It’s an exciting time for registered nurses—and U.S. News & World Report may be the first to agree. On the heels of America’ best hospitals list, the magazine released more good news for R.N.s destined for high paying nursing jobs: the Top 10 best careers for 2012. This year, nurses carved out the #1 spot, with software development jobs coming in a close second. American Traveler is proud to offer both nursing and allied jobs—which is why we were happy to see the list mention occupational therapists, sliding in at #10, and physical therapists who earned the #8 spot.

The magazine’s list has posited an amazing job outlook for R,N.s, reporting that as many as 712,000 nursing jobs will need to be filled between now and the year 2020! Nurse staffing agencies are well poised to offer registered nurses—particularly those with a penchant for site seeing—travel nurse jobs in all 50 U.S. states. Following opportunities along the travel nursing career path is a first class ticket to see some of the most coveted attractions America has to offer, and earn an annual salary upwards of $100K while you do it!

For Registered Nurses Who Need More Reasons to Work in America’s #1 job

Whether R.N.s work in permanent jobs or tour the country as travel nurses, it’s a high paying and immensely rewarding career. Here are just a few of the highlights:

• High Salary: Nurses earn an average of $70K annually BEFORE benefits!
• Career Advancement: R.N.s advance in their careers rapidly and often have access to free unlimited continuing education credits, in addition to other comprehensive benefits.
• Nurses have flexible schedules; many arrange 12 hour shifts, so after 3 days on the nursing job, there are 4 days off to explore their new city!
• Job Satisfaction: Patients and their families are grateful to their nurses and say so constantly. It makes the R.N. feel great!
• Name Recognition: As an R.N., you were recognized by U.S. News & World Report—a magazine so well respected by your peers that it also celebrates institutions utilizing the latest advances in healthcare.

American Traveler: 25 Years and Counting, Placing R.N.s with Premiere Healthcare Employers

Because there is a variation in nurse salaries by state, it behooves R.Ns. to align their talents with an experienced staffing agency—one that offers opportunities in America’s best hospitals, in the state of their choice. Our consultants provide VIP customer care, helping candidates get organized before the travel nurse job begins, as well as prepare for a seamless transition to the next exciting assignment. Travel nurses specify the kind of private housing that makes their adventure with us as ideal as it is special—and, in the meantime, they are working with the best in the business; our trusted affiliates have topped U.S. News & World Report’s list for best in the nation. Call 1-800-884-8788 or apply online today. We look forward to hearing from you!

Footnote: Nurses can read about being #1 (straight from the source!) by clicking on U.S. News & World Report list of Best Careers for 2012.

Sharing maternal stories from both the nurse and patient perspective adds an extra smile to this lovely day in May. The repertoire includes both heartwarming and enterprising tales, ranging from current hot jobs in pediatric nursing, to R.N.s who decorated the NICU in time for Mother’s Day, to trail blazers from our nursing career path who credit Mom for the inspiration to become a nurse. Whether you work in travel nurse, permanent or therapy jobs, these stories appeal to everyone on Mother’s Day; see the footnote to read them in their entirety.

The ladies pictured below are both Moms and equally dedicated corporate employees. They all do a great job for us, while taking excellent care of their families at the same time. We hope you’ll join us in wishing every last Mom the very best Mother’s Day possible—we look forward to talking to you when you call 1-800-884-8788 or apply online for nursing jobs from coast to coast—that’s 50 states full of hard working Moms just like you, or someone dear to your heart! Happy Mother’s Day everyone!

Footnote: Click the Mother’s Day link to read one Mom’s tale of finding herself “doubly” blessed, and so happy compassionate nurses were there! Also recommended: “PICU Nurses Work in the best U.S. Hospitals“.

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 people and comprising the largest portion of the healthcare workforce. Nurses are, and will continue to be revered by their patients. Watch nurses rally for, and support the Affordable Care Act and triumph in court, when they demand accountability from doctors. These inspiring scenes are available with the media kit ANA has put together for its passionate workforce. Don’t miss ANA’s year round invaluable resources; this is the organization, after all, responsible for establishing the code of professional nursing. Without that, R.N.s would be harder pressed to seek and achieve credentialing in high paying and rewarding areas of specialization.

Illuminating the Nursing Career Path with Advanced Clinical Practice Jobs

An experienced staffing agency with travel nurse jobs in all 50 U.S. states gives R.N.s the right platform to participate in the transformation of national healthcare! American Traveler offers OR nurse jobs that allow R.N.s the flexibility of the travel nurse lifestyle, plus the ability to earn as much as $110K annually. Our nursing team work in America’s best hospitals, in diverse clinical settings and live close to the action—in luxury private housing that comes part and parcel with the generous benefits package they deserve!

Healthcare reform is coming to America by 2014, with nursing jobs projected to rise at over 700,000 openings by 2020. The women and men who fill these slots are dedicated to improved clinical outcomes for the thousands of patients treated in the breadth of just one nursing career. Who will you touch this year? May is an ideal time to apply early for a state nursing license, make sure you’re current with nursing boards that apply to your job search, and call or apply online today! Happy National Nurses Week, everybody!

Footnote: Ask every nurse in America to wear an “RN Pin” and/or nurse’s uniform during National Nurses Week. The official “RN Pin” is available by calling 1-800-445-0445. You can also commit to memory these detailed suggestions for celebrating Nurses Week!

Speech, language and hearing impairments—an important specialization for speech pathologists—are hardly reserved for Baby Boomers. Almost 30 million Americans experience some degree of hearing loss, and approximately 1/3 of them are adolescents. Noise-induced hearing loss is a contributing factor, which is why promoting awareness in May, and throughout the calendar year, is so important. Conscientious SLPs can get a leg up on this and other prescient topics by visiting the American-Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). In the meantime, here are some points worth sharing during BSHM.

BSHM May Prompt These Questions from a Speech Language Pathologist

Does a patient think a hearing aid is in order? If he or she can identify with these symptoms the answer may be yes.

• Pain or ringing in the ears
• Keeping the volume on audio equipment so high that others complain
• Asking people to repeat themselves
• Paying rapt attention to the face of whomever is speaking (reading their lips)
• Frequently losing track of a conversation
• Turning an ear toward a sound to hear it better

SLPs Take Pride in Helping Patients of All Ages, With More than Just Their Hearing

Assisting in the rehabilitation of patients of all ages, with a spectrum of communication disorders only a speech language pathologist can treat is indeed a special calling. The National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders estimates that 43 million Americans have a communication disorder; of these 10% are school aged youth who need a speech language pathologist to teach them strategies to overcome their deficits and succeed in school. While these patients improve their grades, 1 in every 5 senior patients, over age 65 report a problem with their voice. The American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery is full of facts like these in honor of BSHM—they rightfully compel SLPs to love their work and you are encouraged to check them out!

American Traveler Has HOT Speech Language Pathology Jobs in:

• Texas therapy jobs
• Massachusetts therapy jobs
• California therapy jobs

Are You Ready to Apply Your Speech Language Expertise in America’s Best Hospitals?

There is no better time to become a speech language pathologist—especially when you align your talents with a staffing agency that staffs in America’s best hospitals across the country. Our speech language pathology jobs are in prestigious university teaching hospitals, outpatient clinics and outpatient centers, home health jobs, rehab centers and clinics. A comprehensive benefits package that includes perks like travel reimbursements, free private housing, free CEU credits, and more comes with the job! Call 1-800-884-8788 or apply online today to spring into the rest of 2012 with all the right career moves!

Read all about the best U.S. States for occupational therapists

Today is Friday the 13th, as good a time as any to plan your next career move. Fortunately, for occupational therapists, the career outlook couldn’t look any better; that’s why recruiting experts have narrowed the infinite possibilities by focusing on the Top 13 best places to work in occupational therapy. If you’re looking to find top benefits that include free private housing in one of these great cities, today might be your lucky day!

The Top 13 Places to Get Occupational Therapy Jobs in the USA

The following details on top states for occupational therapists make for great selling points—states made the list for their abundance in OT jobs, amazing healthcare facilities and top pay!

• California occupational therapy jobs couldn’t be any more golden! Come leave your heart in San Francisco, or work in therapy jobs throughout exciting Southern Cal.

• Colorado occupational therapy jobs are close to miles of white powder to ski on, or toast with hot chocolate from your ski chalet. There’s also great food and drink to be had in the mile high city of Denver!

• Iowa occupational therapy jobs, is a foray into the romance you saw in movies like Bridges of Madison County and Music Man. Therapy jobs in this corn-fed state let you live large!

• Illinois occupational therapy jobs are a Midwestern mix of wholesome fun, legendary casinos, world famous museums and pretty scenery. There’s more than enough Chicago nightlife to keep you busy on a day off.

• Maryland occupational therapy jobs are a train ride away from America’s most bustling cities, while offering plenty of reasons to stay put! Come experience Baltimore and see what the fuss was about in Hair Spray!

• Massachusetts occupational therapy jobs are close to so much, it’s hard not to get dizzy! Boston, Salem, historic bricks dripping in Ivy. It’s all there, and the food rocks! It’s also the home of top rated hospitals in the country.

• North Carolina occupational therapy jobs are a chance to live and work near the mountains and ocean! The art scene is really alive here and so are the weekend Farmers Markets.

• Ohio occupational therapy jobs are in Cincinnati and beyond; work close to Kentucky and other beautiful places in the Midwest.

• Oregon occupational therapy jobs are in cities, like Portland, known for innovations in living green; the local organic food scene is quite popular here, too. Oh, and the summers are gorgeous!

• South Carolina occupational therapy jobs are in the thick of the enchanting South. Enjoy the southern traditions, cooking, magnolias and nightlife.

• Texas occupational therapy jobs are offered in one of the largest healthcare systems in the United States, with cool cities to boot—no pun intended. Travel therapy in the Wild West rules!

• Virginia occupational therapy jobs are chock full of history, antiquing and a stone’s throw from the excitement of Washington DC!

• Wisconsin occupational therapy jobs offer a low cost of living and high quality of life. Travel therapists will love Milwaukee and the friendly, wholesome vibe that represents the pulse of America’s Dairy Land.

• Washington occupational therapy jobs are in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. Explore all that glitters in The Emerald City, also known as Seattle!

Therapy Jobs That Reflect Your Talent!

So there you have it! 13 thumbnail sketches of the best America has to offer in terms of high-paying and rewarding occupational therapy jobs. Planning for a career is important; your therapy job should reflect the breadth of your talent and clinical expertise. Call 1-800-884-8788 or apply online now to ensure smooth sailing in your therapy career—no cracks, just VIP customer care. Happy Friday the 13th, everyone!

Wednesday, March 14th was no ordinary hump day for American Traveler. It just happened to be the date of our annual appreciation party for R.N.s and corporate staff. Travel nurses enjoy a Florida spring appreciation party, and it was our pleasure to see the return of wonderful stories about the travel nurse lifestyle and other rewards found along the nursing career path. Our guests came together in Boynton Beach, where good food and camaraderie passed the night. We hope you’ll enjoy a few of the photographs saved from this event, where door prizes and goody bags were on the menu too.

From left to right, on first picture travel RN (left) & Joyce Streem (right), Senior Consultant; second picture Brandy Kapke (left), Assignment Advisor with Antoinette McCrary, R.N. (right); third picture  Dorothy Maloney, R.N. (left) and Amy Roll, (right) Consultant.

Vice President of Recruitment, Mary Kay Hull who also enjoyed the party, remarked that the guests she spoke with are truly amazing people. Case in point, Antoinette McCrary, R.N.—as young looking as she is at heart, shared her proud status of grandmother! We were just as surprised to learn of the storms Antoinette has weathered—literally! The year before joining American Traveler, she braved tornadoes that ravaged her home state of Alabama. Antoinette, who lost her SUV in the storm, impressed everyone with her story of fitting everything she needed for her travel nurse job into a small 2 seater Pontiac. Way to go, Antoinette; you are organized, resourceful and brave!

Other admirable and inspiring guests included Dorothy Maloney, R.N. Our staff applauds a team member who lives up to the company name! Dorothy, a consummate American Traveler, has let her travel nursing career take her from coast to coast. Since 2004, she has regaled us with stories from the American road, including travel nurse jobs in Arizona, California, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Connecticut and, most recently, a Florida nursing job—the reason we got to enjoy her company last month.

Want to Become an American Traveler?

Though we put the spotlight on these two travelers, we want everyone in attendance that night to know how appreciative we are of their talents and hard work; the same goes for everyone on the American Traveler team who couldn’t be with us for the party. It’s professionals like you who make the delivery of top tier healthcare possible. If you or someone you know is searching for high paying and rewarding nursing jobs apply online or call 800-884-8788 today. We have R.N. and therapy jobs in all 50 U.S. states and offer referral bonuses! There’s no time like the present to enjoy free private housing and other great travel nursing benefits. We hope to see you soon!

Occupational therapists deserve a national month of recognition—that’s why the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) established April as the time to spread the word about OTs and the good they do for patients of all ages, coping with debilitating injury or illness. Thanks to them more people are living their lives to the fullest!

Patients aren’t alone in benefiting from rehab therapy; those who give it do as well, including OTs in travel occupational therapists jobs. The idea of “living life to its fullest” is embodied in the travel therapist lifestyle. They grow their careers by working in diverse clinical settings and earn, where applicable, a generous bonus that helps them make the most of new assignments—see for yourself by checking your eligibility with one of our consultants, or let a qualified friend know about American Traveler’s referral program.

Scenes from the Travel Therapist Lifestyle Are About Living Life To Its Fullest!

Imagine waking up with a view of Mount Rainier during a stint in Washington therapy jobs, dining on four star cuisine because of Texas therapist jobs, or exploring California’s beaches during your OT assignment on the West Coast. A top rated healthcare staffing agency can create the perfect arrangement and help you live life to its fullest; an important part of this happiness equation requires staying current on occupational therapy career trends—and one can do that easily by visiting the AOTA website.

Top ways of getting others involved and making the most of your Occupational Therapist Career

1. Stay Informed – click around for information about spreading the word on Awareness Month and connect with the AOTA web site.
2. Having a direct impact – find a job in a community where you can make a difference with your professional skills. The goal is to help people have independent, productive, and satisfying lives.
3. Support a positive-focused organization – if you can’t find a job that has a direct positive impact, another way to make a difference with your work is by supporting a company or organization that’s making a difference. Many rural hospitals focus on services and quality care. Search for OT jobs in Washington and Iowa.
4. Mentoring and transferring knowledge – Ask yourself a simple question: “Who needs help, and how can I help them?” Mentoring can be formal or informal. If you have knowledge that someone new to the OT career could benefit from, make sure to pass it along. One way is to inform your OT friends and colleagues about the rewarding careers in travel therapy jobs. As a travel OT professional, you will acquire skills and knowledge from different settings, benefit from a variety of free benefits, and advance your career. OTs can find rewarding jobs nationwide.

These are just a few ideas from a mile long list of possibilities. Make sure you consider them all on your quest for top earning therapy jobs in all 50 U.S. States!

New occupational therapist career opportunities are opening up all over the United States; including COTA jobs. We offer therapists, as part of a full benefits package, free private housing that overlooks some of the best site seeing America has to offer. Call an American Traveler representative today at 800.884.8788 or apply online. A half-empty cup is waiting to be topped out at full, once you find your dream occupational therapist job!

Related Blog:

If you’re interested in how to get organized and apply for an occupational therapy job, read this article: List of Documents for Travel Nurse & Travel Therapy Jobs

For RNs who love to travel, it’s a happy coincidence that the top 10 travel nurse job locations of the season just happen to be in America’s most loved spring break destinations. American Traveler offers high paying travel nurse careers in the top 10 states for R.N. jobs. Please read our preview of springtime highlights and apply while opportunities last.

• California: The Golden state is packed with California nursing jobs, from San Francisco to L.A. Be sure your Easter plans include a garden tour, April poppy festival or farmers market in the fresh spring air!
• Ohio: There’s nothing prettier and greener than Ohio nursing jobs in the springtime. Take advantage of it, by visiting the plethora of outdoor spring events offered statewide, from Earth Day events in Cleveland to the herb fairs and butterfly shows in other parts of the state.
• Texas: Texas travel nursing is a sunny and musical affair, offering well known annual concerts that draw in music lovers from around the country. Mark your calendars, April 20^th for the Texas Crawfish & Music Festival in Houston!
• Florida: This state has been receiving top billing as a spring break destination for decades; we don’t have to tell R.N.s in Florida nursing jobs how much they deserve a little R&R on the beach!
• New York: Want to be a part of it? New York travel nurses look forward to the annual Tribecca Film Festival, world famous auto show and Easter Parade.
• Virginia: Love a tree in bloom? Take time off from the Virginia travel nurse job to see the Apple Blossom festival in neighboring D.C. or Culpepper Day in downtown Culpeper, VA.
• Michigan: Whether you want to enjoy a tulip or lilac festival is the biggest question of the day, but no matter what, Michigan travel nurse jobs are all roses in April! Be sure, too, to get to Ann Arbor, where the downtown comes alive with Springtime fun!
• Washington: Seattle offers those in Washington nursing jobs the chance to take in culture at the annual Folklore Festival, or skip the city and snap photos of the Skagit Valley tulips.
• Nevada: Springtime in the Silver State infuses Nevada travel nurse jobs with the best of all four seasons, offering diverse climates and activities from one end of the state to the other.
• Oregon: Take your pick of daffodil and tulip festivals, beer & wine fests and other cultural events with a gorgeous springtime backdrop. Oregon travel nursing has it all!

The Best Option to Get a Travel Nurse Job Now

If any of the Top 10 travel nursing locations appeal to you, be sure to follow through to the best option when applying—and that means filling out a complete online application. R.N.s save time when they skip the quick application and go straight to the complete application, putting you at the head of the line! Our consultants are standing by and excited to hear from you! Start packing…

If you are doing a RN job search on your mobile phone, just go to Google and type “travel nurse jobs.” When you see American Traveler come up, click on the link and you will be taken to our mobile site at m.americantraveler.com/ . Or, you can just add the American Traveler mobile site to your mobile favorites and make it even easier to find the latest travel nurse jobs or allied jobs; while you are at work or on the go.

Search for jobs anywhere in the country and apply for allied jobs or nursing jobs immediately. Plus, you can find other important resources and quickly contact us.

Related Blog: Mobile Jobs Alert

By enrolling in the FREE CEU course offered by American Traveler entitled Social Networking; Putting Your Best Post Forward, you’ll learn how to make Social Media work in your favor. In the meantime, take a moment to see what might help get you hired in the Social Media stratosphere.

1. Qualifications

When compiling online Profiles, it’s beneficial to list certifications, specialties, professional development, education and commendations. Include specific medical technologies you’ve been trained on and computerized patient care software you’re familiar with.

2. Creative Content

This might include links to bona fide online resources (i.e. journal articles of interest, trade association websites, legislation, regulations, etc.) on your Facebook page; research projects, surveys and PDFs or links where you have been published. This is especially valuable for active nurse bloggers looking to boost credibility as a nursing expert.

3. Communication Skills

If an employer stumbles upon your Facebook page, you’ll want them to see that your postings are well thought out and written.  As much as you may like to use slang in everyday conversation, there is no place for it on your Profile page or other pages you rely on for professional networking on the Web.  Put your best writing foot forward when posting. Though Microsoft spell check isn’t to the end all to catching errors, write your post in a Word Doc first and proof prior to uploading. Check for spelling and grammar before you post! If you’re no good at proofing, ask a family member or friend.

4. Community Service

Employers love to hire nurses known for volunteerism and giving back to the community. For instance, if you have participated in a Relay for Life event, include in your Profiles. If you spend time helping less than privileged kids or the elderly, teaching or doing pro bono nurse work for non-profits, then highlight for prospective employers. This will add value and marketability to your profile.

5. References

References should be vague and limited to the types of facilities you worked (i.e. hospitals, outpatient centers, home health, private practice, etc.) – not the name of the facility unless it is renown, such as John Hopkins, the Mayo Clinic, etc.  If you have worked for award winners, list the specific award, not the recipient. This will help keep you anonymous and protect you and current and former healthcare employers. Don’t list specific names and numbers of references on the Internet. You can always provide these upon request, in particular through your American Traveler Consultant.

To learn more about Social Networking; Putting Your Best Post Forward or to sign up for the Course, speak with an American Traveler Consultant at 800-884-8788.

Takeaway for participants:

• Understand which social networks are most popular within the nursing profession.
• Understand who has access to these networks.
• Learn techniques on how to use social media responsibility.

More resources to help nurses use Social Media

A Nurse’s Guide to the Use of Social Media – by NCSBN

Related blogs about Social Media use for Nurses

• Top Five “Don’ts” for Nurses Using Social Media
• Social Media May Impact Nurse Jobs Search More than You Think