Remember the laughter, the joy, the hard work, and the tears.

And, as you reflect on the past year, also think of the new one to come.

Because most importantly, this is a time of new beginnings and the celebration of life.

Happy New Year to all of our travel nurses, travel therapists, friends and family!

Meet Cindy Burbatt, R.N. and her Pets 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 [+]

Everything You Need To Know and More 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 [+]

Is it possible that forming close bonds with new people on the job, leading an active social life and keeping in touch with friends and family on Facebook can help you live longer? 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 [+]

Springtime in the Bluegrass state offers travel nurses the chance to witness the most exciting two minutes in sports! On May 5 through May 7th, the 137th Annual Kentucky Derby & Oaks unfolds at the famous twin spires of Churchill Downs in Louisville. If you’re an R.N. working in Ohio or Kentucky travel nurse jobs, this is a golden opportunity to enjoy gourmet food, Mint Juleps and dressing in high Derby style. The Travel Nurse Guide to the Kentucky Derby Get a Taste the Derby! Famous for its signature drinks and Old Kentucky Home dishes, like Burgoo stew, the Taste of the Derby (click the event link to see a photo gallery of 2010’s amazing spread) is on Thursday, May 5 this year, and lets you sample food and drink prepared by world famous chefs. Travel nurses who are self-described “foodies” won’t want to miss this Mellwood Arts and Entertainment Center event! A "Ladies First" Race at the Oaks! Just before the big Kentucky Derby race, there’s a Ladies First event, known as The Kentucky Oaks on Friday, May 6th; on this day, travel nurses can grab their best buds and enjoy the ultimate [+]

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. [+]

Last year, hospitals required travel nurses to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine in the form of a shot or nasal spray. Now hospitals are strongly encouraging you to get vaccinated again, in preparation for the 2010/2011 flu season; you can read about this year’s flu strain, its symptoms and tips on how to prevent catching the virus at flufacts.com. Flu.gov Flu season begins in October and lasts until May, with outbreaks of influenza peaking in the coldest winter months of December and January; fact: did you know that December 5-11 is National Influenza vaccination week? The Center for Disease Control (CDC) advocates getting vaccinated early. You can browse CDC’s "What you need to Know" facts about this year’s flu strain and 2010/2011 vaccinations, which also protect against H1N1 (swine flu) this year. Travel nurses at American Traveler enjoy free healthcare insurance and should take advantage of that full coverage by getting vaccinated ASAP! Plug your current zip code into Take Care Clinics or your nearest pharmacy, where most insurance covers cost. Advise your friends and family that even without insurance, the price of a flu shot runs about $30—a small price to pay when you are guarding against the influenza virus, [+]

We welcome furry friends with travel nursing tips and resources If your travel nursing lifestyle includes a dog, cat—even canaries—you’ll be pleased with American Traveler’s client support services, designed to accommodate the furry friend accompanying you on your travel nursing adventure. Here, we provide pet-lover tips and resources that get both of you (and in some cases, all of you!) off to a great start. Bookmark these nurse career resources where you'll find free pet sitter locaters and a "people with pets" directory that dishes on pet-friendly hotels, products and services. Remember that planning before the big road trip, in your travel nursing career or for any occasion, is critical. Each year approximately 100,000 dogs are injured or killed inside moving vehicles; pets may even fall from a car’s open window! Avoid potential dangers by outfitting your car with a pet carrier, big enough to let your dog or cat lie down. You can also shop for tethers that safely anchor your pet to the seat while permitting a near full range of motion—or shop crash tested dog car seats. See the kind of gadgets we’re talking about on this video. These kinds [+]

The recession has created a tough environment for Americans and the businesses, institutions and non-profits that make our world go round. The healthcare industry is no exception, yet nursing case management jobs help hospitals financially, as well as promote patient advocacy and customer satisfaction that lead to saving billions of dollars, in what might have been missed billing charges or unnecessary treatments. 'Anything’ and ‘everything’ are meaningful words for Case Mangers in travel nurse jobs; though, they are expected to wear many hats, most CMs welcome the challenge of residing at the nerve center of today’s health care delivery system. Nursing Case Management jobs exist not just in hospitals, but in rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, or any medical facility in which the managerial talents and strong personal ethics of RNs and/or social workers are required. RNs in case management jobs  are frequently assistants in placing patients in extended care, hospice and other specific treatment programs. Travel nurse jobs that attract talented case mangers expect these professionals to rise to the occasion—of thoroughly reviewing all medical documentation and testing, lucky enough to cross their path. When the i’s are all dotted and the t’s crossed, [+]

Read about technical vs. professional nurse training and why it matters Its been said there’s more than one way to skin a cat. The same might be true of seeking licensure as a registered nurse; those on track to a permanent or travel nursing career can achieve success in several different ways—the interesting part of that statement being, no matter your chosen path to licensure, the examination at the end of your nurse training is exactly the same. The options for students interested in nursing jobs break down into these avenues: you can get a four-year nursing degree, or bachelor of science (in nursing) and be deemed a “professional nurse”; you can get an associate's degree, which takes two to three years—or you can go to a diploma school for about three years. It so happens that community colleges produce more than half of the country's new nurses; not surprising considering it’s the fastest and least expensive way to become an RN; should you go this route, you are deemed a “technical nurse” and may not get the same preferential treatment in hiring as professional and graduate nurses. The encouraging news for those new to [+]