Healthcare: Reform or Recycle?
By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN It seems like the idea of universal healthcare in America (emphasis on the word “idea”) has been a popular notion for the politicians and the people for as long as flying cars have been discussed. Although if the automakers can create “green” flying cars, then that notion may still have legs. Universal health care may be a little trickier. The current administration has slapped a $600 billion dollar...
Latest Swine Flu Travel Warnings for Travel Nurses
By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN There are none, except to Mexico of course, “ground zero” for the world’s latest disease outbreak. I used quotes around what I’ve deemed media terminology – entirely separate from public health terminology. While the media has done a decent job of letting World Health Organization (WHO) and other actual medical experts speak once in a while, swine flu is beginning to feel like more of a public...
Design Your Dream Nursing Career
By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN Just as little kids mull over the possibilities of what they want to be when they grow up, nursing students custom design their dream career. A few years on the med-surg floor first, then perhaps a move into the ER or ICU, followed by a return trip back to school for a Master’s degree and later on a nurse practitioner career. Nurses with a wandering spirit are more likely to map out a career as a travel...
Characteristics of the Ideal Travel Nurse
By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN If you’re a regular reader of the blogs here on travel nurse source, please give me some credit that I’ve been a TNS blogger for several months now and this is my first “top ten list”. During that time, I have had the opportunity to research travel nursing, speak with and receive feedback from veteran travel nurses and those who have just gotten their feet wet in this exciting area of nursing. As a...
The Business of Exporting Travel Nurses
By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN As the U.S. makes it a priority to fill empty nursing positions by any means possible, the Philippines appears to have made exporting travel nurses into a business. I mentioned in a prior blog how the Philippines is a prominent supplier of nurses to America (despite reports that many U.S. trained travel nurses remain unemployed). A Finland newspaper, discussing travel nursing, mentioned how “the...
Travel Nurses Can Help Patients Avoid Readmission
By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN Patient discharge teaching is one of the most important parts of the cycle of care and by no means is it the end of the care plan. Unfortunately due to short staffing, heavy patient loads and all around time management issues, discharge teaching can turn into skimming through the discharge papers, hurriedly asking the patient and their family if they have any questions and getting their signature on the...