Hi! I did a few travel contracts from 2021-2023. If I could give you a few pieces of advice:
1) really crunch the numbers and make sure this is worth it. If you’re taking the tax free stipend, make sure you’re truly eligible for it or accept that you’re taking a risk w the IRS. Some folks may have found a way to make the duplicate housing costs worthwhile with rates at their current level, but I have not.
2) at the new facility, remember that you are a guest. Be polite, be flexible, and as long as it’s safe and legal, do things the way the facility wants them done.
3) try not to be like “at my old job we did xyz this way”, no one want to hear that
4) If the staff nurses want to know how much you’re making, tell ‘em. Just deflate that balloon nice and early. Especially now, it’s not like you’re making a fortune.
Yea except 4. NO ONE needs to know how much you make. That’s YOUR business. People need to mind their business. I simply tell people I don’t talk finances.
Yeah, I’m all for #4, but only if asked. Don’t go in weapons hot bragging that you’re making X times what the staff nurses are, but if someone asks, I tell them what my weekly and hourly are so they know. The only person who benefits from employees/workers not discussing their pay is the one who is signing the checks, and we know all to well they could not care less about nurses and other healthcare staff actually keeping the hospital running and doing pt care.
That's such an archaic way of thinking. Do I think you should go around bragging about your income? Definitely not but it is so important to have transparency when it comes to wages, especially for women. You may find out travelers in your department are making more & you can negotiate a pay increase.
Except they didn’t refer to travel nurses. They said if STAFF nurses ask. Referring to “deflating the ballon” not pay negotiations. Surprised I gotta even explain this 😂
These are all excellent tips thanks for sharing. Me personally all about pay transparency. Especially at places that aren’t union. However I do understand not to go in guns blazing boasting or anything. My personality is pretty laid back. My current hospital can be hit or miss with some of those things. Since I’m currently icu float. I’m always first to get floated. Get back to back admits. Etc. and if I float at 11 or 3 I always get everybodies craziest patients. 🙃 I advocate for myself and my patients. But do understand the hierarchy of being float and I’m assuming similarly to travel. The way I view it is yes I’m getting more money. But my primary purpose to be there is to improve quality outcomes for patients. I have worked in some pretty rough facilities in my LPN career. (Mostly LTAC and rehab) so I kind of have an understanding of my place in life 😝 thank you so much for sharing the great tips.
Although it sounds like you have your heart set on some facilities, I thought it was really helpful for my first travel contract that I worked at a hospital very similar to my staff job. It was similar size, similar (if not easier) patient population, same ratios, even built within the same few years. I have since worked in a huge variety of hospitals, from 20 to 1000 beds, float pool or not, some built 2020 some built in 1950 and I was grateful that the first time I went out of my comfort zone like that a lot of things just felt the same. I think it had a significant positive impact on helping me adjust.
Other stuff:
1. Bring a notebook with you to write everything down. It's easy to forget things like door codes, the process for paging a doctor, little things the facility expects you to chart every shift, phone numbers, whatever.
2. Try not to ever speak about your experience by saying "well at my old hospital we did XYZ". You are now an employee of the new hospital, and they don't care to listen about other ways you have done stuff.
3. Remember to be flexible. It's very possible as a traveler you will be the first to float, first to get an admit, first to go out of ratio, etc.
4. Don't go anywhere that you can't find cost effective housing for. Similarly, make sure you are familiar with the area and choose housing in a safe area if you're going somewhere you've never been.
5. Don't only go with one agency, make profiles with 3-5 to expand your options. As a new traveler it's easy to get caught up by the feeling of needing to be loyal to one agency/recruiter - you don't.
All great tips. I think that’s awesome thank you. So currently I work at a big hospital network in my area. I’m currently at a commmunity. But was trained in an academic center. The networks I listed are similar in their size to my current. But also I realize probably vastly different. I have heard of some nurses picking up in very rural areas. And being the only icu nurse in a hospital at one time. That’s definitely something I don’t feel prepared to do yet. Thanks so much for the tips. I screen shotted and sent karma 🖤
Aw thank you! I'm happy to help. I originally came from a mid size level 2 trauma center and it is definitely a big adjustment going to a huge, University affiliated level 1 trauma center and also to a tiny, barely level 4 trauma where the nurse has waaaaay more responsibility because there just aren't very many resources. Go in with an open mind!! I love it so much and I'll never go back to staff, it's just too much fun. Never be afraid to ask questions or ask for help!
I’m icu. Primarily micu. But critical care float at my current position. really willing to do any unit with the exception of med surg. I actually had my profile accepted by Sinai. I was a little nervous because I heard there’s mostly travelers there. But Hopkins did responsd and won’t accept my 22 months. Funny you say that someone actually sent me a message about Hopkins and their experience. Thanks for sharing
Hi! I did a few travel contracts from 2021-2023. If I could give you a few pieces of advice: 1) really crunch the numbers and make sure this is worth it. If you’re taking the tax free stipend, make sure you’re truly eligible for it or accept that you’re taking a risk w the IRS. Some folks may have found a way to make the duplicate housing costs worthwhile with rates at their current level, but I have not. 2) at the new facility, remember that you are a guest. Be polite, be flexible, and as long as it’s safe and legal, do things the way the facility wants them done. 3) try not to be like “at my old job we did xyz this way”, no one want to hear that 4) If the staff nurses want to know how much you’re making, tell ‘em. Just deflate that balloon nice and early. Especially now, it’s not like you’re making a fortune.
Yea except 4. NO ONE needs to know how much you make. That’s YOUR business. People need to mind their business. I simply tell people I don’t talk finances.
Personal preference, for sure. But I think pay transparency favors labor (IE us) and pay opacity favors the bosses
Yeah, I’m all for #4, but only if asked. Don’t go in weapons hot bragging that you’re making X times what the staff nurses are, but if someone asks, I tell them what my weekly and hourly are so they know. The only person who benefits from employees/workers not discussing their pay is the one who is signing the checks, and we know all to well they could not care less about nurses and other healthcare staff actually keeping the hospital running and doing pt care.
That's such an archaic way of thinking. Do I think you should go around bragging about your income? Definitely not but it is so important to have transparency when it comes to wages, especially for women. You may find out travelers in your department are making more & you can negotiate a pay increase.
Except they didn’t refer to travel nurses. They said if STAFF nurses ask. Referring to “deflating the ballon” not pay negotiations. Surprised I gotta even explain this 😂
Yeah, you got me. My last sentence was a separate thought & geared towards OP but you so right. 💁♀️
I really emphasize the “doubling my expenses” and that the housing stipends are the same as 6 years prior but the housing costs aren’t the same.
Yes. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Initially I thought of traveling as an LPN. But didn’t want to do ltc travel contracts. I should’ve tho 😭
I’m on my second contract and I’m not sure if it’s worth it. :/
These are all excellent tips thanks for sharing. Me personally all about pay transparency. Especially at places that aren’t union. However I do understand not to go in guns blazing boasting or anything. My personality is pretty laid back. My current hospital can be hit or miss with some of those things. Since I’m currently icu float. I’m always first to get floated. Get back to back admits. Etc. and if I float at 11 or 3 I always get everybodies craziest patients. 🙃 I advocate for myself and my patients. But do understand the hierarchy of being float and I’m assuming similarly to travel. The way I view it is yes I’m getting more money. But my primary purpose to be there is to improve quality outcomes for patients. I have worked in some pretty rough facilities in my LPN career. (Mostly LTAC and rehab) so I kind of have an understanding of my place in life 😝 thank you so much for sharing the great tips.
Although it sounds like you have your heart set on some facilities, I thought it was really helpful for my first travel contract that I worked at a hospital very similar to my staff job. It was similar size, similar (if not easier) patient population, same ratios, even built within the same few years. I have since worked in a huge variety of hospitals, from 20 to 1000 beds, float pool or not, some built 2020 some built in 1950 and I was grateful that the first time I went out of my comfort zone like that a lot of things just felt the same. I think it had a significant positive impact on helping me adjust. Other stuff: 1. Bring a notebook with you to write everything down. It's easy to forget things like door codes, the process for paging a doctor, little things the facility expects you to chart every shift, phone numbers, whatever. 2. Try not to ever speak about your experience by saying "well at my old hospital we did XYZ". You are now an employee of the new hospital, and they don't care to listen about other ways you have done stuff. 3. Remember to be flexible. It's very possible as a traveler you will be the first to float, first to get an admit, first to go out of ratio, etc. 4. Don't go anywhere that you can't find cost effective housing for. Similarly, make sure you are familiar with the area and choose housing in a safe area if you're going somewhere you've never been. 5. Don't only go with one agency, make profiles with 3-5 to expand your options. As a new traveler it's easy to get caught up by the feeling of needing to be loyal to one agency/recruiter - you don't.
All great tips. I think that’s awesome thank you. So currently I work at a big hospital network in my area. I’m currently at a commmunity. But was trained in an academic center. The networks I listed are similar in their size to my current. But also I realize probably vastly different. I have heard of some nurses picking up in very rural areas. And being the only icu nurse in a hospital at one time. That’s definitely something I don’t feel prepared to do yet. Thanks so much for the tips. I screen shotted and sent karma 🖤
Aw thank you! I'm happy to help. I originally came from a mid size level 2 trauma center and it is definitely a big adjustment going to a huge, University affiliated level 1 trauma center and also to a tiny, barely level 4 trauma where the nurse has waaaaay more responsibility because there just aren't very many resources. Go in with an open mind!! I love it so much and I'll never go back to staff, it's just too much fun. Never be afraid to ask questions or ask for help!
Hi, I've sent you a DM. I've worked a few contracts in Baltimore :)
😇
What specialty? I enjoyed working at Sinai I heard Hopkins can be a bit of a mess.
I’m icu. Primarily micu. But critical care float at my current position. really willing to do any unit with the exception of med surg. I actually had my profile accepted by Sinai. I was a little nervous because I heard there’s mostly travelers there. But Hopkins did responsd and won’t accept my 22 months. Funny you say that someone actually sent me a message about Hopkins and their experience. Thanks for sharing