Choosing the Best: What to Look for in Your Nurse Staffing Agency
So you’re ready to be a traveling nurse? There is lots to consider, but of course, only one important aspect to focus on, where’s your next destination?! Making a difference with your professional, caring touch across the nation is a dream, and you shouldn’t have to focus on anything but that part of the journey. The trick to this? Finding a staffing agency who understands the journey, and will do everything they can to make it incredible.
Focus on what matters and consider the following four key pillars of what makes an award-winning traveling nurse staffing agency. Flash forward to excellence…
Recruiter – Travel Nurse Relationships
Depending on your travel location, you could pick a place where you don’t know anyone. If you’re the type of person who is comfortable living just you and the wide open city of opportunities, that’s awesome! Alas, you’ll need a trusted insider to help you navigate so you can be the free city-dweller you’ve always wanted to be.
Some agencies will assign a specific recruiter to each nurse, giving travelers the opportunity to get to know and trust their recruiter. Your recruiter can help you gain familiarity with the facility to which you are traveling and the neighborhood in which you will be residing. They can also provide other necessary location-specific tips so you can thrive in your new location.
What Matters to You?
Picking a traveling agency to work with is similar to finding the job itself. You have to consider what matters to you as a professional and determine which agencies can fulfill your needs. Are you more interested in having private housing taken care of or does dental care take priority? Is there a traveling nurse agency available who can speak to both of these benefits?
Look beyond the benefits offered by each agency to see if they can even benefit your medical and lifestyle needs. Many agencies will offer benefit representatives who can help you quickly understand the packages being offered.
References, Do You Have Them?
Online reviews are one of those modern-day nice to haves, but nothing beats the transparency of a referral from a practitioner currently working with the agency. Maybe you don’t know anyone directly working with the agency, but some searching can lead you to them.
Go to LinkedIn or online nurse forums to see what others are saying about travel agencies that have worked for them. Private Facebook groups are a safe space for travel nurses to join and support each other on their professional journeys. Maybe the website promises a no-drama workplace, but insiders have experience otherwise.
The Perks that Bark
Leaving your furry friend at home during a long work day is hard enough. If you have furry residents living with you, try finding a traveling nurse agency who offers housing that allows pets. Traveling with pets, especially in unfamiliar areas can help get you out of the house, even when you don’t want to, join other dog-friendly communities, and gives you a companion to confide in when you’re feeling lonely.
Ensure to properly identify your pets in case they get lost (this is a new place to them, too!), crate train your pet for safe and legal travels, take your pet to the vet before departure in case there are any health risks triggered by traveling, and make sure they are trained and loyal to you in highly populated areas.
The safety of you and your potential travel companions matters! All of these factors play into how well your next assignment goes. Find an agency that speaks to your medical and lifestyle needs including pets, private housing, and health benefits, and ensure you have a reliable recruiter who knows what matters to you most.
What are your favorite travel stories? What experiences still make you cringe? We’d love to chat! Ping us on Twitter to start the conversation: @FreedomHCS
About the author:
Susan Whitman is the Senior Vice President & CFO of Freedom Healthcare Staffing, a staffing agency for traveling nurses across the U.S. based in Aurora, Colorado. Susan has over 20 years of experience in the hospital & staffing industries beginning in 2001 as the Vice President of Fastaff Travel Nursing. The Freedom Healthcare team and Susan take pride in helping their travelers find the healthcare jobs of their dreams, providing support, outstanding benefits, and unbeatable compensation. Learn more about Freedom Healthcare: http://www.freedomhcs.com/.
