I travel with HRN - they are a smaller company (not as many contracts as some of the larger companies) - however they are excellent!!!
I would avoid american mobile - I had a bad experience with them and in my travels I have never heard another traveler say anything good about them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hi i also travel with HRN..ive been happy with them. this is my first assignment though and im not happy at this hospital, i have only a few days left and dont have another assignment lined up yet.....that is the only issue i have with this company..im getting nervous, dont want to be stuck with no job for any amount of time, has this happened to anyone else??

I have been shopping around for travel companies and my limited contact wth PHP has been very positive. This recruiter is very professional and takes her time to explain stuff, she does not sound like a sales person who is in a rush to sell a product or is forcing you to commit to buy that product either. You should definitely contact her.

HRN
I just finished my assignment with HRN. I was very satisfied with the company just didnt care for the hospital I worked for. If you ever go to Vegas to work, stay away from the Valley Health System. This was my first travel assignment and I stayed with a friend who lived there. Needless to say, if you want to stay friends with someone, DONT LIVE WITH THEM. HRN could not find me another contract so I have traveled cross country back to PA. I have been back since Xmas eve and still have yet to find another job. Good luck to all.

Travel Experiences
On Assignment was OK, but I think their recruiters work on commission....they were always trying to push me into 48 hr/week contracts.
When I finally took one of the 48 hr./week positions, the hospital refused to honor the additional 12 hours.....and they were nowhere to back me up...
further it seems the additional hours represented a union contract violation
as I was getting guaranteed overtime before the union members were being allowed a chance to refuse it.

I had one really excellent assignment with them....and I had a really good recruiter, but when the 48 hour dispute arose.....well, let's just say, I don't work for them anymore.

Beware the 48 hour guarantees....

I think they all suck
Can anyone tell me any GOOD decent and HONEST travel agencies......I think they are worse than the hospitals now!

Bad company: RN Network. Flaky. Good company: Mobile Medical Staffing. They have a lot of contracts for being a smaller company. I know that some of these corporate monsters have loads of contracts but at what expense? Lower wages. Mistakes in payroll. Poor housing. No thanks.

Bad company, American Mobile. Good company, Undecided

I have been in contact as well has had many companies looking for jobs for me. I have yet to find a company that I thought was bad. The long and the short of it is...you have to find what works for you. If you like personal attention, smaller companies are for you, if you like job availability and dont need someone to hold your hand, than larger companies are for you. Then you have to figure out who has the better packages for your unique situation. If you go with a company and dont like it, its only 13wks....most of us can do anything for 13wks..then dont go with that company again. If its a company issue, you might have to do some work to get it straigjhtened out, but if its nursing issues, then dont accept the assignment if you think its not safe.I've been a travel nurse for a few years now, and one of the best things you can do is use your common sense. If it sounds too good to be true, it quite possibly is. And as far as "looking out for others" when it comes to a job, if you depend on the pay, you better make sure you have yourself taken care of first before you give tips to others. I have made that mistake before also. Dont mean to sound selfish, but this is how we make a living, to support our families, so you have to be totally aware of what is going on. Traveling is a learning experience. After you get the hang of it, you dont have many problems, or so it seems for me anyway.

Travel Companies
Be sure and ask questions of the travel company recruiter. One company I worked for went through another agency(without me knowing it and the recruiter didn't tell me). I was offered $X and then when I took the assignment I asked about bonus, housing, etc. I was told a bonus wasn't offered. During orientation, I talked with other travelers and found out that I was being paid $12/hr less than what the hospital was paying the original recruiting company. I was also placed in inferior housing while the original recruiting company paid for corporate housing. The original company also was offering a Bonus. Wonder who pocketed that extra mondy? Needless to say, I haven't traveled with them again--Access Nurses. Talk about being used! No wonder there is a nursing shortage when nurses are being blind sided every where they turn.

I've just loved my experience with Access Nurses so far. I start my first assignment next week, but I'm totally prepared because my recruiter and TL helped me with all the necessary paperwork. Now I just get to relax and be excited about work.

PSR--first company I worked with and has now changed names. They were forever losing my paperwork so I had to spend alot of time sending them info they should have had already.

RN Network--Got to an assignment and found my housing was without heat and furniture (very cold part of the country and very cold part of the year).

Medstaff--contracts out through Cross Country for some of their assignments. Also tried to change the start date on one of my contracts without alerting me. Had many difficulties with housing--lots of notes left on my door as company was not keeping up with housing bills

O'Grady Peyton--part of AMN healthcare; however, I had a great recruiter. Lower pay rates.

National Healthcare Staffing (VITA)--Recruiter did not want to work. Always passing the buck, so to speak, with any problems that arose. Housing issues. Kept sending my contract to my previous assignment housing rather than to my home address.

Anyone heard of NursesPro??

HRN
avoid Cross Country Trav Corps, not such a gret experience-no support
HRN got me a great contract in a great place, but because they are new to this area, my housing is exhorbitant--thus my hourly wound up really low.
Like half of what regular staff here makes. I am hoping to get some reimbursement from HRN. My recruiter is OK, but is slow to call back or respond to Email.
All About Staffing is owned by HCA ( hospital corp. of america) who own a
lot of Fl. hospitals, exp. South Fl. You can get placed into HCA hosp by another co. but they are notorious for cancelling assignments without warning. All about Staff. nurses are the first hired and last let go with HCA
hospitals, so its smart to sign on with them if you want hired at HCA assign.
Remember its OK to sign on with several companies, just don't let more than one submit you for the same opeining. Lots of hospitals just toss out
multiple submits, at best it looks bad.

Has anyone worked for Nightingale?? How about Sagent. Both are recruiting me strongly.

I have heard many nightmare stories about Nightingale. One forum mentioned them and there was a stream of responses about how terrible they were. A friend used them and had a horrible experience as well.

Travel Nurse Companies
I have been travleling with RTG Medical for the past 5 years. Cory is My Recruiter. This is the part that you should know! I am not loyal to RTG as they mean nothing to me as long as my check is in the bank on Fri. (Every FRi.) But, your recruiter is your life line. You should be able to trust that should you have a problem, He/She is there for you. This I feel that I have with Cory. Find someone that you feel comfortable with. Or even, give Cory a call. Again, it is worth repeating, Your recruiter is your life line, not his company!!
Good Luck,
Rod

I use 3 companies (IPI, Trinity and Cirrus). Nothing bad from any of them...yet. I have found that working with 3 compaines gives me a better chance at a job in the area I want.

Excellent travel company
If you want to travel with an EXCELLENT Company, check out my post about Halostaffing.com on the "best Travel Companies post.

Happy Traveling!!!

travel companies
American Mobile, and its sub. Medical Express - to be avoided.. Aside from bad pay rates and worse tax packages and healthcare, the company - though it verbally backed me up - left me footing the bill when I was assaulted on the job. Apparently zero tolerance for workplace violence has and meaning that I did not foresee, ie. it won't be tolerated if you report abuse.
...Prelim contacts only with Invictus, Access, Trustaff, Readilink. I've heard some good things about Access - better rts (NM); flexible recruiters.
...In short, I solidly believe they are all thieving liars. Can there be any such thing as a good pimp?
-Wouldn't it be something if we got together and got us a labour relations lawyer? Anyone know of one?
- Been looking into independent contracting and subcontracting - looking for advice. It sounds impossible, unless you canget subcontracted.