do you need advise on travel nursing?

travel advice
wow, to the rest of us non-travellers (so far) your life sounds very exciting! Right off the top, who should I avoid travelling with, is there especially one company that is all talk and NOT NICE? Have you just done 13 weeks in various places and moved on or have you renewed your contract in any specific place? I too am a Critical Care RN, have not done CVICU, but just about everything else. Thanks for your reply.
Hope to hear from you.

Re: travel advice

kellyd wrote:

wow, to the rest of us non-travellers (so far) your life sounds very exciting! Right off the top, who should I avoid travelling with, is there especially one company that is all talk and NOT NICE? Have you just done 13 weeks in various places and moved on or have you renewed your contract in any specific place? I too am a Critical Care RN, have not done CVICU, but just about everything else. Thanks for your reply.
Hope to hear from you.

well I want you to know that I'm not a nurse, but I talked to the travel companys 99% of time as far as the WHAT THEY ARE GONNA GIVE MY WIFE ISSUES!!!. if you have Nurse??? you will have to speak with my wife. First of all Dont ask the travel companys what they will give you, dont even give them they chance to tell you. You tell them what you WANT100 % FREE hOUSEING, A T.V ect.ect. if a company is going to make you pay one penny towards rent I would tell them forget it!! always tell them you want a bonus even when they say you cant get one, ask any way, I even ask over and over and over again 99% they will give in if they think that is how they are going to seal the deal with you, unless that is you are going to Hawaii, then you tell them you must have an OCEAN view!! check there health ins I would say if it is not a 90/10 plan, tell them you will buy your own private ins and you want them to pay the bill. most company will give you 500 each way for travel, well trust me You can double that. things seemed to get even better for my wife when she started doing CVICU there seems to be a high demand for them, once you prove yourself to a company, the sky's the limit. working with a travel nurse company is like trying to haggle with a car salesman, it's all about the deal you make, if you demand nothing,then thats what you will get (just basic's) and who wants only that? the recruiters job is to make as much money for the travel company as possable, and that is a FACT. there is about 170 travel companys, but few good ones, I dont know how long you have been traveling, but once you get grounded. you decide were you live, if your in frisco, want want a view of the golden gate,then tell them, remember you are the one putting $$$$ in the travel company pocket and if the are paying you $35 hour you can dang well bet they are making a whole lot more on you, in my opinion I think it is better to stay with a company that is not publicly traded on the stock market, because then that company has to answer to it's share holders, there is many things to consider, I always tell the travel company when I talked to them that I'm very picky and want everthing almost perfect, and I dont like the word NO, I always tell them that with a smile though!! YOU DO NOT WANT A RECRUITER WHO IS A WHIMP!! we have a good repore with the recruiters, we buy them gifts, send them pictures, speek every week, and what not, some nurses dont like to talk to the recruiters I speak to them all the time we like to get on a personall level if possable, because if they like you, they will give you most anything you ask. it is a win win for both. I could tell you a lot more but it is to much to write if you want to talk, by phone let me know, we are in hawaii now.

travel nursing
thanks for all the great info. I let my husband read your reply and you and he should talk! We are Canadians so, he won't be able to work in the US-- he's a journeyman electrician--so we need to make the best deal possible. the health insurance 90/10 means they pay 90%, we pay 10% right?? we are talking right now to Access nurses and also Core medical , my visa screen is complete and I also have a Minnesota license, nclex complete also. Did you compare a few companies offers when you first started? How do you decide on a wage? if they offer 26.00 per hour how high can you push that? do you make up the rest in housing, utilities, such as paid cable and phone etc.
thanks for any info again

dear kellyd
let me just say that i have travelled with 4 companies and i would not hesitate to change again if i cant get what i want. we are in high demand and it may not always be this way so i am going for it!!! good luck in your travels...i also travel with the love of my life and he gets odd jobs too and we love our life!!!

Who is good???
I am looking to travel to California and don't know where to start as far as which agency to go with. They all offer the same benefit packages it seems. Any tips on which agencies are the best?

New Travel RN
I'm going to move to Virginia but have decided to into travel nursing. I've inquired from American Mobile and Medical Stafffing Network. AM won't give a housing subsidy enough for a one bedroom apartment while Medical Staffing would say that they can't find a position for me where I would like to go. How far should I haggle with them?

Re: do you need advise on travel nursing?

alaska101 wrote:

we have been traveling for over 5 years my wife is the nurse I just get odd jobs everywhere we go. if you have any questons about anything let us know we have been ak,hi,nc,ca,mo,ks,ma,ne,md. I know alot about all the travel aspects and dealing with the travel nurse companys and I like to help other nurses and give them ideas.I love to share all the fun things we get to do at all the places we go. My wife can aslo answer Nurse Questons she does ICU/CVICU most of the time. let us know any ????

My D-I-L wants to travel to Hawaii from Colorado. (We are from Hawaii) Which are the best agencies to use and where do they provide housing?

Re: New Travel RN

footprints05 wrote:

I'm going to move to Virginia but have decided to into travel nursing. I've inquired from American Mobile and Medical Stafffing Network. AM won't give a housing subsidy enough for a one bedroom apartment while Medical Staffing would say that they can't find a position for me where I would like to go. How far should I haggle with them?

i DONT KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS WITH AM i GUESS THEY ARE TIGHT. YOU NEED TO ASK FOR MORE AND MORE, YOU MAY HAVE TO DO 13 WEEKS FIRST SO THEY CAN SEE HOW YOU PERFORM, BUT AFTER THAT, DIG DEEP IN THERE POCKETS. IF THEY DONT WANT TO PLAY BY YOUR RULES THEN LEAVE THEM, THE 1ST TIME WE DID THAT WITH A COMPANY MY WIFE WAS WITH THEY BEG HER TO STAY AND GAVE HER A $5500 BONUS i SPOKE IN DEPTH WITH THE HIGHER UP'S IN THE COMPANY AND THEN i KNEW HOW TO PLAY THERE GAMES, BUT YOU MUST BE A NURSE WHO DOES HER JOB AND DOES NOT CALL IN SICK EVERY TIME YOU DONT FEEL GOOD, BECAUSE WHEN THE HOSPITAL LIKES YOU AND THEY TELL THE TRAVEL COMPANY, THEN THAT MAKES YOU WORTH GOLD TO THE TRAVEL COMPANY i HAVE HAGGLED AND DOUBLED THE HOUSING, SO TRUST ME THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM, BUT MY WIFE IS AN CVICU NURSE, SEEMS TO BE MORE POWER THERE, BUT i DONT KNOW. AND AS FAR AS MEDICAL STAFFING. GO SOMEHWERE ELSE THERE ARE ABOUT 170 COMPANYS ...A FEW GOOD ONE, BUT NEVERTHELESS PLENTY TO CHOOSE FROM....GOOD LICK

Re: New Travel RN

footprints05 wrote:

I'm going to move to Virginia but have decided to go into travel nursing. I've inquired from American Mobile and Medical Stafffing Network. AM won't give a housing subsidy enough for a one bedroom apartment while Medical Staffing would say that they can't find a position for me where I would like to go. How far should I haggle with them?

Hi, good luck in your search. I , too, am searching for the right company and the right salary for a particular hospital in Virginia, near family. The negotiating game is INTERESTING and is new to me. I like what Alaska101 advises. Now that I've spoken with one recruiter and crunched some numbers to find my bottom line, before I enter my applic. with that co. I think I'll phone other recruiters to feel them out. $27-29 an hour was the quote I got, when I'd like $38-40. Will keep playing...

Re: do you need advise on travel nursing?

alaska101 wrote:

we have been traveling for over 5 years my wife is the nurse I just get odd jobs everywhere we go. if you have any questons about anything let us know we have been ak,hi,nc,ca,mo,ks,ma,ne,md. I know alot about all the travel aspects and dealing with the travel nurse companys and I like to help other nurses and give them ideas.I love to share all the fun things we get to do at all the places we go. My wife can aslo answer Nurse Questons she does ICU/CVICU most of the time. let us know any ????

I wish you could call the travel companies for me!! They quote me hourly wages all the time that I think are too low and if I say so they start naming off places I don't want to go that pay more. My question for you is do you have any advise on California? I've heard rumors of 50+/hr and of some companies even flying you out to work your hours and then flying you home every week...too good to be true? Please let me know if you have any info. I've talked to many CA travel companies and have yet to be amazed. Thanks!!

Re: do you need advise on travel nursing?

alaska101 wrote:

we have been traveling for over 5 years my wife is the nurse I just get odd jobs everywhere we go. if you have any questons about anything let us know we have been ak,hi,nc,ca,mo,ks,ma,ne,md. I know alot about all the travel aspects and dealing with the travel nurse companys and I like to help other nurses and give them ideas.I love to share all the fun things we get to do at all the places we go. My wife can aslo answer Nurse Questons she does ICU/CVICU most of the time. let us know any ????

I'm interested in traveling to HI, Honolulu, in 2007 for the summer with my two kids ages 11 and 15. What's your opinion of taking an assignment there and bring my kids?? Can I get a 6 week assignment? are the nursing nice to traveler? (I heard not), My daugher surfs and would love to go. Thanks, Barbara

Agency recommendation please
Hello, alaska101, I am 20+ year RN & CLNC, & am considering getting my feet wet with traveling nursing. I very much enjoy ready your posts, very informative. I was wondering what your recommendation would be for a good all around agency to start with?. I would very much enjoy traveling to the primo sites: Hawaii, Virgin Islands, UK, etc.... Thank You in advance for any help. Very Happy

travel nursing
hi alaska101.
I always wanted to know how it is to be a travel nurse i am a student nurse doing my BSN and wanted to have an overview of travelnursing,how is the pay?? is it fun?? and is it worth it.
the"m"nurse.

Re: do you need advise on travel nursing?

leeannrn wrote:

I've heard rumors of 50+/hr and of some companies even flying you out to work your hours and then flying you home every week...too good to be true? Please let me know if you have any info. I've talked to many CA travel companies and have yet to be amazed. Thanks!!

I would be interested in this answer as well. Do companies really fly you in and out every week? If so which ones? I see a lot of needs in CA on the agency websites that I've visited. AZ, also.

I have been agency nursing for 5 years now. (13 week contracts with consistent re-newals) All those years at the same hospital! 2 years ago, that hospital formed their own agency and I went with them. So I've never actually had to travel more than an hour away. It was a great deal while it lasted. However, this hospital is now in severe financial difficulty and has all but completely phased out agency RNs. No contracts at all available. I've been picking up what I can, per diem.

Long story short, I have been looking at travel agencies, hoping to travel locally(because I have a family/children and can't/don't want to be away too long at a time) without much luck at all. I applied to Aureus. They strung me along with several different job offers and then they all 3 fell through . So I signed on with HPC, which had me all set up to start a contract, I planned my schedule around it and it also fell through. So I agreed to travel(still in MI) to a facility that I was told "always has needs". That was 2 weeks ago. I've inquired twice(once per week) and get the "I'm still waiting for a response back from them" answer every time. I am so frustrated. For those of you with more experience, is this the way it works? Does it normally take you months to get an assignment?!?!?!?!

re: pay. I was also quoted a pay rate much lower than I am used to getting, $30-$32. By both travel companies I mentioned. The agency I work for now pays me $38 weekdays/$42 for weekends.

I have also found that Indiana jobs (for travel nurses) are pretty much non-existent, jobs in Michigan are scarce, unless you want Detroit, and very little in Illinois. Is this a true picture or am I just looking at the wrong agencies?

I would appreciate any advice.

I know what you mean about the frustration, and as fair as I can tell Indiana is hard, Il has more opennings, but you have to shop around. It does take forever to get started

I start my assignment in Kaneohe, hawaii state hospital, my housing is in Waikiki, they couldn't find anything near my work place. I'll have to rent a car, my husband will follow after a month, my son will come 2 weeks later with my Dad. I didn't want my husband to quit his job just yet...I'm new at this and get panic attacks hahah..my recruiter so far has been very interactive. I'm with Onward Healthcare..please how is Hawaii and the apartments?

Pls. Alaska101, I'm starting my assignment on the 21st, would love to talk to you before I leave next week.

Re: do you need advise on travel nursing?

jumod wrote:

leeannrn wrote:
Does it normally take you months to get an assignment?!?!?!?!
.

I talked to Julianne at Access Nurses during the third week of June; I started my first assignment in AZ on July 3rd. I think part of it depends on how well you interview and your experiences, but honestly, I never expected to get work so quickly!

If you call her, tell her Liane sent you! :wink:

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