Posts Tagged ‘Travel Nursing’

Get the Facts About Travel Nursing

Posted in Nursing, Nursing Jobs, Travel Nursing

Travel nursing can present new, exciting and challenging opportunities. If your present job situation is just not satisfying, don’t let yourself be stuck. Stick your neck out and try something new.

The beauty of nursing is that it offers so many different opportunities. Don’t be afraid to try some of them. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

First of all do your homework. Not all travel nursing agencies are created equal and not all facilities that hire travel nurses are among the best employers. Word travels fast, and information is available; you just have to do a little research.

This site offers a large forum for discussion about all things nursing, and among them, travel nursing experiences. Spend some time reading through the threads and posts. Ask questions and get the information you need.

There are a multitude of books, websites and blogs by travel nurses with much valuable information. Read everything you can to understand the pros and cons of your next adventure.

Talk to travel nurses who work in your current facility. Some of the questions you may want to ask include:

  • Which travel agency they currently work for?
  • Do they have other agencies they would recommend and why?
  • Have they had bad experiences with any agency and which ones?
  • What do they like about their current assignment?
  • What don’t they like?
  • Do they have a favorite place to travel and why?
  • Where don’t they like to go and why?

Some of their answers may be more personal especially if they have chosen locations close to family or friends, but their experiences can provide good insight into what to expect in a travel assignment. Even if the assignment was for their own convenience, the job satisfaction factor comes into play somewhere.

Current travel nurses can help to provide valuable information about what to include in your contract, what kind of information you need to know about a location, a facility and specifics about the nursing assignment.

Each and every one of the travel nurses you network with will probably be able to give you at least one new tip or trick to make life on the road more enjoyable and successful. Take notes and keep a file of these handy tips and tricks. As you become a veteran travel nurse, be sure to share your own tips with others.

You may want to start with a short assignment close to home or near to family and friends so that you have your own support system at hand. Any new situation can and will be stressful and having support systems in place will help to reduce some of that stress.

You may also want to consider taking a leave of absence from your permanent employer while you take a short travel assignment. This ensures you have a job, seniority and benefits to fall back on if this isn’t something you want to do.

Remember to give yourself ample time to evaluate any new venture. No job is perfect, and it may take some time to get used to being a travel nurse as compared to a permanent employee.

By Kathy Quan RN BSN. Kathy is the author of The Everything New Nurse Book, and the owner/author of TheNursingSite.com

©2008 by UltimateNurse.com. All Rights Reserved.

All Health Staffing Reviews

Posted in Travel Nursing Company Reviews

Reviews of All Health Staffing – Post Yours!

Company Name: All Health Staffing

Company Description: All Health Staffing is a national leader in supplementary healthcare staffing, specializing in travel and temporary-to-permanent placement of nurses and other healthcare professionals in a variety of settings throughout the United States.

As a traveling professional, you might live in many exciting places. Our job is to help make each of them a good place to call home.

Turn your dream career into a reality
At All Health Staffing, we want you to have the best career experience possible and will do whatever we can to turn your dream career into a reality.

Discuss All Health Staffing in our Travel Nursing Forums

Please fill out our Request For Travel Nursing Information form if you’re looking for a job.

You can also follow the following link for information about Travel Nursing Jobs in every state.

Related Searches:

You can find reviews for lots of other Travel Nurse Staffing Companies by visiting this link: Travel Nurse Staffing Company Reviews

AAA Medical Staffing Reviews

Posted in Travel Nursing Company Reviews

Reviews of AAA Medical Staffing – Post Yours!

Company Name: AAA Medical Staffing

Company Description: AAA Medical Staffing has nursing opportunities throughout the United States and Internationally. Travel RN, Staff RN, Nurse Management, Department Directors, and many other medical positions are available.

Benefits for our full time Licensed RN’s and others, depending on credentials

AAA Medical Staffing recognizes and values our permanent medical staff and travelers with excellent pay rates. We also offer special bonuses as a way of saying thank you.

Discuss AAA Medical Staffing in our Travel Nursing Forums

Please fill out our Request For Travel Nursing Information form if you’re looking for a job.

You can also follow the following link for information about Travel Nursing Jobs in every state.

Related Searches: AAA medical staffing, travel nursing, nurse jobs,lpn, nurse, nurse chat, nurse employment, nurse jobs, nurses, nursing

You can find reviews for lots of other Travel Nurse Staffing Companies by visiting this link: Travel Nurse Staffing Company Reviews

Abetta Care Reviews

Posted in Travel Nursing Company Reviews

Reviews of Abetta Care – Post Yours!

Company Name: Abetta Care

Company Description: We specialize in coordinating Traveling Healthcare Professionals with the assignments they want, where they want. In essence, traveling with Abetta-Care is your bridge to the leading and most attractive healthcare assignments in the country.

The professionals you’ll be working with at Abetta-Care are experienced in the healthcare industry. In addition to qualifying you for an assignment, we go beyond the basics. We make it a point to get to know you as a person.

When you work with Abetta-Care, you’re more than just an employee, you’re part of our extended family.

Discuss Abetta Care in our Travel Nursing Forums

Please fill out our Request For Travel Nursing Information form if you’re looking for a job.

You can also follow the following link for information about Travel Nursing Jobs in every state.

Related Searches: Abetta Care, travel nursing, healthcare staffing, rn, lpn

You can find reviews for lots of other Travel Nurse Staffing Companies by visiting this link: Travel Nurse Staffing Company Reviews

Access Nurses Reviews

Posted in Travel Nursing Company Reviews

Reviews of Access Nurses – Post Yours!

Company Name: Access Nurses

Company Description: Access Nurses is the traveling nurses’ source for great travel nursing jobs cross country. We provide traveling nurses with the best travel
nurse assignments, high salaries, excellent benefits and exceptional fully furnished
housing. Your career is an important part of your life and we are here to help you
make the most of it.

Discuss Access Nurses in our Travel Nursing Forums

Please fill out our Request For Travel Nursing Information form if you’re looking for a job.

You can also follow the following link for information about Travel Nursing Jobs in every state.

Related Searches: Access Nurses, travel nurse, travel nursing, nurse,

You can find reviews for lots of other Travel Nurse Staffing Companies by visiting this link: Travel Nurse Staffing Company Reviews

Advance Nursing Reviews

Posted in Travel Nursing Company Reviews

Reviews of Advance Nursing – Post Yours!

Company Name: Advance Nursing

Company Description: Advance Nursing connects nursing and allied health professionals with select job assignments. Hundreds of health professionals take advantage of Advance Nursing’s choice assignments in attractive locations throughout the United States. We offer per diem, travel and permanent placements with excellent pay, free housing and utilities, comprehensive benefits and retirement plans, bonuses, and in-house training.

We are here for you with a reputation built on education, customer service and an expert knowledge of the field.

Experience the difference with Advance Nursing.

Discuss Advance Nursing in our Travel Nursing Forums

Please fill out our Request For Travel Nursing Information form if you’re looking for a job.

You can also follow the following link for information about Travel Nursing Jobs in every state.

Related Searches: Advance Nursing, nurse, nurses, nurse jobs, travel nurse, rn, lpn

You can find reviews for lots of other Travel Nurse Staffing Companies by visiting this link: Travel Nurse Staffing Company Reviews

Travel Nursing in a Faltering Economy

Posted in Nursing, Nursing Jobs, Permanent Placement, Travel Nursing, Travel Nursing

A couple of weeks ago, I spoke with a friend who works for a travel nursing company in southern California. He got into this field because he felt that the nursing field was going to be a sure bet in this faltering economy. Now he’s nervous and not so sure about the security of his job.

Many hospitals in southern California have apparently cut way back on their need for travel nurses at the present time. This is especially true for general med/surg nurses. Many specialty areas such as ICU, NICU, telemetry, etc., are still looking to fill positions, but too many of the applicants only want med/surg and are still demanding high salaries. They aren’t finding too many options here.

With the current economic downturn, nursing will remain more recession proof than most careers, but nurses have to be realistic in their goals today. Hospitals are looking at every possible way to cut costs. Paying high salaries for med/surg nurses is one place they have cut back, whereas they may still be willing to pay for specialty nurses they cannot recruit from their own local community.

In many communities, nurses who had left nursing to raise families or to retire early, have returned to work. Retirement funds such as 401Ks have been lost or significantly impacted, spouses may have lost jobs, and extended family members may be in dire need of financial assistance. For a nurse returning to work after a long hiatus, med/surg is probably the best place to start out and rebuild confidence and skills, so these jobs are scarcer.

One factor that is somewhat beyond the realm of economics is affecting hospitals. This has been a very slow flu season in most of the country. The flu shot for 2008-9 seems to have been effective, and cases are more widespread this year.

In recent days however, the news seems to indicate that this may change. There has been a mutation in the flu specimens of late that appear to be resistant to the Tamiflu antiviral medication. This may result in more complications as patients find that their symptoms are not weakened by this medication.

In a bad flu season, hospitals can become inundated with the elderly and chronically ill as well as the very young. In a slow flu season, censuses remain low and the need for nurses diminishes.

With few elective procedures being performed these days, hospital censuses are also lower as well. On the other hand, as more people put off health care for lack of insurance or funds to pay for medications or rising co-pays, patients who do need hospitalization are generally sicker and need more specialized care.

The need for nurses continues to vary across the country. Some areas will continue to have a strong demand while others may diminish somewhat. Travel nurses will continue to find work, but they may need to change their expectations about locale, perks and salaries. Those who have or attain more specialized experience and skills will have a better chance of being in demand.

By Kathy Quan RN BSN. Kathy is the author of four books including The Everything New Nurse Book and the recently published 150 Tips and Tricks for New Nurses. She is the author/owner of TheNursingSite.com.

© 2009 by UltimateNurse.com. All Rights Reserved.

The Fifty Mile Rule and Travel Nursing

Posted in Nursing, Nursing Jobs, Travel Nursing

The Fifty Mile Rule and Travel Nursing

Is there really a 50 mile rule for travel nurses or is this just something someone made up to keep the locals from benefiting from travel nurse perks?

The truth is there is no real rule. There are some qualifications that the IRS imposes on travel nurses regarding tax free benefits. Some travel nursing recruiters confuse these IRS rules with the so-called 50 mile rule and sometimes hospitals do impose an imaginary 50 mile rule to keep it’s community nurses happy. It’s really up to the travel nurse to know the difference and to discuss the issue with the recruiter.

In a large metropolitan area such as Los Angeles where the locals are used to driving long distances for everyday events such as shopping, entertainment, sporting events, school and religious worship, driving 50 miles to and from work is not an unusual task. For someone in a more rural area, this might seem to be unusual and taxing.

For a restless nurse living in Los Angeles, the opportunity to take on a traveling nurse assignment 50 miles from home may be just the spark s/he needs to renew the sense of why s/he became a nurse and loves this profession. It could serve the nurse and his/her patents well to bring this renewed sense of caring spirit to work each day.

How this nurse approaches the travel assignment is key to whether s/he qualifies for the tax free benefits of a travel nursing assignment. This is subjective data and will vary with each individual nurse. Assuming our restless nurse has a home in the Los Angeles area, how s/he approaches the IRS Sleep & Rest Test will determine the amount of tax free benefits s/he is entitled to.

If our nurse drives to and from the assignment each day, returning to his/her own home then s/he is not entitled to any tax free reimbursements for meals and housing.

If however, the particular drive takes significant time and the nurse feels that this drive would make him/her unfit to care for patients, s/he can accept the tax free temporary housing/meal package nearby the hospital as long as s/he does not return home during his/her travel assignment.

Another nurse may chose to work the 50 plus miles from home grouping his/her 12 hour shifts together each week. This nurse accepts temporary housing in a hotel for the 3 days each week that s/he works, and returns home for the 4 days s/he has off each week. Because she is staying in a hotel and returns home each week, 4/7ths of this housing and meal allowance is taxable (or must be returned).

If this same nurse took an apartment as part of her package deal, the rent would qualify for tax free status, but his/her meal allowances for the days off spent at his/her own home would not.

The Sleep & Rest Test applies if the individual nurse feels it necessary to stay nearby the assignment in order to be adequately rested to be fit to care for the patients. This is subjective and will vary from nurse to nurse. Some nurses would prefer to drive back and forth and use the time to for such things as to unwind, to listen to books on tape or to talk to family and friends on the cell phone (hands-free in CA of course), etc.

If you’re looking for a travel nursing assignment closer to your own home, and being told about a 50 mile rule, get some clarification from the recruiter. Also have a good understanding of the tax implications if you accept a housing and meals package.

By Kathy Quan RN BSN. Kathy is the author of The Everything New Nurse Book and the owner/author of TheNursingSite.com.

© 2008 by UltimateNurse.com All Rights Reserved

Nurses Position Yourselves for Future Opportunities

Posted in Independent Contractor, Nursing, Nursing Jobs, Nursing Specialties, Per Diem, Permanent Placement, Travel Nursing, Travel Nursing

The state of the nursing profession currently reflects the state of the economy. With unemployment hitting record levels, many non-active nurses have returned to the profession and others have taken on more shifts in order to meet the needs of their families.

Hospitals have been hit hard in the pocketbook by the fact that many patients are putting off elective procedures and anything that isn’t of an urgent nature. It has been a slow flu season and therefore the number of children, elderly and chronically ill have not required hospitalization for complications of flu.

Jobs are in Middle America
The number of nurses available for travel assignments has grown and therefore with simple economics of supply and demand, those who are more flexible and have more experience are getting the premier travel assignments. The east and west coasts have been more affected by the economic crisis than middle America and consequently the opportunities in these regions have been affected as well. The jobs now are available in the middle of the country, not Florida and California.

The good news is that the economy will turn around. How soon is being debated. Some predict a few months and others at least a couple of years.

The other factor is that in the next few months, we will see more nurses taking time off from taking on extra shifts or returning to work and being overworked and burned out. This will open up more opportunities.

Gain Experience and Improve Skills
For nurses who are employed or have current travel assignments, make the most of what’s available to you. Extend travel assignments as possible and look for opportunities to polish skills or to gain more experience in specialty areas. Continue your education.

Some travel nursing companies are looking for a minimum of 2 years experience in a specialty area, and making changes right now might even be a negative, but think further into the future and get the experience you want and need. The one thing that is happening across the board for nurses looking for permanent or travel opportunities, is that nurses with very little experience beyond basic med surg are having a harder time finding jobs.

As the economy improves, all those patients who have delayed procedures and care are going to need to have it done and the system is going to be overwhelmed. The nursing shortage has not been solved. There is still going to be a shortage of nearly one million nurses by 2020. Nurses who have positioned themselves to meet the challenges of the next couple of decades will be way out in front.

Post Acute Care Will Grow
Post acute care, especially home health care, is expected to be the fastest growing branch of the nursing profession over the next few years according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nurses who have excellent skills in a wide variety of patient care will be able to make this transition more easily.

For older nurses who cannot stand for eight to twelve hours a day, home health care may offer a new career path for many years past what they could serve in an acute setting. The key to survival in home health is being confident in your skills, having strong critical thinking skills and being able to work autonomously. Documentation skills are a very important issue in home health care as well.

© 2009 by UltimateNurse.com All Rights Reserved.
By Kathy Quan RN BSN. Kathy is the author of four books including The Everything New Nurse Book and author/owner of TheNursingSite.com.

Tax Time

Posted in Nursing, Travel Nursing

Tax Time

In an economy where every penny is highly valued, filing for an income tax refund can be high on the To Do list. So it’s time to dig out all those receipts and make a list of possible deductions.

Nurses have the potential for many different outright deductions as well as properties to depreciate, but these should be discussed with a tax advisor as they may not apply in all instances. Tax laws change almost yearly and what was once allowed may no longer be applicable so be sure to check each item.

Some of the items that should be considered include uniforms and cleaning costs. For example, some facilities require nurses to wear scrubs that they provide and they charge a periodic rental/cleaning fee. This cost may be deductible. The outright purchase of uniforms and any special shoes may be deductible as well. But if you wear those tennis shoes all the time, they may not be eligible.

Fees for continuing education courses (ceus) for license renewal, as well as any courses taken to improve your job skills or to allow you to advance your career may qualify as well. Some related expenses such as travel and meals may also qualify, but there are a lot of restrictions and you will really need professional advice on this one.

In the past, nurses could earn ceus while on a cruise and then these deductions came under strict scrutiny of the IRS. Travel excursions to foreign hospitals and clinics also got put under the microscope and the IRS clamped down, so beware if you have this kind of deduction to apply.

While it can be difficult to carve out the personal vacation experiences from the educational/business side, with careful record keeping, it can be done. Some expenses are considered too lavish and extravagant to be business deductions. Your tax advisor can help you.

Moving expenses and the costs related to looking for a new job can be considered deductions if they meet certain criteria. If your spouse took a new job in another state and you had to pay for a new nursing license and perhaps had to make a trip to the new area to interview for a job before you moved, these expenses could be deductible.

A professional library of books and trade journals may also qualify for deduction. The type of deduction may vary with the useful life of the items. Drug books for example need to be replaced every year due to updated information and so they wouldn’t be something to depreciate over time.

Equipment such as stethoscopes, PDAs, and all of the little items in your pocket like scissors and clamps can qualify for deduction, so if you purchased any in the past year, dig out those receipts. Other items such as digital cameras and cell phones may also qualify for deduction if used in the course of your business. The monthly fees for a telephone may be deductible as nurses have to take call or be available to be called in to work.

Home health nurses who use their digital camera or cell phone camera to photograph patients’ wounds and decubs could deduct a portion of the cost. You will need to be able to document how much of these items are used for business and how much for personal use. For example, if you have taken 1000 pictures with your new camera and 100 of them are business related, then the business usage would be 10%.

Travel nurses will have a variety of other deductions depending on their situations. The travel nurse agency may be able to advise you on some of the basics, but consulting a tax advisor is highly recommended. Accurate record keeping is an essential part of travel nursing right down to the tips you pay a porter to assist with your bags.

Organization is an essential tool for nurses, and keeping track of business expenses is just another aspect which needs organization. Your tax advisor may cringe when you come in carrying a shoebox full of receipts, but if that’s the best way you can keep track of these items, then at least have that. There are a number of software programs available to help keep track of expenses, mileage, and daily use of items such as cameras and cell phones for business purposes.

Don’t overlook all of the possible expenses you can deduct and set up an appointment with a tax advisor early on in tax season.

By Kathy Quan RN BSN. Kathy is the author of The Everything New Nurse Book and author/owner of TheNursingSite.com

© 2009 by UltimateNurse.com All Rights Reserved.