Global nurses are, without a doubt, a necessity in the US healthcare workforce. They provide proper care to patients while helping medical organizations advocate for everyone’s health. But while a travel nurse’s contract can begin once they sign the papers, its end is also as certain.
What does this mean for travel nurses like you? How can you move into the next nursing assignment without leaving important details about your current job?
This article will discuss the next steps once a nursing assignment ends. You can use the following steps to transition easily into the next assignment. This can be your guide to feeling comfortable in your next job. In addition, we will give actionable tips, from knowing how to get a nurse license in another state to creating bonds with your future leaders and workmates.
The first thing to do when your nursing assignment is ending is to contact your recruiter. These people will guide you on your next journey.
You can ask your recruiter for help, especially with the necessary steps that will be tackled later. From external factors such as housing and physical examinations to internal factors affecting work like licensing and salary discussion, your recruiter should work hand in hand with you.
If you think you cannot work right away after the end of your current assignment, give them a heads-up as well. It would be ideal to contact your recruiter 4-6 weeks before your current contract ends. This is to ensure all factors are taken care of and prevent a gap in your employment. While your recruiter can make the process easier, remember that your next assignment depends on your choice.
Have you considered extending your contract with your current employer? Have you asked them if they are open to the possibility of long-term work? Employers must know what your intentions are before you leave their organization.
Options of leaving your current organization and working for another one will always be present. But you can also choose to extend your assignment with your present employer–granted that they also agreed to it. If your performance is noteworthy, your leaders may even offer it themselves.
To be exact, you could finish paperwork as early as a month before your current nursing assignment ends. The earlier you complete these, the fewer lapses will arise before you start the next.
Some of this paperwork includes letters of recommendation from your nursing job and gaining references. Knowing how to transfer nursing licenses to another state and getting housing permits is also vital.
According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), there are 39 states that are a part of eNLC or Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact. The compact allows for one license to be used for practice in different states. However, there are still discrepancies with the use of the multi-state license within states that are not part of eNLC.
Therefore, you must complete the requirements for this multi-state license or the requirements for a nursing license in non-compact states. Otherwise, you would not be allowed to practice your profession in that state at all. Not only would this hurt your bank account, but it could also create an employment gap in your resume.
Letters of recommendation from your nurse leaders are also helpful as this gives an insight into your performance as a travel nurse. With this, future organizations can determine whether your credentials and claims of being fit for the job are backed by trustworthy people who have worked with you.
You could also ask your current colleagues to become your persons of reference. If they agree, you could collect their email addresses and phone numbers. This is to ensure you have people on your side who will testify to your good practice. It is also a way of keeping in contact with them in case any of you needs help from the other.
Continuing education is vital, especially in nursing practice. Every state requires this in the US government. With this, patients and organizations can guarantee that you are updated with current trends in providing and promoting healthcare.
Some ways to do this are to take part in seminars, read up on the newest nursing articles, and listen to nursing podcasts. Your current facility and travel nursing agency could also provide these services, so it helps to contact anyone whom you know could help. Nothing is better than nurses whose minds for practice are as large as their hearts for service.
Your body must be as well-equipped as your mind is. A physical exam after your contract ends will not hurt, as its goal is to ensure you are still healthy. Pair it with vaccines, and you can prepare for the next few months of working in any nursing ground.
Most organizations require a result of your physical exam before you get employed. This is to ascertain if you are physically fit for the tasks of a travel nurse. Not only will your results help your self-assessment, but they may also help you land your next job.
The final part of transitioning into your next global nursing assignment is getting in touch with your future employer and nurse manager. Before you officially start working, you could stop by your future workplace and mingle with some of your colleagues, even for a short time. This proves that while you are ready for future tasks, you are also excited for future work bonds you will create along the way.
This should be a good start in your work relationship. While your colleagues’ years of experience help you with living in that new state or working in that new area, you can provide insights into your experience from a different place.
Nursing licensure renewal and new nursing assignments should not bring fear. Instead, it should be a source of excitement for bigger things to come. Every lesson your first assignment has taught you molded you to become a good nurse, and every lesson you will learn from the next will ensure you get even better. The steps here can be helpful, but they are most effective when paired with a bright outlook for the future.
Where do you want to begin your global nursing journey? Our travel nursing agency will allow you to choose the state you want to work in. A new environment feels daunting and intimidating, but not with us! Our concierge services will ensure you get through fixing paperwork with ease, from licensure processing until you acquire your visa.
From reimbursements to reinforcements, PRS Global will guide you through every step of global nursing assignments. Begin your journey by contacting us today!