Last week, we talked to Patrice Ballard, MSN; a travel nurse working as a Clinical Educator and part-time ER nurse for 8 months in Globe, Arizona. Part I of our nurse interview clued us travel nurses—eager to blend our medical talents with the spirit of adventure—into Patrice’s exciting months working and traveling the Southwest over. We loved reading about the circumstances behind Patrice’s first travel nurse job and tidbits on her unique housing; this week’s segment dishes on what it takes to succeed as a traveling nurse and why husbands might just fall in love with the travel nursing life, too. Q: Is your current work as a Clinical Educator as rewarding in and of itself, as the compensation and excitement of travel? A: Absolutely! There’s nothing better than preparing my students for nursing careers that will be as rewarding for them, as my career has been for me. Q: What has been the most rewarding aspect of this assignment? A: This travel nursing job has reinforced the way I’ve always felt about life: that every person is given the unique opportunity to see the good in things or the bad. I’ve always chosen to see the good, [+]

Clinical Educator and ER nurse, Partrice Ballard, combines a love of travel with preparing nursing students for bright futures American Traveler caught up with Patrice Ballard, MSN for a chat about her experiences working as a Nurse Educator in Arizona. Part I of this two part nurse interview introduces RNs and physical therapists keen on combining work and travel, to a fellow professional who currently enjoys the best of both worlds. Patrice is a wife, mother and full-time Clinical Educator, with the admirable ability to work, also, in the ER once a week. Here, she shares commentary and tips for making the most of an 8 month long travel nursing assignment. Q: What prompted you to pursue a travel nursing career? A: You know, it’s a little ironic—albeit in a wonderful way—that I began a travel nurse career after 15 years in the ER.  Friends and family used to describe me as a “hover mother� – couldn’t picture me on an out-of-state assignment, but when the opportunity to work 34 weeks in Globe, Arizona came, I jumped on it. Q: You secured a unique position. How did that come about?[+]

Pink ribbons have long been synonymous with Breast Cancer Awareness, but there’s another advocacy group helping women who face a different cancer diagnosis: ovarian cancer; its ribbon is teal blue. RNs are a critical part of the medical team treating a woman with cancer, which, you could say, is women helping women; according to the U.S. Department of Labor, women make up 91% of the nursing workforce. If you want to use your skills to help cancer patients, American Traveler Nursing Professional Resources page has a link to the Oncology Nursing Society web site. No matter her specialty, RNs should recognize the symptoms of ovarian cancer (bloating, a feeling of fullness before meals, frequent trips to the bathroom, Pelvic and abdominal pain) to help their female patients, as well as know their own bodies well enough to stay healthy themselves. The deadliest of all gynecological cancers, ovarian cancer and the research conducted everyday to beat it, is supported largely by The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA), where teal ribbons and a host of products in the same robin’s egg blue (bracelets, necklaces, pendants, art and more) are devoted to raising money for increased [+]

Learn more about our Hot Jobs by signing up for our Healthcare Jobs RSS feed or follow us on Twitter. Our Hot Jobs are refreshed hourly, with a call right now for critical care nurses, Case Manage,  physical therapists, occupational therapists and Med/Surg nurses across the nation. You should know that Hot Jobs offer more specialized positions in telemetry, dialysis, Pediatrics and PACU. You can apply for a job that lasts a mere six weeks, or up to five months; a 13 week assignment is the norm. Every week, we showcase our Top 10 hot jobs. When travel nurses apply, they begin work immediately upon hire. Do you crave an assignment in New England, the nation’s capital, heart of America or somewhere out west? Featured jobs at American Traveler are diverse, well paying—you could earn up to 110K a year!—and scattered across the country. As we mentioned earlier on, you won’t need to check in regularly to see the latest in Hot Jobs, because when position openings come to Washington D.C., LA, even Wichita, you’ll feel like a little bird told you, just by following us on Twitter or better yet, get it in your [+]

This week we have got a few good questions from our web site visitors. Here are few that I thought would be helpful to nurses thinking about starting a travel nursing career. Questions from a nurse that visited our site and my answer for each question: I'm looking to start a career in travel nursing, I have 18 months experience on MS/Tele. unit and I am also ACLS certified. Here are my questions: I'd like to find out what exactly the furnished housing comes with? Generally you can expect a queen size bed, dresser, night stand and lamps in the bedroom. A sofa, end tables, lamps, coffee table, and side chair in the living room and a dinette with 4 chairs in the dining area. Housing accommodations, decor and furnishings will vary based on location. The culture and personality of the different regions of our diverse country are reflected in the housing options for that area. How much, in advance, do you know where you are going? Healthcare facilities extend offers to Travelers with start dates that accommodate their open need and orientation classes. In today’s environment hiring decisions are usually made within 2 [+]

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 [+]

Nurses, take note: There’s a hot new product coming to many U.S. hospitals, and it’s going to make your job as a traveling nurse easier – because it makes the patients happier! The product is Arizant Inc.’s Bair Paws, a layered-paper hospital gown that keeps the wearer warm by using a forced-air system to regulate the body temperature in the chilly operating rooms and other areas of the hospital. These single-use gowns are easily self-regulated for temperature, and they also detach quickly from the hose that goes to the air pump – giving the patient more independence, and the registered nurses more freedom!  Bair Paws were also designed with lots of Velcro and ways of being opened, so that they can be adjusted in a variety of ways by doctors and RNs performing operations and other procedures. The gown has other advantages, according to Arizant Web site: “This budget-friendly gown can also help avoid the significant costs associated with the complications of unintended hypothermia, which has been shown to triple the rate of wound infection (SSIs), extend the length of hospital stay and increase mortality rates.� About 1,700 facilities are using Bair Paws, with more [+]

February is Heart Awareness Month. We’re putting it on the calendar of all our traveling nurses and professionals. Nurses specializing in patient care relative to heart disease are already educated and wonderfully outspoken when it comes to heart disease and stroke prevention. Are you a specialty nurse that already knows the facts on healthy hearts? Then we hope you’ll skip ahead to our hot travel nurse jobs from California to Florida, in departments like the ER, CVICU, CCU, ICU, PCU and more. If you’re a nurse looking for RN jobs in the Critical Care fields of Cardiac Medicine and heart surgery, don’t delay! There are so many patients—and hearts—in need of your care!  Read the 5 fundamentals here: The 5 Fundamentals of Heart Healthy Don’t let your health go up in smoke. Cigarettes and other tobacco products are among the biggest risk factors for heart disease; even low-tar, low-nicotine products and second hand smoke exposure can be dangerous. If you want a shot at optimal cardiovascular health, don’t smoke at all. If you need a smoke break, take a walk instead—and spare your body from exposure to more than 4,800 chemicals, [+]

RN Travel Nurse Job - Pediatric ICU Location: Oklahoma City, OK Night – 12 Hour Shift Length: 9 Weeks Call 800-884-8788 or Apply Online Now RN Travel Nurse Job - Home Health Location: Irvine, CA Days – 8 Hour Shift Length: 12 Weeks Call 800-884-8788 or Apply Online Now Find more jobs refreshed hourly on our health care Hot Jobs page [+]

Movie buffs, rejoice! With the recent announcement of the nominees for the 2010 Academy Awards, it’s officially Oscar season! For the first time, the list of nominees for Best Picture has been expanded to 10.  The choices for voters in the Academy run the gamut from serious drama to big-action sci-fi to whimsical animation. With so many nominations, the chances are pretty good that the RN who loves movies has seen (or will see) a good number of these films.  The winner will be announced during the 82nd Academy Awards ceremony on March 7. Meanwhile, which movie do you think deserves Oscar glory? Vote in our poll below. Which movie deserves the Best Picture Oscar this year?(survey software) [+]