Have RN - Will Travel

How Do I Get Started - Part Five

Okay, you’ve got your paper work ready and you’ve decided what you need in your first assignment.  Now what?  Well, it’s time to start letting people know that you’re looking, and there are a couple of different ways to do that. 

You can do a search online for Travel Nursing Companies, and contact them individually.  You can visit on of the sites that submits you to MANY companies at once (I don’t recommend this unless you don’t mind getting dozens of calls from recruiters for years to come).  Or, you can do what I do, and visit a web site where many recruiters post their available positions by specialty and location, and contact those recruiters that have what you’re looking for. 

There are actually two different sites that I visit.  They are both on Delphi Forums.  One is for recruiters, and that is where you will find recruiters listing available positions.  The other is for travelers to communicate with each other, and is a VERY valuable source of information about travel companies, our special tax questions, hospitals that other travelers have been to, and much more.

TNT Recruiting Board - This is the Delhi Forum board that allows recruiters to list their available assignments.  Many of the posts will include information on the pay rate (remember, this is negotiable), what benefits they offer, and other information.  There is also a section where you can post to all the recruiters, telling them what specialty you are, where you want to go, when you want to go, and what pay rate you have to have.  Then you get responses only from those recruiters that have to offer what you're looking for. 

Travel Nurses and Therapists - This is the board where Travel Nurses themselves post informtion about companies they've worked for, hospitals they've been to, and city's they've been on assignment in.  You'll also find information on Taxes for Travelers, traveling with pets, and a lot more.  Just remember when you're reading about companies and recruiters, that it's all subjective.  Just because one Nurse had a bad experience, doesn't mean you will.  Also, not all Nurses are the same.  What one didn't like, you might just love.  So take it all with a grain of salt, or post a question.  It's been my experience that other travelers there are very responsive.

That's my best advice on finding your first, or next assignment.  Find a company that is offering positions where you want to go, or has the rate and benefit package that you're looking for, and then contact them.  If you find a recruiter that you like, give them the chance to look for that perfect assignment for you.  Stick to your guns on what you need.  If they won't budge on the rate, but you see other companies offering more, then move on to someone else. 

How Do I Get Started - Part Four

How you approach looking for that first assignment depends on the order you would ask the following questions.

Where will I go?

How much will I make?

What kind of benefits do you have?

First of all, let me say this.  How much money you bring home is going to be directly related to how many of the benefits that you partake of, and where you want to go.  Insurance is expensive, whether you get your own, or you let them provide it, it’s going to cost you.  If you have a spouse that can add you to your insurance, then do it.  You’ll make more money and won’t have to worry about changing your coverage every time you change companies.  If you don’t have a spouse who can provide your health insurance, and you have a medical history that will allow you to purchase health insurance of your own, then I recommend doing just that. You don’t have to worry about any lapses in coverage between assignments or meeting pre-existing condition clauses over and over.  If you can’t get coverage of your own, and will need the company to provide it, then you need to have any company that you’re considering traveling for send you information on their coverage.  If you have a major medical condition that you need to be covered for, and they offer a plan that has a pre-existing condition clause that precludes coverage for a year, then you may spend your entire 13 week assignment paying for coverage that you can’t use. At the end of your assignment, if you change companies, you’ll have to start all over again.  So even though you’d be covered against something new or catastrophic, you might lack the coverage you need for your existing problems.  Also, some company’s insurance coverage doesn’t kick in for 90 days, convenient if your contract is for exactly those 90 days. 

So if your first question is going to be about the insurance coverage, then you’re going to have a little more research to do than someone that doesn’t need company provided coverage.  Don’t let someone tell you in a casual phone conversation about their coverage.  Make them send you information about the plan that you can compare to other company’s plans.  Read the fine print and make sure you’re not giving up 1 to 4 dollars an hour for something that you’ll never even qualify to use. 

There is no doubt about the fact that very big travel companies will offer you the best insurance plans, but they will also pay you the lowest hourly rate.  Just remember that if you need to use the insurance during your assignment, that lower rate may end up saving you a fortune.  It’s important to take care of yourself, so don’t risk settling for coverage that may not protect you as you’re traveling. 

If the fist question you’re going to ask is about where you’re going, then you’re lucky.  This means that you’re in a position to make finding someplace new and exciting a priority, and puts you in a good bargaining position.  If going to the beach in

Florida

is more important to you than insurance, 401K, or a couple of dollars more an hour, then I envy you.  Decide where you want to go, and market yourself to companies that have positions available there.  (I’ll tell you later just how to find them).

If how much money you’re going to make is the first and foremost thought in your mind, then you’re in a pretty good bargaining position as well.  Don’t be surprised at the wide range of rate offers that you’re going to run into.  There are a lot of variables that a company has to include in their rate, and each one will be different.  The size of the company, their overhead, their profit margin, and whether or not they are sub contracting will all play a part.  Believe me, it’s not unusual to find two different companies marketing the same travel assignment and be 7 to 10 dollars an hour apart.  Be honest, let them know right up front that money is number one, and housing, benefits, and perks come in a distant second.  Most companies will quote you one rate for including all their benefits, but tell them you want to know the rate if you don’t take their insurance.  When you get that rate, ask them how much more you can get if you don’t take the rental car, and drive your own.  When you get that rate, ask them what the rate is if you share housing (if you’re willing)  Don’t just ask for the rate if you don’t take any of their benefits and perks, get them to break down each one into an hourly amount and then decide what you want to pay for and what you don’t.

You also have to make sure that you know what kind of rate they are giving you.  Some companies will quote you “blended” rates. Basically that means they’re tanking you regular rate, and any scheduled over time rate, and averaging them.  Make them break that rate down for you into a base rate and an overtime rate, so that you can compare it to other offers.  Also, if you don’t understand what a tax advantage rate is, you need to.  Believe it or not, someone paying $35 an hour with a tax advantage split will increase your take home pay over someone paying $37 an hour with no tax advantage split.  Read my post on how the tax advantage works if you need to.  Better yet, just get your calculator out and figure it yourself.  You’ll be surprised at how much it affects what you bring home.  But you need to know how it impacts your tax filing as well.

There are things you can do to increase your rate.  Traveling with a friend and sharing housing is a big one.  One takes the housing, one takes the stipend and you split it.  You can increase you take home by as much $400 to $1000 a month by sharing housing.  Take your own car instead of having them provide a rental.  Rental cars can cost up to $900 a month in some areas and most companies will give some of that back to you in your rate if you they offer it and you don’t take it.  Find your own housing and take the stipend.  You will almost always be able to find housing at your assignment that costs less than the stipend they will offer.  Just remember, if you’re finding your own, it will be in YOUR name.  That means that every time you change locations, there will be credit checks and contracts, utilities and furniture rentals that you have to deal with.  Still, the company doesn’t like dealing with all this either, so offering to find your won can put at least a few hundred dollars a month in your pocket. 

You have to determine what is important to you in an assignment, and prioritize those needs so that when you start talking to recruiters you can convey to them what’s important to you, what you MUST get, and what you’re willing to negotiate on.  Believe me, the first offer you get, is never the best they can offer.  Don’t be afraid to ask for more.  If they think you’re serious about taking a position, they’ll want to get you on their team.  That’s how they make money.

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.

How Do I get Started - Part Two

If your curiosity got you past step one, there are a few things that you need to know about Travel Nursing.

First of all, it’s a paperwork intensive process in the beginning.  With applications, licenses, certifications, physician’s statements, referrals – you feel like you’re going to drown in paper work at first.  There’s a secret to handling your paperwork though, and in Part 3, I’ll go over it in detail. 

There are a few mistakes that you can make in the early going.  The first one is contacting Travel Companies before you’re actually ready to start traveling.  As much as I know from personal experience that a good recruiter can be your best ally, they can also be very persistent and a little pushy.  It’s important for you to have all your ducks in a row, and really be ready to start traveling before you take off on that first assignment.  So do some research, talk to other travelers, but be careful about seeming to make any commitments until your ready to start packing.

Let me give you one little piece of advice.  DO NOT fill out a bunch of online applications, and if you do, DO NOT include your phone number on them.  Some of the sites on the internet that you will see if you do a search for “travel nursing” will send you to web sites who do nothing but collect the names and phone numbers of Nurses showing an interest in traveling, then they turn around and sell that information to travel companies as leads.  Before you know it, you are getting literally dozens of cold calls a day from recruiters for companies you never even heard of.  Believe me, it is possible to get up to 15 calls a day from recruiters that you never personally sent any information to. 

Second, bigger isn’t always better.  There are HUGE travel companies, and then there are very small ones, and every size in between.  They each have their benefits, and you have to decide which the right “fit” is for you.  Some companies have great benefits, but those benefits will cost you.  In some cases, they cost a lot.  Some companies have great pay rates, but you give up some of the perks that someone paying less may offer.  Some companies will help you maximize your take home by offering a tax advantage rate, others won’t.  Some companies have hundreds of open positions, and some only a few at a time.  Some travel companies really aren’t travel companies at all – but sub-contractors that “sell” other companies open positions.  (You of course end up paying the price for that deal).  It’s a choice you make based on what you need in a pay rate, or will demand in a pay rate, and what benefits or perks are important to you. 

Third, never underestimate how important your recruiter really is.  This is the person that will find you your jobs, so the more interested they are in actually getting to know you, the better the fit will be when they actually place you.  Your recruiter is also the person that you’ll be relying on to act as a liaison between you and the company itself.  It’s the first person you’ll call when you have a problem, and you want someone who you like, trust, and is responsive to your needs in a timely manner EVERY TIME.  Once you do decide on a travel company, don’t be afraid to ask for a different recruiter if the one you initially get doesn’t seem to be working for you.  Some companies don’t like taking travelers out of one recruiters bank, and placing them in another, but they will to keep you working for them.  After all, you are money in the bank for them.  They know that if they don’t make you happy, then that money will go somewhere else.  If you need to, remind them of that.  I’ll tell you right now, that the recruiter that I work with 80% of the time is someone that I trust and rely on, and I have stayed with the company just for that reason when they had assignments where I wanted to go. 

Keep these three things in mind as you start into the planning phase of your first travel assignment. 

"How do I get started" Part One

You’ve already taken the first step towards taking your Nursing career in a new direction.  Curiosity about making more money, traveling to new places, that’s the first step.  Most people won’t go much further than that first step, but for a few it’s the first step in a great journey.  It was for me. 

There are a lot of reasons why Nurses are afraid to take off on their first travel assignment, but it’s been my experience that the reason most frequently holding someone back is that they see travel nursing as something other than a full time job.  Let’s face it, Nurses are hard working and responsible people.  A lot of the time they are the primary income for themselves and their families.  They have full time jobs with benefits that protect themselves and their families. While they want to make more money, and would love to spice up their careers, the idea of quitting a full time job to take on a 13 week assignment is a little scary.   They look 13 weeks into the future and think, “Then What if I can’t find another job”. 

It’s hard to convince a Nurse looking into traveling for the first time that they really can work as little or as much as they want, and never be without a job except for the few days it takes to get from your previous assignment to your next one, unless you just want to take a break.  I’ve been traveling full time for over 4 years now, and the only time I’ve spent between jobs is time that I wanted to spend, and thanks to my traveling career, could afford to spend. 

So if you’re taking that first step now, don’t let the fear of letting go of the security you get from a full time job in one hospital for the rest of your career stop you from taking that next step!  You will ALWAYS be able to find your next assignment, get it set up and scheduled so that you move out of one apartment, and move into your next one, in just a day or two if that’s what you want.  Even better, take a week or two off between assignments because you want to, but it won’t be because you have to. 

If you’re still curious – take a look at step TWO