Read American Traveler’s Interview with an R.N. living in featured housing in Maui Tara is a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA), who has taken her decade-long experience in urology and the perioperative setting to one of the most coveted beach destinations on the planet: Maui, where she now works in the island’s main hospital in an exciting Hawaii travel nurse job. Travel Nurse Q&A For R.N.s who might be looking to take a leap like Tara, here is an enlightening Q&A session about the family friendly nature of travel nursing. Tara is joined on her assignment by her husband and two daughters, ages 4 and 8. AT: What is your favorite thing about your featured housing in Maui? Tara: Without the private housing option this adventure would not have been possible for us.  We have the beach right out our front door.  We enjoy breakfast on our private lanai with an ocean view and watch the whales out in the bay. At night we fall asleep to the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach. AT: What kinds of things do you and your family like to do in [+]

Get romantic travel nurse ideas and other "hearty" facts here RN's in the nation’s best travel nurse jobs are setting a great example for colleagues and patients by showing their hearts are in the right place. On February 4th many of them will observe "Wear Red Day" to help raise awareness on stroke and heart attack prevention. But every good travel nurse knows this isn't enough. Throughout the calendar year, it's important to raise cardiac health awareness and practice what we preach by living an active, smoke-free lifestyle and eating right. A Travel Nurse Career Makes Your Heart Fuller! Valentine's Day has amazing potential for RN's and therapists in featured travel nurse jobs from coast to coast. Leave your heart in San Francisco in high-paying California nursing jobs, or get cozy for the rest of the winter in New England nursing jobs. Don’t like the cold? Catch a romantic sunset in Florida nursing jobs—no matter where you go on the nursing career path, when it’s with American Traveler you decide the length of your assignment and work closely with our recruiters to find ideal free private housing in the city of your dreams. If you need inspiration, click on these related Valentine's Day stories:[+]

Tips and Positive Affirmations for a Travel Nurse Career 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 [+]

An Exclusive Travel Nurse Interview 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 4th 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 [+]

Penny Krause, R.N. has fallen in love twice; first with her husband, and now with her travel nursing job! Her current assignment is in the southeastern part of the Wisconsin and close enough to Chicago that she can’t resist traveling there every chance she gets. Thanks to the flexibility of travel nursing jobs, Penny is in the Windy City quite a bit, and kind enough to share stories with us, of how she’s making the most of her travel nursing career, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Year Round Travel Nursing Fun! Penny and her husband spent New Year’s Eve on Chicago’s Navy Pier, watching a fantastic fireworks display. The pier is a place, says Penny, that is absolutely beautiful at Christmastime, especially with its indoor skating rink—and Chicago—is known for their deep dish pizzas, ethnic eateries, galleries and nightlife. And, Penny tells us, they are also looking forward to this summer when they can attend a Cubs game in the famous Wrigley Field. For Penny, it’s just a 20 minute drive or short trip on the Metro from her Wisconsin travel nursing job to reach Chicago, and once she’s there, a mere $18 [+]

Apply Early for Your State Nursing License and Get the Job You Want Most It’s commonplace now for healthcare employers to insist that registered nurses have their state nursing license already in hand before they’re interviewed. Experienced RNs looking for a top tier travel nursing agency turn to American Traveler for the highest paying travel nursing jobs . Our career resources help you meet nursing license requirements unique to individual state nursing boards, pursue nursing certifications and higher salaries, and so much more that gets your year off to an ideal start—all you need to do is get organized and let our Consultants help with the rest! A Word from VP of Recruiting on How It Pays to Be Prepared Travel nurse jobs are surefire way to earn great pay and benefits, like free private housing, that will see qualified registered nurses through a prosperous and well-planned 2011. "Health Professionals should look at their staffing agency as carefully as their financial planners; like them, experienced consultants plan for your best possible future, helping travel nurses and therapists establish a plan that works for jobs and job locations throughout the calendar year." says Mary Kay Hull, Vice [+]

Laura Coles, R.N., former American Traveler nurse, checks in from her African Mercy Ship 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 [+]

Nursing students who are tired of hauling around heavy -- and expensive --  medical textbooks will be glad to learn that electronic textbooks are taking a big step closer to reality. Software developer ScrollMotion has signed a deal with major textbook publishers, including McGraw-Hill, Random House, Wiley and Kaplan, to adapt their books for the soon-to-be-released Apple iPad. But don’t get too excited just yet. The e-textbook has a ways to go before it becomes widely available to students in nursing programs and elsewhere. Of course, publishers love the idea of creating electronic versions of their medical textbooks -- because of the savings in printing, production and storage costs, as well as the ability to update the books virtually.  And e-books have features that are particularly useful for the student, such as instant access to specific references; and brighter, more realistic graphics. Yet, electronic health textbooks have been slower coming to market than other educational materials such as medical journals, manuals and study guides. This is in part due to e-books’ limited technical capabilities and interactivity, which has held down demand among nursing students and others.  That is about to change. As McGraw-Hill executive Rik [+]

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?[+]

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 [+]