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Ode to the traveling nurse
The health care industry has always seemed to be recession-proof. People always need to be taken care of in the inpatient and outpatient environment. But the recession several years ago was tough for all job sectors, including health care. And although the country has climbed out of it (see record highs on Wall Street) it was rough going for the nursing profession as hospitals closed or merged.
Now with ObamaCare, the addition of millions of previously uninsured Americans to the health care system through the passage of the Affordable Care Act, coupled with the aging baby boomer population, has created new opportunities for nurses.
“Healthcare is a growing industry, and registered nurses (RNs) with specialized experience are very marketable,” says Sarah Stevens, an account executive with thenurse staffing firm Fortus Healthcare Resources.
A recent study suggests that by 2022, over 500,000 RN jobs will be available. This growth is due, in part, to a large number of retiring nurses expected in the next few years. For more experienced RNs, the job market has remained strong. Their skills have been sought after by the medical profession. In nephrology, nurse practitioners are taking on a larger role in physician practices, and gaining more responsibilities. There are even a few independent dialysis clinics run by nurses in the country.
What is the role of the traveling nurse in keeping dialysis clinics open and operating smoothly? There are a number of companies that offer temporary nursing dialysis services. We talked with Jeremy Enck, CEO of Fortus, to give his assessment of the job market for nursing and how the travelling nurse fits into the equation. The company also places dialysis technicians, renal dietitians, nephrologists, clinic administrators, and social workers.
NN&I: What nursing services do you provide?
Enck: we can provide a full-time nurse through our Direct Hire Division or temporary assignment nurses through out Traveling Nurse Division. If the client asks for a full-time applicant, we look for someone in our database. If there are no good candidates, we pitch the opportunity to our sales staff. We have had a high rate of acceptance, so we make sure our search is thorough.
NN&I: How many nurses do you have access to at any given time?
Enck: Usually we have around 55,000 in our database; some of those can be travel nurses. We also have 550 candidates in our travel division who can be “ready at a moments notice” but are travel only.
NN&I: What is your sense about the job market for nursing in dialysis care?
Enck: It continues to be strong. We had a spike in demand last year.
NN&I: What brings out the need for a travelling nurse?
Enck: You can have a staff nurse that steps down and a clinic needs some stability to cover the spot temporarily. You can have nurses going out on maternity leave, or you might be opening new clinics. Even something as simple as covering for a nurse on [Paid Time Off].
NN&I: Is there a stigma about travelling nurses? They tend to be temporary, and may not fit in with the other full-time staff.
Enck: Permanent nurses can become territorial, and sometimes bringing in another nurse means someone loses overtime pay. But generally, travel nurses are welcomed with open arms, because they are releasing the pressure of a short staff situation.
NN&I: Is there a certain stigma about travelling nurses because they are not permanent hires? Do they have the same credentials? What about training and experience?
Enck: Some are just a better fit as a travelling nurse; they want to see places and they aren’t tied down to family or a hometown. Some travelling nurses went to permanent positions, and later wish they hadn’t. They get the itch to travel.
Nurse Recruiters in Nephrology
Fortus Healthcare Resources
888.387.3625
www.fortusgroup.com
Nurses RX Inc.
800.735.4774
Foundation Medical Staffing
405.285.2872
www.foundationmedicalstaffing.com
Cross Country Staffing
561.998.2232
Ode to the traveling nurse
The health care industry has always seemed to be recession-proof. People always need to be taken care of in the inpatient and outpatient environment. But the recession several years ago was tough for all job sectors, including health care. And although the country has climbed out of it (see record highs on Wall Street) it was rough going for the nursing profession as hospitals closed or merged.
Now with ObamaCare, the addition of millions of previously uninsured Americans to the health care system through the passage of the Affordable Care Act, coupled with the aging baby boomer population, has created new opportunities for nurses.
“Healthcare is a growing industry, and registered nurses (RNs) with specialized experience are very marketable,” says Sarah Stevens, an account executive with the
nurse staffing firm Fortus Healthcare Resources.
A recent study suggests that by 2022, over 500,000 RN jobs will be available. This growth is due, in part, to a large number of retiring nurses expected in the next few years.
For more experienced RNs, the job market has remained strong. Their skills have been sought after by the medical profession. In nephrology, nurse practitioners are taking on a larger role in physician practices, and gaining more responsibilities. There are even a few independent dialysis clinics run by nurses in the country.
What is the role of the traveling nurse in keeping dialysis clinics open and operating smoothly? There are a number of companies that offer temporary nursing dialysis services. We talked with Jeremy Enck, CEO of Fortus, to give his assessment of the job market for nursing and how the travelling nurse fits into the equation. The company also places dialysis technicians, renal dietitians, nephrologists, clinic administrators, and social workers.
NN&I: What nursing services do you provide?
Enck: we can provide a full-time nurse through our Direct Hire Division or temporary assignment nurses through out Traveling Nurse Division. If the client asks for a full-time applicant, we look for someone in our database. If there are no good candidates, we pitch the opportunity to our sales staff. We have had a high rate of acceptance, so we make sure our search is thorough.
NN&I: How many nurses do you have access to at any given time?
Enck: Usually we have around55,000 in our database; some of those can be travel nurses. We also have 550 candidates in our travel division who can be “ready at a moments notice.”
NN&I: What is your sense about the job market for nursing in dialysis care?
Enck: It continues to be strong. We had a spike in demand last year.
NN&I: What brings out the need for a travelling nurse?
Enck: You can have nurses that step down and a clinic needs some stability to cover the spot temporarily. You can have nurses going out on maternity leave, or you might be opening new clinics. Even something as simple as covering for a nurse on [Paid Time Off].
NN&I: Is there a stigma about travelling nurses? They tend to be temporary, and may not fit in with the other full-time staff.
Enck: Permanent nurses can become territorial, and sometimes bringing in another nurse means someone loses overtime pay. But generally, travel nurses are welcomed with open arms, because they are releasing the pressure of a short staff situation.
NN&I: Your company helps dialysis clinics fill full-time positions as well as temporary positions with travelling nurses. Is there a certain stigma about travelling nurses because they are not permanent hires? Do they have the same credentials? What about training and experience?
Enck: Some are just a better fit as a travelling nurse; they want to see places and they aren’t tied down to family or a hometown. Some travelling nurses went to permanent positions, and later wish they hadn’t. They get the itch to travel.
Nurse Recruiters in Nephrology
Fortus Healthcare Resources
888.387.3625
www.fortusgroup.com
Nurses RX Inc.
800.735.4774
Foundation Medical Staffing
405.285.2872
www.foundationmedicalstaffing.com
Cross Country Staffing
561.998.2232