This November puts med/surg nurses, the largest group of specialty R.N.s, in the spotlight as America celebrates Medical Surgical Nurses Week, November 1-7, 2011. American Traveler’s Med/Surg Nursing Jobs Cover Virtually All Areas of Practice We recognize the high demand for specialized medical talent, and put our recruiting experts to task in working closely with Med/surg nurses and placing them in America’s best hospitals. Here are just a few of the areas where med/surg nurses apply their skills and clinical training every day. AIDS/HIV Asthma Cardiovascular Endocrine disorders Gastrointestinal care Geriatrics Hematology/oncology Infection Military nursing Musculoskeletal disorders Neurological disorders Nutrition Wound care For the R.N. looking for career advancement in specialized work settings that can keep up with a penchant for traveling the country, start your med/surg jobs here. Travel nurse jobs have approximately 30% more total compensation than permanent positions; plus the allure of unlimited CEUs that advance your clinical skills. For a complete list of nursing practice areas in which med/surg nurses are changing lives for the better—or to send an e-card, print a poster for your healthcare facility and learn of other ways to promote this important nationally celebrated week in healthcare, visit AMSN.  There are decorative ribbons for R.N. name badges, ball point pens and [+]

As more nurses and physical therapists achieve a doctorate, median salaries climb to $90,000 a year In a recent New York Times article entitled: “When the Nurse Wants to Be Called ‘Doctor’ " author Gardiner Harris emphasizes the modern day struggle that exists over the growing number of registered nurses achieving a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) degree and introducing themselves in a clinical setting as 'Doctor.' In the article, Dr. Roland Goertz, Chairman of the American Academy of Family Physicians, said nurses who do this can confuse patients. It’s a misuse of the term, he said. President of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Dr. Kathleen Potempa, doesn’t see it that way. She told Harris the nursing doctorate is about staying current and advancing in the practice, not competing with MDs. “Professionals who achieve that academic level of education are entitled to be called doctor,” said Deborah Bacurin RN, Clinical Coordinator for American Traveler, a leading healthcare staffing firm. “With advancements in healthcare education and a system growing in complexity, we will see this issue either dissolve or be resolved.  Nurses are all about delivering safe and effective patient care.” Richard Hader, PhD and Chief Nursing Officer [+]

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). [+]

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 [+]

Travel Nurses Connect with the Resources You Need, Here! Since the success of registered nurses' continuing education hinges on razor sharp critical thinking, it’s important to sharpen the blades from time to time by keeping up with your continuing education credits; free and unlimited at American Traveler, CEU courses are designed for busy schedules and easy to accumulate during any nursing assignment. You can print your completion certificate at home! Continuing Education is an important part of travel nursing job benefits; beyond the free health and life insurance, cost-free private housing and help meeting travel associated costs, registered nurses with CE Direct Membership are eligible to receive one complimentary credit when they view a webinar and fill out an evaluation report. If you’re a healthcare professional interested in building critical thinking skills that—for recent hires in great registered nurse jobs —boost PBDS nursing test scores, a visit to eventbrite.com lets you view and register for upcoming webinars. What is the PBDS Nursing Test? The PBDS nursing test is the Performance Based Development System. Learn what nurses can expect from this test, now implemented in over 500 US hospitals nationwide. Read more about the PBDS test  and download the PBDS [+]

Nursing schools encourage advanced-practice nurses to earn DNP degree by 2015 A Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree (DNP) is proof of mastery in advanced competencies, adding prestige, as well as higher earning potential to a nursing career. While registered nurses trained at the masters-level provide excellent care, significant technological advances, healthcare reform, and need for bigger and better service recovery call for a doctorate—a consensus reached by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in late 2004. The trend mirrors what physical therapists and others in certain allied healthcare jobs have been doing for some time—taking their continued competency to the max—until it results in a doctorate. Pharmacists and psychologists made the move long ago; while their title is pronounced “doctor”, most patients understand they are not physicians. DNPs do not complete a dissertation and the focus of their training is not as researched-focused; instead their training focuses on evaluation and use of research rather than conduct of research. Many DNPs are faculty members at teaching hospitals; whether they teach, work in leadership roles, or practice as specialists, DNPs are grabbing the attention of employers and job seekers alike, which paves [+]

Read about technical vs. professional nurse training and why it matters Its been said there’s more than one way to skin a cat. The same might be true of seeking licensure as a registered nurse; those on track to a permanent or travel nursing career can achieve success in several different ways—the interesting part of that statement being, no matter your chosen path to licensure, the examination at the end of your nurse training is exactly the same. The options for students interested in nursing jobs break down into these avenues: you can get a four-year nursing degree, or bachelor of science (in nursing) and be deemed a “professional nurse”; you can get an associate's degree, which takes two to three years—or you can go to a diploma school for about three years. It so happens that community colleges produce more than half of the country's new nurses; not surprising considering it’s the fastest and least expensive way to become an RN; should you go this route, you are deemed a “technical nurse” and may not get the same preferential treatment in hiring as professional and graduate nurses. The encouraging news for those new to [+]

There’s a lot of talk about the growing shortage of doctors and registered nurses, which is likely to be exacerbated by any health-care-reform package that adds millions of patients to insurance rolls. According to a recent story in the New York Times, “the American Academy of Family Physicians projects a shortfall of 40,000 physician generalists -- family practitioners, pediatricians, general internists and geriatricians -- by 2020, even without significant changes to the current health care system.” This shortfall, experts predict, will increase the importance of the nurse practitioner -- because nurse practitioners will be needed to do even more of the tasks now performed by physicians. The nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has received specialized education (usually, a master’s degree) in a selected field.  These positions offer the chance for work in health education, counseling and customized care.  Nurse practitioners’ duties vary by state depending on regulation; but generally, they include diagnosing and treating illnesses, ordering tests, prescribing drugs and making referrals to specialists. Nurse practitioners typically work in primary care, whereas physician assistants generally work for specialists.  But either way, these specialized areas of the nursing profession are going to be [+]

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 [+]