Social Media is a lot of fun. It’s ideal for sharing photos and stories with family and friends and in the travel nursing world has become invaluable in journaling exploits and networking professionally.  But caution is to be had for nurses engaging Social Media, especially in nurse jobs search and communicating in online forums.

To help working nurses maximize the use of Social Media while protecting themselves from getting stuck in a permanent nurse cyber-rut, American Traveler benefits include FREE CEU Courses. Topics include Social Networking; Putting Your Best Post Forward, plus many more educational topics of professional importance.

The goal of the course is to inform nurses about the impact social networking has on their professional image and careers. With more healthcare employers searching Social Media websites everyday for potential candidates, the last thing any nurse needs is to be found unintentionally violating patient privacy or posting controversial comments or pictures on a Facebook page.

Even if a nurse deletes or edits compromising Internet content, it’s typically already cached on a server somewhere. By using legitimate channels, employers conducting background checks and the courts can harvest it, experts say.

“Taken in the wrong context, content posted to the Internet can do irreparable damage to a nurse career,” said American Traveler Clinical Liaison, Deb Bacurin, RN.

Learn More about the Social Media CE course – talk too an American Traveler consultant to learn how you can take this course for free. Call us at 800-884-8788

Related blog about CEU for travel nurses

Liability for nurses engaging Social Media is imminent and altogether can be unintentional. Next week American Traveler will list tips on avoiding conflict in the cyber nurse world. Your career may depend on it. Stay tuned!

American Traveler had the pleasure of checking in with a new member of our travel nursing staff, Cindy Burbatt, R.N. who shared some of the details of her first travel nurse job in Kansas City, Missouri. We talked with Cindy on the eve of her birthday. She was full of excitement for the road trip planned the following morning, departing from North Carolina en route to the heart of the Midwest. As the mother of three grown children, Cindy decided it was the right time to change up her 16-year background as a permanent staff telemetry/med surge nurse by accepting a travel nurse job in America’s heartland.

While the truck she drives may not be anything that unusual for a R.N. moving to Kansas City, one standout detail is the 17ft. long trailer attached. It accommodates her longstanding and beloved pets, George and Ash; these are Cindy’s horses, and during the car trip to Missouri they’ll be staying in farms sprinkled throughout various states—places Cindy found through an online network called Horse Motel. When they arrive in Kansas City, Cindy will take up residence in a townhome, compliments of American Traveler’s private housing arrangement. George and Ash will live in a stable close by, on hand for Cindy to ride in her time off from the hospital.

How Did She Work Out a Travel Nurse Assignment that Suits the Whole Family?

While admitting to being an adventurous and take-charge person, Cindy credits her consultant, Jennie Rayner with convincing her how rewarding and fun the travel nurse lifestyle can be; in fact, at the end of Cindy’s nursing job in the Show Me State she hopes to go further west in her travel nurse pursuits, exploring Utah travel nurse jobs. With her bright smile and self-admitted “hippie cowgirl” approach to things, Cindy should be a wonderful addition to that landscape, and we’re looking forward to hearing how she fares in the Midwest too!

Are you on the fence about leaving your permanent R.N. or therapist job in favor of the travel nurse lifestyle? We look forward to hearing more stories like Cindy’s: about skilled R.N.s adding their talents to hospitals, clinics, out-patient centers and home health jobs across America—sharing their positive attitude along the way. It should be as Cindy says: “not so much about leading your life, but letting your life lead you—to see where you can go!” Call 1-800-884-8788 or apply online today to start your own travel nurse adventure!

Learn more about a travel nurse lifestyle – What’s a travel nurse

Looks like you just landed a new travel nurse or travel therapy job. Congratulations! Your next step is to pack light and relocate to your new city. You brought your skills, bright smile and determination; your consultant at American Traveler is handling the rest, and will soon send a detailed driving route and other vital information to make your assignment worry-free and the ultimate healthcare travel job experience!

Travel Nurse Housing Essentials

For a complete pack list, click on up-to-date Suggestions for Completing Your Apartment, and be sure to bookmark the American Traveler Housing Tips page for future reference. Here are the basics!

• Kitchen: A good set of kitchen knives, complete set of cutlery, silverware tray, waste basket, coffee maker & mugs,  toaster oven, veggie peeler, can opener, cork screw, strainer, cookie sheet and frying pan. Don’t forget to pack or purchase, a dustpan and broom, and all the bowls & plates you’ll need during your travel nurse assignment.
• Electronics: Your important electronic possessions may include a T.V., DVR , cell phone, PC or laptop,  printer, alarm clock, iPad, stereo system. Bring all that apply, and don’t forget the phone charger, spare package of batteries and/or battery recharger.
• Bedroom: With furnished apartments, the only things you need are a bedspread, blankets, pillows and pillow cases, queen sized fitted sheets and flat sheets.
• Bathroom: A bath mat, bath towels and linens, shower curtain, liner and the hooks to hang them. You can buy the cleaning supplies later, and pick up a small waste basket if you didn’t pack one already; these small bins are a nice way to transport smaller odds and ends.

We Work Closely With Our Travel Nurses

Your consultant helps set your mind at ease when you move into, or out of travel nurse housing, and are on call 24/7 should you have a question about moving. The following is a shortlist of the things we advocate for every Traveler embarking on a new travel nurse job:

• Of Upmost Importance: a walk-thru before moving in. Document and submit to the landlord and the recruiting agency anything in need of repair; retain a copy for yourself. When traveling with American Traveler, we ask you when possible, to submit before and after pictures to our housing department at housing@americantraveler.com
• We also recommend—especially for travelers with pets—arranging a “Condition upon Departure” walk through when you move out of travel nurse job housing.
• Create checklists that help you clean every room thoroughly, including the inside of the oven, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, drawers, carpets and/or tile floors.
• Remember to return all door keys, fitness room keys, mailbox, storage, and gate keys to the rental office before you leave your travel nurse housing

Make American Traveler Your #1 Nursing Career Resource!

Got a question? Go ahead and ask it! We enjoy getting to know you, and want to see you succeed in all your travel nurse jobs. Whether you are wondering whether or not it’s okay to bring your pet? (it definitely is!), have specific concerns about a first floor apartment, a certain amenity, or have questions regarding a housing stipend, filling out a “Got a Quick Question” form on our website is a great help, or email our travel nurse housing department. You can also call 800-884-8788 or apply online today to expedite travel nurse jobs and their exciting possibilities in all 50 U.S. States! We hope to see you soon!

Related Page: Traveling Nurse Housing Tips

Spreading the word about the importance of an annual flu shot means you’re in good company with the Center for Disease Control. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months-old and up get vaccinated. The 2011-2012 flu strain is identical to last year’s, including the H1N1 virus; that means if you were vaccinated last year, you need only receive 1 shot this go around. Click here to find flu shots near you and be sure to post a comment on our Facebook page when you’ve done your good deed for the day!

American Traveler Encourages Flu Prevention Tactics For R.N.s

Some controversy has surrounded mandating the flu shot for medical personnel. Interested Registered Nurses can read about this on a related healthcare employer blog that discusses flu season in America and the waivers some hospitals are willing to grant: if the reluctant hospital staff agrees to wear a badge alerting patients and colleagues, as well as a mask that covers the nose and mouth. As American Traveler has always believed travel nurses need flu shots, we encourage everyone in R.N. and travel therapy jobs to do the responsible thing by getting vaccinated ASAP this Fall.

We don’t have to remind our registered nurses how to stay healthy during flu season, or how to manage the illness if they do succumb. But for refresher’s sake, we would like to offer a few gentle reminders.

A Travel Nurse’s Dos and don’ts During Flu Season:

• Do use hand soap at your work station, in restrooms and at home.
• Don’t go out if you’re sick. Stay in bed!
• Do take a multivitamin, and try incorporating more garlic and Vitamin C into your daily diet
• Don’t stress! The last thing you want is an increase in your body’s production of cortisol.
• Do drink plenty of water and exercise between glasses. It’ll help flush toxins out of your body!

American Traveler’s Flu Season Tips Keep Your Nursing Career in Good Health

If you’re looking for even more flu fighting facts, visit this government website that offers a flu app for your iPhone and other handy features; one of which will track the rate of flu in your neighborhood. Again, we cannot stress enough how important it is to avoid stress, and would point R.N.s who want to relax, toward our travel nurse jobs in tranquil areas with plenty of forests, parks and fields to roam. Call 1-800-884-8788 or apply online today to keep your spirits in good health. Here’s to navigating your way through another healthy flu season!

American Traveler congratulates our recent hires on landing the ultimate in therapist and registered nurse jobs! You’re well poised for rapid career advancement in travel nurse jobs offering top pay and benefits package that include free private housing, health insurance, referral bonuses and more! Checking in with the real life professionals in our travel nurse video is a testament to just how fulfilling and exciting all of this can be—and yet those first few days on the job often result in butterflies.

Don’t despair! Calm yourself with the following travel nurse tips and positive affirmations:

Tip: It almost sounds too simple, but keep smiling. A pleasant demeanor shows you welcome change; plus your new colleagues are all the more likely to offer their help.
Why this tip works: With new procedures to learn and equipment to master, you’ll want to make friends in every new travel nurse job. Your fellow RN’s are the ones to brief you on everything from patients to supervisors, to helping you remember where you parked your car.

Affirmation: This hospital chose me.
Why this positive affirmation works: Because American Traveler staffs in America’s best hospitals, competition was fierce when you interviewed and got the job; they knew you’d be a great fit with current staff, and quite capable of negotiating the learning curve that comes with any new travel nurse job.

Tip: Get acquainted ASAP with the best online resources for new travel nurses; visit our travel nursing job FAQs to learn more about travel nursing jobs in all 50 U.S. states.
Why this tip works: Using American Traveler’s career resources page is one-click access to important links and articles in healthcare jobs today.

Affirmation: I enjoy sharing my interests and hobbies with others.
Why this positive affirmation works: It’s always a good idea to share your pastimes with colleagues, because with any luck, a few locals are listening—and they know where the best of everything is. Case in point: one of our American Travelers loved trying the local chili wherever he went, shared his love of taste testing with co-workers and enjoyed the camaraderie when they showed him where to get his next bowl full.

Orientate yourself to the Best Travel Nurse Jobs in America

So there you have it: tips and mantras that get you well on your way to making the most of your travel nurse career.

Orientation is the best time to ask questions and get clarification on procedures. After all, no one knows absolutely everything on the first day. If you’re still looking for the right travel nurse job, and, subsequently, the best “first day” an R.N. can have, call 1-800-884-8788 or apply online. Good luck to all past, present and future travelers!

Travel nurses are busy people with places to go and people to see, but that doesn’t mean they can’t prepare, say, a pizza during a Chicago nursing job that takes its cues from Deep dish, or, during a Hawaii assignment mix things up in the kitchen with newfound Polynesian flair. With free travel nurse job housing featuring all the amenities (like great kitchens), and proximity to great shopping, R.N.s can pick up all kinds of in season fruits and veggies that make mealtime special. Just make sure the pantry isn’t lacking with this fail-safe checklist:

Must Have Pantry Items

• Sugar and flour
• Nuts (peanuts, walnuts, cashews)
• Rice (brown, white, long grain and minute rice)
• Dijon mustard, mayo, soy sauce, ketchup
• Chicken and beef stock
• Salt, Extra Virgin Olive oil
• Canned fruit and veggie goods
• Marinara and pizza sauce
• Tuna and salmon, packaged in pouches or cans
• Whole wheat bread, and pasta

Got the goods? Great! Now it’s time to get started on a delicious home cooked meal!

Five Cooking Do’s

1. Do: Save yourself time by cooking extra batches of chicken, pork or fish and store for future use. Once you seal it and freeze it, all you have to do is let it thaw, nuke it with a side of veggies in the microwave, and you’re eating in minutes!
2. Do: Wash and cut apples and other fast-oxidizing fruits, and vacuum seal them with a Ziplock vacuum starter kit.
3. Do: Try to devote one of your days off to grocery shopping and a little pre-prep. Clean and cut fruits and veggies; then refrigerate (in airtight containers) at eye-level for easy snacking.
4. Do: Store fruits and vegetables susceptible to drying out in perforated plastic bags (you can poke a plastic bag with the tines of a fork); this maintains a moist environment and lets air circulate at the same time.
5. Do: Dress up leftovers with fun and tasty accents from your pantry—a handful of walnuts can dress up a sweet strawberry salad, and splashes of soy and hot sauce recreate last night’s rice.

Five Cooking Don’ts

1. Don’t: waste money on bad knives. Every travel nurse needs an 8-inch chef’s knife, 4-inch paring knife and 12-inch serrated-edge knife.
2. Don’t: Use more than 2 tablespoons of regular butter or olive oil for sautéing; save Extra Virgin Olive Oil for yummy, subtle salad dressing.
3. Don’t: get a skillet that’s too small; a good rule of thumb is to use a 12-inch cast iron pan.
4. Don’t: hesitate to substitute ingredients—it could work out even better than you thought.
5. Don’t: miss an opportunity to take cooking shortcuts. Watch cooking experts like Sara Lee in Semi homemade, that show you that you don’t have to wipe down mushrooms one by one!

At American Traveler, our registered nurses are right at home in travel nurse jobs that span all 50 U.S. States; with free private housing that includes all the amenities, there’s no excuse not to enjoy a little home cooking in states that inspire with their delicious reputations: New Hampshire nursing jobs, California and Colorado, we’re looking at you! Call 1-800-884-8788 or apply online today to get your nursing career cookin’ NOW!

For Maine travel nurses, it’s a very patriotic summer indeed in the blueberry capitol of America—a wonderful place for waving red, white and blue, taking in the fireworks and statewide festivals. Here are just a few state highlights.

Start Your Fourth of July off with pancakes and fun in Bar Harbor

If you’re a travel nurse with a hankering for flapjacks and sausage, get yourself down to Bar Harbor, Maine for their 4th of July pancake breakfast and festival—an all day affair that begins at 6am and includes a full day of crafts, lobster races, seafood, fireworks and band concert. Fireworks will be shot over Frenchman Bay at 9:15 p.m. Get starting times and exact locations for all activities planned by calling 800-288-5103. You may also catch a whiff of pancakes coming from Thomaston, Maine on the 4th of July; call 207-354-8763 for more information!

Maine Fireworks and Festivals

Perhaps one of the biggest to-dos is “Heritage Days” in Bath, ME. Starting July 1st and culminating in a lovely display of 4th of July fireworks over the Bay Waterfront (9:15pm), this is one of the best places to be in New England this summer. Events include a rotary BBQ with entertainment under a gazebo, carnival and boat parade on the Kennebec River, as well as a Chili Chowder fest among some of the area’s finest restaurants. Travel nurses will want to bring their appetites and eye for fine art and crafts—there’s Art in the Park!

And for the largest Celebration in Maine?

For travel nurses near Eastport, ME, the 4th of July is all sewn up.  Come out and enjoy a Grand Independence Parade, fireworks over the bay, free entertainment at Overlook Park, antique car show and more—you may even get to take a tour on a U.S. Navy ship! Visit www.eastport4th.com to plan your day.

Pops and Circumstance: Are You Working in New England Travel Nurse Jobs right now?

If the answer is yes, get ready to listen to some pops provided by a patriotic concert in Portland, Maine’s Stars and Stripes Spectacular, on July 4, 2011. Watch fireworks pop over Casco Bay, starting just after dusk. Call 207-756-8130 for more information—but, more importantly call American Traveler—with our high paying travel nurse and therapist jobs, there’s room to grow in the New England States and rest of the nation. Call 1-800-884-8788 or apply online today!

Memorial Day Planning Guide For D.C. Travel Nurses

What better way for travel nurses to honor courageous military than spending the long weekend exploring our Nation’s capitol? The 2011 Memorial Day event schedule for D.C. includes a Sunday (May 29th) free concert on the west lawn of the U.S. capitol. On this day, the National Symphony Orchestra will perform, as well as top-billed celebrities. Click on the Memorial Day event link to learn more about this event, as well as wreath laying ceremonies at D.C.’s best known Memorials, a GI Film Festival, marching bands, Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally and more!

Memorial Day Events For Our Florida Travel Nurses

Are you a Florida travel nurse with a taste for crab? Then take a trip to Palatka, close to the well-known destinations like St, Augustine and Jacksonville for the Blue Crab Festival, held each year on Memorial Day weekend.

Expect to find parades, concerts and other events that honor our fallen war heroes in big name cities with top paying Florida travel nurse jobs. Get everything you need to fill your calendar for Memorial Day weekend, by clicking on Florida event links for Miami, Daytona and West Palm beaches.

And on the West Coast, California Travel Nurses Find These Memorial Day Delights

Memorial Day events around Los Angeles (click on event link for times and dates) are in the most happening city in the Golden State—and set to include a seaside arts and crafts festival on Hermosa Beach, a Canoga Park Memorial Day Parade and Garden Grove Strawberry Festival on the Village Green in downtown Garden Grove; it’s time for travel nurses in California nursing jobs to travel to the city of Angels for some heavenly food and fun!

No matter where you go for your Memorial Day observances and celebrations, American Traveler—the premier agency for travel nursing jobs nationwide would like to wish our staff across the country a safe and happy holiday! Call 1-800 884-8788 or apply online today to connect with the best nursing jobs in healthcare today. Start living the American dream now!

According to a 2010 review of nearly 150 independent studies on social ties the answer is a resounding “Yes.” Not only do close friends result in greater physical and mental health, say experts at Johns Hopkins University, supportive relationships help stave off memory loss, reduce stress and boost immunity – all factors associated with aging.

In fact, people with strong social ties had a 50 percent better chance of survival regardless of age, sex, and health than those with weaker ties, one study found.

Meeting new people and making friends is high up on the list of why RNs choose a travel nurse career. Countless have reported falling in love while on assignment and others traveling with soul mates and spouses say the experience is more enriching when someone comes along for the ride.

In terms of physical health, nurses often embark on travel nurse careers to get away from stressful permanent positions that result in burnout, less quality time with loved ones and personal and professional dissatisfaction. These nurses turn to social media tools such as Facebook to post pictures, send notes and stay connected with family and friends on assignment. American Traveler maintains an active Facebook page where nurses and “Friends” log on regularly to share stories and photos.

Doctors have equated the health risks of having too few “good” friends akin to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Others say having no friends at all is worse than being overweight in terms of shaving years off your life.

Close friends keep us sane and balanced. Travel nursing is a way to meet new people and make new friends. If you’re an experienced RN and you’re not already a travel nurse then give us a call. If you’re presently an RN travel nurse and looking to switch travel nurse agencies; some say American Travelers are the happiest around. Call 800.884.8788 or apply online today.

If you have questions about travel nurse careers, Just Ask Kristin, a senior consultant and travel nursing blog contributor who stands ready to assist in any way she can.

Related travel nurse friendship articles

• Friends Make Great Travel Nurse Referrals!
• Travel Nursing in Hawaii with friends

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 also known for high rankings; but let’s not forget the American Midwest and Old West, where Ohio nursing jobs and Texas nursing jobs are setting blazing career paths that light up Fortune’s list this year! Get in touch with American Traveler today to make sure you climb the right ladder, and be sure to know all there is to know about great spots for R.N.s by checking in with our related blogs about travel nursing locations !

Travel Nurses Who Sign On at Top Rated Hospitals “Make the Honor Roll”!

Like the professionals who helped develop the tradition of listing the 100 best places to work, American Traveler also believes the foundation of every great workplace is trust between its workforce and management. Our recruiters work 24/7 to ensure that the candidates we hire for top jobs in all 50 U.S. states live a life of positivism, awesome productivity and great patient outcomes! Apply online or call 800-884-8788—it’s high time you made the honor roll!

Footnote: Click on Great Place to Work Institute to view a complete list of best companies to work for in 2011. Interested travel nurses may also visit this site to invite their employer to compete for a spot next year!