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You’ve landed the perfect travel nursing assignment and are already planning your next one, but how do you make sure the transition from one to another is smooth? Whether you plan to take a new job immediately after your current assignment ends or vacation for a few weeks in between, the following tips can help you seamlessly move to a new position.
Begin working on paperwork for a new assignment at least 30 days before your current contract ends. If you want to get right to work in a new place, you need to have a current license in that state or have time to get one, fill out all necessary paperwork, begin the credentialing process and arrange your housing and travel. Booking your new assignment at least a month in advance gives your recruiter a chance to make sure everything is taken care of. Be sure to give yourself more time for assignments in states that take up to six weeks to grant a new license.
Get written references from supervisors at the assignment you’re leaving. Ask nurse managers and charge nurses you’ve worked with to provide written references that attest to your work ethic and skills as a nurse. Write down their names and phone numbers as well so you can include them on a resume or provide them to an employer. Even if you never plan to return to that facility, keeping in touch with former colleagues can ensure that you find a job later if you need one — or that you can help another nurse who’s interested in travel nursing.
Make sure your immunizations are current and you’ve recently had a physical. The break before starting a new assignment is a great time to catch up on your immunizations, get a physical and ensure that you’re in good health. Some hospitals may require more vaccinations depending on the part of the country you’re in, so talk to your recruiter about what you need so you can plan ahead.
Ensure that your certifications are up to date or make time to renew them. You may need to complete continuing education (CE) courses to renew your certifications, so start working on these as soon as possible if yours are about to expire. Your travel nursing agency often offers free CE courses, and you can ask your facility whether they cover these courses as well.
Be in constant contact with your recruiter. Make the transition between assignments much more smooth by staying in touch with your recruiter. He or she will make sure your housing, travel, licensing and credentialing are taken care of and that you’re ready to start a new job. If anything changes or you feel you need more time than you thought between assignments, immediately let your recruiter know.
Get in touch with the nurse manager at the new facility where you’ll be working. Ensure that you have at least one friendly face when you start another assignment by contacting the nurse manager at the hospital before you begin working. He or she can give you all the details about the facility and the position, let you know what your schedule will be and possibly even give you recommendations for housing, restaurants and even routes for getting to work.
Taking back-to-back travel nursing assignments can be exhilarating and allow to experience new scenery every three months or so — and these tips can help.
Interested in learning more about travel nursing? Call us for more information at 800.866.0407 or view today’s job openings.
