Top 10 Highest Paying Travel Healthcare Jobs: July 2
Happy Independence Day week, everyone! As our nation’s birthday approaches, we can think of no better way to celebrate than by finding the hottest travel healthcare jobs in the good old U.S. of A. The highest packages this week come out of California, which should be no surprise if you’ve visited our Travel Nursing Pay Package state ranking list, but it does track with our story about how labor and delivery and OR jobs have heated up in the past two weeks. Going forward, we also plan to arrange our list by highest listed pay to lowest for your convenience. Want to see us highlight some other states, specialties or professions in our list next week? Let us know in the comments! Travel Healthcare Jobs: July 2-6 Editor’s Note: The details listed below are subject to change based on contract availability. 1. RN- OR, Travel Location: Palm Springs, California Weekly Pay: $2,898 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 2. RN- OR, Travel Location: Chico, California Weekly Pay: $2,680 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 3. RN- OR, Travel Location: Bangor, Maine Weekly Pay: $2,586 Duration: 15 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 4. RN- Labor and Delivery (L&D) Location: Atlanta, Georgia Weekly Pay: $2,050 Duration: 13 Weeks Night Shift View this Travel Job >> 5. RN- Medical-Surgical, Travel Location: Chinle, Arizona Weekly Pay: $1,996 Duration: 13 Weeks Day/Night Rotate View this Travel Job >> 6. RN- OR, Travel Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania Weekly Pay: $1,886 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 7. RN- Medical-Surgical, Travel Location: Reno, Nevada Weekly Pay: $1,860 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 8. Certified SurgTech- CVOR, Travel Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Weekly Pay: $1,822 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 9. Certified SurgTech- CVOR, Travel Location: Brookfield, Wisconsin Weekly Pay: $1,784 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 10. RN- OR, Travel Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania Weekly Pay: $1,741 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >>
Top 10 #NurseProblems Posts That Made Us Say #Truth
1. Ah yes, because the doctor can easily do it better, right? #nurseproblems Nurses be like… 😝⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #nurses #nursing #nurselife #nurseproblems #nursesofinstagram #medlife #nursememe #registerednurse #nurse #murse A post shared by BoardVitals (@boardvitals) on Jun 25, 2018 at 6:12am PDT 2. Off the clock = No one bother me for at least 24 hours. I just need to be alone right now 😂😭 ❤ @nurseabnormalities * * * * * * @nurseabnormalities #nurseabnormalities #nurselife #nurseadvocate #nursesrock #medicallife #medical #dr #rn #md #lpn #medicalhumor #nursehumor #nurselove #nurseproblems #hospitalproblems #nursingstudent #nurseblogger #nurseblog #medschool #doctor #nursepractitioner #dnp A post shared by Danielle LeVeck © (@nurseabnormalities) on Jun 25, 2018 at 5:23am PDT 3. Those times when you just have to say #byefelicia Welp. You supposedly understand the implications and have decision making capacity… so do as you wish. 🤨 #love #rn #nursinglife #nursing #nightnurse #nurseproblems #nurses #hospital #nursehumor #medicine #nurselife #nurse #murse #medstudent #nursepractitioner #nurseofinstagram #LPN #nursingproblems #HealthCare #CNA #Murse #NursingSchoolLife #NurseRock #ClinicalLife #girldoctor #clinical #nursingschool #nursememe #NursingProblems A post shared by NURSE INSPIRATION (@nurse_inspiration) on Jun 28, 2018 at 11:18am PDT 4. No, really. Go ahead and Google “c diff” for us. We’ll wait. Along with every other bodily fluid 🤮🤣 #stripinthegarageforareason A post shared by Gina L Krueger (@rnnursefit) on Jun 28, 2018 at 10:37am PDT 5. The next time you press that call button I’m coming in here with a hazmat suit. 😂😂😂 #nurseproblems #nurselife #nursesweek #nurseonduty #nurseryart #nursepractitioner #nurseryinspo #nurse #nurseryinspiration #nurse💉 #nurseswag #nurseydecor #nurse💉💊 #nurseprobs #nurselove #nurseday #nurseflow A post shared by Nurse Talks (@nurse.talks) on Jun 28, 2018 at 10:09am PDT 6. …What do you mean, “another test?” 😒😒😒😒😒 Good luck to all the new grads taking their exams in the upcoming weeks! 🧡💛 #nurseproblems #friends #doctor #hospital #lifenurse #medical #instanurse #nursingstudent #NursesWeek #inspirational #nurse #futurenurse #healing #nursepractitioner #joking #NursesRule #nursingteam #nursing #registerednurse #nursinghumor #NursingProblems #rn #clinicallife #nursehumorprn #medschool #nursingschoolproblems #nursegif A post shared by NURSE INSPIRATION (@nurse_inspiration) on Jun 28, 2018 at 8:46am PDT 7. “What’s the ratio of USD to Shift Bucks?” Follow 👉 @nursegram_new For More Post ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ Shift Life ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 📷 All rights and credits reserved to the respective owner(s) #rnlife #nurseonduty #womeninmedicine #icu #medstudent #clinicals #physician #nursesrock #lpn #usmle #stethoscope #medicalstudent #futurenurse #med #hospital #nurses #nurseproblems #nurselife #rn #paramedic #premed #scrublife #health A post shared by NurseGram (@nursegram_new) on Jun 28, 2018 at 2:15am PDT 8. Oh thank goodness, I don’t have to do more stuff. *Lets out a very long and tense breath* SHEEEEEESH!! #nurse #rn #cna #lpn #np #nurselife #nurseproblems #nursehumor A post shared by Medical Scrubs Collection (@medicalscrubscollection) on Jun 27, 2018 at 9:30pm PDT 9. Nurse Team, ASSEMBLE!! “Awesome! 💖 Follow me @ilove_Nurse for more 💗 ❤ Update new pictures everyday! ➖ 📌 Tag someone to make their day better. ❤ Double Tap & Tag your Friends Below⤵ #nursingschool #nurse #nursing #nurselife #instanurse #nurseproblems #nursingschoolproblems #nursesrock #nightshift #nurseup #rn #registerednurse #nursingtees #nursinghome #pediatricnurse #nursingstudent #nursingstudents A post shared by Nurse community (@ilove_nurse) on Jun 27, 2018 at 9:14pm PDT 10. Look, we never said we were perfect. #nurse #nursing #nurselife #nursepractitioner #instanursing #nurseproblems #nursingschoolproblems #scrublife #nursesrock #nurselife #nurses #rnlife #rninspiration #lpn #nurseonduty #nursehumor #nursehumorprn #registerednurse #cna #nurses #rpn A post shared by Maira_nurse (@maira_nurse) on Jun 27, 2018 at 9:00pm PDT
EMR Conversion: New Mexico hospital switching to EPIC in September
Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico plans to switch from Cerner EMR charting to Epic this fall and anticipates travel nurse staffing needs, according to industry sources. The planned go-live date is September 16. The facility expects vacancies in medical-surgical/telemetry, ICU, ER, PACU and OR. The hospital currently holds 300 beds and is a classified as Level II Trauma facility. Contracts will range anywhere from six to 13 weeks. Interested nurses should have Epic experience, as well as two years of working in their specialty and previous travel assignment experience. Additional EMR Conversion needs Two hospitals in the UNC Health Care system in North Carolina will swap from Meditech to Epic during an EMR conversion in the fall. The go-live dates at Wayne UNC Health Care in Goldsboro and Nash Health Care in Rocky Mount is September 22.
The 5 Most Expensive States for Travel Nursing
One of the main benefits of travel nursing is the travel itself. What your recruiter or agency might not tell you is that some of these locations will leave an expensive dent in your wallet. By using data from our Travel Nursing Pay Packages and Cost of Living By State guide, we’ve put together a ranked list for the five states where you might actually spend more money than you make. Using the exact opposite criteria as our Five Best Value States for Thrifty Travel Nurses, we looked at the bottom 20 lowest paying states and singled out the locations that were at least 5 points above the 100.00 baseline of the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’ regional price parity index (PPI). In locations above baseline, you can expect to pay more for rent and other basic consumer goods like food and gas. While three of the most expensive states are popular vacation destinations, two states on the list were surprising to see. 5. Colorado At No. 5, we had to make a special exception for Colorado because it is only at 103 points on the PPI. However, it ranks at No. 34 for highest pay packages, which puts it in the 20 lowest paying states. This isn’t a huge surprise. The state is one of the most popular vacation and travel destinations, especially in the summer for travelers that are looking for cooler temperatures and beautiful mountains to explore. As far as “most expensive” travel nursing state, you could certainly do much worse than Colorado. 4. New Hampshire New Hampshire also barely made the list, with a 105.9 PPI rating and a No. 41 ranking on our Highest Pay Packages list. The Granite State mirrors its neighboring states with high costs of living like New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, but doesn’t offer comparatively high pay packages. Travelers also don’t apply to New Hampshire that often—it’s ranked at No. 37 or lower this year in terms of total applications each month, according to StaffDNA job board data. On the plus side, if your heart is set on seeing big cities like Manchester or Concord, chances are you won’t be competing against many other nurses for a spot. 3. Connecticut Another New England state with a high price tag, Connecticut comes in at No. 3 on our list. The state offers some of the lowest average pay packages in the country while having a PPI rating of 108.7. On our Highest Pay Packages list, it ranks at No. 48. Despite the low pay and high cost of living, those who want to visit New York City without actually working in New York City may be in luck—several of the major metropolitan areas in the state are a short 2-hour drive away from the Big Apple. 2. Washington D.C. (District of Columbia) It’s not technically a state, but most agencies and job boards treat Washington D.C. as its own region. So for the purposes of our lists, we do the same. It’s no secret that D.C. is one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S., mostly because of sky-high rent, food and public transportation prices. But when you’re smack dab in the middle of our nation’s capitol, there are endless opportunities to experience historic landmarks, iconic monuments and some of the best museums in the country, most of which are free to visit. D.C is also a great place to visit if you prefer to rely on public transportation because it has some of the best systems in the US. 1. Hawaii If you’ve been sold on the dream of making a fortune in travel nursing while lounging on the world-famous beaches of the Hawaiian Islands between shifts, it’s time for a reality check. Hawaii is the most expensive state to live in the U.S, with a PPI rating almost 20 points above the national average at 118.4. Unlike its West Coast neighbor California, the state ranks near the bottom of our Highest Pay Package list at No. 38. (California ranks at No. 1) Hawaii’s popularity as a vacation destination contributes to the lower than average pay packages in the state. Since competition is always high, hospitals can bring on travelers who aren’t afraid to break even or even lose money while working. Experienced travelers know the draw of Hawaii is not the pay, but the adventure. It may be wise to save up from other assignments during the year before planning your paradise vacation contract.
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/
Top 10 Highest Paying Travel Healthcare Jobs: June 25
Another hot week of summer means another week of hot travel healthcare jobs, and we’ve got the scoop on great positions around the nation from StaffDNA job board data. If you’ve kept up with our posts each week, you’ll notice a subtle change—we’ve switched our headline from just “nursing” jobs to “healthcare,” because we’ve also found a couple of great travel surgical tech positions this week. We talk a lot about the travel nursing market on HCT Today, but we also want to highlight other opportunities from week to week for our non-nurse readers as well. Now that we’ve covered the fun part, let’s check out this week’s top jobs. Travel Nursing Jobs: June 25-30 Editor’s Note: The details listed below are subject to change based on contract availability. 1. RN-Telemetry, Travel Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania Weekly Pay: $1,741 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 2. RN- Telemetry (TELE), Travel Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania Weekly Pay: $1,881 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 3. RN- Medical-Surgical, Travel Location: Chinlee, Arizona Weekly Pay: $1,996 Duration: 13 Weeks Day/Night Rotating View this Travel Job >> 4. RN- Medical-Surgical, Travel Location: Reno, Nevada Weekly Pay: $1,860 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 5. RN- OR, Travel Location: Palm Springs, California Weekly Pay: $2,898 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 6. RN- OR, Travel Location: Chico, California Weekly Pay: $2,680 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 7. RN- Labor and Delivery (L&D), Travel Location: Atlanta, Georgia Weekly Pay: $2,050 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 8. RN- Telemetry (TELE), Travel Location: Memphis, Tennessee Weekly Pay: $1,746 Duration: 13 Weeks Night Shift View this Travel Job >> 9. Certified SurgTech-First Assist Location: Lafayette, Indiana Weekly Pay: $2,108 Duration: 8 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> 10. Certified SurgTech-Sterile Processing, Travel Location: Columbia, Tennessee Weekly Pay: $1,562 Duration: 13 Weeks Day Shift View this Travel Job >> Didn’t find the job you’re looking for? You can view more travel healthcare job opportunities here.
Travel Nurse Market: Labor and Delivery, OR Nurse Jobs On The Rise
Labor and delivery and OR nurses, it’s time brush up on your interview skills and talk with your recruiter, because the job market is on the rise, according to an industry insider. “Those are the two specialties that I am seeing a spike in not just a few locations, but everywhere right now,” a LiquidAgents Healthcare source told HCT Today. “Especially with L&D, I would normally see half as many openings right now compared to the amount that’s currently available.” While medical-surgical RN positions remain the most frequently requested among the specialties, labor and delivery and OR RN jobs have consistently ranked among the top 10 most requested specialties since April, according to StaffDNA data. Why are there more OR nurse jobs right now? View current OR RN positions here>> Short Answer: Who knows? We’re trying to figure that out now because it’s not normal. But it may have something to do with high-deductible health insurance plans. Long Answer: For OR nurses, job demand is often tied to demand for elective surgeries at a facility. Since the dates for elective surgeries can be requested by patients months in advance, hospitals will also plan to bring on temporary OR staff to help out if necessary. In recent years, however, most facilities plan for lots of elective surgeries at the end of the year, not in the middle, because of the rise in patients using high-deductible health insurance plans. Patients with high-deductible plans typically wait to schedule elective surgeries until late in the year, when they have met their deductible, or as a way to squeeze in a last-minute procedure before their insurance company raises the price next year. Don’t expect this trend to end anytime soon—more Americans are enrolled in employer-based high-deductible insurance plans than ever before, and deductible prices continue to rise. The average deductible for people with employer-based coverage rose from $303 to $1,505 between 2006 and 2017, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation report. While this answers the question of how OR job needs can increase, it doesn’t tell us why they are rapidly increasing now. It may be tied to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the healthcare insurance marketplace and the future of the Affordable Care Act, but that’s purely speculation. We’re keeping an eye on how this job trend develops. Why are there more Labor and Delivery jobs right now? View current Labor and Delivery (L&D) positions here>> Short Answer: September is a busy month for births, so hospitals are probably bulking up on labor and delivery nurses now to meet demand. Also, Millenials might have finally started having more babies. Long Answer: Historically speaking, September is prime time for births in the U.S. September 9 is the most common birthday in the U.S., according to yearly data between 1994 and 2014 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. Not only that, but 9 of the 10 most popular days to give birth fall during September. It’s possible that hospitals are posting their L&D RN needs on job boards early to find travelers who can help during a busy September. The new demand may also signal a positive trend in the number of births in general. The national birth rate has steadily declined in recent years. reaching a historic 30-year low in 2017, according to an NPR report. But some analysts have predicted a rebound in birth rates in the coming years, led by an increasing number of Millenial parents over time.
National nursing, medical associations decry immigrant family separation
The American Nurses Association and American Medical Association released statements Tuesday asking for President Donald Trump’s administration to end ongoing migrant family separation practices at the U.S. border as quickly as possible. Both organizations said in their statements that forced separations will have “irreparable” negative effects on the physical and mental health of the separated children which could cause long-term health issues. “On behalf of the physician and medical student members of the AMA, I am writing to strongly urge the federal government to withdraw its ‘zero tolerance’ policy that requires the separation of migrating children from their parents or caregivers.” – @CEO_AMA, Dr. James L. Madara. pic.twitter.com/sqf6tZTPpd — AMA (@AmerMedicalAssn) June 20, 2018 “It is well known that childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences created by inhumane treatment often creates negative health impacts that can last an individual’s entire lifespan,” Dr. James Madara, CEO and executive vice president of the AMA said in a written statement. “Therefore, the AMA believes strongly that, in the absence of immediate physical or emotional threats to the child’s well-being, migrating children should not be separated from their parents or caregivers.” #ICYMI: The ANA urges everyone involved to protect the mental and physical health of these children who face an uncertain future without their families. #FamiliesBelongTogether #WhereAreTheChildren –@anapresident pic.twitter.com/gromaAn4CH — Nurses Association (@ANANursingWorld) June 20, 2018 The ANA urged President Trump’s administration to end forced family separation, reunify the families without delay and establish “compassionate immigration policies.” “The Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (ANA, 2015) calls on all nurses to always act to preserve the human rights of vulnerable groups such as children, women and refugees,” the ANA statement reads. “The United States of America is better than this. We cannot continue with a policy that is so immoral and cruel to children and families.” Why is this immigrant family separation happening? Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal immigration in April, which required the arrest of any immigrants attempting to illegally enter the U.S. by not using legal border crossing areas. Before, adults who illegally crossed typically faced arrest—except for those who brought along children, as they could not be prosecuted. This undermined the integrity of the immigration system by providing “blanket immunity” for adults who should be legally prosecuted, Sessions said in an opinion piece on USA Today. Since adopting the zero-tolerance policy, at least 2,300 children have been separated from their families as of June 9. Separated children are then sent to Customs and Border Protection facilities, and are later transferred to longer-term care shelters. What’s recently spurned public outcry from human rights organizations and media groups are the three “tender age shelters,” which house many children ages five and under, established in South Texas, the Associated Press learned this week. President Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to put a temporary end to future family separations, but is still pushing for more permanent zero-tolerance legislation.
5 Best Value States for Thrifty Travel Nurses
For some travel nurses, the appeal of jumping into the healthcare gypsy lifestyle is more about finding adventures in new parts of the country—for others making money is still a major motivator. But keeping the money you make as a traveler can be just as hard as making it. With a good chunk of your income going towards travel and living expenses, not to mention the unpredictability of temporary staffing, finding the best places to work where you can make your dollars stretch is tough. We’ve narrowed down the five states where you can work and earn the most bang for your buck, based on data from our Travel Nursing Pay Package Rankings and Cost of Living By State list. Our five best states were selected using the following criteria: Each state had to rank among the top 20 highest pay packages offered. Each state had to be at least 5 points or more below the 100.00 baseline of the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parity index. This gave us the best balance of how much you can make vs. how much you can expect to spend, as you can save significantly more money in states below 100.00 even if they don’t offer sky-high pay packages like California or New York, where the high cost of living negates the benefit of significant earnings. Let’s start from the bottom and work our way to No. 1. 5. Louisiana Louisiana just barely edged out Montana to make our Best Value list. The state currently ranks No. 20 for highest pay packages, but what gave it the edge is its cost-of-living rating, which is almost 10 points below the national average (90.4) Now that Louisiana is part of the enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact as of May 31, we expect to see more competition for jobs as many more travelers will have easy access to the state by December. 4. Wisconsin Wisconsin comes in at No. 4 on our Best Value list, thanks to its No. 17 ranking for highest travel nurse pay packages and low cost of living rating at 92.8, more than 7 points below the national average. Since the state is one of the less-traveled vacation spots in the U.S. and a prime target for frigid but profitable winter travel jobs, the low cost of living means there’s plenty of opportunities to earn money in The Badger State. 3. Michigan Speaking of profitable northern states, right across from Wisconsin is our No. 3 Best Value state, Michigan. Michigan ranked slightly higher in our pay package list at No. 14 and subsequently had a slightly higher regional cost of living at 93.3 on the index. Both Michigan and Wisconsin made our Highest Paying Jobs post this week. 2. Indiana Indiana consistently ranks among the top 10 most applied-to states for travelers in the first place, so the fact that it boasts the No. 12 slot in pay packages and a dirt-cheap cost of living rating at 90.3 percent. Some of the cities that regularly have job listings on the StaffDNA boards include Fort Wayne, Bloomington and Indianapolis. 1. Iowa With only one decimal point lower than Indiana on the cost of living index and several ranks above Indiana in terms of pay packages, Iowa takes the cake as our top Best Value travel nursing state. Out of all the other states on this list, Iowa is the true exception in that it currently ranks in the top 10 highest paying states, yet comparatively in the middle in travel nurse applications each month.
Maine Judge says Gov. LePage must still file Medicaid plan despite appeal
A Maine judge ordered Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s administration to file a Medicaid expansion plan despite ongoing litigation on Monday. The LePage administration made a motion on June 7 to not file a Medicaid expansion plan by June 11 while the Superior Court considers an expedited appeal, which was denied by Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy on Friday, according to an Associated Press report. Nearly 59 percent of Maine residents voted last fall to expand Medicaid by July 2, which would provide insurance coverage to more than 70,000 adults with incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level. It would also open the state up to receive more than $500 million in federal funds to cover the new enrollees. The Maine Department of Health an Human Services missed the original April 3 deadline to file the plan and receive these funds, which was cited in the court’s June 4 ruling as a “complete failure to act.” The harm to low-income Mainers who remain without Medicaid benefits outweighs harm to LePage’s administration, Murphy told the Associated Press. “The executive branch’s refusal to act and follow the will of the people … has the potential to engender disrespect for duly enacted laws,” the judge wrote. Gov. LePage vetoed Medicaid expansion legislation five times in two terms of office, saying it will do more harm than good for the state budget and that he considers Medicaid as another form of welfare. His administration laid the blame for not submitting a plan on the state legislature, arguing that they have not found adequate funding to implement the ballot measure, without a tax hike and under LePage’s specific terms. The full cost of implementing the expansion is a disputed figure between Gov. LePage’s administration, which estimates as much as $58 million in the first year, while the nonpartisan Office of Fiscal and Program Review estimates a need of $30 million in state funds.