It’s catching on as quickly as a smoking habit itself: more hospitals in more states putting an end to hiring registered nurse smokers. So far, Pennsylvania and Georgia, Missouri, Massachusetts, Tennessee and Texas lead the pack. Others are expected to follow.

“Hospital administrators say it’s about improving worker productivity, reducing healthcare costs and promoting healthy living,” said Clinical Account Manager, Deborah Bacurin for American Traveler Staffing Professionals, a leading provider of Florida nursing jobs.  “We’re getting more calls for travel nurse nicotine screens and the buzz nationwide is to expand the practice.”

In a readers poll conducted by media giant, Tribune Company, more than half of 522 respondents said healthcare employers should ban smoking. Thirty-nine percent answered “no way,” it’s a violation of smoker’s rights, and five percent were undecided.*

Cleveland Clinic director, Paul Turpeluk, told the New York Times** earlier in the year that his organization had received numerous requests in recent months from healthcare employers looking to transit to non-smoking environments. Cleveland Clinic stopped hiring smokers in 2007, pioneering a contagious movement to cut costs and improve employee performance. On average, smokers cost healthcare employers almost $3,400 more per worker per year for lost productivity and health care, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Though worker’s rights groups like the National Workrights Institute and American Civil Liberties Union object to smoking bans at hospitals, saying the practice discriminates against smokers and those who use “lawful products” – it’s unlikely either will win this battle, Bacurin said. There are simply too many proven health risks, including cancer and death, associated with smoking.

Join the Great American Smokeout

Every year on November 17^th, the American Cancer Society holds the Great American Smokeout, a day dedicated to encouraging smokers nationwide to quit and to live healthier lives. Now in its 36^th year, the saying for the day is “Help create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.”

While some healthcare employers will celebrate the Great American Smokeout for just one day, others will ban smoking permanently, and even more will ask for nicotine screens in travel nurse drug tests.

Want to learn more about Travel Nurse Jobs, Nursing Jobs in Florida, or other spectacular communities? Call American Traveler at 800-884-8788 or apply online today.

Read about living longer and happier as a travel nurse

American Cancer Society Guide to Quitting Smoking

*Poll: Should hospitals ban smoking? Sun-sentinel October 18, 2011. Results not scientific.

**A. G. SULZBERGER Hospitals Shift Smoking Bans to Smoker Ban, New York Times, February 10, 2011.

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!

All compassionate people, which include R.N.s, doctors, therapists and travel nurses have a unique opportunity this month to help create more birthdays. Getting started is as easy as clicking a link to find a breast cancer awareness event near you, or spending some time on the National Breast Cancer Awareness site to connect with the most recognizable organizations in this fight.

We’re proud of our participation in breast cancer awareness events over the years, in efforts that include corporate staff making strides, or blogging about R.N.s’ revolutionizing work in preventing breast cancer patient hair loss during chemotherapy. We encourage our registered nurses to use their clinical training in helping to disseminate knowledge on the early detection of breast cancer, as well as tips on living a healthier lifestyle.

R.N.s Make Strides on the Right Nursing Career Path

American Traveler is your direct link to landing a permanent or travel nurse job in one of the nation’s best hospitals; 80% of our affiliates top the list in U.S. News & World Report, featuring the most prestigious teaching and rehabilitation hospitals where groundbreaking treatments for different cancers are on an uptick with survival rates moving in the same positive direction. If you’re an R.N. trained in oncology jobs or advanced practice nursing jobs in Med/Surg, be sure to look for your perfect career fit here!

Medical Surgical Nursing Job Search

American Traveler Helps You Make a Difference

Call 1-800-884-8788 or apply online today for a chance to improve the lives of the patients who need you! Great benefits, free private housing, bonuses and travel reimbursements await you in both permanent and travel nurse jobs that span all 50 U.S. States! Remember, you don’t have to be an oncology nurse to make a positive difference in the lives of breast cancer patients and survivors—every nurse who spreads awareness gets us that much closer to a cure.

Related blogs:  Travel Nurses Hope to “Make Strides” in 2010 Breast Cancer Awareness Month includes tips on how to stay healthy in your remission from breast cancer.

It was our pleasure this summer to catch up with Rhonda Ward, R.N., who is enjoying a travel nurse job in Juneau, Alaska right now. A registered nurse for over 20 years and currently working in Endoscopy, Rhonda opened up about the travel nurse lifestyle, and why it’s so special.

AT: Is this trip to Alaska your first travel nurse assignment?

RW: No, this Alaska travel nurse job is my second, but my first with American Traveler. I’m really liking it so far and would love to extend, maybe work in a Hawaii nursing job next. I’ve had the opportunity to see a lot of the Pacific Northwest this summer, and that’s why I wouldn’t mind staying.

AT: Can you tell us about any day-trips or short vacations you’ve been able to do while on assignment?

RW: Actually, Seattle’s not too far, so I accepted an invitation to meet up with Jennie Rayner over the 4^th of July weekend.

AT: Hmmm…Jennie Rayner. That name sounds familiar! Wait a minute! She’s one of our travel nurse recruiters. Are you two friends?

RW: Yes, we are! Jennie’s my recruiter, and I got to know her while she was helping me through the placement process. I was really glad that we had the chance to tour Seattle together. We walked along the waterfront by the piers, saw them throw fish at Pike Place Market, had lunch at the Hard Rock – I felt like I’d known her forever, even though it was the first time we’d met face to face.

AT: Do you have lots of great photos?

RW: Jennie’s teenage daughter tagged along that day and took some awesome photos! I’m looking forward to showing them around. We packed in quite a bit before I flew back to Juneau.

AT: Are there any standout Alaskan experiences you’d like to share?

RW: Yes! All the wildlife I’ve seen, like orcas, grizzly bears and eagles. I try and get out for a hike every chance I get – I love the trails and glaciers –and I love sharing my experiences with the other great travel nurses I’ve met. I’ve also met lots of fisherman out here. One even treated me to a gift: a whole smoked salmon that I had to stow away in my fridge (made much easier by having nearby housing).

AT: Well, Rhonda, it’s been fun. Let’s wrap up with the best advice you can think of for R.N.s interested in becoming travel nurses.

RW: Don’t be afraid. Just come on out and get your feet wet. You won’t be sorry!

Want to get YOUR feet wet? Call 1-800-884-8788 or apply online today; with compact nursing licenses and so many travel nurse jobs and great locations to choose from, you could have your dream job anywhere in the USA! We look forward to hearing from you!

Related Link – Travel Nurse Interviews

Scrubs have come a long way since they catered exclusively to surgeons “scrubbing in” for the OR; no longer strictly blue or green, color choices in medical scrubs abound—and today the majority of registered nurses are proud to wear them. Laura Ashley, Disney and Timberland labels are just a few designers behind fun scrubs, relegating the starched white dress and hat of yesteryear to the back of most registered nurses’ closets.

There are, however, a few hospitals in Ohio, Georgia and Utah—the later being one of 24 compact nursing states in the U.S.—that mandate the white uniform for nurses, a rule that eliminates patients’ confusion when it comes to distinguishing among hospital staff. Considering that scrubs outfit so many in healthcare—from doctors and nurses to food and housekeeping personnel—it’s important to note hospital I.D. badges.

Travel Nurse Jobs Feel Most Comfortable When They are Outfitted with the Right Resources

American Traveler wants members of our team to have access to the very best nursing career resources, so with the spirit of this in mind, we’ve provided a shortlist of some of the best places to find quality scrubs and shopping discounts. In travel nurse jobs, you’re all dressed up with EVERYWHERE to go, seeking convenience, comfort and high style when you get there.

• Scrubs Magazine dispenses tips for registered nurses, like “the 6 do’s and don’ts for putting together great scrubs” and a slide show of smartly dressed R.N.s.
• Life Uniforms claims to have the best deal on designer scrubs—including uniforms based off the hit series Grey’s Anatomy; if you’re not purchasing uniforms online, you can make a visit to their West Reading, PA shop, where in-store stock clothes thousands in Pennsylvania nursing jobs.
• If Grey’s Anatomy scrubs appeal to your fashion sense, you can download coupons from PulseUniform.
• Looking for deep discounts on work clothes? Bookmark this scrubs’ coupons site!
• Nursescrubs.com is an online uniform retailer with deals as low as $10 for medical scrubs!

What’s in Your Closet? Leave a Comment Here or on the American Traveler Facebook page

Do you work in a clinic or doctor’s office that buys scrubs in a group sale, so everyone on staff is similarly attired or does every travel nurse sport her own style? We know our travel nurses are dressing smart, so we’re asking for a front row seat in this season’s line-up of great scrubs—write in, with what’s in your closet, and don’t be shy about contacting one of our recruiters today for optimal job placement, plus top pay and benefits in the nation’s best travel nursing jobs! You are always en vogue when you apply online or call 800-884-8788 today!

Registered nurses interested in landing the best travel pediatric nursing jobs in the country—at  teaching hospitals, magnet nurse facilities and large medical centers with cutting edge PICU jobs that treat critically ill newborns—are well advised to pay attention to this Years Honor Roll for Best Children’s Hospitals.

Leading travel nurse staffing agencies put Peds nurses and NICU nurses on the map for award winning pediatric care. What about you, personally? Will your next travel nurse job be at a top ranking facility for children with life-threatening or rare conditions beyond the capabilities of most hospitals? Read on for a clearer picture of which medical centers rank the highest in nurse-patient ratios, access to specialists and top notch quality of care in every pediatric specialty.

Pediatric Nursing:  Get high ratings for nurse –patient ratio’s

The U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll distinguished the best 62 medical facilities (ranked high in at least one specialty) out of more than 5,000 hospitals reviewed— the Best Children’s Hospitals rankings are facilities that treat children with cancer, cystic fibrosis, defective hearts and more, demonstrating superior care and are rated high for surgical volume, nurse-patient ratios, programs for children with terminal or life-limiting conditions, and number of bone marrow transplant services offered.

The Best Children’s Hospitals in the United States
These top 8 healthcare providers excel in all 10 pediatric specialties, with some on the list receiving a #1 ranking in the country for a specific Peds specialty.

• Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is ranked #1 for Gastroenterology.
• Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC: this hospital excels in all 10 pediatric specialties and received recognition for cutting edge approaches in treating brain tumors.
• Children’s Hospital Boston: Massachusetts nursing jobs aspire to the excellent quality of service provided at this Boston hospital, ranked #1 for 3 specialties that include kidney disorders, heart and neurosurgery
• Children’s Hospital Los Angeles: this hospital, located on Sunset Boulevard is known for raising millions to benefit cancer research.
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: Ranked #1 in the 3 pediatric specialties of Neonatology, Diabetes &  Endocrinology and Pulmonology
• New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell: this hospital, in the heart of New York City, returns to the Honor Roll in a consistent show of excellent healthcare
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: located in Memphis, TN, St. Jude is ranked #1 in the nation for treating kids with cancer.
• St. Louis Children’s Hospital-Washington University: this hospital, founded in 1879, has provided a full range of pediatric services for generations.
• Texas Children’s Hospital: this Houston based hospital is proud of its Top #3 national ranking for pediatric heart surgeries.

American Traveler, accredited by The Joint Commission, maintains a healthy business relationship with elite institutions in healthcare, like the ones mentioned above. During the last decade, we have staffed over 75% of the best hospitals nationwide. Registered nurses looking for jobs in some of these prestigious facilities can call us at (800) 884-8788 or apply online; we’ll match your talents with the top institutions in healthcare today.

Past and present team members whose love of travel is as strong as their desire to heal patients inspire us at American Traveler. Laura Coles, R.N. is just the sort of registered nurse we’re talking about; one of our favorite travel nurses, Laura still keeps in touch. She sent our Senior Consultant Kristin Zandee a letter chock full of interesting details on what she’s been up to, working on Mercy Ships in Africa!  Laura’s fellow travel nurses are welcome at her blog, Nursing Adventures In Faith.

Kristin and the rest of us are eager for Laura to resume her travel nurse career this September. We first met Laura when she was hungry to work “just one!” travel nurse job before her Africa trip. Kristin admired Laura’s patience and positive attitude—that, coupled with 4 years experience in the ER, landed her a wonderful travel nurse assignment in Texas—a place she was reserved about at first, but ultimately fell in love with as a great first travel experience—one that lead to amazing friendships.

The Texas hospital rated Laura, all excellent, in her evaluation; they didn’t want to see her go. They must agree with our Consultant Kristin Zandee, who describes Laura Coles as “truly, of the most positive travelers I’ve ever worked with.”

Of Kristin, Laura is equally complimentary, thankful for her support. “You are my recruiter and my friend,” she said, adding how grateful she is to travel nursing for being so “open, allowing and encouraging” of foreign adventures. Laura has graciously offered to send some more Mercy Ship nurses Kristin’s way!

Africa Mercy Ship

In the meantime check out these valuable travel nursing career tips on:

• Acing Your Next Travel Nurse job
• Excelling at your RN job interview
• Balancing work and travel

And don’t be shy about writing Kristin Zandee for guidance in landing the ultimate travel nursing job!

]]> http://www.americantraveler.com/travel-nursing-blog/index.php/rn-work-at-africa-mercy-ship/feed/ 3 http://www.americantraveler.com/travel-nursing-blog/index.php/cdc-site-good-resource-er-nurses/ http://www.americantraveler.com/travel-nursing-blog/index.php/cdc-site-good-resource-er-nurses/#comments Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:00:47 +0000 Travel Nursing Career Blogger http://www.americantraveler.com/travel-nursing-blog/?p=369 Here’s a heads-up to NEURO and ER nurses everywhere: Did you know that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 1 million emergency-room visits per year for traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussion?  Worse: “Each year, U.S. emergency departments treat an estimated 135,000 sports- and recreation-related TBIs, including concussions, among children ages 5 to 18.”

As an ER nurse, you probably do know that many of these brain injuries go ignored far too long, resulting in complications, hospitalizations and even death.  To help get the word out about the seriousness of concussions and TBIs, the CDC has launched a Concussion in Sports Web page.

This Web page is loaded with useful information and statistics for consumers — coaches, parents and others — including the basics of how to recognize a possible brain injury or concussion or what to do if a concussion occurs.

But the site is also an invaluable tool for the ER nurses and other healthcare professionals, too. Let’s say you just took an American Traveler assignment for a pedriatric ICU job in Cincinatti, or for a critical care job in Hudson, FL (these jobs are actually available right now!) — and a suspected brain-injury case comes walking through the door.

Well, the CDC site has a handy page titled Brain Injury in Your Practice that helps physicians (and NEURO nurses) “play a key role in helping to prevent mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) or concussion and improve a patient’s health outcomes through early diagnosis, management, and appropriate referral.”

This page also contains a link to MTBI clinical diagnosis guidelines for four key questions:

• Which patients with MTBI should have a head CT scan in the ER
• Is an MRI more useful than a CT scan when assessing a patient with acute MTBI?
• In MTBI patients, are brain specific blood serum biomarkers predictive of an acute traumatic intracranial injury?
• Should an MTBI patient with a normal neurologic evaluation and a negative CT scan be discharged from the ER?

This is a Web page that should definitely be bookmarked before you head to any more American Traveler ER nurse jobs!  And ER nurses, please let us know of any other invaluable job resources you have discovered in your travels!

According to a recent story in the New York Times, “the American Academy of Family Physicians projects a shortfall of 40,000 physician generalists — family practitioners, pediatricians, general internists and geriatricians — by 2020, even without significant changes to the current health care system.”

This shortfall, experts predict, will increase the importance of the nurse practitioner — because nurse practitioners will be needed to do even more of the tasks now performed by physicians.

The nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has received specialized education (usually, a master’s degree) in a selected field.  These positions offer the chance for work in health education, counseling and customized care.  Nurse practitioners’ duties vary by state depending on regulation; but generally, they include diagnosing and treating illnesses, ordering tests, prescribing drugs and making referrals to specialists.

Nurse practitioners typically work in primary care, whereas physician assistants generally work for specialists.  But either way, these specialized areas of the nursing profession are going to be in high demand. (And, even more so, considering the projected shortfall of all types of nurses will be 260,000 in the next 15 years.)

Therefore, it makes sense to get as much additional training and education as possible to increase your potential worth as a registered nurse.  See our recent blog with suggestions on what advanced nursing certifications and credentials to pursue.

And, the good news is, there may be money coming from Uncle Sam for some of this education. Says the Times:

“The health care bills moving through Congress contain provisions that would increase funding for nurse training programs, including one aimed specifically at raising the number of advanced practice nurses, which include nurse practitioners.”

Registered nurses, if you are thinking about advanced specialized training or you are currently enrolled, please share with us your comments or recommendations!

“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 certifications the better – and the more advanced, the better.

Here are Bacurin’s suggestions for certifications in their specialty that RNs should pursue:

• ED: PALS, NRP, ENPC, TNCC, CATN, CEN
• Critical Care: PALS, NRP, TNCC, CCRN
• Tele: PALS, TNCC
• Peds: NRP, PALS, ACLS
• M/S: ACLS, PALS, TNCC

For those looking to change nursing-job specialties or increase your skills:

• M/S to Tele, ED or ICU: Go for the trauma certifications (TNCC, CATN); plus  advanced-life support certs such as ACLS or PALS
• L&D or M/B: Go for AWHHON, NRP or S.T.A.B.L.E.

For more information on these and other licenses and education programs, see our Nursing Professional Resources page; also, you can always discuss your options with your American Traveler consultant.

Meanwhile, share your nursing-training experiences with fellow travelers. What certifications and credentials have you found to be most valuable in advancing your travel nursing career?