Advanced Cardiac Life Support training saves lives in emergency situations – an undisputed fact. It’s why most healthcare providers insist on critical care nurses being ACLS Certified. This, of course, in addition to healthcare reform measures pressuring providers to improve patient safety and reduce mortality rates to maximize Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. Clinical Resource Manager for American Traveler, Deborah Bacurin, said there’s an uptick at her agency for Med Surg jobs certified in ACLS. Though not all hospitals require Med/Surg nurses to be ACLS Certified, more hospitals are asking for it. “The more certifications a travel nurse has, the easier it is to place them,� Bacurin said. “It shows they’re interested in furthering their education and advancing their nurse career.� The American Heart Association has found that patients in cardiac arrest have a 6.4 percent better chance of survival with ACLS than with conventional CPR. Hospitals and healthcare employers are finding that Med Surg nurses and allied health professionals certified in ACLS, PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) and TNCC (Trauma Nurse Core Course) add value to healthcare staff and foster an environment of patient safety and care excellence. In addition to FREE deluxe housing and FREE health insurance, Travel nursing jobs at American Traveler [+]

In anticipation of long-term manned space missions -- several of which are penciled-in to Mars, Jupiter and Alpha Centauri in the next few decades -- government authorities are considering the possibility of requiring licensing for off-planet healthcare workers. The Interplanetary License (IPL) would permit physicians, nurses and rehabilitation therapists to practice aboard spacecraft, both during the voyage and also on the destination planet. Healthcare workers would be trained and tested in the unique requirements of medical procedures in a zero-gravity environment and prepared for the effects of physical changes due to space-time relativity. The proposed regulation does not cover conflict resolution should the licensing standards of the destination planets' inhabitants differ from Earthling standards. Nor does it cover insurance issues stemming from treatment of non-human life forms. In other words, Happy April Fools' Day. You may not be ready to practice on another planet, but in case you want to travel on this one, we've got rewarding travel nurse and therapist jobs across the US. You can also read more about nurse licensing and state boards here (on Earth). [+]

Without the ability to effectively communicate with under-served minorities, healthy patient outcomes are in peril, say experts at the Pennsylvania Patient Authority. Their agency reported about 232 incidents over a six year period at Keystone State healthcare facilities involving accidents and near accidents that might have been prevented with video interpreters. Risk-related incidents included patient falls from not understanding care instructions, unwanted circumcisions and surgeon/patient disconnects. In some cases, language barriers made it difficult to obtain patient consent, delaying treatment and jeopardizing outcomes. Video interpretation services rely on a portable two-way video monitor system easily transported to the ER, bedside or visitor waiting area.  At a cost of about $0.80 to $1.00 a minute, the caregiver or registered nurse simply selects a language and the system conferences in an interpreter live via satellite almost immediately. For healthcare employers serving large urban communities, video interpretation systems are a godsend.  They alleviate high costs associated with on-site interpreters and enable better patient care through improved communication with Limited English Proficient, Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing patients. For career nurses on the front lines, a video interpreter means they no longer have to wait for a live [+]

With 2011 in full swing, healthcare professionals and recent hires across the board are enjoying the fruits of the previous year’s trend toward job growth, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting a December increase of approximately 35,700 jobs within the healthcare sector—that’s a lot of allied health and nursing jobs! The majority of these recently staffed healthcare jobs are in the ambulatory care setting, with rosy labor statistics forecasted for therapy jobs through the year 2016! Fourth Quarter Gains in the Healthcare Sector “Zero in� on Best Regions for Nursing Jobs Job growth statistics for November of 2010 also cited big numbers for nursing jobs in hospitals and in ambulatory care; in fact, Bureau of Labor Stats for healthcare professionals at large, show that their employment figures remained high throughout the entire fall season of 2010. The HWS Labor Market Pulse Index (LMPI) has determined where job demand is highest for healthcare workers. It includes Florida nursing jobs, near the Tampa Bay area, and Arizona nursing jobs near Phoenix, both regions ranked very high in the 4th quarter for job gains. Online Job Postings for Nursing and Therapy Jobs Are a Huge [+]

One of American Traveler's Recruiters, Sara Zamora, just had to share this romantic story that a travel nurse sent her on Valentine's day. Jenna S., who is on a Wisconsin nursing job, reports that it has been an unforgettable assignment -- for several reasons! Jenna writes: "I have always wanted a white Christmas because we don't get those very much around Tennessee, where I'm from. On Christmas morning here in Wisconsin, it was so beautiful outside. There was snow on the ground, and some of the biggest snowflakes I've ever seen were coming down. My boyfriend and I decided to take a drive to visit a harbor near the hospital where I'm working. We had a great view overlooking Lake Michigan. I was standing on the pier, in awe of the scenery. When I turned around to get my boyfriend's attention, he was down on one knee. He asked me to marry him and told me that I would make him the happiest man alive if I accepted. He said that he couldn't imagine another day without me. He'd been in a serious car accident a few months earlier and neither of us wanted to be apart like that -- ever [+]

Find out which Healthcare Employers Topped Fortune’s List of 100 best places to work Fortune Magazine, well-known throughout the business world, has published this year’s results for the top 100 best companies to work for; not surprisingly, it includes 11 different hospitals and health systems across the United States—this is fantastic news for a leading nurse staffing agency that fills travel nursing jobs from coast to coast, and even better news for R.N.s who come to work for us! Our healthcare staff enjoys luxury private housing and other comprehensive benefits with some of the best travel nursing locations in the country as the backdrop—and the cherry on top? American Traveler is proud to be affiliated with America’s best hospitals, ranked year after year by U.S. News & World Report and frequent spot-holders on Fortune’s annual list. Need a Quick summary of Fortune’s list? Then feast your travel nursing eyes on this! Several of the hospital systems that made the cut are in coveted U.S. travel nursing locations, spanning the sunshine state—where Florida nursing jobs employ tens of thousands of registered nurses —to the west coast, where California nursing jobs are [+]

Penny Krause, R.N. has fallen in love twice; first with her husband, and now with her travel nursing job! Her current assignment is in the southeastern part of the Wisconsin and close enough to Chicago that she can’t resist traveling there every chance she gets. Thanks to the flexibility of travel nursing jobs, Penny is in the Windy City quite a bit, and kind enough to share stories with us, of how she’s making the most of her travel nursing career, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Year Round Travel Nursing Fun! Penny and her husband spent New Year’s Eve on Chicago’s Navy Pier, watching a fantastic fireworks display. The pier is a place, says Penny, that is absolutely beautiful at Christmastime, especially with its indoor skating rink—and Chicago—is known for their deep dish pizzas, ethnic eateries, galleries and nightlife. And, Penny tells us, they are also looking forward to this summer when they can attend a Cubs game in the famous Wrigley Field. For Penny, it’s just a 20 minute drive or short trip on the Metro from her Wisconsin travel nursing job to reach Chicago, and once she’s there, a mere $18 [+]

Prevent Hair Loss During Chemotherapy Treatments Get the Facts on the Penguin Cold Cap R.N.s in oncology and med/surg jobs figure prominently into the care and treatment of breast cancer survivors; keeping patients’ morale high during chemotherapy is an absolute must—and that’s why compassionate professionals in registered nurse and travel nurse jobs should prioritize keeping up with the latest in alopecia solutions, recognized worldwide. The Penguin Cold Cap is such a solution, and grabbed the interest of the healthcare community at large, recently, when its related non-profit, The Rupunzel Project, which subsidizes the cost of cold caps for women with breast cancer, was featured on Good Morning America. The reason Cold Caps are increasing in popularity; It’s good news for your patients!      Cold caps have been around for decades, but are only recently achieving success and popularity. First introduced in 1994, with FDA support pending until more studies are run on the risk of developing scalp metastasis, Penguin cold caps recently calculated a miniscule 1.1% risk. These studies were on women with cancer in the early stages, and further showed an 80 to 90% success rate among patients whose treatments allowed them to use the caps correctly.

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As the saying goes, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."We couldn't agree more. Individuals who are selected for highly competitive travel nursing jobs and travel therapist jobs may consider themselves "lucky", but many of them have improved their chances by being well prepared. And an essential part of being prepared is having all the necessary documents ready to go. Says Mary Kay Hull, Vice President of Recruiting at American Traveler, "Medical facilities often need to fill travel positions quickly. Sometimes they can't commit to a travel nurse or travel therapist candidate -- no matter how well qualified -- if a mandatory piece of paperwork is missing or delayed. We do everything we can to make sure this doesn't happen, by giving our travelers as much information in advance as possible." Many of our travel nurses, especially the first-timers, want to know what documents they need to provide for a travel nurse job. Depending on your specialty and the facility, it's likely that some additional documentation will be required. Not to worry, you'll be notified of what's due when you're a little further along in the hiring process. But [+]

Find Cost-Effective Ongoing Education with a Wide Topic Selection! For busy registered nurses, earning continuing education units (CEU) via online courses is the preferred method. Whether R.N.s work as permanent healthcare staff or travel nurses, online education is a must, helping them keep up with state licensure requirements, as well as staying competitive; but beyond the necessity of continuing education, there’s also the draw of super convenience and exposure to cutting edge treatments and hot trends in nursing practice. In essence, CEUs are the fast track to improving patients’ safety and care. Talking to Our Registered Nurses About CE Direct Travel nurses and allied healthcare professionals benefit enormously—in their own living rooms—from unlimited (and free!) CEUs. R.N.s and therapists are eligible to register for CE Direct and may start earning continuing education credits now! The curriculum includes more than 500 courses; registered nurses and allied healthcare staff may choose from an online library of courses, with popular topics that sharpen their clinical skills and knowledge in specialized healthcare careers, like telemetry jobs, emergency and critical care. Earn Continuing Education Credits in Nurse Leadership, Clinical Care and Development American Traveler’s continuing education courses are offered [+]