It’s Hurricane Season, June 1st—November 30th! Here’s What You Can Do to Prepare For many healthcare professionals in nursing and therapy jobs across the United States, hurricane season registers as a far-away news story; however, for those living near the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes and tropical storms pose a very real threat—especially as Hurricane Season gets underway. National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 26 through June 1st, is a good time to take stock of emergency resources in your home and community. These are a few guidelines for setting up an emergency plan. Build up Your Water Supply: A gallon of water per person, per day is recommended. Having a 2 week supply of bottled water on hand is highly recommended. In preparation for a serious storm, it’s a good idea to clean and fill your bath tub, in case a power loss cuts water off. You can use the water to wash up, as well as flush toilets. Make Sure you Have Plenty of Food and a Can Opener: A supply of non-perishable food that could get a family through at least 5 days is recommended. Consider canned nuts, beans, fruits, vegetables, soft [+]

In the summer of 2001, it was a pleasure to meet Michael, an OR nurse. Back then, he was looking for a seamless way to go from New York back to his southern roots. This is his story of working on and off with American Traveler over the course of many years.

American Traveler: We really appreciate you sitting down with us—especially since you just started your new travel nurse job in Virginia. It’s great to have you back! Mike: Thanks, I remembered how wonderful the American Traveler team was, and knew that working with you again was a no-brainer, given that I needed to relocate. American Traveler:  Can you tell us if your recruiter, Elizabeth Russell has helped you with this goal, and why you had to move from Indiana to Virginia? Mike: Elizabeth has been just great! My wife, Amy, whom I met during my first travel nurse assignment, accepted an R.N. job in Virginia, and Elizabeth understood my urgency in following her out there. American Traveler: Working in Virginia is going to be a big change! Take us back 10 years to when you began working in Ft. [+]

 "Running into seasonal Maui residents like Steve Tyler is just another day in the life of this travel nurse!"

When nurses consider joining forces with a healthcare staffing agency that could land them in any one of the fifty U.S. states, visions of Hawaii might not be the first thing that occurs to them; yet it is a vision that became OR nurse, Kim J.’s reality when she began her travel nurse job in Maui in the Fall of 2012. American Traveler got in touch with Kim, so she could share her story about living and loving life in one of the world’s most enchanting places. AT: Hi Kim! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. Kristin Zandee, your travel nurse consultant said that when asked if you’d be open to chatting with us you said, "Why not? I am only sitting on the beach listening to the waves lap on the shore today." Do you have lots of days like that? Kim: Yes, this Hawaii travel nursing jobs has been wonderful enough that I just started my second assignment here in Maui. I work [+]

February is a high profile month for registered nurses in the CVICU and other healthcare professionals who treat heart patients. The coming of Valentine’s Day, with its metaphors to the human heart, ties in nicely with the American Heart Association and CDC’s efforts to reduce the occurrence of heart disease. Right now, the idea of indulging ourselves at our favorite restaurants and chocolatiers almost feels like a mandate. But it doesn't have to be. 5 Heart Healthy Ways to Celebrate!   Here are the handful of tips you'll need for thinking outside the (heart shaped!) box this February 14th. Skip the restaurant and pack a healthy picnic. Valentine’s Day has long been associated with the image of a couple sitting in a candlelit restaurant, ordering items like steak and Baked Alaska from the menu. Who needs long wait times and so many fat grams? Opt instead to pack a healthy picnic lunch, and enjoy it bundled up and overlooking the sunset. It’s easy to find low fat, heart healthy recipes that can be toted to favorite travel nurse destinations. Reinvent a Classic Dish ... by making it heart healthy. Culinary school is not necessary to reach [+]

From Coast to Coast - Top Nursing Job Locations For many years now, states with the greatest job shortages have been offering the highest nursing salaries in the country. Because of dense Baby Boomer populations, and these states’ appeal to retirees, nurses will always be welcomed with open arms in certain places. So get ready to bookmark where these states are and what they have to offer! If you’re a travel nurse, poised to take your career anywhere, the following U.S. states offer the highest paying R.N. jobs in the country! Here’s what hourly mean wages were in 2012 and what you can expect in 2013. Below that, is a quarterly breakdown of where in the U.S. to find the best nursing jobs. California nursing jobs offer $42.06/ an hour and higher, plus benefits that let you make the most of the Golden State. Florida nursing jobs not only average $30.29 per hour, but some hospitals there are offering huge sign-on bonuses for R.N.’s with specializations. New York nursing jobs put R.N.s in the high earning Tri-State are, averaging $35.58 per hour or more. Texas nursing jobs have a lower cost of living than [+]

Read her story about flexible travel nurse jobs and where they are taking her Ask travel nurse Linda DeLeon if she’s curled up with a good book lately, and the ER nurse is likely to tell you that yes, she’s been reading and writing her own literature to pass the wintry nights. In addition to being a busy R.N. travel nurse book signing in Delaware, the Louisiana native has also managed to pen, since 2010, two vampire novels with a third on the way. American Traveler caught up with Linda on an evening shortly before Christmas to talk about her books, Veil of Time and Fall Into Darkness; these tales of immortal love that span the 17th Century and into present day are part of a series, featuring a love triangle between James, a history professor, Vanessa and the enigmatic Claire, the protagonist in all three stories who Linda says is a character derived from her own life. And what a life! Linda has been a travel nurse before, but her current assignment is her first nursing job with American Traveler. She and her husband, who met in Las Vegas across a black jack [+]

American Traveler recommends that traveling nurses have their vehicles inspected for safety and proper working order in preparation for winter. Follow these 5 easy-to remember tips to ensure your vehicle starts in winter and gets you to travel nursing jobs safely. Though bringing your car, truck or SUV to a certified mechanic may cost you a few bucks, the life you may save in the process is priceless. Have your brakes checked. Have this done by a certified mechanic. If you’re new to a traveling nurse job then find one by asking fellow nurses or by searching the Internet for a nearby franchise that guarantees their work. Check your tires for tread. Too little or no tread on your tires is dangerous and increases the chances of sliding on ice and hydroplaning in the rain. Remember to check tire pressure regularly (spare tire too!) all year. Request an engine diagnostic. This will ensure your motor is running on all cylinders and will start when temperatures drop. Ask to have heaters, defrosters and cold weather electronics inspected for working order. Pack a motorist safety kit. No traveling nurses leaves home or work planning to breakdown [+]

U.S. News & World Report's 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 [+]

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:[+]

Is your Healthcare Employer joining this year’s Great American Smokeout? 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 [+]