Author: pdrake@fidelityoncall.com

25 Years of Experience: A Travel Nurse Shares Tips for Success

Lonna is an RN who traveled for 25 of her 30-year career – almost entirely with Fidelity On Call. She has traveled across the country from California to Connecticut, Wyoming to Texas, and Illinois, Iowa and Missouri.

Lonna was always in critical care, either ICU or ER, and Kellie has been her recruiter for quite some time. She has retired, but still comes back to work from time to time.

Lonna took time to join us for this series where she will share advice to help you explore the endless possibilities in your travel career. Watch Part 1& 2 below…

Lonna Part 1

Are you considering a switch to travel health, or are you looking for an agency to work with? Let’s talk! Call (309) 691-1500 or message us!

Lonna Part 2

In this video, Lonna shares the freedom and flexibility she experienced as a traveler which was the primary reason she left staff nursing after five years.

Lonna Part 3

In this video, Lonna shares the reasons why, after making the switch to travel nursing, she never went back to working staff.

Lonna Part 4

In this video, we focus on benefits. Lonna worked the majority of her career with us at Fidelity On Call, but also for a couple other agencies as well. But she learned that not every agency offers the full benefit package that we do. Lonna shares what to expect, and what coverage has been most important for her as a traveler.

Lonna Part 5

In this series, we’ve been bringing all kinds of information to you talking about the freedom and flexibility that comes with a career in travel healthcare. 25-year travel nurse veteran Lonna spent most of her travel career with us. As an elite team member of Fidelity On Call, Lonna explains the level of excellence that you must have to become a member of our travel health team, and why our team members stand out at the facilities they serve.

Why Now Is a Great Time to Join Travel Healthcare

There are tons of blogs, tik toks, Instagram, etc posts about why now is NOT a great time to join travel healthcare. So why are we saying there has never been a better time? It is quite simple. In many respects our industry has returned to a sense of normalcy.

Healthcare professionals are deciding carefully about travel healthcare instead of jumping in for the wrong reasons. They are looking at agency reputations and establishing a relationship with a recruiter and an agency. Healthcare professionals are weighing the pros and cons and making careful, thoughtful decisions about what is best for them at this point in their lives.

We have been in business since 1994. We have experienced many changes in our business and in the industry during this time. We can all agree that from about March of 2020 to early 2023 the only thing that seemed to be the focus of an industry that has been around for 40 years was money. The large pay packages!

Granted we all need and enjoy money and being compensated for the job we do. But what goes up does go down and that money can be the root of some evil and in our industry of staffing, that was true as well. That is a blog post for another day.

So, why is it a great time to join travel healthcare if the pay packages are not boasting 100/hr.? We have compiled the top ten reasons our travel team is growing, from what our elite team tells us are the reasons they are taking the leap and or staying in the industry of travel healthcare:

  • Professional growth opportunities
  • Job Security
  • New friends
  • Make more money
  • No workplace politics
  • Avoid burnout
  • Find the ideal place to settle down
  • Flexibility and freedom to choose
  • Work-Life-Balance
  • Recognition

We believe now is the PERFECT time to make a call, send a text or send an email and connect with one of our professional healthcare recruiters to start the conversation about your goals as a healthcare professional.

Why Travel Healthcare WORKS for Back- to- School

Hard to believe we are now at the back-to-school time of the year. For many people there is a certain amount of stress that comes with those three words. All the things that begin again – homework, packed lunches, extracurricular activities, bus schedules and more. Whether you are a parent with children going back to school or you are the student working toward your advanced degree, back-to school causes its own set of dilemmas. Finding the right amount of work-life balance can be a struggle. However, it most certainly does not have to be.

As a healthcare licensed professional, you have options that are unlike many other professional industries. You can work as a staff employee at a hospital or other like medical setting for your specialty or you can be employed by a reputable healthcare travel agency.

If you are an experienced professional with at least one year of experience, you should reach out to a recruiter here at Fidelity on Call to discuss all options available to you. Why work 36 or 40 hours a week to also have your phone blow up on your time off to be asked or manipulated to come into work, when you likely already have so many other things to do?

Loyalty is so important and being a team player, we agree, is important. However, it always seems that the most loyal and flexible people get used time and time again with no repercussions for those that do the bare minimum.

In travel healthcare, you have the freedom and flexibility to choose. You only must work your 36 hours or 40 hours, whichever contract terms you choose. Yes, you CAN work extra and so many travelers do, however, you are not mandated or forced to, and many do not work more than what they are agreeing to work.
There is no “one size fits all” in travel healthcare, but there are so many opportunities every day.

We have employees that are diverse in what their individual needs are and work hard to ensure they have opportunities available to fit their unique needs.

In business since 1994, Fidelity On Call has hundreds of relationships with medical facilities all over Illinois and other states as well.

Whether you are the parent of the kiddo that is headed back to school, you are back to school, or all the above applies, the freedom and flexibility of choosing what your work is going to be like for 13 weeks at a time, gives you the ability to meet all your obligations and still schedule some down time for you and or you and your family. With NO GUILT.

Take the first step to relieve those back-to-school worries. Call and speak with a recruiter today. Our recruiters can:

  • discuss your goals with you
  • the benefit packages available
  • competitive pay packages
  • assignments open

…and so much more that is personalized for you at this very busy time of the year. Let us help take the stress and worry out of this time of the year and allow you to enjoy it.

What Motivates You?

There are five factors experts say that motivate working professionals:

• Challenging Work
• Recognition
• Employee involvement
• Job Security
• Compensation

Fidelity On Call’s recruitment specialists pride themselves in seeking and recruiting successful healthcare providers and learning what motivates those professionals considering travel healthcare.

Challenging Work

Do you thrive on challenging work? Many healthcare providers find they love the float component of travel nursing. When floating, healthcare providers help in a variety of complex units and obtain additional acute skills and learn to use more critical thinking. Studies find that challenges help to stimulate your brain function and help to curb healthcare burnout, depression, and anxiety.

Recognition

Perhaps recognition is something that motivates you. Working for the right travel company that is sufficiently staffed internally with high quality healthcare recruiters can ensure you are always recognized for not only the BIG accomplishments but all the little ones in between. Additionally, we send cards of congratulations, anniversaries, birthdays, condolences, and life’s milestones. They are important to you which makes them important to your employer or should. Shout outs in a monthly newsletter, end of contract evaluations, offers of extensions, exciting new opportunity offers are all examples of recognition of a job well done.

Employee Involvement

Perhaps the idea of employee involvement motivates you and gets you excited. Fidelity On Call for example enjoys and offers employee contests throughout the year to have some fun. We have had tailgates, open houses, sponsored local events for travelers, participated in fairs, etc. Your feedback is always important to what is trending, what the word on the street is. Also, the most exciting way to be involved is the great referral program we have. We love to hear that a new traveler was referred to us by an elite team member.

Travel Healthcare is always evolving. We have been here since 1994, so like the Farmer’s Insurance commercial “we know a few things because we have seen a few things.” The same is true of us. We have a solid business rating; we have excellent references and a solid reputation. Keeping our employees working is always at the top when it comes to business decisions. Our company has never missed a payroll.

Job Security

When facilities say their goal is to “get rid of travelers“ it truly worries our team members. However, for nearly 30 years, we have heard those words. If any one client filled their needs, another one facility would have openings. Staffing shortages are not a new challenge. They are an on-going, never ending challenge. And, remember, we have a wide net of clients.

Compensation

Lastly, compensation is incredibly important and a motivating factor for healthcare providers. Travel healthcare is very lucrative. The most important thing to know is that travel healthcare pay is not one size fits all. The pay packages are made up of tax-free stipends, to cover, mileage, meal and housing allowances, along with a competitive hourly rate. Travel healthcare packages are not composed the same as staff pay packages.

When selecting whether to work as a staff healthcare provider or a travel healthcare provider, one thing is for sure, you must do what lights the fire inside your soul. Be bold and be brave. Take chances and find out what motivates you because you cannot go wrong. Travel healthcare will always be around and staffing healthcare opportunities will always be around. The ball is in your court.

Help Me Help You!

This famous image of Tom Cruise portraying a Sports Agent in the blockbuster movie, Jerry Maguire and the famous line “HELP ME HELP YOU” has never rang truer than it does today. Healthcare recruiters are shouting it from the roof tops. While sports agents get to show up at team practices and games to reach out directly to potential clients, healthcare recruiters work tirelessly and very non-conventional hours to connect with highly sought after healthcare professionals but never on site of any facility. Through cold calling, word of mouth, networking on the many social platforms, a successful healthcare recruiter never shies away from a challenge or the hustle.

In an industry that has lost a record number of professionals due to burn out, fatigue, and frustration with workplace politics, it is best to seek an experienced, successful, healthcare recruiter to be in your corner.

Another reason travel healthcare agencies have grown is we can provide a solution to help decrease employment stress and worry.

Additionally, a successful recruiter can help assist you in the process of going from agency to staff and back and forth as needed by what YOUR needs are at the time and in those transitions ensure you do not make any missteps that can affect your ability to return to travel again should the desire arise. In addition, our recruitment team can assist you in a direct staff position and negotiate the best offer possible.

A successful recruiter is the best option for falling in love with your healthcare career again. Having your own professional cheerleader in your corner, seeking advice on updating certifications, clinical skills, making yourself marketable, being paid competitive market wages are just a few of the ways a recruiter can help you.

Here are some tips to effectively work with your personalized Healthcare Recruiter here at Fidelity on Call:

‣ COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY. Be sure to communicate what your goals and objectives are. Share what your preferred method of communication is. Communication is half the battle in all successful working relationships! Also ask what your recruiter would like for communication. Communication is also a two-way street. Both you and your recruiter need to be on the same page.

‣ SEEK ADVICE. Before applying for a staff job, even if it is PRN, speak with your recruiter to ensure you discuss all the stipulations hospitals put on PRN staff that could potentially affect if you wish to travel full time or move onto another assignment. There has become an increasing number of strings attached to working staff in any capacity. It is best to have all the information prior to making any decisions so you do not limit your opportunities.

‣ RELATIONSHIP and RESPECT are critical in any professional or personal relationship. Your time is just as important to you as it is to your healthcare recruiter. Be sure you provide the same respect in return.

HELP ME HELP YOU. As shared in a very pop culture way, it really does ring true. If you feel you are an Elite Healthcare Provider and you are not reaching the success levels in your career that you are striving to do, pick up the phone and give one of our Elite Healthcare Recruitment Specialists a call today at 309.691.1500.