Travel Job Focus

Source:

AJN, American Journal of Nursing

January 2007, Volume :107 Number 1 , page 74 - 75 [Free]

Article Content

Do you like flexibility, meeting new people, and choosing your job location? Your position? How about being able to see the country while building a career and learning the nuances of health care in different geographic and clinical settings in the United States? These are some of the best aspects of travel nursing, according to Isabel Stanshine, MS, RN. She's vice president for professional services at MedStaff in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

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New in travel nursing is the growing influence of the Internet."It's easier for health care professionals to apply, facilities to communicate their needs, and companies to find new leads," says Stanshine. "There are portals in which the professional can view payroll, worked time, available positions, and the like."

Supply is a big issue for the travel nurse industry, as it is elsewhere in nursing. "We have many wonderful positions nationwide, but recruiting for those positions is the key issue," says Stanshine. "It's symptomatic of nursing in health care today. The opportunities are there, but there's a significant shortage." The challenge, she says, is to be creative in recruiting nurses and in retaining them.

Stanshine says that at least one year of current clinical experience is required for travel nurses. Also required are an unencumbered RN license, a criminal history check, a preemployment urine drug screening, a physical examination including PPD, competency testing, and current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Additional specialty certifications may be required by some facilities.

"Since MedStaff has positions throughout the United States, in every type of clinical setting, our philosophy is to approach the nurse as a long-term partner," says Stanshine. "We make it a point to understand where the nurse's interests lie now and in the future." Her company will help nurses build their careers with each new assignment. "The nurse can choose the type of facility she or he wants to work at, as well as the length of assignment. Nurses can set the pace of their career."