How to Use a Compact Nursing License in Washington State
Washington takes a step towards growing the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (ENLC), as the state has officially set a date that they will start allowing nurses with multistate licenses to start practicing.
What’s Happening With Travel Nursing Pay Packages?
What’s Happening With Travel Nursing Pay Packages? StaffDNA provided this article. In the last three and a half years, bill rate fluctuations have sometimes felt a bit like whiplash. Travel nursing changed fast when the Covid-19 Pandemic hit, and the ripple effect caused by the pandemic kept making waves well into two and three years later. Now, the healthcare industry is shifting again. Masks are coming off, visitor restrictions are being lifted, and in some ways, it feels like we are headed back to a true “normal.” But is the normal of the pre-pandemic travel nursing industry truly what we can expect to see in the coming months? The short answer: no. The Start of It All Back in 2016-2019, typical travel nurse pay packages averaged around $1,500-1,700 per week gross pay. If you were licensed in California, you may have been able to find pay above $2,000 gross due to union requirements and overtime laws. Once the pandemic hit in 2020, the whole hospital system was thrust into shock as hospitals tried to figure out how to take care of higher volumes of super sick patients seemingly instantly. At that point, there were significant drops in certain travel specialties while others saw an incredible spike in both rates and needs. Areas like allied health and pediatrics basically hit a standstill. Kids were staying home from school and not being exposed to illnesses as frequently, and thousands of surgeries were canceled, drastically reducing the need for therapists to help rehab post-surgical patients. Sky High Pandemic Rates Between government aid and pure need for survival, hospitals were able to pay huge amounts to travel nurses. Gross rates for adult nurses skyrocketed to over $10,000 a week, and there were jobs in every location you could imagine. The key thing to remember about this time is these nurses also had to deal with significant safety concerns. Vaccinations were not an option, PPE was in critically low supply, and in some places, you were lucky to have an N95 available unless you brought your own. Front-line workers were getting sick no matter their age, and there were a lot of big, scary unknowns. So yes, the money was great, but a lot of people were not willing to put their health and well-being on the line to work in those conditions, no matter what they paid. The Second Wave of Covid Travelers Fast forward a couple of years, and while the five-figure rates had started to dwindle, travel nurses could still expect to make close to $4,000 per week gross fairly easily, and more if you got lucky and found a place that was willing to pay for a crisis contract. Here, we saw a second wave of Covid travelers start to enter the workforce. A lot of these nurses were people who were feeling burnt out and frustrated after working in pandemic conditions for two years, often understaffed and short on supplies. Now, however, the risk of getting sick was much lower with vaccination available, and the country had finally gotten on top of the PPE shortage, so you knew you wouldn’t be expected to take care of the sickest of the sick without proper protection. In the last year, this has caused somewhat of a flooded market. We aren’t seeing the volume of sick patients that we had in 2020 or even a year ago, so hospitals simply aren’t willing to pay exorbitant rates to keep staffing numbers up. The “threat” of horribly short staffing simply doesn’t seem as threatening anymore. Leveling Out As a result, basic economics has taken over. The supply of travel nurses is much higher than before the pandemic, but contracts have taken a dip. Not only are we not dealing with pandemic-level patient numbers, but we are going into summer and coming out of respiratory season. Hospital systems have realized that they currently have the upper hand in the market and that the supply outweighs the demand for nurses in the travel sector. This happens every year during the spring, but it simply seems more pronounced this year because rates had been so incredibly high for so long. If you were a travel nurse before 2020, you probably know most of this already. Generally, during the summer, you would expect a dip in pay and opportunity and aim to extend if you had the opportunity at a decent location. Then, when fall rolls around and more people are sick with influenza and other illnesses, you can strategically pick an assignment that pays a premium rate if that is your goal. How This Affects Pay Rates So, let’s get to rates. Obviously, supply and demand have a direct effect on rates and what hospitals are willing to pay. If managers are struggling to get job applicants, they are more willing to offer a little extra money to entice you to work for them. If they are getting 50 applicants per open position, they realize they can save some money and still hire a quality candidate. Is it fair to get paid less for doing the same job? Many could argue either way, but unfortunately, travel nursing rates have always varied based on a variety of factors, and this is where we are right now. What the Future Holds Going forward, a few things will likely happen to the travel market. Travel nurses who were only traveling for the sake of very good rates or only for crisis rates will likely reconsider their plans for the future. For those who were traveling and returning home regularly, lower rates might mean it’s not worth it to keep traveling away from home. A large number may decide to return home to staff jobs rather than trying to make travel nursing work with a lower rate. For those travelers that are looking to keep working as travel nurses regardless of rate changes, this could be beneficial. As some travelers leave the workforce, jobs will once again be more difficult to fill, and hospitals will have to adjust rates accordingly. It is impossible
12 Holiday Travel Nurse Adventures Posts That Will Make The Grumpiest Grinch Smile
Look, we get it. Working during the “most wonderful time of the year” can really suck. You’re stuck at a hospital while everyone else is getting to cozy up by the fire. Not to mention you’re tired, cranky, hangry, and all of this holiday cheer is bringing you to the brink of strangling the next patient who hits their call light. via GIPHY Unfortunately, we’re not here to change that. What we can do is momentarily distract you from the existential dread of working a holiday shift by reminding you of why you got into travel healthcare in the first place—for the awesome #TravelNurseAdventures that you could have never had as a permanent staffer. So without further ado, check out these 12 wonderful social media posts that will hopefully inspire you to make your own travel nurse adventures during the holiday season. Or at the very least will keep you from going insane. via GIPHY 1. BRB, going to buy a camper and renovate it to look exactly like this because it’s gorgeous. View this post on Instagram Have yourself a merry little camper… I mean Christmas 😊 I’ll be home for 5 whole days including Christmas Eve and Christmas. Anyone who works in healthcare knows how big of a deal that is! I am so excited to spend time with family and friends. The past four years I’ve had to work at the hospital and this year, my husband and I are both off! Excited is an understatement. I’m ready to celebrate! A post shared by EMILY (@ems_traveldiary) on Dec 16, 2018 at 4:27pm PST 2. In Hawaii? During Christmas? Now that’s living the dream. View this post on Instagram Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains, can you paint with all the colors of the wind 🍃🎨 I hope you sang that and it’s stuck in your head now 🎵 A post shared by Anna Nguyen (@annannna__) on Dec 16, 2018 at 12:13pm PST 3. Remember to equip your doggo with the latest winter fashions when bringing them along for fun in the snow. View this post on Instagram Glad my baby had fun today 💛💚 #mustard X #lettuce A post shared by Wendy Diane Mendoza Lozano 👑 (@weymendoza) on Dec 17, 2018 at 5:34pm PST 4. Taking a good look at The Monkey Face in Smith Rock State Park in Oregon. View this post on Instagram None of that monkey business Prince. 🙈 A post shared by Andrea Hahn (@drehahn) on Dec 17, 2018 at 2:22pm PST 5. Snow plus barn equals perfect Christmas cards for the family. View this post on Instagram It looks like a winter wonderland at my papaw’s old barn. . ❄️🎄❄️ . #asheville #winterwonderland #snowday #redbarn #winter #somanymemories A post shared by Courtney (@courtney.dowell) on Dec 10, 2018 at 1:48pm PST 6. Remember to drag your SO along to Christmas light displays because they have the perfect lighting for great selfies. View this post on Instagram The holidays are in full swing 🎄🎁 ⭐ I personally love this time of year and am lucky enough to travel with this guy ⬆️⬆️ who will gladly come along to all the light displays and Christmas events. ⭐ I know that a LOT of travelers aren’t as fortunate so this week I’m sharing some tips to keep your spirits up as a traveler over on the blog today ▫️ Link in profile ❤ A post shared by Alex McCoy- Peds Travel Nurse (@fit.travel.life) on Dec 17, 2018 at 5:22am PST 7. Wait a second, is that Boba Fett decorated with HOLIDAY LIGHTS? Move over Santa, everyone’s favorite intergalactic bounty hunter is here. View this post on Instagram Who needs a visit from Santa when you can get a visit from a Storm Trooper, Darth Vader, a Rebel Fighter Pilot and Boba Fett?!? JK, Santa arrives next week 🎬 . . #starwars #darthvader #jedi #pedsnurseshavemorefun #picunurse #movietime🎬 #sundayfunday #travelnurselife #travelnurseadventures A post shared by the wandeRiNg RN (@the_wandering_rn) on Dec 16, 2018 at 9:21pm PST 8. Time for a winter wonderland weekend road trip? View this post on Instagram Man oh man… what an adventure the last couple days have been. We made it though! Me, most of my belongings, and two (very annoying) cats, all packed tightly in a little Hyundai Elantra. Can’t beat that view though 😍 I would make that drive again in a heartbeat. Excited for the next 3 months ☀️ #welcometomontana #cowboycountry #travelnurseadventures A post shared by Samantha (@raygammas_) on Dec 16, 2018 at 7:15pm PST 9. A family is great, but friends are also fantastic to spend time with during the holidays. Also, we are digging that hairy dude sweater. View this post on Instagram I may be 3,000 miles from home but having great friends close by makes these holiday times easier 🌲🎁 A post shared by j1marie (@j1marie) on Dec 16, 2018 at 10:21am PST 10. Christmas pub crawl? Christmas pub crawl. View this post on Instagram #12pubsofchristmas #shenanigans #imgonnamissthisplace #sixmonthswentsofast #travelnurseadventures #cctctravel @crosscountrytravcorps A post shared by Andrea Rea (@andie1026) on Dec 16, 2018 at 6:25am PST 11. This time of year is the perfect excuse to hang out with your fellow travelers! View this post on Instagram Getting close to finishing our #travelnurse contract at SJMC #stockton so our travel nurse group got together for #dinner tonight at #seoulsoondubu #korean #koreanbarbecue #travelnurselife #travelnurseadventures #thewrights #jeffandheatherwright #notwv @klanerh @jswright75 A post shared by Jeff Wright (@jswright75) on Dec 15, 2018 at 10:21pm PST 12. Do pajamas count as scrubs? View this post on Instagram Good morning world! #california #nevada #laketahoe #tahoe #northlaketahoe #travel #travelgram #vacation #winter #travelnurses #travelnurselife #travelnurseadventures #gypsynurse #nursesofinstagram #snow #pjs #instagood #me #happy #victoriassecret A post shared by Samantha Garcia (@samanthagarciasg) on Dec 14, 2018 at 8:39am PST
Hospitals Preparing for Flu Season Early: Lock in Your Travel Assignment Now
As the summer months fade and the pandemic continues, healthcare facilities are preparing early for the 2020-2021 flu season and there’s been a steady increase of travel nursing and allied health jobs nationwide. “Hospitals across the country are beginning to bring up concerns of what will happen with the combination of schools opening, COVID and the flu,” said Jennifer Pomietlo, VP of Strategic Development at StaffDNA, the fastest-growing healthcare staffing platform. “They anticipate needing even more travelers due to this and want to be prepared earlier than past years.” Anticipating an influx of patients for both coronavirus and influenza, The New York Times keyed this season as a possible “Twindemic.” Flu season typically peaks between January and February but this year could be very different. During the 2009 swine flu pandemic, the flu peaked by October. If that occurs this year, hospitals could be strained. That is the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Robert Redfield’s biggest fear. Here’s how the possible Twindemic is impacting healthcare travel jobs. Early High Demand Travel nursing and allied health assignments for flu season typically begin posting around October but under the current situation, there is a record number of healthcare jobs, according to StaffDNA’s Job Board, which updates all positions across the country in real-time. Whether located in COVID-19 hotspots or not, hospitals across the country are adding staff to prepare and relieve over-worked staff. The top nursing specialties include ICU, Medical-Surgical, Telemetry and PCU/IMC. Openings for Emergency Room nurses are also ramping up ahead of flu season. Top Travel Nurse Specialties & Highest Pay Packages* RN, ICU 1,050 Unique Jobs Paying up to $4,400/week RN, MS 750 Unique Jobs Paying up to $3,552/week RN, TELE 550 Unique Jobs Paying up to $3,712/week RN, PCU/IMC 325 Unique Jobs Paying up to $3,886/week RN, ER 250 Unique Jobs Paying up to $3,627/week Assignments for Operating Room nurses and surgery-related positions typically increase leading up to the end of the year for elective surgeries. This year, assignments and locations could vary depending on local and state guidelines regarding elective surgeries if there’s another surge in COVID-19 cases and stay-at-home orders. There are also positions open for more focused specialties such as CVICU, Labor & Delivery and Cath Lab RNs. Travelers interested in these roles may need to be more flexible on location to get the higher pay packages. Top Travel Allied Positions* Respiratory Therapist 150 Unique Jobs Paying up to $2,746/week Certified Surgical Technician 175 Unique Jobs Paying up to $2,446/week *Data is according to StaffDNA, the Digital Marketplace for Healthcare Careers, as of 9/8/20. Positions are updated in real-time on the StaffDNA app and Job Board. See all details upfront and personalize pay packages in the app (no registration required).
The Benefits Of Traveling With A Nursing Compact License
By Alex McCoy, Contributing Writer, Owner of Fit Travel Life I was unknowingly blessed as a new travel nurse because I chose to start traveling in my home state. I was testing the waters and wasn’t quite ready to venture out while my husband finished grad school. I did go through the process of applying for my New York and Kansas licenses after a few months. I was still lucky in a sense because I knew that even if these did not come through in time, I would be able to look for jobs in my home state or several surrounding states thanks to my compact license status. I was not constantly worried about if I needed to fork out money for a new license, or if I would be limited by the one or two licenses I had in hand. The enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) was established in 2018 as an expansion of the previous Nurse Licensure Compact and is an agreement for license reciprocity between states that are a member of the compact. If your primary state of residence is listed as a compact state, that means you can practice in any of the listed states without having to apply for a new license in each state. This has been such a huge benefit to my travel nurse journey that I have even advised people living close to compact state lines to consider relocating, especially if they plan on traveling for several years. The benefits of traveling with a nursing compact license are extensive, and many states that are part of the compact have low costs of living. Benefit #1: No fees between nursing compact license states. An individual state license can cost upwards of $350 after basic fees, fingerprinting, and Nursys verifications. If you travel between compact states, all of these fees are irrelevant. You simply prove your primary license is in a compact state and you are safe to practice under that license in a state with reciprocity. Even if you request compensation from your company for these fees, most of the time you will still pay up front and be reimbursed. Very few companies offer direct payment for licensing fees unless there is confirmation of a strike or other critical need. Benefit #2: You can submit ASAP to jobs in other compact states. In some compact states, it can take four or more weeks to get a single-state license. Travel nursing jobs typically open and close within a day or two, so most hiring managers are not willing to wait on a license to come through and will just select another nurse instead. The majority of nursing jobs are listed as “license in hand” which means you have to have proof of an active license to even be submitted. With a nursing compact license, a recruiter can submit you instantly for a job you are interested in, which can put you ahead of the competition. Benefit #3: Less licenses to maintain. Although having multiple state licenses can make you more valuable as a traveler, it can also be costly and time consuming to maintain. Each state has its own set of fees and continuing education required to renew a nursing license. Some states even require yearly renewal, which can add up quickly. By having a nursing compact license, you only have to maintain your primary license. I only have to renew my Missouri license every two years. As an added benefit, Missouri does not require continuing education, so I simply pay the fee and have an active license in 31 states. Benefit #4: As each new state joins, your options for travel are expanded. During my three years as a travel nurse I have seen Florida, Kansas, and Louisiana join the compact. According to the compact map, there is also the potential for Washington, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and New Jersey to join. Assuming all of these states pass legislation to join, in the next year or two I could be able to practice as a nurse in almost 40 states. This opens up so many avenues for travelers and will make holding a compact license an even more powerful tool as more states join the compact. So what if I don’t live in a nursing compact license state? I recommend looking into how feasible it could be for you to maintain residency in a compact state prior to becoming a travel nurse. It may sound a little complicated, but if you travel for several years and plan on going to multiple states it could save you thousands of dollars on state licensing fees alone. This would require a tax home in that state, which you can learn more about here. If you live in border cities like Kansas City or St. Louis this could be as simple as moving 20 minutes down the road. For others people, it could be a little more complicated. If you are interested in specifics on how to legally obtain a compact license if you move, be sure to check out the FAQ page on the NLC’s website. Regardless of your residence or if you choose to travel, this is something to keep an eye on as laws are being made in your home state. Pay attention to local politics and discussions about interstate licensing so if the issue does come to a vote in your area you can make an educated decision. Compact licenses are a valuable tool for nurses and are something we should all know about, even if it doesn’t apply to those of us working permanent jobs. Alex McCoy currently works as a pediatric travel nurse. She has a passion for health and fitness, which led her to start Fit Travel Life in 2016. She travels with her husband, their cat, Autumn and their dog, Summer. She enjoys hiking, lifting weights, and trying the best local coffee and wine.
Update: Indiana to Effectively Join the Nurse Licensure Compact July 1, 2020
Update February 20, 2020: The Indiana State Board of Nursing announced its full implementation of the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) will be effective July 1, 2020. This comes one year later than what was initially expected and more than a year after legislation was passed to join the compact. Beginning July 1, 2020, Indiana nurses will be able to start applying for their multistate licenses and out of state nurses who hold a compact license will be able to practice within the state. In the Fall 2019 edition of NCSBN’s In Focus publication, a representative of the Indiana State Board of Nursing (ISBN) wrote: “Board members and staff are making substantial progress putting into place the technical and administrative updates necessary for multistate licenses to be issued. At the same time, ISBN is also working closely with state and national stakeholders, including NCSBN, to institute a seamless application process.” For updates and future resources about Indiana’s full implementation into the NLC, visit www.in.gov/pla/nursing.htm. Indiana lawmakers passed compact nursing license legislation during this year’s General Assembly, which ended last Wednesday. The bill allows for the Indiana State Board of Nursing to issue compact nursing licenses and allows nurses and licensed practical nurses who already have their compact license to practice in Indiana. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the bill into law on Monday, according to data from StateScape. Indiana is the 32nd state to join the enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact, narrowly beating out Alabama in passing an eNLC bill into law. The new compact law will take effect on July 1, 2019, according to the bill’s text. Nurses and licensed practical nurses applying for a compact nursing license must pay $25 in addition to any other standard licensing fees. The bill is expected to cut down on the amount of time it takes for nurses outside of Indiana to start working in the state. Currently, it can take several weeks for a non-Indiana nurse to obtain a single-state license. Larry Jenkins, a client advisor for LiquidAgents Healthcare who frequently works with Indiana healthcare facilities, said the bill passing could greatly help hospitals fill travel jobs faster and more efficiently. “Indiana has a ton of jobs available, but it can be a struggle to fill them because they were not a compact state, and not a lot of nurses I see have their Indiana license,” Jenkins said. “This will be really helpful to get more candidates to Indiana. “I also see a lot of people from Kentucky [with a compact license] who want to work in Indiana, so this will be helpful for them as well.” House Rep. Ed Clere introduced the bill and has advocated for Indiana to join the compact since last year. After a legislative study session over the summer, the bill quickly gained support during the 2019 General Assembly and passed the House in January. “It’s important legislation for our area,” Clere told the News and Tribune. “It came to me about three years ago, and Hosparus Health and Baptist Health Floyd are two regional organizations that identified this as a top legislative priority. There are countless other providers that supported it and will benefit from it. It will help providers address workforce challenges and will improve access to quality health care.” Supporters of the bill hope this will address gaps in nursing service across the Indiana-Kentucky state line, which was a issue frequently brought up to push legislators to support the bill. “This is particularly important to border communities like Floyd County, where a nurse might live in Louisville and work in New Albany or vice versa,” the Indiana Chamber, a statewide business advocacy group, said in a press release. “For proponents, this is both a workforce and quality of care issue.” Editor’s note: This story will be updated as more information about the process for obtaining an Indiana compact nursing license becomes available. Additionally, the original story stated the bill became law without a signature from Gov. Eric Holcomb. Holcomb signed the bill on the date the story was published, so it has been updated to reflect that information.
Traveler Tips: Benefits And Challenges Of Traveling As A Team
By Stephen Stockhausen, PT, DPT, OCS, Contributing Writer, PT Adventures The travel physical therapist life is pretty incredible—bouncing around to new places, new jobs, new friends and new adventures! But it is no secret that life on the road alone can get lonely. This is where travel teams come in. Simply put, a travel physical therapist team is a pair of PTs (or any combination of PTs, occupational therapists, registered nurses, speech-language pathologists, dieticians, physician assistants, medical doctors/osteopathic medical doctors, respiratory therapists, etc.) that decide to explore the world together. Teams do not necessarily have to be in the same field, and often it is easier to have different professions in order to find jobs in the same locations. Travel teams have a few distinct challenges and benefits that should be considered before you combine powers with another fellow traveler. Challenges of being a travel physical therapist team Job selection via GIPHY As a pair of PT travelers ourselves, we have had to accept that most of the quaint mountain towns we want to explore do not have two openings for PTs at that exact same time. If we had separate specialties this might be a different story. We have accepted that for us to be in the same general location we must consider larger towns or cities to find two PT jobs at once. Neither of us is dead set on working for the same company or even in the same town as one another. However, with our new child, we do require that we can still live together regardless of where we are working. Commuting distance For this reason, we have created what we call the “60-Minute Rule” for job locations. We will consider jobs that are within a 60-minute drive from one another as long as there are viable housing options in between them. (Notice that we do not call it the “60-Mile Rule” California traffic can be crazy!) This ensures that, at worst, one of us will have an hours drive to work, and at best we each have only a 30-minute commute. Enacting this rule requires some research, however. In Alaska, Ellen took a job in downtown Anchorage, while I was in Eagle River. My facility provided us with free housing, walkable to the clinic, and it was only 13 miles from Anchorage, so obviously we lived in Eagle River. Initially, we thought this was going to be a simple solution and would fit our rule easily. What we did not consider was winter traffic on Glenn Highway! Road Rage GIF from Roadrage GIFs Anchorage sits on a precipitously skinny sliver of flat land wedged between the Chugach Mountains and the Cook Inlet. Flatland is at a premium in Alaska, so there is literally only one road connecting the two towns. Ellen would frequently have 75-90 minute commutes as the highway would be bumper to bumper due to a moose kill or black ice. Lesson learned. Being flexible with your job selection and keeping in mind the “60-Minute Rule” will keep your travel team resentment-free and happy as clams. Benefits of traveling as a team Travel physical therapist teams have some distinct advantages over solo travelers. Shared expenses, added safety, and friends are just a few. Shared expenses via GIPHY By far, the biggest benefit for a travel physical therapist team is shared housing costs. For most of us, housing is the largest single monthly expense (assuming you are not drowning in loan debt). Being able to split the burden between both of you will save some considerable cash. Even up-sizing to a two- or three-bedroom place won’t compare to the cost of renting a one bedroom apartment. Many travel teams can save $300-500 per month each by pairing up and splitting housing costs. Other shared expenses can also add a little extra cash to the coffers. One travel nursing team we are good friends with were big time city girls. They took jobs in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver to name a few. In doing so, they often only required one car, as city transportation in large metropolitan areas is frequently cheaper and less of a headache to manage. Plus, a bus pass is far cheaper than gas and parking in most major cities. Safety I only bring this up because of the huge number of questions regarding safe travel as a single person. Our fear-obsessed society loves bad news, and as we have all heard, “if it bleeds, it leads.” Having worked home health jobs in two of Californias most “dangerous” cities, I firmly believe the world is not out to get you. via GIPHY However, we all must do our due diligence to ensure personal safety. Traveling as a team provides one more layer of protection against a dangerous situation from happening. It’s one more set of eyes and ears, and one more rational mind to help make the good decisions that prevent problems from ever starting. Friends By far the best gift that this lifestyle has provided us is the friendships we have made across the country. That being said, there are some lonely times out there. Many of our solo travel buddies have lamented about periods of loneliness they deal with. Most often this is at the beginning of a contract before they have been able to settle in and meet new people, but it’s still a problem. Having a travel buddy helps to inoculate yourself from these feelings. You will have someone to explore with and someone to commiserate with on bad days. Someone to help you out of a jam and someone to push you into new, uncomfortable, and exciting situations. As you each branch out and make new friends, your travel buddy will provide a solid base that you can build a new community around. via GIPHY Being a travel PT team has been a life changer for us. We went from drowning in student loan debt in permanent positions to debt free in four years (less than 2 years as
Blacklisted as a Travel Nurse? What You Should Do Right Away
It’s news you never want to get. Something has happened, and you’ve been marked “Do Not Hire” or “Do Not Return”. Whether you’re considered “Do Not Hire” by an agency or “Do Not Return” by a hospital or vendor management system, it may feel like you’ve severely crippled your career. While being a setback, it doesn’t have to be permanent. There are things you can do to prevent being blacklisted and get back in good standing. Time is of the essence. “Being proactive rather than reactive is key,” said Richard Dunn, Senior Recruiter at LiquidAgents Healthcare. “The more information you can get over sooner rather than later can be a determining factor in being placed as a DNH or not.” Getting off an agency blacklist The first thing to note about being marked as “Do Not Hire” by an agency is that if you are on the list for clinical reasons it may be hard, if not impossible, to get off of it. However, if you’ve been blacklisted because of a personality issue or because of something situational, you can get back into an agency’s good graces, and that process starts with a statement showing that you understand what has happened and why. Your statement should show some remorse and show some effort to fix the issue. That could be courses or extra class work completed to build knowledge. It should also include references from recent jobs worked showing that they were completed without incident and that behaviors that were an issue in the past aren’t any longer. More than anything, you need to do things that give the agency a reason to trust you again. “Nurses need to know that if they term their contract for any reason, they need to submit a statement over within 24 hours to make sure it is submitted,” added LiquidAgents’ David McKenzie, Director of Talent Advisory. “A lot of nurses do not realize if they do not ask their recruiter what they should do to get their side of things over to the facility, it may result in them being blacklisted from the facility’s VMS permanently.” Getting off a hospital blacklist Getting back into a hospital’s good graces takes a similar effort. The best place to start is by working with your recruiter to craft a statement expressing remorse at the way things ended previously. After that, do what you can to prove things are different now. Show that the behaviors the hospital took issue with are in the past. Show that you’ve completed coursework that may have been interfering with you executing on the job previously. Show that you’ve taken classes to increase your knowledge and skills. Provide references from recently completed assignments that show the kind of work you’re capable of. While it’s no guarantee that you will be removed from a “Do Not Return” list, it’s the best foot you can put forward in efforts to get off of one. Getting off a VMS blacklist Like agencies, a VMS is willing to consider removing nurses from a blacklist if the reason they landed there in the first place wasn’t clinical. And, like with agencies and hospitals, the process starts with a statement expressing understanding of the situation, why you were considered “Do Not Hire” and what you have done to correct any issues that may have caused you to be blacklisted. Most vendor management systems are willing to reconsider “Do Not Return” candidates if it was extenuating circumstances that put them there, like a family illness that caused them to have attendance issues. While a situation you never want to be in, having a trusting, ethical recruiter to represent you and puts your best interests first makes a big difference. Read Next: Travel Nurse Recruiters: What a Good Recruiter Won’t Do
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.
10 Best Nursing Memes To Help You Survive Your Shift
If you are stuck inside working inside and can’t enjoy the beautiful summer weather in your neck of the woods, we’ve got the perfect solution to cure your day shift blues (Hint: It’s nursing memes). 1. If you could not pause for that long, that’d be great. – via Reddit user meg090 2. Who knew nursing was going to be this hard? – via Reddit user Drake_Pancake 3. “When I ask a 70-year-old patient if they have any pain and they tell me about their high school football career.” – via Reddit user starstuff89 4. Sure, safe ratios are nice, but have you heard of money? 5. On a scale of Vermeer to Dali, we’re feeling a bit Rembrandt. 6. “When my patient has 20 allergies listed.” -via Reddit user 711smoresicecream 7. “When my patient wants to leave AMA.” via Reddit user D5HalfNormal 8. We’re going to guess the manual on the right is used much more than the left. 9. “We’re going to be short staffed tomorrow. I can feel it.” 10. Excuse me while I go throw up outside.