft Bragg NC to be a nurse case manager is not exactly travel nursing. Ah...but I beg to differ. This is a temporary contract with option to renew :) I still maintain a permanent residence in Washington State.

My role is to assist Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers to receive the right care in a timely manner while safeguarding my employers resources. If a soldier needs a referral to a neurosurgeon I am instrumental in getting it. I help coordinate care and assist with medical management. I follow my soldiers who have high blood pressure and make sure they are getting periodic blood pressure follow up as well as lab work. I also coordinate care and appointments for physical therapy, physical medicine, pyschiatric care, orthopedics, and much much more.

As is the norm for most nursing jobs I consider the whole soldier including issues like diet and fitness... which I counsel and teach a lot.

I have been to a few fun places. In May I went to Myrtle Beach NC with my wife and had a great time walking on the beach and looking for seashells she could take back to Washington with her. The view of the ocean is one that is just always impressive to me.

In June I went on a trip into the mountains of East Tennessee with one of my co-workers who live there in Elizabethton TN. Roan Mountain State Park is home to the largest naturally occurring garden of Rhodendrum in the world and is just a few miles form Elizabethton so we just had to go see that and Old Grandfather mountain. If you come at it from the right direction it looks just like an old man with a beard laying down.

That's one of the perks of being a travel nurse. You get to see and do things you never would have done if you were still working at the hospital just a few miles from home.

Until next time.. alphatraveler@the-travel-nurse.com

2006-07-08T06:07:00.000-07:00

RV Travel Nursing

I work with a nurse who travels with his wife, two hyperactive
home schooled children and a poodle. The interesting thing is that he and his wife do travel nursing. They chose to create a consistent home environment by traveling with a travel trailer. An RV without the motor.

The living space is a bit small but they don't have to pack each time the assignment changes and the kids feel like home stays the same even when it moves. :)
They save money because usually an RV/Travel trailer space costs significantly less than an apartment and since most travel nurse agencies pay a housing allowance they get to pocket the difference.

Now recently the rising cost of gas has them thinking about changing things. They haven't really decided if owning a house or two in the two main areas they want to work in is practical.

There are some good sites on the net about RV traveling and its amazing how many travel nurses you can find who are RV travelers too.

Some things to consider when looking at an RV lifestyle:

Maintenance issues. If your water system breaks you fix it or hire someone to do it. :(

Higher travel costs related to lower gas mileage and increasing cost of gas

RV's are not speedy so plan on a little extra time when traveling

If you are not hooked up to a RV site with sewer drain you have to find somewhere to empty your tanks every few days.

Advantages:

You never have to rent a hotel room :)

You don't have to pack each time you change assignments

Cheaper than apartment or house rental

Pets can travel with you

Easier to travel with a spouse or significant other :)

If you have an RV story you want to share please feel free to add a comment to this post :)

Alphatraveler from www.the.travel.nurse.com

2006-04-30T13:34:00.000-07:00

Refusing to Stay - Patient Abandonment?

Last time I posted I talked about nurses who refuse to perform treatments or give care that they feel is immoral or violates their personal values. This time I want to talk about another controversial practice.

I have talked to nurses from all over the U.S. who have very strong beliefs about patient abandonment. Many facilities use this to coerce nurses into staying past the end of the shift. Calling it patient abandonment they imply or state outright that they will report nurse’s who refuse to stay after their scheduled shift ends to the state nursing board. The implication is that not only are you abandoning patients but now you will be subject to disciplinary action against your nursing license if you leave.

The guilt of leaving patients in the lurch is bad enough but they also throw in the fear of losing your ability to practice nursing.

Well, guess what? Leaving when your shift is over is NOT patient abandonment! Read almost every single nursing practice act or the accompanying policy statement that virtually every nursing board has published on this topic and what you will discover is that this is NOT considered patient abandonment.

In fact, many states consider this practice to be nothing more than forced or mandatory overtime. The use of coercion and blackmail that goes with this practice is so prevalent that many states have passed legislation forbidding the use of forced or mandatory overtime as a routine way to cover shortages in nursing personnel. Maine, Pennsylvania and Washington states are just three of many states passing laws to prevent this shameless harassment and extortion.

What I find most astonishing is that there had to be a law passed. All it would have taken is enough nurses voting with their feet for employers to get the message. Sure it’s scary to tell the boss no. But, how hard is it to give two weeks notice and find another job?

Of course, the type of boss who feels they have the right to demand you leave your own family in the lurch or be terminated for refusing is just downright amazing. You expect that kind of hard-nosed callousness toward people from the military or other professions but not in healthcare.

In places where you don’t have a strong union contract or state law to protect you there are still employers who can and will terminate nurses who refuse to stay on after the shift ends. The real jerks will even threaten to “report you to the board of nursing”. I am not sure I would want to work for them anyway.

That’s where being a travel nurse can be very advantageous. You sign up for 13 weeks. Sure some employers may ask you to be willing to work at least 48 hours per week when you sign up but if you find that mandatory overtime is excessive and the attitude is draconian then when the contract ends it’s on to the next contract thank you very much.

Well, that’s my opinion for this time. I hope that all of the nurses reading this understand that I am not against staying past the end of my shift. I am against being forced to stay past the end of my shift.