As I near the final term of my LPN to RN transition program, I’m often asked where I plan to work when I’m a registered nurse. Do I want to start my own business, work full time for someone else, or be a travel nurse?
My first response is, “I’m never going to work the med cart again.”
Only those who have walked in my shoes understand fully what I mean by this statement. It means no longer racing against the clock for 8-12 hours without food or water while keeping patients comfortable, responding to emergencies, taking admissions, doing discharges and making rounds with doctors, while still trying to get medications delivered within the time constraints set by teams of administrators who don’t have a clue what it’s like to ‘work the cart’.
Having said all that, I look forward to becoming a member of the team to help bring modern medicine into the 21st century.
I’ve also considered being a travel nurse now that I’m older and still haven’t traveled the way I’d love to. The benefits are excellent, and the choices are unlimited. My husband agrees with me saying that it’s one way to gets some views of the country before we retire permanently.
One agency I’ve considered is called Travel Nurse Across America. Right up front, Travel Nurse Across America offers a benefits package that is hard to beat. This is what they offer right up front.
· Guaranteed Hours
· Housing is FREE, PRIVATE, Utilities Included, Furnished
· Health, Dental, Life Insurance available 1st Day
· Travel Expense Allowance or Reimbursement
· 401k Plan Available on Day One
· Tax Advantage Program for more take-home pay
· Sign-on, Completion, & Referral Bonuses
· Loyalty Program Rewards for cash bonus, paid time off, and more
· Generous Housing & Insurance Subsidies
Hubby and I have discussed making the rounds of cities where our kids live while I work a set number of weeks in the area as a travel nurse. Oldest son lives in Portland, OR. Youngest son lives in Columbia, SC, and little sister lives in Tampa, FL. I’m sure that Travel Nurse Across America would have no problem finding free housing for me near any of those cities. We could keep our home base in Ohio and have a home away from home while I worked on a 13-20 week travel assignment.
As I’ve talked to other nurses who have done travel nursing, they have shared some advice to consider before taking that step. One is to have your Hepatitis B shots and the titer results on hand along with the other licensure paperwork that the agency will help you with. I’ve taken the three-step series of Hep B shots, but I still don’t have a titer in my blood! I’m sure no hospital would accept me without showing that I have a titer to Hep B. I still need to follow up with my doctor on that. Make sure your CPR Certifications and TB results are current. That saves time should you decide to contact the travel agency.
On the flip side, travel nursing requires a nurse to be flexible and good with change. I’ve heard some stories about travel nurses not getting any orientation when they arrived at the new place to work. While travel agencies promise orientation, sometimes those things are out of their control when nurses call off and beds are full!
For sure, you don’t know the personalities and idiosyncrasies of the doctors, nor will you be informed of all the unwritten rules of the workplace. Being the new ‘nurse’ on the blog, you can’t slack off or call in sick, and you’ll be expected to get along with everyone right away.
If the advantages outweigh the risks, jump on the train. Go to this link to find how easy it is to start the process for travel nursing.
Take Care on the Journey,
~Linda
Home: http://dustyangels.blogspot.com
E-Mail: bestnurse@usa.com
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