{"id":4559,"date":"2021-09-28T22:01:44","date_gmt":"2021-09-28T22:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/?p=4559"},"modified":"2024-09-06T16:36:49","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T16:36:49","slug":"how-to-evaluate-a-new-healthcare-travel-contract","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/how-to-evaluate-a-new-healthcare-travel-contract\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Evaluate a New Healthcare Travel Contract"},"content":{"rendered":"

Staffing shortages have long plagued the healthcare industry in all types of facilities and within all specialties. Whether you\u2019re a registered nurse or an allied health professional, facilities around the nation depend on travel healthcare workers to fill the gaps while they attempt to recruit and train permanent staff. While this provides you with plenty of <\/span>job opportunities<\/span><\/a>, it\u2019s vital to evaluate each new healthcare travel contract to ensure you\u2019re getting the best deal and the position matches your preferences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider Employer Expectations<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Facilities expect travel workers, especially <\/span>travel nurses<\/span><\/a>, to be highly skilled and have the experience and skills to tackle a job with minimal training. Therefore, your first priority when evaluating a new healthcare travel contract should be to determine whether you can fulfill the employer\u2019s expectations. For example, as a newer nurse that is traveling, you may not be able to meet expectations in a high acuity level I facility, unless you are used to that environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Carefully review the job and all the related duties outlined in the travel contract to ensure you\u2019re capable of hitting the ground running after only a few hours of orientation on the unit. That\u2019s why <\/span>new graduates<\/span><\/a> aren\u2019t typically considered for travel nursing assignments because they lack the experience necessary to jump right in. Evaluating exactly what the job entails ensures you understand what you\u2019re agreeing to in the contract.<\/span><\/p>\n

Working With a Staffing Agency<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While some hospitals won\u2019t require travel workers to sign on with their facility through a travel staffing agency, most of them do. When you work with a staffing agency, you <\/span>work with a recruiter<\/span><\/a>. Recruiters can answer many of the questions you have about a travel contract, which can take a lot of the guesswork out of the process and help with your evaluation of a travel contract.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recruiters also ensure you have access to housing options, insurance, tax information, and other vital items. While this service comes with a price, it\u2019s generally worth it in the long run. Travel staffing agencies take a percentage of the total money being paid by the facility to hire a travel worker and you get the remaining amount. Agencies take varying amounts. Before you begin your travel job search, evaluate staffing agencies to find one you like working with that doesn\u2019t take too big a piece of the compensation pie.<\/span><\/p>\n

Travel Pay Packages and Benefits<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Evaluating <\/span>travel pay packages<\/span><\/a> included in a contract should be a priority. These aren\u2019t as cut-and-dried as other industries and numerous details can vary from one contract to the next. Read through all the payment details and evaluate them carefully to ensure you\u2019re being offered fair wages.<\/span><\/p>\n

Travel nurses and allied health professionals usually make significantly more than permanent staff members in similar positions. Hourly wages are a small part of their overall pay package and generally don\u2019t accurately reflect what you\u2019ll really earn. Housing, meals, and incidental expenditures are usually listed separately as stipends in travel contracts. These reimbursements are untaxed and calculated using information from the <\/span>U.S. General Services Administration<\/span><\/a>. Overall, pay packages should include:<\/span><\/p>\n