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 [+]

It will be Time Well Spent During Days Off ! Find out What’s Happening Next Door to Your East Coast Travel Nursing Jobs Travel nurse jobs available in all 50 U.S. states make a fine medium for touring the country in high style. Chances are your free private housing, a part of the travel nurse benefits package and close to the job site, is also in the respective backyard of America’s top tourist destinations. With your penchant for travel in mind, our team at American Traveler has put together the ultimate resource for our vacation lovers working on the Eastern seaboard this winter—so get out your travel nursing calendar and jot down these dates! Travel Nursing in D.C. a Capitol Idea! Washington DC travel nurse jobs are a bundle of fun in the wintertime! Take for instance, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, offering an array of cultural events this January—the Washington DC calendar offers quintets, guitars and drama at the National Archives too. Plan the whole of January and your Valentine’s Day in the capitol city by clicking on this DC events link. Star-Filled Nights—on Stage that is—are Close to New Jersey Nursing Jobs When it [+]

Hospital hiring trends may be looking up. Analysts with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) project that private and public hospitals will add more than 500,000 healthcare jobs to payrolls over the next eight years. Robust clinical employment opportunities include ER nurse jobs, med/surg jobs and a bevy of critical care nurse specialties. Director of talent management at the Cleveland Clinic, Lois Bock, told Hospital & Health Networks that during the first two months of 2010, the Clinic filled 500 physician and RN jobs, along with numerous clinical support positions. Hospitals doing well as the economy recovers will be ones focused on quality patient care, said Deborah Bacurin, clinical coordinator for American Traveler Staffing Professionals, a leading employer of ER and med/surg nurses. With healthcare reform’s emphasis on performance and efficiency, Bacurin said, hospital’s looking for maximum reimbursements can’t afford to cut back on staff, as fewer nurses can lead to increased medical errors, a breakdown in patient-doctor communication and a drop in positive outcomes. At University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, patient admissions are up by 14 percent, prompting the hiring of 50 new nurses in recent months, reports the Iowa City Press-Citizen. [+]

You’ve got your eye on a travel nursing job that sounds great. It’s in your top specialty, in a prestigious hospital, and it’s in a state where you’ve always wanted to work. But … you’re not sure if your nursing license is valid there. Lots of travelers need help with licensure in new states. A top-notch travel nursing agency is one of your primary resources for obtaining license and certification information. Naturally, one of your first stops for nursing license requirements will be the internet. American Traveler provides a nursing boards list by state, which can serve as an easy jumping-off point. (One of the first things you may want to check is whether your potential job is in one of the Nurse Licensure Compact States, facilitating your application.) Your consultant should be knowledgeable about the requirements for obtaining licensure in your destination state and can explain the process to you. They’ll also advise you on how long the verification process may take. Travel nurses and travel therapists can expect licenses to take as little as one day in a "walk-through" state; it may take several weeks or longer to obtain licensure from some [+]

Ever wondered what it would be like to travel back in time to the Renaissance?  With a Florida travel nurse job, you can take a trip to that moment in history at the “Florida Renaissance Festival� January 8 – 23.  Come experience knights jousting, sword fighting & performing tournament games in the tradition of that period. You’ll also enjoy delicacies of the middle ages, food fit for a King -- or Queen!  Experience this entertaining festival and find high paying Florida nursing jobs in the sunshine state! [+]

If you’re a registered nurse, you will be happy to note the following: if your primary state of residence is included in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), high paying job opportunities are on the rise! You’ll see what we’re talking about when you visit our Go-To Guide for RN's seeking more job opportunities in Compact Nursing States; it's our newest career resource that lists the 24 states currently classified as NLC, in addition to criteria RN's must meet to hold a valid compact nursing license. Visit our new page, and bookmark it today! As a travel nurse, opportunities beckon in multiple places, so why not know everything there is to know about multi-state licensure? What is the Nurse Licensure Compact? The NLC allows a nurse to have one license (in his or her state of residency) and to practice, both physically and electronically, across state lines in any other compact nursing state, subject to each state's practice laws and regulations. This is great news for registered nurses, who will now find it much easier to qualify for travel nurse jobs that are posted throughout the country in compact nursing states.  For more information on multi-state nursing licensure, qualified [+]

Want to experience fine art and wine on your next assignment?  In Arizona you will find this and more at the “Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival" January 14 – 16. The festival features fine art from renowned artists across the nation -- along with fine wines from around the world.  Not only can you get high paying Arizona travel nursing jobs , you can learn to be a connoisseur of fine art and wine at the same time! [+]