This week we have got a few good questions from our web site visitors. Here are few that I thought would be helpful to nurses thinking about starting a travel nursing career. Questions from a nurse that visited our site and my answer for each question: I'm looking to start a career in travel nursing, I have 18 months experience on MS/Tele. unit and I am also ACLS certified. Here are my questions: I'd like to find out what exactly the furnished housing comes with? Generally you can expect a queen size bed, dresser, night stand and lamps in the bedroom. A sofa, end tables, lamps, coffee table, and side chair in the living room and a dinette with 4 chairs in the dining area. Housing accommodations, decor and furnishings will vary based on location. The culture and personality of the different regions of our diverse country are reflected in the housing options for that area. How much, in advance, do you know where you are going? Healthcare facilities extend offers to Travelers with start dates that accommodate their open need and orientation classes. In today’s environment hiring decisions are usually made within 2 [+]

Although there is technically a nursing shortage, that doesn’t mean there isn’t lots of competition out there for travel nursing jobs. The best way in increase your competitive edge is to add to your skill set and experience level. Basic qualifications such as BLS, ACLS, PALS and TNCC are not enough anymore to land the best RN jobs. “Hospitals are looking for candidates with the most up-to-date and advanced certifications,” notes Deborah Bacurin, RN, clinical resource manager at American Traveler. By pursuing advanced nursing training by earning additional credentials and certifications, you are proving yourself as a motivated individual who cares about keeping on top of the latest trends and education -- and therefore, a top candidate for American Traveler’s travel nursing jobs. This goes double for new grads and nursing students, who are finding that it is somewhat difficult to find the ideal job right out of school with basic nursing skills. Get as many certifications and credentials as you can, as soon as possible, advises Bacurin. Also, do not expect the employer to reimburse you for this nursing job training (although it never hurts to ask!); view these credentials as prerequisites for top RN jobs.  The more [+]

Nurses, take note: There’s a hot new product coming to many U.S. hospitals, and it’s going to make your job as a traveling nurse easier – because it makes the patients happier! The product is Arizant Inc.’s Bair Paws, a layered-paper hospital gown that keeps the wearer warm by using a forced-air system to regulate the body temperature in the chilly operating rooms and other areas of the hospital. These single-use gowns are easily self-regulated for temperature, and they also detach quickly from the hose that goes to the air pump – giving the patient more independence, and the registered nurses more freedom!  Bair Paws were also designed with lots of Velcro and ways of being opened, so that they can be adjusted in a variety of ways by doctors and RNs performing operations and other procedures. The gown has other advantages, according to Arizant Web site: “This budget-friendly gown can also help avoid the significant costs associated with the complications of unintended hypothermia, which has been shown to triple the rate of wound infection (SSIs), extend the length of hospital stay and increase mortality rates.” About 1,700 facilities are using Bair Paws, with more [+]

February is Heart Awareness Month. We’re putting it on the calendar of all our traveling nurses and professionals. Nurses specializing in patient care relative to heart disease are already educated and wonderfully outspoken when it comes to heart disease and stroke prevention. Are you a specialty nurse that already knows the facts on healthy hearts? Then we hope you’ll skip ahead to our hot travel nurse jobs from California to Florida, in departments like the ER, CVICU, CCU, ICU, PCU and more. If you’re a nurse looking for RN jobs in the Critical Care fields of Cardiac Medicine and heart surgery, don’t delay! There are so many patients—and hearts—in need of your care!  Read the 5 fundamentals here: The 5 Fundamentals of Heart Healthy Don’t let your health go up in smoke. Cigarettes and other tobacco products are among the biggest risk factors for heart disease; even low-tar, low-nicotine products and second hand smoke exposure can be dangerous. If you want a shot at optimal cardiovascular health, don’t smoke at all. If you need a smoke break, take a walk instead—and spare your body from exposure to more than 4,800 chemicals, [+]

RN Travel Nurse Job - Pediatric ICU Location: Oklahoma City, OK Night – 12 Hour Shift Length: 9 Weeks Call 800-884-8788 or Apply Online Now RN Travel Nurse Job - Home Health Location: Irvine, CA Days – 8 Hour Shift Length: 12 Weeks Call 800-884-8788 or Apply Online Now Find more jobs refreshed hourly on our health care Hot Jobs page [+]

Movie buffs, rejoice! With the recent announcement of the nominees for the 2010 Academy Awards, it’s officially Oscar season! For the first time, the list of nominees for Best Picture has been expanded to 10.  The choices for voters in the Academy run the gamut from serious drama to big-action sci-fi to whimsical animation. With so many nominations, the chances are pretty good that the RN who loves movies has seen (or will see) a good number of these films.  The winner will be announced during the 82nd Academy Awards ceremony on March 7. Meanwhile, which movie do you think deserves Oscar glory? Vote in our poll below. Which movie deserves the Best Picture Oscar this year?(survey software) [+]

As a skilled healthcare professional, you may think that your credentials and record can speak for themselves in landing travel nursing jobs. And, until recently, they did. However, more and more hospitals have embraced the idea of adopting competency assessment models for their medical personnel;  and thus, they are requiring travel nurses to pass certain nursing tests after being hired. These tests, administered on-site, can often be quite grueling-- requiring comprehensive proof of a range of skills, from medication dosages to care of patients depending on their medical diagnosis. Facilities are getting stricter about the rules, too: Nurses must pass these nursing tests by a certain percentage (which can vary by hospital) on their first try -- or they lose the RN job. One test that travelers are likely to encounter is the Performance Based Development System, or the PBDS test – which is being used in more than 500 hospitals to assess new RN hires, both permanent and traveling. The multi-part PBDS test evaluates three areas of skills: interpersonal (customer relations, conflict resolution, team building, etc.);  critical thinking (med-surg, critical care, neonatal ICU, and OB); and technical (creating and following a care plan for [+]

Here’s a tongue twister for you: are you a registered nurse, only recently registered? If you’re like many graduate nurses and you’ve just finished school and quit working a day job in anticipation of finally getting to focus on your career, you might be doing a bit of financial catch up; after all, nursing school and the licensing examination weren’t free. The good news is, you can expect to earn 40K or more in your first year of full-time employment – that’s a good salary, and every penny of it worth managing wisely. When it comes to money matters, financial analysts at Wall Street Journal have got your back, bringing 4 fundamentals in money management to the attention of graduate nurses, and RNs like you, new to a profitable career path. #1: Assess your biggest liabilities. Look at your student loan or mortgage, and talk to the lender about refinancing at a better rate. Institutions like Sallie Mae are accustomed to negotiating smart option catch up plans, and may suggest low interest only payments until you’re back on your feet. As for mortgages, lenders know they have to stay competitive, [+]

In today’s difficult economy, workers are realizing the importance of job security and starting to understand that a high-salaried career does not mean much if there are no jobs to be found. With that in mind, job seekers and career changers need to pay close attention to employment numbers and growth. According the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing and other allied health professions are among the careers most likely to see significant growth in the next eight years. Nursing jobs are likely to increase by 23% by 2018, which is well above the national average. U.S. News and World Report listed nursing as one of its 50 Best Careers for 2010, projecting that there will be a growth of 582,000 nursing jobs between 2008 and 2018, stating that many of those nursing jobs will be in physicians’ offices. A popular option for registered nurses is travel nursing. In 2009, nursing salaries ranged from $40,000 to more than $92,000, with a national median of $62,000, but travel nurses can earn a greater take-home salary than nurses in permanent positions, and they earn a number of other benefits, including completion bonuses, free health insurance, free private housing, and free [+]

OR Travel Nurse Job Location: Washington, DC Day - D/N Rotating 8 Hour Shift Length: 9 Weeks Call 800-884-8788 or Apply Online Now RN Operating Room Job Location: Lebanon, NH Day - Variable10 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM Length: 13 Weeks Call 800-884-8788 or Apply Online Now [+]