In the late 80’s, a TV commercial starring the elderly woman who cried, “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up! generated wide-spread awareness that senior citizens are prone to nasty spills. We were relieved it was just an actress and that the pendant she wore, “Lifecall”, dispatched 911. Unfortunately, in real life, falls among the elderly are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries. It is estimated that 30% of people over age 65 will fall each year. New studies show that high blood pressure—a condition more likely to appear in older people—can alter the flow of blood in the brain and lead to falls. Fortunately, physical therapy is foremost among prescribed methods of treatment and rehabilitation for seniors. Because the elderly represent some of the most vulnerable patients, many of them receive help when physical therapists call on them at home in home health nursing jobs. Ironically, “home sweet home” can be a dangerous place for the elderly, as over half the falls treated in ERs report they occurred inside the victim’s house. Physical therapists can decrease these grim numbers by counseling their patients, and helping them fall-proof their homes. Here, we offer room-by-room tips on fall-proofing. In order to [+]

Single and in her fifties, RN Gerri loves travel nursing ... Gerri just dropped us a line from Baltimore and is having the time of her life. Traveling with American Traveler going on three years now, the Telemetry / ICU expert is enjoying a brief, eight-week assignment in the ‘Monument City’ where trips to “Little Italy” and the city’s Inner Harbor have made for incredible first time experiences. Lady Luck in Atlantic City has tempted the Southern Belle more than once and the Big Apple is on her list of things to do before her assignment is over. Originally from Milledgeville, Georgia, this 54-year-old nursing dynamo loves to travel and has her heart set on assignments in California and sightseeing along Route 66. At first she thought she was too old to travel, but her American Traveler Consultant, Janet Burrell, quickly dispelled that myth. “I hooked up with Janet and it’s been great. We have an excellent rapport and, because of her thoroughness, traveling has been uncomplicated and wonderful,” she said. The 30-year practitioner said American Traveler's free private housing is always above standard and she likes the way everyone at Corporate knows who she is, even [+]

Physical therapists probably already realize they've chosen a health-care profession that happens to be highly in demand. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment for PTs is "expected to grow by 30 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations." With that in mind, the folks at AfterCollege.com have put together a list of the Top 25 Metro Areas for Physical Therapists.  It contains great info about each area, from employment rates to expected salaries to average rents. Though the article is aimed at new grads trying to identify where to go for their first job, it’s highly useful for everyone looking for the best physical therapy jobs! These 25 metro areas are some of the most desirable locales in the country. And, guess what: American Traveler has PT jobs ready and waiting in several of these markets!  Check them out on our physical therapy jobs page; or, better yet, subscribe to our  Physical Therapist Jobs RSS feed and be updated regularly on all the hottest new therapist job offerings. Here are some destinations for physical therapists to consider: The great state of Texas Dallas/Fort Worth (No. 1 on the list): Typical salary for physical therapy jobs [+]

Question I am a Senior Nursing student in a BSN program and graduate next week. I am just curious if you currently have any travel nurse jobs available in Alaska? I want to travel nurse to Alaska within the next year. I'm just curious what the next step is in the process? Thanks, Tyler. Tyler thank you for your question and congratulations on your upcoming graduation! In order to start your career in Travel Nursing you will need to have completed one full year working as an RN; see our graduate nurse information page.  It's preferred that the majority of your experience be in an acute care setting, as that is where you will find the most availability for your specialty. The first step to getting started is to apply online at www.americantraveler.com .  Once your application is received you will be contacted by a consultant to discuss your plans and travel nurse career goals. Although you might not be looking at starting till next year, it's never to early to fill out the application and begin the process. The application skills check list is a great tool to use to see what [+]

Nurses, this one’s for you! National Nurses Week 2010 gets underway on May 6, providing an opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and selfless care of  RNs throughout the country. This year’s nurse week theme, Caring Today for a Healthier Tomorrow, “exemplifies nurses’ caring and professionalism -- be it at the bedside or in the halls of Congress,” said ANA President Rebecca Patton in her National Nurses Week message. The theme seems particularly fitting in this era of sea change and unprecedented growth in the health care industry. And perhaps no one has experienced these changes more than the travel nurse, who is on the front lines of providing health care everywhere -- from hospitals to schools, clinics to home settings. “Nurses give so much to this society, and our travel nurses really step up to provide a crucial service,” notes  Deborah Bacurin, RN, clinical resource manager at American Traveler. “Nurses Week reminds us all to stop, and take some time to show our hard-working nurses their due appreciation.” These little celebrations are part of a movement that has been almost 50 years in the making. National Nurse Week was first observed in October 1954, but did not [+]

Other states are watching California closely as mandated nurse-patient minimums in the state begin to redefine the standard for quality patient care in America. Surveys completed by 80,000 RNs over a two-year period aimed at gauging the effectiveness of California’s minimum nurse law showed that that an increase in RN hours per patient day could lessen patient mortality by as much as 14%, reduce the number of hospital falls and result in fewer hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, report University of Pennsylvania researchers. In addition to a spike in positive patient outcomes, said Clinical Coordinator Deborah Bacurin of travel nursing agency American Traveler, RN staffing has increased substantially in the state, alongside the average RN wage for California nursing jobs. “Nurse-patient minimums are good for patients and nurses,” said Bacurin. “They work to reduce the number of deaths following common surgeries, eliminate heavy workloads and improve job satisfaction. They also boost the reputation of preferred travel nurse hospitals.” In response to a decades old nursing shortage, Congress in 1993 called on the Institute of Medicine to investigate the impact nurse-patient ratios had on patient care. At the time, findings turned up insufficient evidence to support nurse minimums. Since, [+]