Monthly Archives: December 2013

12.14.13
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Travel Nurse Happenings: December 14, 2013

This entry is part 22 of 24 in the series Weekend Report Here is your weekend report. This is a round-up and overview of this weeks Travel Nurse happenings with all of the weekly posts in one place for easy navigation. Don’t forget, if you have questions or comments or material that you would like to see covered on Gypsy Nurse, let me know in the comments below. I hope you have enjoyed the content this week. Don’t forget to follow me via Facebook or Twitter (or both) to get the most recent content as it’s posted. Have a great weekend and I’ll be back on Monday. Travel Nurse Inspiration: Top of Mount Pisgah, Vermont Gypsy Christmas – Contest WINNER! Was ‘Scrubbing In’ Cancelled? Destination Report: Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Brattleboro VT Check out the Staffing Agency Submissions in the Directory Have you worked for any of the companies listed?  If so, please fill out a review!  If you would like to see your company listed in the directory, send them the submission link. I hope you’ve enjoyed this weeks edition of Travel Nursing Happenings. Stay tuned next week for additional great content! Have a great weekend.

The post Travel Nurse Happenings: December 14, 2013 appeared first on The Gypsy Nurse.

12.13.13
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Travel Nurse Insurance

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Insurance PolicyAs a travel nurse, getting and maintaining health insurance can be a bit trickier than it is for perm staff. But maintaining coverage for you and your family is super important!

With the upcoming implementation of the Affordable Care Act there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding health insurance for everybody. Let’s take a look at what one company is doing regarding travel nurse insurance. Medical Solutions decided in 2013 to take matters into their own hands on behalf of their Travelers, and introduced these new, significantly lower health insurance rates.

At many agencies, the insurance you elect to take will often have an effect on your overall pay package. But with Medical Solutions’ new rates, a nurse’s pay package is not affected by the lowered rates. Under the new rates, a single, basic policy is just $10 per week.

Medical Solutions Travelers who were already covered and on contracts spanning into January 2014 when this change took affect saw their rates plummet immediately (and their paychecks go up as a result!). The new health insurance rates are available to all Medical Solutions Travelers beginning January 2014.

Click here to see some FAQs on the new insurance rates as well as the full breakdown in rates per month.

What are your biggest concerns when it comes to travel nurse insurance? Let us know in the comments.

12.13.13
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Christmas trees for nurses

Did you know you can make a Christmas “tree” out of rubber gloves?  We here at NursingJobs.us didn’t know that either until we found this awesome photo of a “Christmas Tree for Nurses” on Reddit.  We promptly dispatched our research team to investigate this phenomenon and discovered plenty of nurses and others repurposing rubber gloves to decorate for the holidays. Here are some of the delightful rubber glove Christmas trees we found.                … Continue reading →

12.12.13
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Preventing violence in health care settings

Violence against nurses

It can range from swearing, spitting, or groping all the way to assault and even murder. It can happen in any setting: emergency department, mental health, labor and delivery, or day surgery. Nurses and other health care workers are at increased risk for violence in the workplace.  Nurses can’t choose their patients or their patients’ families.  Still, they often must interact with angry, frustrated, violent, or just agitated people.  We know nurses miss work four times more often due to injury caused by others.  Too often employers don’t provide adequate training and resources to help front line staff identify warning signs of violence and how to de-escalate those situations.

What can nurses do? What should employers do?
Continue reading →

12.11.13
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Ask a Travel Nurse Housing Expert: How do I find my own housing?

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House in Beach SandAsk a Travel Nurse Housing Expert Question:  

Where is the best place to start to secure housing for myself when taking an assignment? I did not “take housing” from my agency and have no clue where I will stay. Sharing housing is much more affordable, but how do you find a short-term roommate?

Ask a Travel Nurse Housing Expert Answer:  

The hospital’s HR usually has some information on rooms for rent and possibly shared housing. They can be a great resource if you want to connect with another Travel Nurse for shared housing. You could also check out Healthcare Travelbook, which is sort of like a Facebook for Travelers; a place where you can connect with others, maybe find a roommate, and crowdsource info.

Another option could be Extended Stay America. They are very affordable and have everything you need without having to share with someone.  Might be something to check in to. The longer you stay the deeper discount you get on the room. Remember these are usually studio sized rooms, so definitely smaller than what you would get in an apartment. Laundry is always onsite, which is nice, and you have a fully equipped kitchen.  But it just really depends on what you are looking for when you travel. There are also personal factors that will affect your needs like if you have pets, location to the hospital, pools, and amenities. Hope that helps.  If you have any more questions please let me know. Otherwise, I would totally check with the hospital and see if they have any leads.

Good luck and enjoy your travel experience!