How Do I Get Started - Part Three

-Okay, so you’ve decided you’re in.  Travel Nursing is for you.  Now what? 

It’s important to know that every company that you talk to is going to want you to fill out their application.  They want to get as much information about you as they can right up front, so remember what I said in Part Two and don’t fill out anyone’s application unless you really think you might go to work for them.  They don’t need an entire application just to talk to you about assignments they have available, or about the package they can offer you. 

I recommend that you have a brief resume that you can email or fax to them.  Not the full meal deal with all your work history employers, references, etc.  Just a brief resume that lists the number of years experience you have in each area of nursing (MS, ER, ICU, OR), any charge or management experience, and your certifications (ACLS, PALS, ENPC, TNCC).  Don’t be afraid to tell a recruiter that you don’t want to fill out an entire application until they present you with something that your interested in APPLYING for.

Keeping you traveling records organized in a way that makes it easy for you to submit them when you need to will make your life much easier later on, believe me.  I use my lap top computer with Wi-Fi, a scanner, Microsoft Office, and Gmail to keep my records easily accessible for me at almost any time.  Anywhere I have internet access, I can send EVERYTHING wherever I need to. 

I scan my licenses, SS card, DL, certification cards, references, physicals, into files that I can attach to emails or send by e-fax.  I also use Gmail as my internet mail, which allows me to upload documents to Google Documents that I can access directly from my email.  That way I have a copy of everything on my computer, and then one saved for me on the internet for when I don’t have access to my own laptop. 

The time you spend organizing your paper work is well spent.  It will save you a lot of time and headaches later on.  Set up folders in your email to keep all correspondence between you and anyone that you talk to about your career online.  You’ll need to keep copies of everything, and soon you’ll have mountains of records your keeping track of, you need to get organized. 

Here’s a list of the things you will eventually need to send to the company that you do accept an assignment with:

1. Your Brief Resume
2. Your Full Resume
3. Copy of your Nursing License/Licenses
4. Copy of your SS Card and DL
5. Copy of Current Physican’s Statement if you have one
6. Copy of TB Test if Current
7. Copy of MMR and Chicken Pox Titers if you have them
8. Reference letters from at least 3 colleagues
9. A list of at least 3 personal references

There are also a few things that they’re going to need to send you, or you will need to download to fill out. 

10. The application  -  Every company has an application of their own, and they are all very long and time consuming to fill out.  The nice thing about it is that they will accept another companies application, so what I recommend is to download any companies application.  Print it out.  White out the name of the company (make it generic).  Then fill it out, and scan it.  Now you have one that you can use over and over again.  Keeping a separate work history updated in a separate MS office or works file makes sending an updated application to anyone easy.

11. The Skills check list.  -  Same thing here.  Get one, white out the name, fill it out and scan it.  Use it over and over.  You’ll have to update it as the years go by, but that’s easy.

12. Direct Deposite and Tax forms.  These are the two forms that you’ll need to keep specific for each company.

Spend a little time getting all this paperwork together.  When you’re ready to apply, you’ll be glad you did.