Travel Nurse Jobs: Where Nurses Applied In February
Digging into the application numbers from travel nurse jobs posted to the StaffDNA job board in February, we saw things that we expected to see as well as a couple of surprises. First, let’s look at what was expected. The overall number of applications was down by roughly 30 percent over January. However, most travel nurses start looking for new placements in January, so the volume to start the year is always high. Look for another spike in March when nurses will be coming off of their first-of-the-year contracts. Now, for a few of the surprises from the February list: Movement inside the Top 10 The top states on the list remained mostly unchanged. Florida, California, Texas, Tennessee, and North Carolina remained the top five states for travel nurse applications. In fact, the only new entry into the Top 10 was Illinois, jumping up four spots to No. 8 for February. That means one state had to bounce out of the Top 10, and this month that was Michigan, falling all the way to 17. The eNLC Effect Two of the new eNLC states – Wyoming and West Virginia – made significant jumps in February. West Virginia moved all the way up to the 13th most-applied-to state for February. In January, West Virginia was solidly in the middle of our list at No. 24. Wyoming moved up eight places, from 45 to 37. Top 3 Movers While the top spots on our list are often some order of the same 10 states, there is often significant movement a bit lower. Here are the three locations that made big jumps in February. Not coincidentally, all three of these locations should be beautiful once the weather starts warming up for spring. Maine bounced up nine spots to land at No. 30 on the list for February. Vermont also jumped nine spots, moving from nearly the bottom of our list in January, all the way up to 39 in February. Not a state, but Washington D.C climbed 10 spots to No. 36. February’s Top Markets This list is created by analyzing the number of travel nurses applying for jobs in these individual states and Washington D.C. Is not necessarily an indicator of traveler interest in these states and is not necessarily and indicator of job volume. Application data comes from the StaffDNA jobs database. Florida California Texas Tennessee North Carolina Georgia South Carolina Illinois Virginia New York Alabama Ohio West Virginia Arizona Indiana Nevada Michigan New Jersey Pennsylvania Louisiana Missouri Oklahoma Oregon Arkansas Colorado Iowa Kentucky Washington Maryland Maine Minnesota Mississippi Wisconsin Hawaii Massachusetts Washington D.C. Wyoming South Dakota Vermont Connecticut Idaho Utah Montana Nebraska New Hampshire New Mexico Alaska North Dakota Kansas Delaware Rhode Island Looking for your next adventure? Explore opportunities at the StaffDNA Jobs Board.
Heavy Flu Season Prompts More Opportunities For Flexible Travelers
States are offering free vaccines, along with school districts, all in an effort to combat a flu season that statistically is proving to be one of the worst in recent years. Chances are that anyone working in a hospital doesn’t need statistics to tell them that this flu season is worse than most. Still, the numbers are sobering. In 49 states and Puerto Rico, the flu outbreak is considered widespread. Only Hawaii and the District of Columbia haven’t been given that designation yet. This is the first time that all 48 contiguous states have reported widespread flu in the same week. Nationally, 37 pediatric deaths so far are being attributed to the flu. The number of flu-related deaths in Texas has topped 2,300. It’s even taken the life of a 42-year-old nurse in West Virginia. 6.6 percent of everyone seeking medical care are presenting with flu symptoms, according to data from the Center for Disease Control. During an average flu season, that number is closer to two. It’s gotten so bad that six school districts in Oklahoma closed because so many staff and students were out. Flu season creating an opportunity for the flexible While hospitals in some regions are adding staff to deal with facilities that are over capacity, recruiters say they aren’t seeing a widespread increase in staffing travelers to help augment the permanent staff. “The chatter I’m hearing is that the hospitals are super swamped due to the flu and need help, but the managers are not getting permission to open positions for us to fill,” said Richard Dunn, a recruiter with Liquid Agents Healthcare. “So most of my people are saying the units are super busy, and understaffed.” For the traveler, that means that there may be more opportunity as long as you remain flexible about location and are open to places like Texas, Illinois, California, Arizona, or Georgia. Get your flu shot. This year, it’s required. Experts at the CDC are expecting the flu season to peak in the next few weeks, so these conditions should soon subside. Until it does, some hospitals and staffing agencies are doing what they can to support staff that they know are stretched thin. Travelers have taken to social media to share stories of gifts when they succumb to the illness themselves and meals for those staff that is working with a higher-than-normal number of ill patients. The CDC also reminds that with weeks of flu activity still to go, it’s not too late to get the vaccine if you haven’t already. Recruiters say that’s good advice for a different reason–this year, you need it to get a job. Many hospitals that had, in years past, made a flu vaccination optional are now calling it a requirement for employment.