Starting A Travel Job on Aug. 27? Don’t Delay Compliance
Staying on top of compliance due dates should be a top priority for every travel nurse when they book an assignment, but it’s especially important for those who start on Aug. 27. If a travel nurse misses a file due date this week and they have an Aug. 27 start date, there is a high probability their new start date could be pushed two weeks instead of one. Many hospitals are informing recruiters that, because of the Labor Day holiday affecting orientation dates, what would normally be a one week pushed start will actually be at least two weeks. Need some help getting up to speed on travel nurse compliance? We’ve got you covered: Find out why it’s so important to maintain your compliance documents as a traveler, as well as the most common items requested by agencies and healthcare facilities. Managing a growing list of compliance documents can be a pain. Learn about the digital tools you can use to make travel nurse compliance management easier. First-time traveler? Here’s your “cheat sheet” to getting your compliance documents in order ASAP.
Agency Advice: Why It’s So Important To Keep Up With Compliance
By Ryann Adoum, benefits manager for LiquidAgents Healthcare What is the first thing running through your mind after you get the exciting news from your recruiter that you have been offered a travel contract? Maybe it’s how you’re going to get there or how soon they need you to start, or where you’re going to live. These are all things you’re probably thinking of as you begin to tune out your recruiter’s onboarding rant. “I am going to need a copy of your most recent TB, Mask Fit Test, Hep B, MMR, Varicella, TDaP, Flu Vaccine, BLS…” your recruiter continues as you suddenly snap back to reality. Do you really need all of these things she is listing off? You should already have most of these documents ready to go, and here’s why. Importance of compliance documents The world of travel nursing is extremely fast-paced, and the room for error is slim. Once you have been extended a job offer, you are expected to get the ball rolling on compliance as soon as possible. You will need to be compliant with your agency first, and then your future facility. If you are not organized or committed to the process, onboarding might be much more of a headache than it needs to be. Compliance can be a hassle, and it means a lot of running around on your part, but there are certainly benefits to getting it done quickly. Not only does it build a great rapport with your agency, but it also means that your start date could be pushed up by the facility. Orientations for travelers are typically held every 2 weeks, so if you are quick enough on compliance to make it at least 2 weeks ahead of schedule, you could start working sooner than expected. There are several ways you can manage your compliance documents digitally so that they are easy to access when you need them, like using an online file dropbox or signing up for free compliance managing tools. Compliance items you should always have ready Along with signing your contract and human resources paperwork, a compliance department will always ask for these industry standard items. These requirements are directly from the Joint Commission, and any agency or facility who is JCAHO certified will require these. RN License Certifications Physical TB MMR, varicella, hep B TDaP vaccine Flu vaccine Mask fit test Ensure that you always have copies at your disposal, ready to send over to your agency immediately after an offer has been extended. Remember, these are just the base requirements, and you will more than likely be subject to additional documentation and testing before becoming totally compliant. Keeping compliance items current Along with keeping copies of your compliance documents, you should also ensure that certain items do not expire. Health documents such as the TB skin test, physical, vaccines, and certifications all expire and can set your potential start date back if you need to get new ones. Titer results take a few days to come in, TB skin tests require a 48-72 hour window for results, and certification classes take time to coordinate on top of the actual class time. The last thing you want is to push back your start date further– or even worse, have your contract canceled because of non-compliance. Once you are working with an agency, your compliance manager should keep track of the expiration dates for you so that you can focus on doing what you do best- working on the hospital floor! If you ever have a question about your documents, or you need to know the expiration date of something, get in touch with your compliance manager. They are happy to help, and being proactive in the compliance process will help both of you stay on track.
First-time Travel Nurse? Don’t Delay Compliance
You’ve graduated school. You’ve earned your license. You’ve worked a couple years in a permanent position. You’re ready to transition to travel nursing. Time to find an agency. Time to find a recruiter. Time to find a job. And it’s time to start collecting your compliance documents. Really? Before you have a job? Yes. Really, especially if you’re a first-time traveler. Tackling compliance early can ease headaches later There are a couple of reasons to start now. First, you’re going to have a lot to gather, and it’s going to take a little bit of time. You are going to need to provide documents that you haven’t had to access since you started working at your permanent job. You are either going to need to locate copies of things like college transcripts and shot records or you’re going to have to request those documents and wait to receive them. And other aspects of compliance–things like background checks and drug screenings–could take extra time to complete depending on how in-depth the hiring facility or VMS requires them to be. So don’t wait to begin the process of gathering documents. It’s about controlling the things you can control. You can make sure you have all of your documents together. You can make sure you’ve submitted background paperwork promptly. You can make sure you’ve scheduled a time to complete vaccinations or blood draws for screenings. How long it takes to complete those background checks or drug screenings is out of your hands, but you don’t want to be the reason things get held up. Compliance documents to collect So what do you need to have copies of? It will vary by assignment, but you can start here. A copy of your nursing license A copy of your diploma or a transcript that shows you earned your degree A copy of your annual physical Shot records showing you’ve had your: Annual tuberculosis skin test MMR vaccines (2) or positive titer Varicella vaccines (2) or positive titer Hepatitis B vaccines (3) or positive titer Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine — within 10 years Seasonal flu vaccine (issued between October 1 and March 31) Copies of any certifications you’ve earned Copies of identifications (driver’s license, passport, Social Security card) A voided check to set up direct deposit with your bank Organizing your compliance documents And where should you keep these compliance documents? There are online tools, like cloud storage sites, that you can use. But maybe the simplest option and one that doesn’t require you to remember passwords or worry about a site’s security being compromised is a dedicated flash drive where you keep electronic versions of everything. Take it with you when you go to the doctor for a physical or to receive vaccinations, and they should be able to put a copy of any documentation onto the drive for you. Now, these won’t likely be all the documents you’ll need to be compliant at every hospital. Each facility and each VMS has its own requirements. If you do have these documents, it’ll cut down some of the hustle you have to do before a new assignment.