So many unknowns--
Calling on all advice for
A path well-traveled.
Though most of my anxiety regarding travel nursing had to do with starting a new job with new people, learning a new electric record, not knowing where items on the unit would be located, etc., I quickly learned during my first assignment that other, separate, situations aren’t as simple as they seem. The hard work isn’t done after the contract is signed. Each element of moving to a new place requires detailed thought into how things will get done, when, and by whom. The hardest lesson: things don’t just fall into place; you have to put them there, or at least put them in motion, and you have to follow it all the way through. The job won’t wait for you and the agency won’t bail you out. So below are a just a few quick tips that I’ve learned so far on my first assignment to help you put one foot in front of the other.
First things first: THE LOCATION.
It doesn’t matter much that you have a job if you don’t have a place to live, a way to get to work, and don’t know your surroundings. So you’ve booked a flight or packed your car. You’ve traveled hundreds of miles from home (or at least 50 for it to count as travel nursing!). You’ve landed in the location you’ve picked to be your home, whether apartment complex or AirBnB or other. Now what? Do you know the protocol for physically getting in? Do you know where the keys are or what the home code is? Are the people who can help you available at the time of your arrival or is it “after-hours”?
If moving into a short lease apartment complex, you might need keys to outer and inner doors, a key to the mailbox, a laundry card, or a parking pass. Is the home furnished? I recommend settling in as quickly as possible and then finding yourself at the nearest superstore and/or grocery store– perhaps Target, Walmart, or Fred Meyers. Give yourself plenty of time to find the items that will make your stay comfortable and homey while remaining practical. Most people can endure without a dresser for their clothes for 3 months but reluctantly staying in your bedroom to avoid the drafty living room can get lonesome after a while– maybe splurge on a nice throw blanket instead and just hang all of your clothes from hangers which are cheap and easy to discard or donate when no longer needed.
Most importantly, don’t over do it. As much as I like a well-stocked kitchen, I am unlikely to prioritize any of those spices or that olive oil into my suitcase when it’s time to leave. If you don’t think you’ll use all, or at least most, of something, see if you can go without or buy the smaller size even if it’s not as cost effective. It could also be a nice idea to start the new job from the very beginning thinking, which of my new co- workers could use said item I won’t be taking with me? Or, is it something I could give or sell to a fellow travel nurse?
The next topic of importance: TRANSPORTATION.
If you drove to your new location, this one might be straight forward. But what if you flew? How close is your new home to the hospital? Do you need to rent a car or a bike or can you walk or take the bus? How much is a bus pass and how do you get one– from the main terminal downtown or do they have an app for that? If renting a car, consider if it is high season. Can you find a cheaper option on Facebook or Craigslist? If planning to bike, walk, or bus, is your new neighborhood safe to do so? If possible, do a trial run before the first day of orientation. And, even more crucial, do a trial run at the beginning and end of what will soon be your typical shift to see if it is safe and practical to choose biking, walking, or bussing at those times– it might be safe to walk during the day but not at night; the buses might have stopped running long before your shift ends; etc. Try to find out from experienced friends or bloggers online which neighborhoods to avoid and the areas with the highest crime. Ask the question in a Facebook group. I’ve found that fellow travelers are always eager to help and spread their knowledge.
Another aspect of transportation that often falls through the cracks is parking at work. Do a trial run to where you will be meeting day 1 of orientation to ease any anxiety about getting lost or fumbling around. Furthermore, if possible, speak with your recruiter prior to signing the contract to determine whether parking at the facility is free for the duration of the assignment or if the agency or hospital will be paying for it. This should be listed clearly in the contract.
And speaking of… CONTRACTS.
Of course, all matters of finance must be listed clearly in the contract. Be that parking payment, scrubs or license reimbursement, or travel reimbursement. On-boarding pertains to the amount of time it took to go through pre-arrival courses and PowerPoints that detail the hospital’s policies and practices. Shift rates, overtime rates, on-call rates, and call-back rates (the rate one is paid if “called back” to work) should be detailed as well. Some hospitals will use call-back rates instead of OT rates during times of high census because that call-back rate is typically higher and the hospital needs travelers to pick up extra instead of gallivant around their new city– be sure this is discussed beforehand between you and your recruiter.
The most important thing to remember is that everything must be discussed explicitly with your recruiter and find its way into your contract. If it doesn’t, all isn’t lost. You hopefully have an amazing recruiter who will fight for you and work their magic. But if it isn’t in the contract, no one is obligated to do it– be it the contract between you and the hospital or the agreement between you and your agency. Knowing beforehand prevents surprises in the future and feelings of being taken advantage of.
Tied very closely to contracts is SCHEDULING.
A difficult aspect of travel nursing is scheduling. As a traveler, the idea is that we are filling a specific department need. For that reason, some hospitals don’t allow travelers to self-schedule. As mentioned above, this should be discussed beforehand with your recruiter. Any planned vacations need to be confirmed with the hospital prior to signing on and should find their way into the contract, this way they are obligated to not schedule you during that time. Another aspect of scheduling that must be included in the contract is guaranteed hours. This means that the hospital is hiring you as the travel nurse for 36hr weeks. With guaranteed hours, they cannot decide on any given day that the department is slow so they will send you home and leave you short on your hours for that week. That said, though, don’t expect to ever be floated home. If they have to pay you, you can be sure that they will find something for you to do or choose to send a staff nurse home instead.
“More and more advice will be revealed to me as the days go by and the journey continues. Like a sponge, I will soak it all up. “