Travel Market: Florida Sees Wave Of New Jobs In September
Want to find positions in Florida now? Click here to check out the most recent posts on the StaffDNA job board. Most veteran recruiters know that Florida is a juggernaut state for travel healthcare staffing. The Sunshine State utilizes more travelers than most states, in part because of heavy winter seasonal needs. Those job needs have come back in force in the last few weeks of September, according to staffing industry sources. David Kinslow, a senior client advisor for LiquidAgents Healthcare, said he’s aware of more than 140 new jobs in the state, an increase of 80 compared to August. Agencies have anticipated this spike in job needs for several weeks. Florida ranks third in the country for most hospitals statewide according to American Hospital Directory data, and many of those facilities start recruiting for winter in late September and early October. Along with other southern states like Texas and New Mexico, Florida is a large target for “snowbirds” seeking warm weather for winter contracts. This could mean the job market will continue to ramp up through December, eventually cooling down by next January. For travelers who are interested in Florida, here are some things you should consider before working in the state this winter. 1. Florida became a nursing compact state this year Florida joined the enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact in January, so nurses who have their compact license can now work in the state and don’t have to apply for a single-state license. This only applies to nurses, so allied healthcare travelers will still have to get a single-state license. Click here to see a map of states who have joined the enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact. 2. Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) uses a lot of travelers HCA is one of the largest private health systems in Florida with 50 hospitals and 31 surgery centers across the state, according to their website, and many HCA-associated facilities use a large number of travelers, according to staffing industry sources. This is good news for travelers who want some variety when picking a location, as HCA-affiliated hospitals are located in almost all major cities in the state. 3. Depending on location, cost-of-living in Florida is pretty cheap According to our Travel Nursing Pay Package Ranking List, Florida has a 99.7 rating on the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price parity index, which means the state is almost exactly at the national average for prices on housing, gas and other goods. However, the state average is largely affected by Miami, which is significantly more expensive than most other cities in the state. When looking at other locations like Tallahassee, Tampa or Orlando, prices drop to 5 percent or more below the national average. This is mostly because of dirt cheap rent and housing costs, which is great for travelers hoping to pocket extra money from agency housing stipends. Florida is also peppered with temporary vacation homes and seasonal vacancies, so finding proper short-term housing may be easier than in other states. 4. Expect fierce competition Just because there are lots of job opportunities in Florida doesn’t mean travelers can apply to jobs at their leisure. Hospitals in major “snowbird” states are looking to fill jobs fast, and agencies will send in qualified candidates even faster. Speed and efficiency are key to locking down a solid Florida contract, so travelers who are flexible on location and who can quickly produce necessary compliance docs will have the edge over others. 5. Beware of January pre-books David Kinslow, a senior client advisor at LiquidAgents Healthcare, said travelers should be wary about pre-booking Florida jobs with January start dates. Census numbers may not be high enough to warrant a high number of travelers, so January contracts could be canceled before the start date. While no one can perfectly predict how healthcare needs will change in the state once winter hits, it’s still safer to book early and ride out a fall contract through the winter than hope for needs to stay consistent.
Nursing Licensure Compact Update: More Questions, More Answers
After we posted our story about how new enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact states are handling the transition process, we got some specific questions from readers about the topic. Last week, we answered the first one about whether some Florida hospitals are still requiring single state licenses despite being a eNLC state, and today we’ve got another question from a Florida-native nurse. Q: “I have Florida, North Carolina, and Massachusetts licenses. My home state is Florida. Do I still have to renew my North Carolina single state license even though it lapsed? ” — Stephanie M. A: That’s a good question, Stephanie. Whether or not to renew a license depends on your home state. Nurses who received their primary license in a non-eNLC state are still required to obtain single state licenses as usual, according to the National Council of State Nursing Boards. This rule was carried over from the old NLC. Luckily, since your home state is in Florida, you don’t have to renew your single state in North Carolina as long as you meet the qualifications for a multistate license. In fact, North Carolina wouldn’t be allowed to give you a single state license if you already have a multi-state, under Section 401 of the official eNLC rules. For reference, here are the new uniform requirements to qualify for a multistate license: Meets the requirements for licensure in the home state (state of residency) Has graduated from a board-approved education program; or has graduated from an international education program approved by the authorized accrediting body in the applicable country and verified by an independent credentials review agency Has passed an English proficiency examination (applies to graduates of an international education program not taught in English or if English is not the individual’s native language) Has passed an NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN examination or predecessor exam Is eligible for or holds an active, unencumbered license (i.e., without active discipline) Has submitted to state and federal fingerprint-based criminal background checks Has no state or federal felony convictions Has no misdemeanor convictions related to the practice of nursing (determined on a case-by-case basis) Is not currently a participant in an alternative program Is required to self-disclose current participation in an alternative program Has a valid United States Social Security number. Keep in mind that every state will most likely have a fee to upgrade your single state license to a multi-state. Florida charges a one-time fee of $100. If you don’t qualify for a multi-state license, don’t fret–you may still be eligible for that state’s single state license requirements. Got another enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact question, or just a question about traveling? Check out our eNLC coverage for more info, or send us an email with your question. Want to share a great story or industry news tip? Reach out to us today.
The eNLC: How To Get A New Compact Nursing License
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing implemented the enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact on January 19 this year. On that day, five new states joined the compact. For those who already had compact nursing licenses that means you now have five more states where you can practice without having to get an in-state license: Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Wyoming. For nurses with single state licenses in those five states, compact nursing licenses are now available. In almost every state, acquiring one starts with the same two things. The nurse must meet the new uniform licensure requirements (including completing a criminal background check) and have a proof of residency. Florida Florida is charging nurses with current active licenses $100 to convert to a multi-state license, a fee that seems to be middle of the road. The board will accept fingerprints done within the last 90 days when applying for a license upgrade. Fingerprints older than that will have to be redone. Florida nurses ready to apply can do so online through the state board’s website. The state board has also created a list of frequently asked questions for Florida nurses who want to know more. Georgia In addition to requiring proof of residency, Georgia requires applicants for a multi-state license to be fingerprinted for a background check through the COGENT Systems at least 48 hours before applying. The state board also reminds applicants that they can not leave fields on the application blank, that they need to download and complete the GBON Criminal Background Check Release Form to submit with their application, that they should enroll in e-Notify at nursys.com, and to include an accurate email address so that they can communicate with the board about their application. More information is available on the Georgia Board of Nursing website. Oklahoma Oklahoma is charging nurses with an existing license a $150 fee to transition to a new multi-state license. You can download the forms needed to verify Oklahoma as your state of residence from the state board website. You can also apply for a multi-state license online. West Virginia West Virginia has been accepting applications for a multi-state license since November. The process for West Virginia nurses is four steps and explained in more detail in a flow chart on the state nursing board’s website. West Virginia has by far the lowest fee for transitioning a license, approximately just $7, assuming the nurse has already paid for a license renewal for this year. After the fee has been paid, nurses should save their receipt. It indicates their application is pending board approval. Nurses interested in applying for a multi-state license must schedule an appointment to submit fingerprints for a state and federal background check with identtogo.com. An application for a multi-state license can be completed on the state board website. Since West Virginia has two separate nursing boards for registered and licensed practical nurses, LPNs need to visit a different website. Wyoming Wyoming nurses will need to pay $85 in fees to transition their license to a multi-state. Like the other states, an application is available on the state board website.