Category Archives: Travel Nursing
How to Research Your Next Contract Location
Maybe you’ve had this happen during a vacation. You’re excited to experience a new place. You’ve heard about the views or the nightlife or the culture. You have a general idea of what you’ll do to enjoy the area once you arrive. And you’ve booked a place to stay. Awesome! And then you get there and realize your rental is nowhere near the attractions and restaurants that interest you, or it’s not as big as you expected. And everything around is way more expensive than you had budgeted, and you’re grabbing for credit cards. Not awesome.
The same thing occasionally comes up in healthcare staffing. It’s smart to do basic research on a city before arriving or even before signing a contract. Here’s what to look up: Read more
Adaptability Can Lead to Better Experiences
If adaptability is innately one of your skills, you’re probably well-suited for a travel career. If it’s something you have to work for, we’ve got two good reasons for making that extra effort.
“Action and adaptability create opportunity.”
– Garrison Wynn
Stay on Track to Avoid Late Starts
Procrastination is no one’s friend. You probably know a fellow traveler who has had plans change due to a missed urine test or delayed response to a phone interview call-back. Avoid those and other procrastination mistakes with these three quick tips to stay on schedule for your first, or next, travel assignment.
ASK QUESTIONS
For first-time travelers especially, it can seem like your recruiter is throwing a lot of to-do items your way. Avoid becoming overwhelmed (or worse, late) by Read more
The Tax Home 50-Mile Myth
A question we often hear is, “How far away from home should my assignment be in order to qualify for the tax-free housing stipend?“
Tax-free stipends are only available if 1) you have a permanent tax home and 2) you are working far enough away from your tax home that you need to get a second residence (hotel, apartment, long-term stay, etc.) and 3) are duplicating expenses. If you go to work and then drive home to sleep at your tax home every night, you do not qualify for the stipend.
Read moreTravel Predictions 2019
Travel healthcare trends ebb and flow and what was law in recent years is never guaranteed to continue. Here’s what to watch this year.
THERAPY
PDPM approaches. We don’t yet know exactly how the Patient Driven Payment Model will impact travel therapy needs. Clients are still learning what it means for their facility and permanent therapy staff. We expect a large number of skilled nursing facilities Read more
Recruiter-Traveler Relationships
We know the relationship with your recruiter is one of the more important parts of a successful travel career. At Cariant, you work with one recruiter regardless of where in the U.S. you want to travel. The longer you travel with us the stronger your relationship with your recruiter becomes. They are your advocates on the road. And they work hard to make sure their travelers are informed and happy.
We Need to Talk About Ghosting
Ghosting, an act we may categorize as something that only happens when “retiring” personal relationships, has shifted to the professional space as an employment trend. It’s on the minds of many HR and recruiting professionals. And unfortunately, it’s on our radar as well.
Culturally acceptable it may be to “ghost” an individual to end a friendship or relationship, ghosting does not belong in the travel therapy and travel nursing industry.
Consider this full scenario: Read more
Write a Travel Bucket List for Each and Every Contract Location
Most travel contracts are 13 weeks in duration. That may seem like a long period of time… until you recall how often you hear exclamations of how fast the year went by. When you’re moving around the country up to four times a year and trying to squeeze in as many memorable moments as you can, those 13 weeks will fly by!
It’s essential to make a plan, or at least write out a travel bucket list, in advance of each contract so you’re less likely to miss an experience. This is especially true if your plan is never to extend a contract. Read more
Travel Questions Answered
Why is it okay for a hospital to cancel a contract, but not for me?
Contract cancellations are a risk of travel. But travelers typically receive two weeks to 30 days’ notice for your recruiter to line up another assignment. Travelers who receive notice directly about a cancellation clause being utilized should contact their recruiter immediately to look at options.
Cancellations usually only happen because the facility filled a permanent position or experienced an unexpected low census. It’s a financial decision, Read more
How to Make Bad Assignments Better
We hope our travelers never experience a truly “bad” assignment. However, we know the experience of “first days” does vary from stellar to let’s say… forgetful. Don’t take it personally if you expected a parade on your first day and were instead met with crickets. If the mood doesn’t improve, focus on what you can control to improve the situation. Read more
