Traveler Tips: Setting Realistic Expectations For Your Healthcare Career
By Alex McCoy, Contributing Writer, Owner of Fit Travel Life Working in travel healthcare is a great way to branch out in more ways than one. Traveling allows you to visit new areas, expand your skills as a practitioner and build relationships across the United States. When you first leave your staff job, there is a certain thrill of anticipation that becomes embedded in your soul, and your world is suddenly open to a host of possibilities. As a brand new traveler, it can be hard to balance these great expectations with a small dose of reality. Not every assignment will fulfill every point on your list of assignment goals, but by setting some realistic travel nurse expectations, your career can strike a balance between fun, adventure and regular employment. Know what you want from each assignment A great way to have success in any situation is to set goals. Travel nursing is no different. Before starting your career as a traveler, it is important to sit down and think about what you hope to accomplish by working as a travel nurse. Decide if you have a set amount of time you plan to travel or if you are going to reassess how you feel at the end of each contract. Then, set some financial goals for yourself. One of the most popular reasons to work as a travel nurse is financial security. For a majority of people travel healthcare is more lucrative than working in a permanent position. This could allow you to spend more money on travel between assignments, or give you enough extra cash to save for a large purchase such as a house. During other assignments, you may have the chance to work in a dream location. While you may not earn as much during this time, there should be other positives to focus on during these types of contracts. Every job may not come with a killer location and awesome pay rate, so setting a specific goal for each assignment is a great way to stay focused and keep a positive attitude even if you had to make some compromises on location or unit setting. Decide if there are other “must-haves” for each contract Some travel nurses are very particular about shift while others are happy to work nights or rotate if needed. While it is not impossible to travel as a days-only nurse, it can limit your job options. By limiting your shift preference, you may also limit your location or even pay. Most hospitals do not offer a traditional differential for travelers, but they may set a higher bill rate for a night shift position. The same rule applies to other non-nursing specialties. If you are a therapist, limiting your setting may result in fewer job options. Radiology travelers may have to be willing to work an odd shift or take a little more call than they would like. Each field has different considerations, but being open to new settings or learning new skills is helpful when trying to land a contract. Other things to consider for each contract are time off, holiday schedule, and floating stipulations. Adding a laundry list of requirements to your contract may cause managers to pass you over for more flexible candidates, but do not agree to something you are unable to sustain for your entire contract. Expect a few bumps in the road Anyone who has worked as a travel nurse will have a story or two about a time where almost nothing went according to plan. However, most of these people will also tell you they have stayed in the field and rolled with the punches. Whether your assignment gets canceled, your licensing takes longer than expected, or you have to change housing plans last minute, know that it is all part of the journey and take each hiccup as a learning experience. Keeping an open mind and being flexible is key to working as a traveler. If your experience is wearing you down more than you can handle, do not be afraid to reach out for help or advice. There are some great online communities for travelers to connect, and chances are someone has experienced a similar situation. Don’t be afraid to reassess at the end of each assignment One of the best parts of being a traveler is you do not have to do it for very long. Some people take one assignment and realize the lifestyle is not the right choice for them, while others spend years working travel jobs. There is no one-size-fits-all requirement, and by going in with realistic expectations you can be better prepared to make your experience as a traveler right for you.
Stocking Up: 4 Ways To Cheaply Furnish Your Travel Nurse Short Term Rental
By Alex McCoy, Contributing Writer, Owner of Fit Travel Life Editor’s note: Stocking Up is a three-part miniseries that covers the essential travel items and furnishing methods Alex McCoy uses to make it feel more like home at each new travel assignment without breaking the bank. Click here to read part one, or click here to read part two. One of the best ways to save money on short term rentals is to do a little more leg work when it comes to furnishings, linens, or other household supplies. While fully furnished places might sound appealing, opting to furnish a rental yourself may be a great way to save money while on a travel nurse assignment. There are several ways to approach furnishing a short term rental, from bare bones furnishings up to move-in ready packages. This week I want to share some ways to save money while furnishing a rental yourself. These options won’t get you a decked-out crib, but hopefully, you will be able to weigh the pros, cons, and cost of each option and make the best decision for you. How To Furnish A New Rental As A Travel Nurse Option One: Bare bones furnishings. Most travel healthcare workers are minimalists at heart. If all of your belongings fit into your vehicle, chances are most of your life is pretty “no frills”. As a result, I have seen many travelers opt for the most basic of furnishings to save money and time. Many of these travelers will simply invest in a decent air mattress and use plastic tubs as tables in their home. They will sometimes buy inflatable couches or a cheap futon to act as a couch. Camp chairs also work well for watching TV or eating dinner if you want to avoid purchasing actual furniture. While this may seem extreme to some people, to others this is simply a practical way to live to save money. If you are not entertaining guests and sleep well on an inflatable bed, there may be no reason to spend money on any more furniture than what can fit in your car. Option Two: Purchase cheaply or find free furniture. Some travelers prefer to purchase gently used furniture at the beginning of each assignment or even find offers for free furniture on Facebook or Craigslist. One great way to source cheap furniture or other household items is to find a local traveler page for the city you are living in. By searching “City + Travel Nurses” on Facebook you can find a specific group for almost every major city in the United States. I have seen many furniture listings on such groups, and most travelers looking to sell will list their whole apartment as a lot for an incredibly low price. The downside to this option is having to then get rid of the furniture at the end of each assignment. However, it can be easy to simply offload possessions in the way you acquired them: by listing them for very cheap or free on different networks. This also requires some leg work the last few weeks of an assignment when you have to coordinate pick up times and meet-ups. One way to skip this hassle would be to simply donate items, or you could re-list as a lot for people to pick up in one go. Option Three: Rent cheap from a furniture store. If you go online and browse some of the more popular rental furniture stores, you will notice that a full apartment worth of rental pieces will run several hundred dollars. But what they don’t tell you is if you go in person to the store they will have a selection of gently used pieces that may not be as “pretty” as the online photos but will be just as functional. You don’t actually have to rent a full package—you can simply pick the basic necessities (think mattress, couch, coffee table, TV stand) and build your own perfect package. Some of these stores will even have furniture that can be sold and delivered for cheaper than renting it, but once again you will have to decide if purchasing and then reselling is worth the money you may save up front. Option Four: Scout out locally-owned furniture stores for deals. Last time we rented furniture ourselves, we found an incredible deal from a local furniture shop. We initially planned on just renting the basics, but the cost of an entire apartment worth of furniture was less than $200 so we splurged a little to make our place feel more like home. Because locally owned stores have less overhead they may be able to keep prices down. This is even more common in areas with large military bases where renting furniture is a much more common practice. These types of places may be easier to find in person once you arrive at your destination. You can simply plan on using an air mattress for the first couple of nights while checking out the local area for potential rental shops. Or, combine all of the above. Some travelers will simply rent or purchase a couch while sleeping on an air mattress and using a plastic bin for a TV stand. Regardless of how you make it work, all that matters is that you are comfortable and happy with your living space. By getting a little creative when deciding how to furnish your travel nurse apartment, you can skip the big prices and still end up with just what you need. Skip the major websites, look for local travelers offloading items, and itemize rather than renting full packages to save cash all around. Make note of what furniture you actually use on a regular basis rather than worrying about filling space, and it will be easy to see what the must-haves are for each assignment. << Part Two: Saving Money On Essentials For Your New Travel Home
Stocking Up: How To Save Money On Essentials For Your Travel Nurse Rental Home
By Alex McCoy, Contributing Writer, Owner of Fit Travel Life Editor’s note: Stocking Up is a three-part miniseries that covers the essential travel items and furnishing methods Alex McCoy uses to make it feel more like home at each new travel assignment without breaking the bank. You can read part one by clicking here, or jump to part three by clicking here. Finding housing can be one of the most stressful parts of working as a travel nurse. At the beginning of my career, I always looked for a place that had all the bells and whistles: furniture, linens, and dishes seemed like “must-haves” for a short term lease. I started to realize that this was actually costing me money as I have moved back and forth across the country. I could pay for the convenience of having everything I needed ready and waiting or I could spend a little extra time and cash up front and save myself hundreds of dollars a month at each assignment. Aside from corporate rentals or Airbnb, I have found that most apartment complexes that offer furnished options do not usually offer a “fully stocked” option. This means your apartment will have all of the big pieces of furniture, but smaller items such as dishes and linens will not be provided. I have found these rentals to be much cheaper than move-in ready versions, and for our last three assignments, we have gone this route instead. In the process, I have learned several shortcuts to get all the necessities we need without breaking the bank or overflowing the car. 1. Get familiar with Dollar Tree and other discount stores. My first stop is Dollar Tree whenever we have to purchase small household items including kitchen utensils, dish towels and bathroom accessories . I usually make a list of things we need and go their first and see if I can get lucky and find most of the items I need. After that, I go to Big Lots. I can usually find some of the larger items here like shower curtains or small kitchen appliances for $10 or less. By purchasing cheaper versions of some necessities, I can usually keep my first-day expenses under $150 and donate anything that won’t fit in my car at the end of the assignment. 2. Remember that you likely won’t be entertaining large groups of guests. I think one of the reasons we stress about having certain items in our home is because friends and family might be coming to visit and “need” something like a matching hand towel or an extra blanket if they get cold. When you start to think about what you personally use on a regular basis, the need for extra “stuff” will start to dwindle. Even when we do have friends come out to visit, we simply make a joke about the travel life and hand them our plastic silverware and a paper plate. 3. Pare down linens to the bare minimum. When it comes to bulkier items like blankets and towels, space gets taken up wdqquickly. As a traveler, you have to analyze what you actually use on a regular basis, and weed out items that you might have at home for “show” rather than usability. For example, traveling with a good quality fleece blanket or heavy afghan will take up less space than a comforter. Try to bring no more than two towels per person—one for everyday use and an extra in case you go to the pool, gym, etc. Use dish towels that can double as hot pads when cooking. 4. Opt for disposable options. Madeleine Olivia Get Rid Of It GIF from Madeleineolivia GIFs While producing extra waste is not my favorite way to live, often as a traveler, we have to take a few shortcuts here or there. One way I have learned to save space when packing is to utilize disposable silverware, plates, and bakeware when I can. One way I do this and cut back on overall waste is to reuse these items as I can. By buying the heavy duty plasticware, you can actually get quite a bit of use of them by re-washing. I have also rewashed plastic cups and aluminum pans that are meant to be disposable and then I try to recycle as much as I can when they are worn out. 5. Be willing to do dishes and laundry more frequently. If you only have one towel or just a couple sets of silverware it is inevitable that you will have to wash these items quite frequently. I often hand wash my dishes as I use them because I know I will be using them again soon. I also do a lot more laundry as a traveler than I did when I had a permanent home. This may seem like a little bit of a pain, but the other option would be to create more space in your vehicle for extra items or splurge on a few things you want to donate at the end of your stay. I personally am fine with washing my towel every couple of days to save a little money and space. 6. Don’t stress—you’ll get more efficient as you go along. Model Of Efficiency GIF from Model GIFs Any long term traveler will tell you that as your career progresses you will find yourself getting better at streamlining what you need and cutting back on what you don’t. I used to spend way too much money stocking up on “needs” at the beginning of each assignment and quickly realized how fast three months goes by and what we really use in that time frame. Now, if I end up needing it, I can always go back for it. Whether you decide to aim for the convenience of a move-in ready rental or to save a little cash by bargain shopping your first few days, you will find the routine that works best for your lifestyle
New ‘Healthcare Travelers Take Omaha’ Conference Set For Early April
Travel healthcare professionals have said pursuing a travel career can be a lonely experience. Travelers are spread all across the country, which can make it difficult to connect with their colleagues outside of social media. So when the idea for a new travel healthcare conference came about during TravCon 2018, it wasn’t out of a desire to create a competing conference, but instead to provide another event where travelers can network and connect, travel nurse Thomas Piper said. “We wanted to provide people another option to supplement TravCon,” Piper said. “Not everyone can make it to Vegas every year in September, so this conference is another place where travelers can connect.” Piper is helping organize the new conference Healthcare Travelers Take Omaha, which is set to take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 5-6 at the Holiday Inn Omaha Downtown-Airport in Omaha, Nebraska. Tickets cost $50, which covers the cost of food provided during the conference, Piper said. Only 150 tickets will be sold and the number of travel company exhibitors for the event is capped at 30, Piper said. So far, around 20 percent of the tickets have been sold, but Piper said he expects that number to increase as travelers settle into their first contracts of the year and plan time off. As of Wednesday, 21 of the 30 exhibitor slots have been filled, according to the conference website. Piper’s traveler Facebook group Scrub Squad 1978 along with Gypsy Soul Travel Nurses and Adventures In RV Travel Nursing are the official hosts for the event, according to their website. Along with a keynote speaker, recruiter panel and CEO panel discussion, the conference plans to offer several learning sessions with industry professionals and special group events, including a charity golf tournament benefiting autism research, a 5K fun run/walk and a meet-and-greet mixer. The learning sessions will cover topics like traveler taxes, fitness on the road, breaking a contract, RV travel and housing, according to their website. Small setting, good conversation Part of the reason why Healthcare Travelers Take Omaha is only accepting a small number of travelers and exhibitors is out of necessity, Piper said. Planning for the conference began in April, so with only six months to pull the event together, venue options were fairly limited. Organizers also wanted to keep the cost of entry as low as possible for both attendees and exhibitors, which is why Omaha was selected for the first year of the conference, Piper said. “Omaha is a central hub for travel nursing companies,” Piper said. “It’s also centrally located, so it’s very inexpensive for travelers to access who may be on the edges of the country.” More than a dozen travel healthcare staffing companies call Omaha home, including Aureus Medical Group, Atlas Medstaff and Fusion Medical Staffing, all of which are exhibitors for the event. The conference won’t be held in Omaha every year, however. Another reason why organizers wanted a different conference was a chance to meet up with travelers in new places, Piper said. Organizers are already looking ahead to next year’s conference in Orlando where they plan to offer more tickets for travelers and space for exhibitors. “We’re travelers—we like to travel the country and don’t want to go to the same city every year,” Piper said. “TravCon is great and a lot of fun. I plan on going to it every year. But it can be expensive to visit Vegas every year if you’re working on the East Coast or want to bring your family along.” Another reason why organizers wanted a smaller setting was to offer more time for travelers and companies to network with each other, Piper said. “We’ve set a lot of time aside for people to have actual conversations with agencies and recruiters,” Piper said. “It’s definitely going to be a more intimate setting for networking and forming relationships.” Piper was encouraged by how quickly Healthcare Travelers Take Omaha has come together and hopes this conference will provide another great option for travelers to connect with each other, he said. “Talking after TravCon last year, we weren’t sure we would be able to throw it all together within six months, but it’s coming along nicely,” Piper said.
6 Unique Nurse Jobs & Specialties With Travel Potential
One of the many perks of being a travel nurse is the frequent exposure to new environments and experiences. Sometimes that can also mean trying out unique nurse jobs or specialties that aren’t always on the hospital floor. If you’re looking to take your nursing career to new places, check out these six unique nurse jobs and specialties with travel potential that you may never have heard of before. Cruise Ship Nurse On an ocean cruise in the Bahamas, work is probably the last thing on your mind. But even on the open water, cruise ships need healthcare professionals to treat vacationers and crew members in the case of any emergencies, accidents or illnesses. In 2018 so far, the CDC reported nine vessels had illness outbreaks including norovirus and E. coli. Accidents are also very common onboard. Cruise ship nurses serve as first-responders on the ship for all medical issues, treat a wide-scope of patients and manage transportation of people to larger facilities if necessary. To provide proper care, ships such as Princess Cruises, have well-equipped medical centers that include critical care areas, X-ray units, lab facilities and a pharmacy. Cruise ship nurses get to see the world all while providing excellent care and enhancing their nursing skills. Similar to travel nursing, most cruise ship companies require nurses to have at least two years of experience, preferably in an acute-care or emergency setting. Potential cruise ship nurses are also required to earn a certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Average Annual Pay: $82,883 Theme Park Nurse Just like cruise ships, vacation theme parks like Six Flags and Disneyland need healthcare professionals onsite in case of emergencies. While typically there are not doctors in place, it’s the theme park nurses who assist guests and staff with various immediate medical needs and manage a large flow of patients. Having diverse experience in emergency room care or fast-paced urgent care clinics is highly recommended. This year, Disney World & Resorts launched a large primary care center on the grounds specifically to care for more than 40,000 employees and their families. Disney has current nurse openings at its parks in Florida, California and France. If you’re looking for a fun yet challenging workplace, theme park nursing could be one of the most unique and happiest places to be. Average Annual Pay: Varies By Location Certified Nurse-Midwife Are you passionate about caring for mothers and babies? Experienced in labor and delivery? A certified nurse midwife handles patient care and safety through the entire process – pregnancy, labor and postpartum. At-home midwife births are becoming more and more common, and the American College of Nurse-Midwives has seen an increased demand for midwives. Midwifery offers a variety of settings including private practices, universities, military hospitals, birth centers, large facilities or through an in-home agency. There are also great travel programs for midwives with nonprofit organizations and the World Health Organization. WHO specifically launched a strategic initiative to help strengthen midwife nursing around the world, focusing on poverty and disease-stricken communities. Becoming a travel nurse-midwife brings care to people who need it most. Average Annual Pay: $107,460 Forensic Nurse If you’re a fan of the long-time TV show “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”, you may be familiar with this healthcare specialty. Forensic nurses treat patients who were victims of trauma, violence or abuse. Playing a role in both nursing and the judicial system, forensic nurses need to be knowledgeable of the legal system while providing the best care to those in vulnerable or dire positions. The International Association of Forensic Nurses offers a variety of travel opportunities—for example, a pediatric forensic nurse from Colorado participated on an 8-week assignment in Swaziland, Africa to provide care for children and rape victims. The caseload of forensic nurses can be emotionally draining and even disturbing at times, but they provide an important service for those who are suffering from the impact of violent incidents. Average Annual Pay: $50,000-60,000 Nurse Educator Looking for an exciting opportunity to give back to the next generation of nurses? Consider becoming a Travel Nurse Educator. Also known as clinical educators, these positions are crucial for teaching hospitals and universities to help future nurses or recent grads develop the skills they need. While working in either a classroom or a clinical setting, Nurse Educators design, evaluate, update and implement top nursing curriculums, and act as mentors. To become a Certified Nurse Educator, you must have a BSN, RN, Master’s/Doctorate Degree and pass the National League of Nursing exam. These effective nursing leaders must be driven, highly knowledgeable and attentive for their students to succeed. Average Annual Pay: $73,265 Public Health Nurse Public health nurses work outside of the hospital and focus on the health of people in their community. They evaluate health trends, issues and laws, and propose strategies to help keep the population healthy. Public health nursing can vary state to state and is expected to grow by 19 percent, according to the Nurse Journal. Working with a health agency or a government health department, public health nurses educate people about important preventative healthcare, treat patients in public health clinics, work with youth programs and community centers, and help with training. Tasks can include providing screening tests and immunizations, collecting data from disease outbreaks, responding to natural disasters and community-wide emergencies, assisting patients and families in psychosocial health, and so much more. Every day can be different as a public health nurse. Average Annual Pay: $56,700
5 Signs You Are Ready To Start A Travel Healthcare Career
It can be difficult to know when to start a travel healthcare career. Many would-be travelers can suffer from “analysis paralysis” thinking about all of the criteria they should meet before traveling. Should I wait until I have more experience? What if I end up somewhere I hate? Will I be able to support myself sufficiently? Do I have to become a wizard at finding a new place to live every few months? While those are all important questions, they are better left for after you decide to commit to a travel healthcare career. We’ve narrowed down five signs to look for when deciding to pursue a travel healthcare career. Signs You Are Ready To Start Your Travel Healthcare Career 1. You want to see new sights One of the most obvious benefits of being a healthcare traveler is right in the name. There are more than 30,000 active job posts on the StaffDNA boards at any given time that span the U.S. and cover a massive variety of locations. Looking to hit the ski slopes in the winter? Some facilities recruit for the winter as early as August. Want to find a nice small town with pretty trees for the fall? Take your pick of northeast states right off the Atlantic coast. One of the main factors stopping travelers from working where they want is having current state licenses, but even that is made easier because most agencies will pay your licensing fees. Additionally, nurses and physical therapists can get compact licenses which allows them to work in multiple states with only one license. Other healthcare professions are working towards implementing licensure compacts as well. 2. You want more control over your pay A traveler’s job flexibility also applies to their earning potential, not just location. The keyword to focus on here is “control,” because while it’s true travelers earn more on average than permanent staff, that doesn’t mean they always will. That’s why it’s important to think about your salary in terms of control—you can control what agencies you work with, the recruiters you work with and the jobs you pursue. Since the traveler job market is fast-moving and highly competitive, travel staffing agencies are constantly fighting tooth-and-nail to offer you the best pay package and solid benefits. 3. You want to build up your professional skillset quickly It’s easy to get stuck in a routine while working at the same facility every year. If you plan on traveling for more than a year, chances are you will work in a variety of different environments with unique challenges. Contrary to conventional wisdom, this constant job hopping can actually help you in the long run because it will show potential employers you are highly adaptable and can face unexpected problems with confidence. Traveling also means getting experience in multiple electronic medical (healthcare) record software platforms, as different hospitals will have their own systems. In a Black Book Research survey, 98 percent of travel nurses said fluency in multiple EMR platforms is a highly valued skill. Since facilities are constantly updating or implementing new EMR platforms, travelers with experience in multiple platforms can apply for EMR conversion contracts, which typically offer much higher pay rates than standard travel assignments. 4. You are sick of healthcare workplace “politics” Bad hospital management, interpersonal drama, pointless gossip, local union disputes—traveling gives you a chance to avoid almost all of the workplace “politics” that permanent staff have to deal with. Since you have the option to avoid toxic workplace relationships as a temporary staff member, that means you can focus more time on patient care and improving your skills. 5. You are ready for a challenge We’ve explained a lot of the benefits to traveling, but that doesn’t mean travelers get to just kick back and rake in money. Healthcare travelers have to be ready to face almost all of these challenges at any given time: Managing and frequently updating compliance documents Maintaining a tax home Managing relationships with multiple recruiters and agencies Applying for state licenses Multiple job interviews every year Calculating travel expenses Frequently looking for (and moving to) temporary housing Adjusting quickly to new work environments with limited orientation Planning on how to travel with friends, family or pets Loneliness or homesickness Constant on-the-job learning High expectations for job performance Avoiding workplace drama If this list of challenges seems daunting, that’s perfectly natural. Traveling has plenty of positive aspects, but it may not be for everyone. Some travelers find they love the challenge as it motivates them to work harder and improve their skills. The most important thing you can do after noticing the signs that you’re interested in traveling is to educate yourself. There are a variety of online resources—including this website—where you can find answers to any lingering questions you may have about being a healthcare traveler.
10 Best Travel Dog Breeds For Healthcare Professionals
Tons of travel healthcare professionals love to bring their beloved pooches along for the ride, but not every dog breed is great for the open road. Breed size, temperament, trainability and need for exercise are all important factors to consider. To help you narrow down your choices, we’ve created a list of the top 10 best travel dog breeds by comparing data and information across many pet health and lifestyle web sources. We also refined our list by considering factors unique to healthcare travelers that could affect the health and happiness of your furry friend. For example, we took border collies off our list because their high-energy nature can be a bad match for busy solo travelers who may not have the time to work off that energy. When you’re looking over this list, keep in mind these are not the only dogs who can travel well. Every dog is different, so it’s very possible you find a mutt, mixed breed or alternative breed dog that happens to be the perfect travel companion. If you have questions about how to travel safely with your pet, make sure to check out our Pet Travel guide for quick tips! 10 Best Travel Dog Breeds 1. Chihuahua The “gold standard” for portable pups, Chihuahuas are compact enough to fit in a large bag anywhere you go. They also have very low exercise and food needs, so you won’t have to worry about bringing along big bags of food or hiring dog walkers very often. If you want small, you can’t go wrong with a Chihuahua. 2. Labrador Retriever Labrador retrievers are happy and ready for adventure. This breed has plenty of energy to happily follow you on the hiking trail and loves to explore. Most importantly, labs are very easy and obedient to train, meaning they won’t destroy your rental while you’re working those 12-hour shifts. 3. Pomeranian In terms of travel convenience, Pomeranians are basically fluffy Chihuahuas. Their super-compact size means they are ready to go anywhere in a moderately sized bag, and they are just as loyal and affectionate as their less poofy brethren. Shedding is obviously a downside of breeds with thicker hair, so plan to brush your Pom on a regular basis to weed out excess hairs before they end up everywhere. 4. Boston Terrier Boston terriers are adaptable and friendly. With a gentle, happy-go-lucky temperament, Boston terriers are great car-ride companions and want to tag along with you no matter where you’ll move. As a snubnose breed, it’s not recommended to take Boston Terriers on any planes. Becuase of their narrow airways they can asphyxiate at high altitudes. 5. Bichon Frise Bichon Frise’s have easy-going and sassy personalities—perfect for dishing about all the stuff that happened after a crazy shift. Like the Boston Terrier, this breed is also quite adaptable and comfortable around new people. 6. Great Dane You’ll have to make some room for your massive Great Dane, but what they lack in compact size they make up for with their loving temperament and gentle nature. Despite a large frame, Great Danes actually need very little exercise to stay healthy. Combine that with minimal grooming needs and you have a large, loveable and low-stress travel companion. 7. Yorkshire Terrier One of the benefits of owning a Yorkshire Terrier, other than their compact size, is their tendency towards sociability. Yorkshires are one of a handful of breeds that do very well in urban environments with lots of other dogs and owners, which is great for travelers who want to stick with metropolitan areas and larger hospitals. 8. Dachshund If RV travel is your method of choice, you can’t go wrong with a Dachshund. An inquisitive breed, Dachshunds form strong bonds with their owners and make great guard dogs. Just like the other small breeds on the list, they are compact, low maintenance and ready to accompany you anywhere. Keep in mind this breed is a bit more territorial of their owners and less tolerant of curious youngsters, so they are not recommended for travelers with children. 9. Golden Retriever Opposite from Dachshunds, Golden Retrievers are the perfect family dog and an all-around great first pet. They are eager to make friends with every new person they meet, which makes them a great tagalong for outdoor activities and social events. Just like their Labrador cousins, they are also very easy to train. Goldens do like to enjoy more open spaces and they may not do as well in urban environments. 10. French Bulldog A very trainable breed, French Bulldogs are just as happy playing around as they are lounging all day. Their laid-back attitude and low maintenance grooming and exercise needs mean they are great for long drives and in most living situations. As a snubnose breed like the Boston Terrier, French Bulldogs should not fly on planes. Stick to car travel with this dog.
How to Take Care of Yourself as a Travel Nurse
By Natalie Newman, Contributing Writer Stress is synonymous with nursing. Because of the constant changes in the healthcare environment and the rapid growth in healthcare technology, one can easily become stressed and disillusioned. I have 6 simple principles I incorporate into my daily life to ensure I am healthy, happy and emotionally strong as a nurse, no matter where my travels take me: Safety in the Hospital There are a number of dangerous chemicals in a hospital. Nurses especially are continuously exposed to bleach wipes and alcohol hand sanitizer, but too much exposure to these chemicals can cause damage to skin and lungs over time. I always hold my breath when using the bleach wipes and I don’t stand too close after using chemical products. I bring my own “natural” hand sanitizer and carry it in my pocket. I also run whenever I hear the word “x-ray.” Not just 6 feet away — but in another room hidden behind a wall! Continuous radiation is a serious health concern for health care providers. Talk Constantly being around sick people and emergent situations can lead to burnout. Also, at some point in your nursing career, there may be a patient death. It most likely won’t be your fault, but you will still feel awful about it and potentially take those feelings home with you for a long time. This happened to me and I constantly wondered “What if I did something different and saw something sooner?” But after hours of talking to other nurses, doctors, friends and professionals, I realized there was truly nothing I could do. I was shocked to learn how many nurses and doctors also process death the same way I did and even experience depression. Please, don’t bottle up your feelings. I wish everyone were more open and honest with their life experiences so we can understand that sometimes death is a normal process. The more we support each other and talk honestly, the better the outcomes for our team and patients. See the daylight Being in a hospital all day, especially in units with no windows, can affect your internal rhythm. Humans need to breathe outside air and be in sunlight. Therefore, on my breaks, I usually take a walk. Even if it is just for 5 minutes around the building, I take continuous deep breaths of fresh air to recharge. Plan your days off Even if you’re planning on just relaxing and doing nothing, make that your intention. Living with intention is key to a happy life. I like to plan something relaxing or fun for a much needed day off. If I totally unwind or learn something new, I’m feeding my brain which will always thank me later. The workplace can be a stressful environment for all, so I often find new things to do and learn and then invite other co-workers to join me. Don’t give into stress The cliche “follow your gut,” is not necessarily the best advice. You know when you think about something sad or frustrating and those nervous feelings in your stomach start churning? That is cortisol, a stress hormone. Never make decisions or conclusions from that stress hormone, or from anger or out of fear. If something is bothering you, use a combination of your intuition and analytical thinking. This can help you see the situation as it really is, without emotions involved. Regardless of how you deal with these situations, it’s important and rewarding to find your own way to be calm, rational, and professional. Hold hands and give hugs Medical studies have shown the most effective way to de-stress quickly is to give a hug or hold hands. When appropriate, I hug my patients especially when I know they are scared or lonely. I will get down to their eye level and hold their hand while talking to them. I can’t even begin to tell you how effective this is in healing and happiness. When my grandfather’s oncologist prepared to tell him of his fatal diagnosis, she knelt down first, looked him in the eye, held his hand and calmly gave the news. It was such a touching, compassionate and sincere way to speak to a patient. I will always remember her compassion as a nurse and family member. Following these 6 simple daily principles has allowed me to enjoy nursing to its fullest and additionally has helped me become a better nurse, over and over. Natalie’s Social Media YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/NatalieNumie/
How To Reach The Elusive $100K Travel Nurse Salary
One of the most pervasive myths in travel healthcare is the potential to earn a six-figure travel nurse salary while jet-setting across the country. It certainly sounds appealing, and plenty of recruiters or agencies will try to sell you with that exact same message–but do you actually have that much earning potential as a traveler? Here’s our semi-short breakdown of five tips you can follow to earn your way towards $100k. If you just got off a brutal shift and five tips are way more than you want to read right now, click here to skip to the summary with our take on the issue. 1. Find cold weather, small towns and high-paying states Earning the most as a traveler often means going where the money leads, regardless of the location or harshness of season weather. This means you’ll be headed north in the winter, swapping with the “snowbirds” in states like Illinois or Wisconsin to cover gaps in staffing. It can also mean working in small towns and underserved locations that have trouble recruiting travelers, retaining staff nurses or that just aren’t that popular destinations. Generally, working where people can’t, don’t or won’t will earn you more through potential bonuses and higher pay packages. You also need to be aware of what state offer routinely high pay packages year-round, like California, Texas and Massachusetts. Peppering in jobs from these states can help boost your earning potential. 2. Work when everyone isn’t Not many people want to work during the holiday season from November to January, so jumping on a short-term holiday contract is a great way to build your travel nurse salary. Holiday pay typically matches overtime rates. Speaking of overtime, adding in extra shifts is always an easy way to get more money from a travel assignment, so look for overtime opportunities when you can. Important note: Make sure you know the exact overtime stipulations of your contract before committing to more hours. Some hospitals may not offer overtime pay that matches up exactly with state laws. Some agencies may offer “blended” bill rates–which has no difference in pay between regular and overtime hours–in states that charge overtime when working more than eight hours a day, as opposed to 40 hours per week. You should be able to discuss these details clearly with your recruiter. 3. Always take the housing stipend If you’ve established a tax home and are eligible to take a tax-free housing stipend instead of using company housing, taking the stipend means more money in your pocket in most cases. It can be a bit risky and a huge hassle, since the task of finding housing now lands on your shoulders, but you can often find housing that’s less than the total stipend, letting you save the extra cash. There are tons of online resources (Airbnb is very popular among travelers) to find quick, affordable housing. You can check the rates for per diems, along with meals and incidentals by state by visiting the General Services Administration website. This shows the maximum rate offered by location, not the general rate, but it can still help you gauge how much you may receive for an assignment. 4. Look for rapid response or strike opportunities Nurses who stay flexible with their assignments can make great money responding to strikes or other unexpected staffing problems at a hospital. Crisis rate pay packages are often significantly higher than standard, adding up to $10 or more per hour to your pay. Keep in mind these jobs are fleeting and tough–you may get to the job to find the situation has resolved itself before you’ve even started, and you must have all necessary compliance docs ready at a moment’s notice to jump on job opportunities. You also won’t get tons of flexibility on job shifts, since you’re there to help during a critical period. 5. Specialize Nursing specialties that are more in demand or require extensive training will often pay more. Specialty bill rates between hospitals and agencies range from 2 to 10 percent higher than standard rates, which means higher pay packages overall. Specialties that commonly see these higher rates are ICU, L&D, CathLab, ER, OR, PICU, NICU and CVICU. Standard rates are associated with more common positions like Medical/Surgical, PSYCH, PEDS and Postpartum. Our summary If you skipped to the bottom, here’s the short answer if you want to make $100,000 a year as a travel nurse. Work as much as you can; at every available opportunity; in places you may have never wanted to visit; in economical housing; in extreme weather climates; during most holidays; with the lowest amount of downtime possible; in difficult or highly specialized positions. Also ignore the fact that a portion of those wages will go towards insurance, travel, compliance and tax home expenses, regardless of whether they are offered by your agency. If that’s not an ideal answer, it’s certainly not an ideal situation. There are travel nurses out there who do earn up to $100,000 a year, but they will be the first to tell you it’s not easy. It’s up to you to realistically decide what you want from your travel nurse career, and your recruiter and agency should be there to help you make informed decisions at every turn.
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.