Category: Travel Nurse

Fidelity on Call is a quality travel nursing team.

How Travelers Can Fight Inflation

We know everyone is feeling the effects of higher prices everywhere we turn – at the grocery store, at the pump, utility rates, housing rates etc. It is very frustrating for sure but there is GOOD news. There are many ways to save money.

Sometimes we forget that our budgets can still be very much in our control. When things are doing well, we tend to throw caution to the wind and forget the small changes we can make to save money. Therefore, we allow higher prices and convenience to dictate the way we spend our money.

We wanted to pull some quick tips together to share with you to help ease not only the financial burden but also the emotional toll inflation can take on you and your family.

1.       One of the easiest ways to control what you are spending is to TRACK it!

  •  MINT
  • Good Budget App
  • Expensify

These are three apps that you can download right to your phone that are highly recommended by financial experts! There are other apps as well.

 

2.       Fuel prices really hit the people who TRAVEL FOR A LIVING! We are thankful for the ability to reimburse our team for their mileage. We have had several travelers asking for higher stipends due to the increased fuel costs and, we would love to see the Federal Government raise the cents per mile to match what has happened with insanely high fuel prices but until that happens, we are unable to do more than we are. Until then, check out the following as options to save in fuel costs.

  • Gas Buddy App
  • Gas Guru
  • AAA Trip Tik Travel Planner

Again, there are other apps but these three are proven winners we have heard about from our team and also recommended by financial experts.

 

3.       Everyone has to eat! Grocery costs going up affect not just what you buy at the store but the costs for the mom-and-pop diners that are just trying to get by. Those dinner tickets at your local watering holes and eating establishments are going up and that leaves many people wondering if they can even afford to patronize those establishments. Here are some great ways to save money and continue to enjoy eating out.

  • Plan your meals! Make a grocery list and menu!
  • Choose the days you want to eat out and maybe opt for the special deal on those days.
  • If you eat lunch out every day, try packing your lunch a few days and eat out others.

These are just a few ways to get control over your expenses and fight inflation. We hope you will share these and any others you may know with others who are worried. We can all help each other!

The History of Travel Nursing

Travel nursing has certainly become “trendy” with a larger percentage of the nursing population in the past couple of years.  Many nurses have left their staff jobs to become a part of this industry. Some because of the increased pay that has happened since 2020. This put the spotlight on a career path that has been around for the last 40 years.
Continue reading The History of Travel Nursing

Travel Nurse vs Staff Nurse

Comparing a travel nurse to a staff nurse is really like comparing an apple to an orange. Both are fruit, both are good for your health, but each still has differences.

TRAVEL NURSES:

✔ Enjoy the change in environment (typical change in assignments every 13 weeks; you may be offered to extend, or you can move onto the next location)
✔ Experienced in their nursing skills (travel nurses are not new graduates)
✔Adaptable (outside of showing a travel nurse the charting system and the lay of the land, travel nurses receive little orientation)
✔Exceptional interpersonal skills
✔Above average attendance records
✔Financially savvy to save for their own PTO/Vacation time and live a more flexible lifestyle
✔Flexible (you can choose the shifts you wish to work and the time off you want to take off)
✔Enjoys the perks of travel pay (competitive wages, tax free allowances)

STAFF NURSES:

✔Prefer to see the same nurses, techs, and providers day in and day (the only change is the patient)
✔Enjoys team meetings, unit committees
✔Likes a short or familiar commute to work
✔Typically receive lower pay but earn paid time off
✔Seniority matters

It is important when determining what is right for you, to always ensure you are choosing the right travel nurse agency to support you and/or the hospital that aligns with your mission in healthcare. Both offer several opportunities! Just remember you are never locked into one or the other. You have a career that has flexibility and opportunities.

We Believe in You

When we say we’ve got your back… WE TRULY have got your back.

I think we can all agree, that shifting the blame happens in all lines of work.  A lot of people have a hard time taking responsibility for their own mistakes, errors, or shortcomings. It takes an emotionally intelligent person to be able to say, “Hey I was wrong. That was my error. Perhaps I am the problem in this situation.” When emotional intelligence is lacking, shifting the blame happens. This happens in travel nursing also. In these crazy times it does seem to occur a little more often than we have seen in the past, however we react the same as we always have.

For example, something is happening on the unit you are working on, and you are getting the blame.  When that complaint comes to the office, we have a process and we do not veer from that process.

Complaint>Investigation>Resolution

Please know that we pride ourselves in the time and effort spent in every employee we hire. Something you may not know is we do not hire everyone that applies. We are very selective in our hiring process to ensure we find the right quality candidates who will honor our mission.  We also want to be a good employer match for those we hire. We believe in you and that is why we make the offer of employment to you. With that said, sometimes there is a complaint or a concern.

If there is a clinical concern:

Any clinical concerns are immediately reported to our Nurse Manager. Whether there is a medication error, charting error etc. the nurse manager is going to ask questions and investigate the documentation that may be provided. The nurse manager will reach out to the team member and ask questions. After investigating all sides of the situation, a resolution is then determined.

If there is a professional/personal issue:

Any professional/personal issues will be reported to your recruiter. When this happens, the following is done:

The recruiter is going to ask questions from the client regarding the complaint. The recruiter is going to reach out to you to share the concern/complaint and hear what you have to say about it. That recruiter will reach out to others to ask questions, if need be, investigate and get all sides of the story. A resolution is then determined and made.

In short, we believe in you unless proven otherwise

Calling in… When, Why, and Why Not?

Attendance is a very critical component in any industry. Healthcare is no different. Although, let’s face it, hospital policies have been wild and all over the place due to Rona. Attendance in travel nursing has always been paramount due to the fact that our travel nurses are considered the backup team. Now comes the pandemic. As our travelers were not allowed to work in the early stages of this novel virus, our clients were willing to pay for their time off. After two years things have changed.

So when do you call off?

The good old -fashioned advice never fails to be correct. Are you sick, truly sick?

  • Are you running a fever greater than 99.9?
  • Are you vomiting?
  • Are you making repeated trips to the bathroom for less than pleasant reasons?
  • Did you have a medical emergency?

These are just a few sure-fire reasons you should reach out to your recruiter and manager to call off to work.

What are unacceptable call offs?

Some days we just do not feel our best. We forge on because we are the backup team. Here are some “not great” examples for calling off to work:

  • Winter weather – We all have access to winter weather reports and road conditions. You should PLAN ahead for such events Leave early! Depending on your distance, this may be 30 minutes early or more

✔Ensure your car is in winter driving condition
✔Have proper winter travel supplies in your car
✔Communicate with your recruiter about housing options

  • Lack of Childcare

✔You as a traveler are the backup team member. You should have a backup for your childcare.
✔We have some facilities that allow our travelers to use their childcare resources.
✔Instead of calling off inquire with your recruiter or hospital manager if you can switch shifts/days

  • No Call No Show

✔Proud to report that this is not happening with our Fidelity On Call travelers, but we are hearing this from our clients regarding other travelers doing it (and regularly)! We thought it would be worth mentioning so that we continue with that perfect record.

In closing, calling off makes it tough on everyone involved. Yes, emergencies happen to us all. True emergencies and illness are not every week. Please always keep in close communication with your