What Every Travel Nurse Should Bring on Assignment

Preparing for a 13-week travel nursing assignment can seem overwhelming, even if you’re a veteran travel nurse. There is so much to pack and bring—clothes, toiletries and not to mention the rest of your belongings. You want to plan well and be fully prepared for every occasion. Access Nurses helps with furniture (phew, one less thing to bring), but what about everything else you’ll need for the next three months? We’ve compiled a list of don’t-leave-home-without-it items for every traveling nurse:

• Capture Every Moment: Your camera should be at the top of your list next to clothes and your toothbrush. After all, memories are priceless, and you don’t want to forget a single one. Also, bring an extra memory card, plus the necessary cords to upload your pictures to a blog or email for your friends and family to stay updated on your travels.
• Be Your Own Handy Man: Skip the power drill, saw and wrenches, all you need is a travel size tool box containing the most basic tools—hammer, screwdriver, nails, etc.—for quick fix-it and decorating projects around your travel nurse apartment.
• Gain More Space: You can eliminate any outlet dilemmas (too few, not in the needed spot) by packing power strips and extension cords for your travel nursing assignment. These lightweight and portable items and will allow you to always have enough space for all of your needed items—from a cell phone charger to a toaster to a curling iron.
• Never Feel Stranded: Sure, you have all the necessary numbers in your cell phone, but what happens if it breaks or gets lost? Keeping an address book can save you from the panic of losing your main connection to friends, family and recruiter. It’s a helpful backup system, plus you can also keep addresses and important dates in it as well.
• Find Your Way Around: Not only will you know where to go during your travel nurse assignment, but you’ll know how to get there by investing in city guidebooks and a GPS navigation system. Guidebooks offer great tips for newcomers, from tasty restaurants, family-friendly sights and the best nightclubs. GPS systems are an investment, but a practical one for travel nurses moving to a new city so often.
• Create a Home Away From Home: Make your new apartment feel like home by bringing some personal and fun items to decorate. Framed pictures, refrigerator magnets, inexpensive artwork and rugs are all very portable and easy to take with you to each travel nurse job.
• Say Goodbye to Boredom: Whether it’s your favorite books, movies or CDs, be sure to bring them with you during your travel nurse assignment for those times when you just want to stay at home and relax, but still be entertained. A radio is also a great item to pack. You can keep up on the news, listen to music and use it as an alarm clock.
• Keep Cool For Less: Bring a small, easy-to-carry fan with you on your travel nursing assignment. Not only will you feel the breeze immediately with a fan, but you’ll save on electricity by using a fan to cool you off instead of central air conditioning.

Vote for your Favorite Access Nurses Recruiter!

Healthcare Traveler magazine is accepting nominations for the “best of the best” recruiters from travel nurse staffing companies.

From now until October 1, 2008, you can nominate your favorite Access Nurses recruiter for the “Recruiter of the Year” award. Cast your ballot online at www.HealthcareTraveler.com.

Each traveling nurse may nominate one recruiter. The recruiter who receives the most votes will appear within the “Recruiters of the Year” showcase in the December 2008 issue of Healthcare Traveler.

Now Playing on NurseTV.com 

Nurses with Heart Nurses at Camp del Corazon volunteer their time to keep an eye on their special campers—children will all forms of heart disease. WATCH IT NOW!

Travel Nursing Featured Destination

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. is more than the nation’s capital—it’s its own little state. The District is home to numerous national landmarks and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. With such attractions as the White House, the Capitol buildings, Lincoln Memorial, National World War II Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, you can examine the course of American history and heritage. And there’s no shortage of arts and entertainment in the District. The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Studio Theatre and National Theatre make the city a hub of theatrical amusement.
Weather: Summer: High: 80, Low: 53 Winter: High: 61, Low: 38
Population: 588,292
Nearby Cities: Reston, Baltimore, Falls Church

Travel Nursing Jobs

Contact your recruiter or call Access Nurses at 1-866-687-7390 to inquire about the following jobs!

Washington, D.C.
MICU and SICU
Positions: 13
Shift: 8 and 12-hour days and nights
Start Date: ASAP

Ganado, Arizona
ER
Positions: Two
Shift: 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Start Date: ASAP

Sitka, Arkansas
ICU and L&D
Positions: Three
Shift: 12-hour days and nights
Start Date: ASAP

Las Vegas, Nevada
L&D
Positions: One
Shift: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Start Date: ASAP

Nashville, Tennessee
Med Surg
Positions: Two
Shift: 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Start Date: ASAP

El Paso, Texas
L&D
Positions: One
Shift: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Start Date: ASAP

Grand Junction, Colorado
CVOR
Positions: One
Shift: 8-hour days
Start Date: ASAP

Lone Tree, Colorado
ER Holding
Positions: Five
Shift: Days or nights
Start Date: September 22

Watertown, New York
PACU
Positions: One
Shift: 12-hour nights
Start Date: ASAP

Kenmore, New York
ER
Positions: One
Shift: 8 and 12-hour evenings and nights
Start Date: ASAP

West Burlington, Iowa
ER
Positions: One
Shift: 10-hour nights
Start Date: ASAP

Fountain Valley, California
DOU Stepdown
Positions: Four
Shift: 12-hour nights
Start Date: ASAP

Indio, California
PACU
Positions: One
Shift: 8 and 12-hour nights
Start Date: ASAP

Escondido, California
L&D and Post Partum
Positions: One
Shift: 12-hour nights
Start Date: September 1

Escondido, California
ICU
Positions: Four
Shift: 12-hour days and nights
Start Date: ASAP

Burlingame, California
ICU and Pediatrics
Positions: Eight
Shift: 12-hour days and nights
Start Date: ASAP

Lowell, Massachusetts
L&D
Positions: Two
Shift: 8 and 12-hour evenings
Start Date: ASAP

Boston, Massachusetts
Dialysis
Positions: One
Shift: 10-hour days
Start Date: ASAP

Boston, Massachusetts
NICU
Positions: Two
Shift: 12-hour nights
Start Date: September 22

Santa Fe, New Mexico
ER and ICU
Positions: Four
Shift: 12-hour variable
Start Date: ASAP

Travel Nursing Forum Topic

Interview Process

I will be graduating from a nursing program in December ‘08. I’m very excited. I am actually interviewing for University of Maryland’s R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. Next week, I will interview with the nurse managers.

I am looking for some advice for the interview, maybe thoughts from those who know about the shock trauma units. Any advice on this process or the first year would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Travel Nurse Quote

“With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.”

~Keshavan Nair