The Three P's

 

In the span of 24 days, I've learned three important lessons in travel nursing planning: patience, persistence, and pliability. They are essential when the process of applying for a position, interviewing with managers, and deciding upon an assignment can look like this:

 



 

In order to secure the kind of assignment I wanted and not lose my mind in the process, I needed to be patient, persistent, and pliable.

 

The hurry-up-and-wait game.

In the many hours I spent researching travel nursing, I read over and over again that a traveler needs to be prepared to leave and start an assignment at a moment's notice. What I didn't read was this: a traveler must be ready to accept a position at a moment's notice... and then potentially wait for days for paperwork processing and contract negotiation, just to have your assignment cancelled for reasons out of your control. 

 

You will be frustrated. You will be discouraged. In the words of Will Smith in Bad Boys II, "wooosahhhhh." 

 

 

Take a breath, recalibrate, and remind yourself why you want to travel. It may take multiple submissions, phone interviews, and false starts, but you will find an assignment.

 

Play hard ball.

New to traveling? Not a problem. Seasoned travelers typically find assignments more quickly than us newbies because of their experience. This, however, doesn't mean that you won't be able to find an assignment; and more importantly, find an assignment that meets your needs in terms of unit/specialty area, length, and location. Knowing what you want before you contact agencies will help you be firm in your wants and needs during the application and interview processes.

 

You also need a recruiter that is as persistent as you are. If you interview an agency that says you will have difficulty securing an assignment because of your lack of travel experience, or encourages you to "take what you can get," move on. There are plenty of other agencies that will work hard for your business, regardless of your prior travel experience.

 



Bend; don't break.

Your plans may (and most likely will) change repeatedly. My plan looked like this in January:

• Early February-early May: 1st travel assignment
• Mid-May-end of May: 1st volunteer trip
• June-July: 2nd volunteer trip 
• August: home in NJ/per diem job
• September-December: 2nd travel assignment

What my plan looks like now:

• Mid-March to mid-May: first 9 weeks of 1st travel assignment
• Mid-May-end of May: 1st volunteer trip
• June: last four weeks of 1st travel assignment
• July-August: home in NJ/per diem job
• Sometime in July: 2nd volunteer trip
• September-December: 2nd travel assignment

Because assignment #1 was cancelled, and my actual assignment (#3) didn't start until mid-March, I had to adjust my timeline for the following months.

 

Instead of feeling overwhelmed with a constantly-changing plan, embrace the flexibility. Appreciate the pliability in your timeline. If you were still in a traditional, permanent job, you wouldn't be able to easily adjust your work schedule and time-off.

___________________________________

 

Planning. Cancellation. Frustration. Re-planning. Securement. Elation.

 

Here's to travel nursing :)