Hitting the Road

• The Travel Nurse, 1

Who Are Travelers? 1
Who Establishes the Contracts? 1
What Type of People Do Agencies Look For? 1
What Areas of Expertise Are Required to Travel? 2
Exercise 1:: What Type of Traveler Would You Be? 3
Self Evaluation:: Should You Become a Health Care
Traveler? 4
Exercise 2:: Travel Personality Profile, 4
Exercise 3:: Imagine the Experience, 6
Exercise 4:: What You Cannot Live Without, 6

Overcoming Myths and Perceived Barriers, 7
Myth 1:: Traveling Is for Young People, 7
Myth 2:: Traveling Is for Single People, 7
Myth 3:: Traveling Is for Full-Time Nomads, 7
Myth 4:: Traveling Is Not for Pet Owners, 8
Myth 5:: Traveling Is Not for Mothers, 8
Myth 6:: Traveling Is for Those Excited About Their Profession, 8
Myth 7:: Traveling Is Not a Reliable Source of Income, 8
Exercise 5:: 20 Reasons You Cannot Travel, 10

Reviewing Advantages and Disadvantages, 13
The Advantages, 13
Exercise 6:: Assessing Advantages, 16
Exercise 7:: Daydream Your Destination, 16
The Disadvantages, 17
Exercise 8:: Assessing Disadvantages, 19

Sharing Travel Stories, 21
Quotes From Experienced Travelers, 21
What It All Says, 25

Preparing for the Application Process, 27
Assess Your Readiness, 27
What You Need to Get Started, 27
Document Checklist (Copies), 30

Landing a Desirable Assignment, 33
Exercise 9:: Questions to Ask Yourself, 33
Research the Agencies, 33
Call the Agencies, 34
Take Gossip With a Grain of Salt, 34
Personal Recruiter, 35
Sharing Information, 36
The Interview, 36
Accepting the Assignment, 37
Signing the Contract, 38

Negotiating Benefits, 41
The Standard Package, 41
Above Average Benefits, 45
Negotiable Benefits, 47
Long-Term Incentives, 48

Organizing Travel Effectively and Traveling Smart, 51
Mail, 51
Money, 52
Phone, 53
What to Pack, 53
Traveling Smart, 54
Contract Tips, 55
Travel and Safety, 56
Orientation, 58
Working a Strike, 59

Reaping What You Know:: Finances and Taxes, 63
Establish and Maintain a Permanent Residence, 63
Find a Knowledgeable Accountant, 63
Stay Well Informed, 67

International Travel, 71
Immigrating to the United States, 71
Going to the United States from Canada, 74
Traveling Outside the United States, 75
Special Tips for Traveling Abroad, 78
Bibliography, 79

Appendix A Travel Information Resources, 81
Appendix B State Board of Nursing Information, 86
Appendix C Volunteer Service Organizations, 95
Appendix D Staffing Agencies, 100