Autumn leaves have fallen and in some parts of the country winter is seemingly in full force. Snow and ice have begun pummeling parts of the northeast and Midwest and blizzards in the Mountain States have left motorists stranded. While some traveling nurses are fortunate enough to live within walking distance of nurse jobs when bad weather hits, others rely on public transportation and driving. For those who drive to your nursing jobs, American Traveler has some sound motorist advice.  This goes for travel nurses experiencing bad driving conditions now, and for registered nurses traveling to cold weather states who need to prepare for dangerous roads ahead this winter. For travel nurses who ride the bus, subway or train, it’s important to keep transportation websites, hot links and apps bookmarked in your mobile devices. Most cities offer cyber amenities to riders which are invaluable in finding out if your ride is running late or not showing up at all. NURSE JOBS REMINDER:  Bad weather means more drive time to traveling nurse jobs, so leave early and arrive on time. Be the registered nurse who supervisors say always shows up no matter what. TOP 10 DRIVING TIPS for Traveling Nurses in Rain, Snow and Ice Conduct [+]

It is amazing how travel nurses can be in one part of the country, doing what they do for their patients, and then be in another part of the world, doing just the same.  As a travel nurse you are able to see and experience new places, which is just one of the advantages.  Kevin, who has been working PICU nursing jobs through American Traveler, shared some photos of his time in Austin, Texas when he worked at a Children’s Hospital, as well as his time helping children in Najaf, Iraq.  In Iraq, he was on a Medical Mission, before starting his next assignment in Washington D.C.  It just comes to show that even when not on a travel nurse assignment through American Traveler, our nurses go above and beyond to help people in other parts of the world. Here are some photos of his mission in Iraq and time in Austin where he enjoyed horseback riding, and explored other parts of Texas with his travel family. Do you have interesting nursing story to share? Please leave comments and send in photos if you wish, we would love to publish [+]

One of our valued American Traveler Client Hospitals, just outside New York City, has been at the center of Hurricane Sandy. Widespread flooding, power outages, blocked roads and storm damage have made it difficult for staff to make it to the hospital -- and for emergency responders to reach those in need. Local citizens with storm-related injuries and acute conditions (that must be treated even when it is so hard to get to the hospital) have presented this facility with many urgent situations in the last 24 hours. Debbie Bacurin, Clinical Account Manager at American Traveler, checked in with the RN Administration at this facility to see how things are going. The administration staff reported that three of American Traveler's RN's -- Brian, Emmanuel, and Elson -- "have been wonderful." They clocked in before the storm hit full force, pulled double shifts, and as of Tuesday afternoon were finally resting. The hospital now feels the worst of the storm has passed. They have begun to clean up and wait for things to get back to normal. Nowhere are RN's like these more needed -- and appreciated -- than in situations like this. [+]

October 29-30, 2012: Hurricane Sandy Update. We want to help you be safe and prepared during your travel nursing jobs. As you know, the East Coast is currently bracing for the full impact of Hurricane Sandy. Forecasters are predicting that the hurricane will have a major effect on coastal areas and large cities from the Carolinas to Maine. Regional authorities are concerned about flooding and power outages. Airline and train travel has been suspended in several areas. Whether you're currently on a travel nurse job or not, we urge you to follow all local news reports to find out what's happening in your area. As South Florida locals, we know that preparation and common sense advice can make a severe weather situation more manageable. (We also know that you shouldn't hesitate to follow the advice of local authorities. If for some reason authorities recommend evacuation in your area, please do so.) As always, if you are experiencing any nursing jobs-related  issues, please call the American Traveler hotline 800-884-8788. We will be on standby 24 hours a day. Emergency calls will be routed to the appropriate contact, and someone will get back to you ASAP. Advice [+]

Why It Pays to Consider Florida Travel Nursing Jobs Here’s a sunny daydream to entertain you as temperatures drop around the country: you, a travel nurse, are walking along miles of pristine beach. You look down and see a big, pink conch shell, holding it to your ear for that assured sound of the ocean deep inside. Now snap yourself awake and hear this: of the 620 hospitals just named by The Joint Commission (JC) as the nation’s best, 18 of these healthcare employers are located in Florida. That means in addition to offering gorgeous winters, Florida travel nurse jobs give the R.N. a chance to work in a top performing hospital. So what helped these 18 Florida healthcare employers make the grade? The ratings were based on a number of measures, some of them quite specific: for instance, whether the hospital provided aspirin to heart attack patients on arrival; how reliably antibiotics were offered in the hour leading up to surgery and the quality of home management plans for kids with asthma and pneumonia. 11 of the 18 hospitals chosen as among the best by the JC are found at the [+]

In an effort to ensure that Americans have access to high-quality, patient-focused healthcare, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has issued nursing education grants to nine states. California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington will each receive two-year, $300,000 state grants through a new program called the Academic Progression in Nursing (APIN). The program is run by the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) under the authority of the Tri-Council for Nursing. Each state will consult with local academic institutions and health care providers to assist nurses in attaining higher education levels targeted towards high-quality patient care. Debbie Bacurin RN, Clinical Account Manager at American Traveler, a leading nursing and allied health staffing firm, is a big proponent of increased nursing education particularly in the area of customer service and patient care. Bacurin states, "When I managed a level II ED/Trauma center, customer service was becoming more and more important with all of the other facilities competing for our patients. Hospitals have long been doing customer service surveys and trying to change their unit or system to meet what the customer is looking for." "At American Traveler," she continued, "we counsel our travel nurses and have them [+]

Some nurses are already here, enjoying all the sun, fun and cool things to do in the Sunshine State with travel nurse jobs in Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Orlando and Miami. In fact, the local newspaper, The Sun-sentinel reported recently that online help wanted ads in the state are up 14% – almost double that of the Northeast or Western U.S. regions.

Travel Nurse jobs in Fort Lauderdale, FL brings you excitement and fun! Watch Video below

"Every one of our hospitals said they were busier this year than last and now most are ramping up for winter staffing. Travel nurse jobs for summer have been continuous and the upcoming tourist season looks very promising." said Clinical Account Manager for American Traveler, Debbie Bacurin, RN.

Why are nurse jobs in Florida up over other parts of the country? For starters, Florida is a retirement state. With more Baby Boomers than ever approaching their golden years nurses, no doubt, will be put to work. Second, many hospitals and health care systems in the state have retooled staffing budgets to include more temporary help, keeping nurse supply close to bedside demand. "Hospitals use travel nurses for different reasons. Some need nurses [+]

ICU jobs are going places. Just ask Pamela Jo, an R.N. who joined American Traveler this month to embark on a travel nursing job in Alaska. A true adventurer, Pamela Jo set off for her first ever travel nurse job in her car, enjoying a scenic road trip that took her from her old home in Alma, Arkansas, through Canada, and eventually to Anchorage where her new Alaska travel nurse job has commenced. What might the best thing about this journey be? Pamela Jo was able to share it with her kids, who joined her on the road trip and helped her get settled in housing close to her ICU job at the hospital Learn more about free private housing by clicking on travel nurse job benefits. 

This R.N. and her family report that the scenery in and around Alaska is "the most beautiful thing ever!" Above picture- Pam and her kids river rafting From the looks of Pamela Jo’s photo album, it seems the trio is creating memories they won’t soon forget—which is why, in a month or two, we’re looking forward to sitting [+]

American Traveler Sits Down with Travel Nurse couple for an Interview Two of our registered nurses, working in ICU jobs in Kansas City, Missouri epitomize the life of an American Traveler; their names are Jeff and Jonann C., R.N.s.  So far, as our travel nursing interviews go, they represent a novelty because they are husband and wife! In fact, they met on a travel nursing assignment in Jeff’s hometown of New Hampshire 4 years ago. It is stories like these we love to feature; just see our footnote for links to other interviews with thriving travel nurses. How this Travel Nursing Pair Make the Most of Down-Time from Nursing Jobs We want to thank Jeff and Jonann for sharing some of their travel nurse lifestyle vacation memories with us. They recently returned from a family reunion in Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire, where 2 weeks of fishing and helping the grandparents celebrate a 50 year anniversary were easy to negotiate around their nursing jobs.

Above: Jeff and Jonann during their stay in New Hampshire for a family reunion

When asked if this is the only big trip they’ve taken in 2012, Jeff and Jonann, [+]

Find Your Inspiration to Advocate, Lead and Care! Registered nurses have always embodied the theme for this year’s National Nurses Week: "Advocating, Leading, Caring". When R.N.s visit the American Nurses Association (ANA) this Spring, they can’t help concur with its President, Karen Daley that ANA is their quintessential advocate; video galleries, pledges and other resources on the site show that celebrating a nurse’s calling is about so much more than remembering to wear a pin this week. Capture the spirit during May 6-12 and take it with you the rest of the year! It’s empowering to reflect on the amazing history of your vocation. Before the nursing career path became what it is today—the #1 career advertised on U.S. News & World Report’s List of Best Careers in 2012—nurses worked in relative obscurity. It’s hard to believe fewer than 20 R.N.s attended the first ANA convention in 1896—even more surprising that back then, they weren’t technically R.N.s. There were no laws licensing nurses at that time. This International Nurses Week, thank ANA for helping R.N.s become the backbone of American healthcare! Look at how far this profession has come, employing more than 3 million [+]