Staffing consultants and job boards are lighting up now with more opportunities than lighting bugs in a mason jar! The days are lasting longer and travel nurses are fitting more outdoor activities in their time after work. They’re motivated to find ideal nursing and therapy jobs—ones that will carry them into the summer. That’s why it’s important to post your job openings now, with a trusted name in healthcare staffing. Our recruiters work closely with each candidate, bringing talent and clinical expertise to your hospitals, outpatient centers and skilled nursing facilities. Says Debbie Bacurin, RN, Clinical Account Manager at American Traveler, “We are seeing a lot of early postings from Maine to Georgia—in Wisconsin and Michigan, too. Our nurses and therapists know that the best hospitals are posting their job openings right now. If you’re a healthcare facility looking for the best talent out there, post your openings now to find top candidates seeking spring and summer assignments.� That being said, healthcare employers should know R.N.s and therapists have, when it comes to job searches, an understanding that: Hospitals post positions today for late spring and summer. Job candidates are now getting their state licensures ready for summer [+]

 "Running into seasonal Maui residents like Steve Tyler is just another day in the life of this travel nurse!"

When nurses consider joining forces with a healthcare staffing agency that could land them in any one of the fifty U.S. states, visions of Hawaii might not be the first thing that occurs to them; yet it is a vision that became OR nurse, Kim J.’s reality when she began her travel nurse job in Maui in the Fall of 2012. American Traveler got in touch with Kim, so she could share her story about living and loving life in one of the world’s most enchanting places. AT: Hi Kim! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. Kristin Zandee, your travel nurse consultant said that when asked if you’d be open to chatting with us you said, "Why not? I am only sitting on the beach listening to the waves lap on the shore today." Do you have lots of days like that? Kim: Yes, this Hawaii travel nursing jobs has been wonderful enough that I just started my second assignment here in Maui. I work [+]

February is a high profile month for registered nurses in the CVICU and other healthcare professionals who treat heart patients. The coming of Valentine’s Day, with its metaphors to the human heart, ties in nicely with the American Heart Association and CDC’s efforts to reduce the occurrence of heart disease. Right now, the idea of indulging ourselves at our favorite restaurants and chocolatiers almost feels like a mandate. But it doesn't have to be. 5 Heart Healthy Ways to Celebrate!   Here are the handful of tips you'll need for thinking outside the (heart shaped!) box this February 14th. Skip the restaurant and pack a healthy picnic. Valentine’s Day has long been associated with the image of a couple sitting in a candlelit restaurant, ordering items like steak and Baked Alaska from the menu. Who needs long wait times and so many fat grams? Opt instead to pack a healthy picnic lunch, and enjoy it bundled up and overlooking the sunset. It’s easy to find low fat, heart healthy recipes that can be toted to favorite travel nurse destinations. Reinvent a Classic Dish ... by making it heart healthy. Culinary school is not necessary to reach [+]

From Coast to Coast - Top Nursing Job Locations For many years now, states with the greatest job shortages have been offering the highest nursing salaries in the country. Because of dense Baby Boomer populations, and these states’ appeal to retirees, nurses will always be welcomed with open arms in certain places. So get ready to bookmark where these states are and what they have to offer! If you’re a travel nurse, poised to take your career anywhere, the following U.S. states offer the highest paying R.N. jobs in the country! Here’s what hourly mean wages were in 2012 and what you can expect in 2013. Below that, is a quarterly breakdown of where in the U.S. to find the best nursing jobs. California nursing jobs offer $42.06/ an hour and higher, plus benefits that let you make the most of the Golden State. Florida nursing jobs not only average $30.29 per hour, but some hospitals there are offering huge sign-on bonuses for R.N.’s with specializations. New York nursing jobs put R.N.s in the high earning Tri-State are, averaging $35.58 per hour or more. Texas nursing jobs have a lower cost of living than [+]

Learn about what to do in your travel nurse assignment city Travel nurses get to experience new places and different hospitals, which can definitely be exciting. Another great thing about travel nursing is the new scenery and finding out what the assignment city has to offer. A great way to begin to explore is to utilize Online Resources. Travel nursing is an exciting journey, and there is always something to look forward to. Visit this information packed online nurse career resource to get all career related links that you need for your next travel nursing job. In addition, you can discover great restaurants, entertainment and meeting new people in your city by consulting these additional online resources: Yelp is a great website that is based on user submitted reviews.  There are reviews on restaurants, salons, museums, gyms, and more.  The best part about these reviews is that they are submitted by people that have already been to that place.  A best rule of thumb about Yelp is to read these reviews with an open mind because everyone has a different experience. The website Meetup is a place where you can meet other [+]

American Traveler recommends that traveling nurses have their vehicles inspected for safety and proper working order in preparation for winter. Follow these 5 easy-to remember tips to ensure your vehicle starts in winter and gets you to travel nursing jobs safely. Though bringing your car, truck or SUV to a certified mechanic may cost you a few bucks, the life you may save in the process is priceless. Have your brakes checked. Have this done by a certified mechanic. If you’re new to a traveling nurse job then find one by asking fellow nurses or by searching the Internet for a nearby franchise that guarantees their work. Check your tires for tread. Too little or no tread on your tires is dangerous and increases the chances of sliding on ice and hydroplaning in the rain. Remember to check tire pressure regularly (spare tire too!) all year. Request an engine diagnostic. This will ensure your motor is running on all cylinders and will start when temperatures drop. Ask to have heaters, defrosters and cold weather electronics inspected for working order. Pack a motorist safety kit. No traveling nurses leaves home or work planning to breakdown [+]

The start of holiday shopping is over a week away, and many travel nurses will likely have to ship gifts and send cards to their loved ones.  We all know the post office is a busy place during the holidays, so it’s definitely a good idea to be prepared before making the trip there.  After all, travel nursing can keep you busy enough as it is! Tips for Boxes and Envelopes It’s a good idea to start gathering boxes and envelopes for gifts that will be secure and hold gifts without any issue.  The post office provides boxes for Priority mail for free, and has flat rates, so no matter how heavy the package is, it will ship for a set price.  It’s important to know that there are deadlines for sending packages using these flat rate boxes and envelopes too.  It is important to know the deadlines for sending packages, especially internationally, since it usually will take more time to get to the intended destination.  Whether you have a travel nursing job in New York or Arizona, it’s better to send sooner rather than later. See USPS Locator Track your boxes this holiday [+]

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 [+]

Can you hear that? It must be the footsteps of a fast approaching Halloween. While some limit their celebration of this fun holiday to decorations and candy, there are others with a keen interest in touring well-known haunted spots. If you’re an R.N. who loves a good fright, then this post is for you—as so many “on the map� places for hauntings and ghost sightings just happen to be hospitals. There’s a high concentration of paranormal activity in The Buck Eye State, putting Ohio nursing jobs close to the scariest places on earth; there are also haunted hospitals worth a closer look near nurse jobs in Georgia and NY travel nursing jobs. This ghost hunter’s preferred list of haunted hospitals is ordered from supremely spooky to just plain scary. Should you decide to tour one, call the facility first to ensure tours are still happening; consider making arrangements, if possible, to stay overnight in charming hotel lodgings these cities are known for. Patients at Highland View Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio get the willies when window shades move of their own accord and doors lock shut without help. Far north of the [+]

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 [+]