Hi,
I, too, am waiting to see if the DC strike is a go. This will be my first strike and travel job. I have heard that they do not select everyone. Have you heard this as well?

Yes, that is pretty much what my recruiter told me as well. He described it like a lottery. He said when they find out its a go, they submit everyones profile to the hospital that has a complete profile from the company, then the hosptial chooses who they want. I hope we find out soon, what company are you going with?

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I am going thru Fastaff or US Nursing.

Me too, just called today and were still waiting. what is your speciality?

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I work in the intensive care units, including SICU, MICU and open heart recovery. What about you? Are you male or female?

female, I work L&D, postpartum, nursery, etc...you male or female?

what are you doing while waiting for the strike? I am usually a traveler and it just so worked out that I finished my last contract at the time this strike was supposed to go off. I think I am going to try per diem for a little bit, just to keep myself available for strikes, but I dont intend to wait forever.

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female from Alabama. I have never worked a strike or travel assignment. I have 4 boys ages 15,11, 4 and 2. Hubby is a teacher. I just got out of case management for private rehab/cost containment company and was going to go back to the hospital when I responded to the ad about the strike. I have to pick up my physical this evening and then my packet will be sent in. I hope they can get the license in time. If not, they sent me license info for Minn. and Illinois. I have got to do something. I am getting paid thru the 15th of the month then need to find another job. Not too keen on traveling with the boys and all. The strike would be ideal, money and time away from home not too much. I have licenses in Al, MS, Fl and soon to be Louisian. I can go work in LA for $43-44/hr, spend 2 nights work my 3 shifts and come home. They put you up in a house on campus but you have to share with a room mate. I really do not care. The money is good. After 22 yrs in nursing, I am just trying to "find myself" and what it is I want to do. You?

I have been out of school for 8yrs, I have done primarily L&D. I have also spent a short amount of that time in Med/Surg, OR and Nursing home. although most of that was the 3 yrs as an LPN before becoming an RN. I just finished my 14th contract as a travel nurse, all 13wk contracts, so I am not new to the traveling business. I have 2 kids, 4 & 6. My husband is a mechanic, but is staying home for another year until the littlest goes to school full time. I have it good that way, he can take care of the kids, but with your spouse being a teacher you have it pretty good too. I like traveling, I HATE politics and I dont have to be involved as a traveler. I actually see my kids more now that I did when I worked a permanent job close to home. I am really looking forward to the strike, I just hope it happens soon, so that I dont have to take another contract and then miss out on all of them. That is what has happened to me historically, I have been on contract and wasnt available. I am going to try the per diem thing, probably wont like it much, but we will see.....lol

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How do you see your kids more while traveling? Does your family travel with you? You are gone 13 weeks at a time? Wow! It is good your hubby is a stay at home dad right now. My husband gets home in the evenings around 4pm. He takes and picks up the little ones from preschool etc. He is awesome in that way. Do you have all of your paperwork in for the strike? Like I said, I will get my physical from my girlfriend tonight. She is married to a MD and got her in my Mardi Gras organization. I just had a physical with my PCP, but she is out of town for two weeks and that has held me up. Where do you travel?

With the exception of the first two assignments I ever did, which was before I had kids, I have done all my assignments close to home. So, I go and work either 3 in a row or 6 in a row, then come home. my last permanent job had me working 4-5 10hr shifts/wk, with 1-3 nights of call per week and every 3rd weekend. when I was on call I had to stay at the hospital, it was OR. So there isn't much that can be worse than that. as far as the strike stuff, yes, my stuff is all in and my dc lic. stuff to the state (my recruiter just told me that today) as well. I am literally waiting to go. I dont usually have a problem finding jobs close to home, this time I was going to have go further than before, I was looking 4-6hrs out, which I wasnt happy about, but it would have been ok after I got used to it. My kids are used to this, my daughter is 4 and I have traveled all but 1 yr of her life. I have traveled and went permanent a few different times. I have not been permanent since dec of 04 this time, and have no intentions of going permanent again anytime soon.

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Hi, I have been thinking about doing what you have been doing. In Alabama, there really isn't that much around here for traveling, however, New Orleans, La has lots and the pay is great. I have been thinking about going and work 3-12 hour shifts and come home for 4 etc. The pay is $43-45/hr for critical care. I have been dealing directly with the hospitals and am getting a better deal. Some put you up in an apartment and a few have houses that you stay in while you are working. You basically check out a key to the house on campus from security while you are there. The female house has 3 BR but I hear it is not full all the time. I could get myself a hotel room also. That is just something I am considering. I am going to overnight my paperwork in tomorrow. I also have Minn. and Ill. states completed. I really hope to go on one of the strikes before I have to start working full time somewhere. Do you do all of your travel thru Fastaff? Are you satisfied? Take care.

sounds like you have a plan, I tried to do my own contract once, and found out I had a lot of things missing, like malpractice insurance, clauses to protect myself and the hospital in case of a disagreement or error, etc. In short, it was an extremely small hospital and the human resource person pretty much ripped my little contract to shreds. Something I am not intending to do ever again. But hey, if you got it worked out, good for you and I hope it works well. And no, I won't work for fastaff for contracts. I have only heard of them offering 48-60hr/wk contracts and I have no want to work that many hours a week. I like to work, but not that much. Now dont get me wrong, I have willingly picked up overtime during contracts, but to be required to work that many, I'm not interested. My first contract was for 40hrs and my schedule when I got there, South Carolina, was 8 in a row, 2-8's, 2-12's; 2-8's; 2-12's. It sucked and I swore I would never have a 40hr contract again. I am supposed to get my other lic packets tomorrow. I'll let you know tomorrow, who is your recruiter with fastaff?

If you are still watching this, I wanted to let you know that I found out today that the dc strike wont be going off next week either. Recruiter told me that since it was wednesday, even if they decided anything tomorrow or friday they could not get that many nurses mobilized by sunday, so he told me I was safe to schedule myself for per diem work next week. He also told me that Chicago union is already negotiating, so that is two negotiating now. Guess we still wait and see....

I worked a strike in Santa Rosa California for 10 days and there were pros and cons to it. On the plus side the money was fantastic. On the down side crossing the picket lines of anger staff nurses and the "not knowing" factor would be enough to keep me from working another one. It is true that there are many nurses that work only strikes and make quite a bit of money doing so. Good luck.

I personally would never cross a strike line. We need to stand together and support one another regardless of the money. Did I say that.