Part of the fun of being a travel nurse is the likelihood you’ll be in the right place at the right time—if Springtime finds you working in, or considering travel nurse jobs in Kentucky or neighboring states, you’re poised to dawn a frilly hat and head to the famous twin spires of Churchill Downs in Louisville for the 136th annual 2010 Kentucky Derby & Oaks. That’s right, travel nurses! Between April 29th and May 2nd, the most famous race track in the world is a gorgeous spectacle to behold: this year’s Kentucky Derby promises the same brand of “mint julep sippin’-thoroughbred winner speculating-celebrity sighting fun”—a mouthful even if you’re not at the event sampling the traditional burgoo stew. For you ladies working in Ohio travel nursing jobs, The Oaks part of the Kentucky Derby represents a fine opportunity to invite your girlfriends on a road trip. Your destination? The Ladies First celebration held Friday, April 30th at Churchill Downs; this race distinguishes itself from the Kentucky Derby, held the first Saturday in May—the capper on the most famous long weekend for thoroughbred racing on the whole planet. Travel nurses seeking a good [+]

Here’s a heads-up to NEURO and ER nurses everywhere: Did you know that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 1 million emergency-room visits per year for traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussion?  Worse: “Each year, U.S. emergency departments treat an estimated 135,000 sports- and recreation-related TBIs, including concussions, among children ages 5 to 18.” As an ER nurse, you probably do know that many of these brain injuries go ignored far too long, resulting in complications, hospitalizations and even death.  To help get the word out about the seriousness of concussions and TBIs, the CDC has launched a Concussion in Sports Web page. This Web page is loaded with useful information and statistics for consumers -- coaches, parents and others -- including the basics of how to recognize a possible brain injury or concussion or what to do if a concussion occurs. But the site is also an invaluable tool for the ER nurses and other healthcare professionals, too. Let’s say you just took an American Traveler assignment for a pedriatric ICU job in Cincinatti, or for a critical care job in Hudson, FL (these jobs are actually available right now!) -- and a suspected brain-injury [+]

Nursing students who are tired of hauling around heavy -- and expensive --  medical textbooks will be glad to learn that electronic textbooks are taking a big step closer to reality. Software developer ScrollMotion has signed a deal with major textbook publishers, including McGraw-Hill, Random House, Wiley and Kaplan, to adapt their books for the soon-to-be-released Apple iPad. But don’t get too excited just yet. The e-textbook has a ways to go before it becomes widely available to students in nursing programs and elsewhere. Of course, publishers love the idea of creating electronic versions of their medical textbooks -- because of the savings in printing, production and storage costs, as well as the ability to update the books virtually.  And e-books have features that are particularly useful for the student, such as instant access to specific references; and brighter, more realistic graphics. Yet, electronic health textbooks have been slower coming to market than other educational materials such as medical journals, manuals and study guides. This is in part due to e-books’ limited technical capabilities and interactivity, which has held down demand among nursing students and others.  That is about to change. As McGraw-Hill executive Rik [+]

Are you a hungry travel nurse? We’ve got sites you’ll want to click on every time you’re looking to eat well and save! In the United States, it’s estimated that 1.5 billion dollars a day are spent eating out—that’s a lot of dough, and we’re not talking bakeries and pizza joints, here—at least not yet. If you’re a travel nurse who’s new in town, looking to find just the right pastry shop, restaurant, bistro or bar, or simply desire a way to narrow down your choices on everything from grabbing a quick bite to a long, luxurious supper, we’ve found some wonderful resources nurses and physical therapists alike would be wise to bookmark. We’ve also included expert advice from the frugal foodie world on how to save big on all the breakfasts, lunches and dinners you’ll eat over the duration of your travel nursing jobs. So, the first hurdle is deciding WHERE you want to eat. Where do you turn for advice on the most bang for your buck, as well as great flavor? Why, the locals, of course! If you’re looking for a free guide of the best restaurants [+]

Last week, we talked to Patrice Ballard, MSN; a travel nurse working as a Clinical Educator and part-time ER nurse for 8 months in Globe, Arizona. Part I of our nurse interview clued us travel nurses—eager to blend our medical talents with the spirit of adventure—into Patrice’s exciting months working and traveling the Southwest over. We loved reading about the circumstances behind Patrice’s first travel nurse job and tidbits on her unique housing; this week’s segment dishes on what it takes to succeed as a traveling nurse and why husbands might just fall in love with the travel nursing life, too. Q: Is your current work as a Clinical Educator as rewarding in and of itself, as the compensation and excitement of travel? A: Absolutely! There’s nothing better than preparing my students for nursing careers that will be as rewarding for them, as my career has been for me. Q: What has been the most rewarding aspect of this assignment? A: This travel nursing job has reinforced the way I’ve always felt about life: that every person is given the unique opportunity to see the good in things or the bad. I’ve always chosen to see the good, [+]