Sample Nursing Skills Checklist

in /by

Skills checklists are self assessment tools utilized by healthcare employers and healthcare professionals for gauging a healthcare professional’s skill set within a particular healthcare specialty. Healthcare employers often require potential job candidates and new-hires to complete them. They are a standard requirement for employment with travel nursing agencies and healthcare staffing agencies of all types. Skills checklists can also be very useful for healthcare professionals interested in determining their own expertise within their healthcare specialty, for identifying areas of future career growth, and for getting an edge in the hiring process. BluePipes provides members with free access to over 100 comprehensive skills checklists which can be completed, saved, downloaded as a PDF file and utilized at the member’s discretion. Below is a sample BluePipes skills checklist for an ICU nurse. Join BluePipes today; it’s free and easy! Read more

6 Considerations about the Geography of the Nursing Shortage

in /by

Geography and/or regional issues are often cited when referring to the nursing shortage. The idea is that certain areas of the country have a surplus of nurses while other areas of the country are faced with severe shortages. The net result is an overall nursing shortage. These regional imbalances lead to recommendations that nurses, especially those having difficulty landing a job, should seek employment opportunities in regions exhibiting shortages. However, others contend that such recommendations maybe without merit. Understanding the issues at play will help nurses form a clearer picture of the nursing labor market and possibly assist them with their job searches. Read more

Travel Nursing Pay: The M&IE Stipend

in , , /by

The tax-free aspect of the travel nursing pay package can get really confusing. Different companies approach and handle it in different ways. You’ll find many companies that refer to the Meals and Incidental Expenditure (M&IE) stipend as one of the components of their pay package.

Like the rest of the pay package, the M&IE stipend can be confusing. Recruiters often use different terms when describing it. Different agencies offer different amounts in the same area. Recruiters often do a poor job of defining it clearly. In the end, travel nurses are often left wondering what’s really going on with this compensation variable. Read more

7 Things to Know about Travel Nursing Pay & Wage Recharacterization

2 Comments/in , /by

Travel nursing pay packages are quite complex compared to permanent-job pay packages. This is due to the fact that travel nursing pay is commonly split between a taxable base rate and various tax-free reimbursements.

Moreover, different agencies have different ways of splitting the pay among the various pay package components. Some agencies will pay travel nurses more tax-free money and less taxable money, and vice-versa.

However, there are rules that agencies must follow. One set of rules that agencies should adhere to pertain to what is commonly called “wage recharacterization.” Understanding this issue will provide travel nurses with a better understanding of travel nursing pay.

Read more

Median Staff RN Salary VS. Top 10% by Specialty

in /by

This Infographic displays a comparison between median Staff RN salaries and the top 10% of Staff RN salaries by specialty. Remeber, the median is the numerical value separating that higher half of the data sample from the lower half of the sample. In other words, 50% of Staff RNs make more than the median salary and 50% make less than the median salary. This is much different than the average Staff RN salary. Read more

Average RN Salary by Specialty 2013

in /by

This Infographic shows national average RN salaries in the year 2013 for 11 common nursing specialties. It’s important to remember that these figures are estimates compiled from several different reporting sources and methods. However, the figures do provide a general idea of the overall market. Read more

How to Become a Travel Nurse in 10 Steps

in , /by

Travel nurses are nurses who work temporary jobs commonly referred to as travel nursing assignments. Assignments are typically 13 weeks in length but can be longer or shorter. Travel nursing is a great way travel around the country while gaining valuable work experience. However, you should familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages before deciding to undertake travel nursing. If you decide that it’s right for you, then you just need to know how to become a travel nurse. Here we’ll provide our 10 steps to becoming a travel nurse.
Read more