April 28, 2014

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Volunteering in Liberia: Obtaining Supplies from SOS

Posted on April 28, 2014November 13, 2023 by The Gypsy Nurse

The Gypsy Nurse is volunteering – heading to Liberia with Cross Cultural Care

As you probably already read, The Gypsy Nurse is going to volunteer in Liberia. I plan to bring you along with me; virtually and give you a ‘feet on the ground’ accounting of the entire process.

In the Previous segment of this series of articles, I shared recent information on the Ebola outbreak and my decision to follow through on my commitment to C3 to volunteer. In this segment, I’m going to share some additional preparations that are being taken.

As you may already know, this is my first such trip. I’ve traveled extensively through many impoverished areas but haven’t until now, volunteered. I was totally unaware of the resources available. In light of the Ebola outbreak in Western Africa, I wanted to bring along some PPE (personal protective equipment) for use at St Timothy’s hospital where I’ll be volunteering.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ATLAS MEDSTAFF

Upon hearing about the upcoming medical mission trip to Robertsport, Liberia; I was contacted by Rich Smith, Senior Managing Partner at Atlas Medstaff with a request to assist. After some discussion, Atlas Medstaff agreed to cover the cost for the hand-carry supplies that I was able to obtain.

Now…where to find supplies?

My first stop…a former employer; Floyd Memorial Hospital (FMH). I checked in with the staff that I previously worked with at FMH in the Home Health Department. They were excited to hear about my upcoming trip, unfortunately…they were unable to provide any supplies. FMH (as well as many other hospitals in the Louisville, KY and Southern IN area) send all of their medical surplus supplies to an organization named Supplies Over Seas (SOS)

The staff at FMH directed me to SOS

Supplies Overseas (SOS) “Delivering a World of Health and Hope”

SOS IS A 501C MEDICAL SURPLUS RECOVERY ORGANIZATIONS (MSRO) LOCATED IN LOUISVILLE KY THAT SUPPORTS SHORT-TERM MEDICAL MISSION TRIPS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS THAT PROVIDE HEALTHCARE ALL OVER THE WORLD. SOS IS ONE OF A GROUP OF MSRO’S LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE US.

We were given a wonderful overview of the mission and day to day activities at SOS. Having arrived to the facility with no appointment, I would like to give a special thank you to the Volunteer staff members that assisted us; Melissa Mershon, President & CEO and Bill Roof, Warehouse Specialist. Both of these individuals showed the upmost excitement in sharing the mission of SOS.

SOS was able to provide us with a variety of much needed supplies to hand-carry with me to St Timothy’s Hospital. The entire process was very simple. A quick application, a small fee for the supplies and we were off with a loaded trunk full of gloves, gowns, and masks.

_______________________________________

Along with volunteering, The Gypsy Nurse plans to bring to you; the reader, an inside peek at this volunteer opportunity. With emphasis on the people served, the cultural differences and the impact that Cross Cultural Care is providing to the communities of Grand Cape Mount. Liberia. I am excited to have this opportunity to utilize my nursing skills to assist Dr Montana in his vision to provide training, mentoring, and growth of skills as a strategy towards lasting change and improved healthcare access for the communities served by St Timothy Hospital.

THERE WILL BE MUCH MORE INFORMATION TO COME AS I SHARE WITH YOU THE ENTIRE PROCESS TO GIVE YOU A “FEET ON THE GROUND” PERSPECTIVE.

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By The Gypsy Nurse

April 21, 2014

11110 Views

Top 10 Cities Hiring Travel Nurses

Posted on April 21, 2014March 21, 2022 by The Gypsy Nurse

Top 10 Cities Hiring Travel Nurses

Guest Post via Katy Katz

One of the best parts of being a travel nurse is the opportunity to help people from a wide variety of cultures and different parts of the country to which you may not otherwise have been exposed.

Jet-setting from place to place is an exciting part of working in a job that sends you directly where you are needed most but doesn’t be fooled. Travel nursing is not without its challenges. Sometimes it helps to do some simple research into the location you’ll be sent to find the best restaurants, activities, and diversions.

We analyzed more than 30,000 job postings* for travel nurses over the last 12 months to figure out the top 10 cities with the most vacancies. We also stumbled upon a bevy of fun facts about these locations.

1. Los Angeles, CA (5,037 postings)

Los Angeles isn’t just home to celebrities and Hollywood studios, it is a bustling metropolis with art, culture and entertainment. Its thriving Latin American community adds layers of intrigue to the cultural and culinary scenes. The California weather also lends itself to a host of ocean activities in the sun (if you ever make it out of the hospital).

2. San Francisco, CA (1,971 postings)

Although it shares a home state with LA, San Francisco is worlds away from the “City of Angels” when it comes to atmosphere. The people of San Fran are often found taking to the streets for the city’s numerous fairs and festivals. Its proximity to the tech hub of Silicon Valley also makes the city an exciting place for medical innovations.

3. New York, N.Y. (1,734 postings)

It’s hard to say this city’s name without hearing Frank Sinatra’s iconic ballad ringing in your ears. Theater and entertainment is absolutely the name of the game in New York. There is so much to do in this city sometimes it can be hard to know where to start, especially if you are a busy travel nurse. To help, Time Magazine broke out the 10 must-sees if you’re on a time budget.

4. Dallas, TX (1,689 postings)

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the hospitals. Baylor University’s Medical Center in Dallas is one of the top-ranked hospitals in the nation and its emergency room had over 100,000 visits in 2013. If you make it to this city you will have to check out the shopping scene. Shopping in Dallas is a “sport and a pastime,” according to Frommers, and there are more opportunities per capita than any other city in the U.S.

5. Seattle, WA (1,411 postings)

Take a stroll through Pike’s Peak and you might see a fish whizzing past your face. Seattle has so much fresh seafood it’s jumping out of the containers. Seattle is also world renowned for its coffee, which is akin to lifeblood for many nurses to help them survive that overtime 12-hour shift. If you’re looking for something a little more unique to do other than visiting the Space Needle, however, check out this list of weird ideas including the world’s strangest park.

6. Boston, MA (1,300 postings)

This historical city has countless opportunities to take a step back into our country’s origins. There is such a great tradition of healthcare in the city that Massachusetts General Hospital opened a museum dedicated to the more than 200 years of medical history. And if you have time maybe try and grab a hot dog near baseball’s legendary Green Monster.

7. Atlanta, GA (886 postings)

It gets hot in ”Hot-lanta” so pack your sunscreen. One of the best ways to cool off is to grab a chilled beverage on one of the roof-top bars downtown. Georgians take the heat seriously and their department of public health has even put out an app to help people keep cool.

8. Phoenix, AZ (753 postings)

Phoenix is not all golf courses, spas and cacti. It has grown into a thriving city with a lot to do from Segwey tours to romantic castles. The city has a reputation for the climbing age of its population so be prepared for more senior visits. But if you’re looking for a night out on the town, head over to neighboring Scottsdale for the liveliest restaurants, bars and clubs.

9. San Diego, CA (678 postings)

Sunny San Diego is the third Cali city to make this list. If your travels lead you to this city, be sure to visit the ocean at least once and try a fish taco before you leave. Your sound machine can’t compete with the sound of real ocean waves for getting over the stress of a hectic hospital shift. If you’re feeling really adventurous, stroll across the border to the adjacent city of Tijuana for about as authentic a taco as you can get.

10. Denver, CO (575 postings)

Last, but not lowest, the “mile-high” city. While you probably won’t have much luck anymore mining for gold, the streets nearly sparkle they are so clean. Denver has done a lot of work on its Lower Downtown (LoDo). Check it out for everything from swanky art galleries to a mayor’s microbrewery. Oh and don’t forget to look up from time to time at the beautiful mountain view – you might need the memory of it when you’re caring for a careless mountain climber.
*Burning Glass analysis of Travel Nurse job postings 03/01/2013 – 02/28/2014.

About the Author:

Katy Katz an MBA that has been working in higher education for four years. As a blog writer for Rasmussen College, she stays current on medical trends to research and write career-focused articles in the areas of nursing and health sciences. Katy comes from a long line of educators, nurses and healthcare providers so you could say the inclination explore the medical field is in her blood.

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By The Gypsy Nurse

April 14, 2014

9741 Views

Volunteering in Liberia: Understanding the Risks

Posted on April 14, 2014April 20, 2022 by The Gypsy Nurse

The Gypsy Nurse is heading to Liberia with Cross Cultural Care

As you probably already read, The Gypsy Nurse is going to be volunteering in Liberia. I plan to bring you along with me; virtually and give you a ‘feet on the ground’ accounting of the entire process.
“Cross Cultural Care (C3) is an international non-government organization (NGO) that pairs western health care providers with medical staff in areas of the developing world to assist with medical training and health capacity building.

Cross Cultural Care (C3) was founded by Dr. Robert Montana, an American Emergency Medicine physician who decided to create such a program while volunteering in North India.” – http://www.cross-culturalcare.org/about/

The Gypsy Nurse will be spending the entire month of May 2014 in Liberia. I’ll be volunteering with C3 in Robertsport, Liberia.

In the previous article, we discussed the ‘To-Do List.’ I’m still working through all of the paperwork. My renewed passport came back and is now on it’s way to the Liberian Consulate in D.C. for my visa. I’ve filled out all of the appropriate forms for my Liberian Nursing Permit. I’ve faxed, emailed, and made copies of everything I can think of. I think I’m done with the paperwork! Now it’s just a waiting game to see if my Visa and Nursing permit come back without any issues.

Understanding the Risks

I knew that heading into Liberia would expose me to many diseases that I’m unaccustomed to. From Malaria, Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, Typhoid, etc., there are certain risks one takes when traveling to a developing country. This is not totally new to me as I’ve previously been vaccinated for many of these due to my personal travels in Vietnam and South and Central America. It is best to understand the risks beforehand to educate yourself about these diseases.

What I didn’t know was that an outbreak of the Ebola Virus would be spreading in the wake of my arrival.

I have to be honest…hearing about the outbreak of this highly contagious hemorrhagic fever gave me a moment of pause. I had to seriously weigh the options on whether or not to follow through with my commitment to C3 to volunteer. Dr. Robert Montana, the founder of C3, personally emailed me to update me on the situation and informed me that “You should be aware that there is NO CRITICAL CARE in Liberia even in the capital and air evac may be impossible if you are suspected with the disease.” and allowed me to back out of the trip if I so chose.

I’ve spent the past week researching the disease and considering my options. As of April 4th, there were two confirmed and several un-confirmed Ebola cases in Monrovia (the capital in which I’ll be arriving). There were no current reported or suspected cases in Robertsport, where I’ll be volunteering. Guinea’s bordering country is where the outbreak is currently the worst, with a few cases in both Liberia and the border country of Sierra Leone. Many agencies are currently assisting the Liberian Ministry of Health in efforts to confine the spread. UNICEF, MSW/Doctors without Borders, WHO, and multiple NGO’s are involved in the containment efforts.

Based on the current information available…

I’ve decided to follow through with my commitment to C3, baring any drastic changes in the current situation. I knew when I volunteered that there was a possibility of contracting a deadly disease; the fact that there is a current outbreak will make me more vigilant in my personal protection and care of others. Understanding the risk has made me more aware of the situation and cautious.

In light of the information I’ve received, my packing list has changed slightly to include: masks, gloves, goggles, and a supply of hand sanitizer.

_______________________________________

Along with volunteering, The Gypsy Nurse plans to bring the reader an inside peek at this volunteer opportunity. With an emphasis on the people served, the cultural differences, and the impact that Cross Cultural Care is providing to Grand Cape Mount’s communities. Liberia. I am excited to have this opportunity to utilize my nursing skills to assist Dr. Montana in his vision to provide training, mentoring, and growth of skills as a strategy towards lasting change and improved healthcare access for the communities served by St Timothy Hospital. If you would like to contribute to the ongoing efforts of C3, you can donate HERE.

There will be much more information to come as I share the entire process with you to give you a “Feet on the Ground” perspective.

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By The Gypsy Nurse

April 11, 2014

37227 Views

Making Sense of Travel Reimbursements

Posted on April 11, 2014March 2, 2022 by The Gypsy Nurse

Sponsored by: Aya Healthcare
Written prior to tax reform 2017. Watch for future articles.

Before you sign on the dotted line and hit the open road, one of the things you should consider is travel reimbursements.

It’s unusual to get the entire trip covered but the following guidelines will help you get the most out of your reimbursement. Most companies will offer some sort of travel reimbursement to the traveler (you). This is varied from company to company. Below is a break-down of the most common types of travel reimbursements. There may be others but these are the options that I have encountered.

Flat rate reimbursement is the most common. What this typically involves is a flat rate to and from the contract. The amount of this can range anywhere on average from $250 – $500. Most of the time you will receive the contracted on amounts on your first and last pay-checks for the contract. This amount is non-taxable reimbursement. There will be no taxes taken from the contracted amount.

Aya Healthcare offers a generous relocation reimbursement to and from your travel assignment.

Per Mile reimbursements: There are other companies that will reimburse you via a specified mileage rate. This is generally lower than the GSA mileage rate and most times, the company will cap this.

In either of the above cases, the traveler will have to foot part of the bill for travel. For example: Traveler is currently in Cincinnati, OH and taking a contract in San Diego, CA. This is approximately 2164 miles. If the company offers you $0.45/mile up to a maximum of $250 or if you have a flat rate of even $500 you are going to come out quite short. 2164 x $0.45 = $973.80. Travel companies are NOT going to pay you this large of an amount for travel.

This doesn’t even take into consideration that you will have to have several overnight stays if driving this distance which will incur not only food but also lodging in transit. These expenses although not covered will be able to be taken as a deduction on your year-end tax return. Make certain that you keep good records.

Provided (flights): This method is not utilized frequently (except contracts in Alaska/Hawaii). Basically, you or the company will purchase an airline ticket (one-way) and the company will cover the cost.

Most generally, a rental car is not included. There are some cases where the company will cover a rental car (most generally in Alaska/Hawaii). In other cases, the company may offer to pay for a monthly public transportation pass (you may have to ask for this). You will need to consider the availability of public transit in the proposed location to determine if it is feasible to utilize a flight and public transportation.

Remember, the option that was the most beneficial for this contract may not be the most beneficial for EVERY contract. Explore your options for EACH contract. This is just one piece of the pie when it comes to Contract Negotiations.

Would you like to learn more?

Check out the TOP 10 Questions for Travel Nurses on Taxes.

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By The Gypsy Nurse

April 9, 2014

14074 Views

Graduate Nurse Job Market

Posted on April 9, 2014April 20, 2022 by The Gypsy Nurse

Sponsored by: Aya Healthcare

New Grads Having Difficulty Obtaining Employment
“New Grads need not apply”

Are you a new nurse? Are you finding it difficult to obtain a position with your new hard earned nursing license? Most employers want you to have that one year experience, but if everyone wants it who is going to give it? What do you do when your a New Graduate Nurse without a Job?

The nursing shortages that we experienced back in the early 2000’s had the result of hundreds of new nursing programs being instituted all over the nation. This has eased the nursing shortage in some areas but has also caused a new problem for nursing graduates…NO LOCAL JOBS. A hospital requires a certain ratio of experienced nurses to new nurses in order to maintain safe patient care. This means that many of these cities where we’ve seen an increase in nursing programs are now experiencing a lack of job openings for the graduating nurses.

Per a recent discussion via our Facebook group one of our contributing recruiters sums it up:

“Think about it this way, if a nursing school in one area and a class of 200 new grads just graduated, there are 2 hospitals in town that accept 2 new grads per graduation cycle… It is not going to work for all 200 to get a job locally. They (new grad nurses) will have to be willing to leave home for the experience and that means applying to jobs ALL across the country. Get the experience and then try to get back home.” – Holly Fenn @ Fusion Medical Staffing

So how does the new grad find employment?
As Holly stated above, it might be necessary to look beyond your ‘home’ locale. I was visiting a travel nurse friend back in 2011 in Minot ND, there were a large amount of new nurses working there that weren’t from Minot. These nurses were new nurses (under 1 year) and had contracted to work at Minot as a new nurse. Many were only there to obtain their initial nursing experience due to the issues we’ve discussed. Of those that were nearing the end of their contracts, many already had full time positions lined up in their home area and were eagerly anticipating getting back home.

One of our Facebook group members relates to her personal experiences; Brenna, who has been a nurse for five years and traveling for the past two years states;

“I remember that out of nursing school… I remember applying to EVERYWHERE and it was discouraging. I took what I could get. Kept in contact with the preceptor I had during my last clinical, she was an amazing reference and when the hospital (that I did my senior practicum at) offered a new grad program my preceptor helped me get into it! Then I started on an inpatient oncology floor. Once again, not what I desired to do but I took anything I could get to start building my base. I had a great 2 years as an Onc nurse and learned so much!” Brenna recommends that you “keep in contact with your clinical instructors and try to get to know the managers during your clinicals, that way they can put a face to the name when you apply and might have an idea of your work ethic. Volunteer at a hospital during nursing school and get to know the staff.. I know there isn’t much spare time during school but with volunteering you can go as much or little as fits with your schedule and you become a familiar face. Good luck!” – Brenna, RN

Take-Away
So what should the new graduate take away from this? Hopefully a willingness to expand beyond your current location and desires and branch out to get the initial experiences needed.

Take the opportunities your college may offer for externships/internships. This is all about building the relationships with the staff, management and opens doors for future employment opportunities.
Work PRN at a local agency or hospital. In many instances once you’ve worked in a facility and proven yourself, the admin can and sometimes will ‘make’ an opening for you if they feel that you would be a valued employee.
Work a ‘contract’ in another state. Not necessarily as a travel nurse but it’s very similar and in most cases, the hospital will provide you a relocation package in return for a signed commitment to work for them for a specified length of time.
Connect with the college career services personnel early and see what opportunities might be available that will assist in full time work after graduation. Many colleges have agreements with the local hospitals for internships, CNA positions, etc that will be a benefit once you have graduated and are ready to fully hit the workplace.

We hope you found these tips for graduate nurses helpful. Do you have any tips to share for graduate nurses? Comment them below.

Sponsored by: Aya Healthcare

Since 2001, Aya Healthcare has been facilitating great travel nursing experiences. Aya Healthcare is committed to the highest clinical standards and has been Joint Commission certified since 2006. Aya Healthcare travel nurses are featured on MTV’s Scrubbing In. The company previously received national media attention for 13 weeks, a travel nursing reality show it released in 2006. 13 weeks won the media award from the American Academy of Nursing. Aya Healthcare is dedicated to providing exceptional service to every travel nurse, on every assignment and offers unique perks like airport pick up in Sacramento for nurses going to the California Nursing Board. Aya Healthcare is one of the largest travel nursing companies in the country and currently has travelers on assignment in 47 states.

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By The Gypsy Nurse

March 25, 2014

8883 Views

LinkedIn for Travel Nurses

Posted on March 25, 2014March 21, 2022 by The Gypsy Nurse

The following is a guest post from: Keith Carlson, RN, BSN, NC-BC

Have you considered LinkedIn for travel nurse networking?

Online networking is nothing new, and professionals the world over are using a plethora of platforms for building their networks. Apparently, some travel nurses haven’t embraced LinkedIn as readily as other sectors of the nursing profession, and now is the best time in your career to rethink your travel nurse networking strategy and use Linked In to its fullest potential.

LinkedIn is a powerful platform for advancing your career and developing a robust travel nurse professional network. In the past, LinkedIn was dismissed simply as a place to bookmark and share your online resume or CV, but it has truly proven to be much more than that for the savvy 21st-century professional.

A Powerful Search Engine

LinkedIn is likely the most powerful career search engine on the Internet, and its reach continues to grow. Headhunters and recruiters use the premium version of Linked In to search for candidates for open positions.

Meanwhile, many companies have their own corporate LinkedIn pages. You can follow their newsfeeds and keep up to date on the latest trends in the industry. Chances are that your travel nurse company is on LinkedIn.

Many Linked In users—both individuals and companies—post valuable content on Linked In. I can’t tell you how many fascinating and useful articles I’ve read by browsing my Linked In updates. There are a variety of specific feeds on LinkedIn for travel nurses.

Showcasing Your Personal Brand

Your Linked In profile is your opportunity to showcase your personal brand. Wax poetic about your work history, certifications, education and training. Receive endorsements and recommendations from your colleagues and supervisors that everyone who views your profile can read.

Think of your LinkedIn profile as a robust, interactive online resume that puts your best foot forward and demonstrates your specific expertise and experience to the world.

It’s All About Connections

These days, you don’t necessarily find jobs through CraigsList and the classifieds. LinkedIn is all about who you know, and making connections is at the heart of the platform.

Many LinkedIn travel nurse users don’t truly understand how to build their professional network. When using LinkedIn for travel nurses networking strategy don’t blindly and impersonally make connections. Personalize your message or attempt to build real relationships.

I personally never send a generic request to connect with another user on LinkedIn. Rather, I send each individual a personalized invitation. I explain why I want to connect and how I think we may be able to create a positive professional relationship. When I meet someone with whom I feel particularly aligned, I arrange for a phone call or Skype conversation to further develop our connection. Through my growing network on Linked In, I’ve made friends, created business alliances, found freelance work, and had the satisfaction of introducing other professionals who I felt would benefit from knowing one another.

How to maximize connections on LinkedIn for Travel Nurses

Remember: it’s not just about what others can do for you; it’s also about how you give back.

For the travel nurse LinkedIn offers ways to find others in your industry, or to look for connections based on geographic location or other search criteria. And once you establish relationships with people with whom you feel professionally aligned, you can then explore their connection, ask for introductions, or introduce yourself to other professionals you’d like to meet.

Linked In is like an enormous cocktail party of professionals who’d love to get to know you. You just have to know how to navigate the platform and use it your advantage. (and to the advantage of others whom you know, trust and want to be of service to).

Most importantly, social networking is about building trust and mutuality. Linked In is a great place to grow your network and make authentic and fruitful professional connections.

The Value of Groups

Linked In also offers the function of groups where like-minded professionals can connect, ask questions, and network in private chats and newsfeeds. Nurses working in specific speciality areas often form private groups where clinical and professional advice can be shared. Join our Gypsy Nurse LinkedIn for Travel Nurses.

LinkedIn for Travel Nurses is Networking Gold

Our professional networks and connections are like gold, and that gold can be mined throughout your career. Even if you currently have a position with a company that’s comfortable and positive, you never know what the future holds, and aligning yourself with other individuals and organizations that could help you at some distant time is worth your while.

In conclusion, Linked In is a professional network that should not be ignored. In fact, of every social media platform currently available for professionals like you, it’s probably the one you can least afford to ignore.

———-

Keith Carlson, RN, BSN, NC-BC

Keith is a Board-Certified Nurse Coach. He is also a contributor for several nursing and health websites, and has maintained an award-winning blog, Digital Doorway, since 2005. You can read more about Keith on his website NurseKeith.com

———-

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By The Gypsy Nurse

March 24, 2014

6051 Views

Volunteering In Liberia – The ‘To Do’ List

Posted on March 24, 2014November 13, 2023 by The Gypsy Nurse

The Gypsy Nurse is volunteering in Liberia with Cross Cultural Care

As you probably already read, The Gypsy Nurse is going to volunteer in Liberia. I plan to bring you along with me; virtually and give you a ‘feet on the ground’ accounting of the entire process. In this post, I’m going to share with you my current “To-Do” list.

“Cross Cultural Care (C3) is an international non government organization (NGO) that pairs western health care providers with medical staff in areas of the developing world to assist with medical training and health capacity building.

The Gypsy Nurse will be spending the entire month of May 2014 in Liberia. I’ll be volunteering with C3 in Robertsport, Liberia.

Along with volunteering, The Gypsy Nurse plans to bring to you; the reader, an inside peek at this volunteer opportunity. With emphasis on the people served, the cultural differences and the impact that Cross Cultural Care is providing to the communities of Grand Cape Mount.t Liberia. I am excited to have this opportunity to utilize my nursing skills to assist Dr Montana in his vision to provide training, mentoring, and growth of skills as a strategy towards lasting change and improved healthcare access for the communities served by St Timothy Hospital.

There will be much more information to come as I share with you the entire process to give you a “Feet on the Ground” perspective.

Passport Renewal – My nearly-full Passport was reaching expiration so off it went to the US Passport Processing Center for a renewal. It expires in May so this wasn’t an optional thing to get completed. I’ve sent it through express mail so that hopefully I’ll get it with plenty of time to spare for obtaining my Visa for Liberia.

Book Flight – Although C3 does refund most of my airfare, I still have to book my flight personally. I’m currently trying to decide if I want to do some personal travel around Africa after the volunteer stint and before heading home (this really isn’t much of a question, I already know that I want to.) Figuring out flight details is in the works.

Liberian Visa – As I’ve mentioned above, this is currently on hold as I wait for my passport to return. As soon as the passport is back in my hands it will be off to obtain Visa’s. In looking at my post-volunteer travel wishes, it appears that I am actually in need of 3 total Visa’s: Liberia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. The remaining countries that I’m planning to travel (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana) either don’t require a visa or offer a visa on arrival. It will be interesting to see if I can get all three of the visa’s in time.

The Gypsy Nurse – Yes, this is on the ‘to-do’ list. I’ll have limited internet capabilities while I’m volunteering and am desparately attempting to get enough website content pre-planned and ready to publish for the website. In addition, there are a lot of other technicalities that I’m trying to work though for the site. If you would like to contribute a story, photo, destination, etc It would greatly assist me in providing content for the reader during my ‘absence’.

The Travelers Conference – As one of the board members and primary organizers for #travcon14, I need to make sure that my commitments here are well covered and managed. I have a commitment to make the 2014 Travelers Conference the best one yet so I can’t slack off here.

As you can see, I’ve got a lot of work ahead in preparation and this doesn’t even take into account the PACKING! Stay tuned for more information as I continue to share with you the process.

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By The Gypsy Nurse

March 17, 2014

8105 Views

Travel Nursing Challenges: “Where Do I Find That Dr’s Number?”

Posted on March 17, 2014May 20, 2021 by The Gypsy Nurse

Travel Nursing Challenges

There are many travel nursing challenges; leaving new friends behind, negotiating contracts, finding housing, etc. One of the most frustrating for me is figuring out which physician I’m supposed to call, who I can’t call, which Dr’s prefer to be text’ed, etc.

You would think that a hospital that frequently uses travelers would have some sort of quickie ‘cheat sheet’ for all of us newbies? Not necessarily the case. So how do you manage finding the appropriate number and method of physician contact?

The first couple of weeks on the floor can be nearly overwhelming…even for this experienced traveler. Learning a new charting system, where to find the IV fluids or dressing supplies and simply getting through the first several shifts with everyone and everything still intact can be a major challenge in some facilities. But then what happens when you need the Dr? And…need him/her NOW?

One of the ways that I combat this ‘unknown’ is to ask during my floor orientation (which is usually only one day), and take vigorous notes.

These 3 questions should give you the basics to cover any immediate physician needs:

What is the standard process of contacting a physician at this hospital? Page? Text? Phone?
Which physicians are ‘excluded’ from the standard process and how do they prefer to be contacted?
Is there a listing of the physicians and their numbers? It’s a long-shot but sometimes you’ll get lucky!

Not knowing or not following the hospitals standard operating procedure in this matter can sometimes cause a development of bad relations between yourself and the physician.

Personally Speaking:

At one hospital I recently worked at; the night shift Hospitalist had given strict ‘orders’ to NOT be notified via text, pager or phone. We (the staff nurses) were told to write our requests down on a sheet of paper at the nurses station and he would address them during his rounds which were done at 9pm, 12am, 3am, and 6am. I personally thought that this was a totally crazy and potentially unsafe procedure. I once dis-regarded his orders due to a patient experiencing a potential blood transfusion reaction (as per the standard protocol orders) and thoroughly got my @$$ chewed. Being an experienced RN, this didn’t phase me much and if the situation arose again, I would have notified him again…regardless of the consequences. This experience did leave me concerned about the ‘New’ nurse and how he/she might have handled this situation or a potentially more threatening situation: Call the Dr and reap the repercussions or put the concern on a note and hope the patient survives until the Dr rounds?

– Gypsy

What interesting standard operating procedures have you seen in how hospitals handle the ‘call’ situation for their physicians? Do you have an interesting story you would like to share involving contacting a physician? Advice on how you mange this challenge?

We would like to hear your story! Leave your comment here.

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By The Gypsy Nurse

March 14, 2014

11829 Views

California Nurse Licensing Delays Frustrate Applicants

Posted on March 14, 2014January 26, 2023 by The Gypsy Nurse

What’s going on with California Nurse Licensing?

There has been a lot of news lately regarding the delays in licensure for nurses attempting to license in CA. What’s causing these delays? Who is this affecting?

What’s Causing the Delay?

According to the California Board of Nursing Website:

“Due to circumstances beyond the control of the Board of Registered Nursing, we are experiencing some delays in processing applications. If it has been less than 90 days since your payment has cleared through your bank, please refrain from contacting the Board for application status. We are committed to continuing to provide quality evaluation of applications as quickly as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience and we appreciate your patience.”

We hear that you are sorry California, but that doesn’t explain what’s causing the delays. According to the LA Times, a new $52 million dollar system called BreEZe, which was designed to improve efficiency for licensing boards and bureaus is the monster behind these delays.

According to reports, the system isn’t allowing the online submission of application information, and this is resulting in the hand input from thousands of paper applications. New Graduates who before the transition were told 6-8 weeks for licensing are now facing a wait time of up to 90 days.

How is this affecting the Travel Nursing industry?

I wanted to know how the staffing agencies are handling these delays so I reached out to a few random companies. The companies all appear to be taking a pro-active approach.

According to Crystal Lovato, Senior Recruiter at Expedient Medstaff,

“We aren’t booking anyone in who doesn’t currently hold an active license. It’s a nightmare not knowing if/when a license will issue. I have several candidates wanting CA that are on hold until their license issues are resolved.”

Rachel Schafer, Senior Recruiter from RNNetwork states;

“our goal is to get the most qualified nurses to hospitals/patients in need. As state boards go through challenges from time to time, we utilize our expertise to find nurses with current licenses.”

Justin Federico, Recruiter at Core Medical Group reports;

“These delays are having a noticeable impact on nurses who have their sights set on California. CoreMedical Group has decided to stay proactive in this situation. If a nurse expresses an interest in California, we explain that the process can take anywhere from 3 to 4 months to get licensed – about the length of one contract. If you wish to travel to CA, we advise you to first take a contract in a place where the licensing process is quicker and apply for a CA license while on that contract. We can include it in your contract to reimburse you for the California Nurse license right away, so you don’t have to wait for the money to come in on your next contract in CA.

This is an important time for agencies to partner with travel nurses and come up with creative solutions, such as taking a contract in a walkthrough, compact, or quick licensure state (at least until California catches up). I have found a lot of success recently by working with my nurses to find an alternative to California in one of the other 49 beautiful states until their CA license comes in.”

Becoming Frustrating

As you can see, the staffing agencies are doing their best to work around these issues but the travelers that are hoping to get to California are becoming increasingly frustrated. In reading through some of the discussions via our Facebook network group, travel nurses are becoming very frustrated with not being able to secure a position in the much sought after the state of California. California likely has one of the largest percentages of travel nurses in the nation. With mandated state ratios, combined with a large percentage of travel nurses, these licensing delays may cause some issues for several months.

If local nurses can’t license, and travel nurses can’t fill the gaps…what happens next? For an update on the current status and some tips, check the follow-up article.

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Top 10 Cities Hiring Travel Nurses

1. Los Angeles, CA (5,037 postings)

2. San Francisco, CA (1,971 postings)

3. New York, N.Y. (1,734 postings)

4. Dallas, TX (1,689 postings)

5. Seattle, WA (1,411 postings)

6. Boston, MA (1,300 postings)

7. Atlanta, GA (886 postings)

8. Phoenix, AZ (753 postings)

9. San Diego, CA (678 postings)

10. Denver, CO (575 postings)

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