You are here: Home » Archives for

Author Archive for David Morrison R.N.

Hello everyone. I’m a travel nurse originally from Ohio who graduated in 1993 from Mount Carmel School of Nursing in Columbus. I completed a critical care fellowship at Riverside Methodist Hospital in 1994 and started traveling in that specialty a year later. My first travel assignment was in Maui and since that time I have completed over thirty travel contracts, worked with several different travel agencies, and currently hold about a half dozen nursing licenses in different states. Last year I wrote a book entitled, Travel Nurse’s Bible (A Guide to Everything on Travel Nursing), which can be found at TravelNursesBible.com. I am currently blogging on this site and writing a monthly column in Healthcare Traveler Magazine. I am presently on assignment in Phoenix, AZ and travel anywhere from six to eleven months of the year.

Ask a Travel Nurse: What can I do ahead of time in case my contract is cancelled?

By David Morrison R.N. on Aug 04, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nurse Company, Travel Nurse Finances

I have posted a few times before on things you might be able to do should you be in the unfortunate situation of having a travel contract canceled. Although this situation is far from the norm (it has happened to me twice in over 15 years of travel), it can have some pretty dire consequences [...]

Ask a Travel Nurse: Should I carry my own malpractice insurance?

By David Morrison R.N. on Jun 30, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nursing Questions

My post this week comes from a traveler just starting in the industry. She said that her travel company was not providing malpractice insurance and wanted to know if I thought she should carry a policy on her own. I would have to say that the answer to this question will depend on personal preference, [...]

Ask a Travel Nurse: What can a first time travel nurse do to get a job?

By David Morrison R.N. on Jun 16, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nursing, Travel Nursing Career Advice

I correspond with a lot of first-time travel nurses and lately they all seem to be echoing the same sentiment: right now, it’s tough finding an assignment. I know that in all the writing I do for this blog (and other publications), I have thrown out this number before, but at one point last year [...]

Ask a Travel Nurse: What is NATHO?

By David Morrison R.N. on Jun 14, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nursing Industry

Recently, another publication for which I write, partnered with a company called NATHO. Until that time, I had never heard of NATHO; however, when I read up on this new company, I became very interested in what they might be able to accomplish in the profession of travel nursing. NATHO stands for the National Association [...]

Ask a Travel Nurse: Have the rules of travel nursing changed?

By David Morrison R.N. on Jun 02, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nursing, Travel Nursing Career Advice, Travel Nursing Industry

In speaking with a few new travelers and some of my recruiters, it seems the travel game has changed a bit. As most of us who are travelers know, last year was a particularly hard year for the travel nursing industry. At one point, travel assignments were down almost 50% from the previous year and [...]

Ask a Travel Nurse: Can I keep a good rep with my company if I break a contract?

By David Morrison R.N. on May 26, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nurse Company, Travel Nursing, Travel Nursing Career Advice

Recently I seem to be getting a lot of emails concerning breaking a contract. While it is not something I encourage, there are things that are beyond our control that might require such a drastic move. However, if done properly, you can minimize any costs and ill feelings from your travel company. The first thing [...]

Ask a Travel Nurse: What specialty should I choose if I want to be a traveler someday?

By David Morrison R.N. on May 19, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nursing, Travel Nursing Career Advice

A recent email asked what specialty someone should choose when entering into nursing if they are later considering a career as a traveler. Obviously, you would want to find a specialty in demand. However, going forward the next ten years, you might be hard pressed to find a specialty that is NOT in demand. Here’s [...]

Ask a Travel Nurse: What is it like working at a hospital on strike?

By David Morrison R.N. on May 12, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nursing, Travel Nursing Career Advice, Travel Nursing Industry

Last week we looked at the process involved with taking an assignment at a facility during a strike. This week we’ll conclude with a look at how things operate during an assignment at a striking facility. When you are working a strike, you should anticipate working just about every day. Occasionally, if you make it [...]

Ask a Travel Nurse: How do I work at a facility on strike?

By David Morrison R.N. on May 06, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nursing, Travel Nursing Career Advice, Travel Nursing Industry

Last week we discussed taking a travel nursing assignment with a facility entering into a strike. This week, we’ll take a look at what that entails. Taking a contract with a facility on strike can be lucrative work, but that work also comes at a price, uncertainty. If you are contracted for a facility just [...]

Ask a Travel Nurse: Should I work at a facility on strike?

By David Morrison R.N. on Apr 28, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nursing, Travel Nursing Career Advice

An experienced traveler recently emailed asking about working at a facility on strike. In my book I have a section that covers strike work pretty extensively, but wanted to offer a few general facts that might be helpful if you decide to pursue this type of assignment. When you mention “strike work” to a travel [...]

Ask a Travel Nurse: How do I negotiate to maximize my travel nurse contract?

By David Morrison R.N. on Apr 21, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nurse Company, Travel Nursing, Travel Nursing Benefits, Travel Nursing Career Advice

This week I wanted to take a look at how to get the most out of your travel contract. Now by “getting the most”, that does not always mean pay rate, but since that seems to be foremost on the minds of travelers, let’s look at that aspect first. When looking at your hourly rate, [...]

Ask a Travel Nurse: What things are included in the pay rate?

By David Morrison R.N. on Apr 13, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nursing Benefits

A recent question from a would-be traveler seemed easy enough to answer. She wondered, “How do you tell what things are included in the pay rate my travel company quotes me?”

My instant reaction was, “um, ask?” While that answer is essentially what I conveyed, her question does bring about an interesting point. When did a pay rate start to include more than what you are to be paid on an hourly basis? If that last sentence seems clear as mud, let me try to add some clarity.

Ask a Travel Nurse: How do I set up my own travel nurse housing?

By David Morrison R.N. on Apr 07, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nurse Housing, Travel Nursing

Last week we discussed what the travel companies provide in the way of housing. However, there are some instances in which you will want to secure your own housing. There can be several reasons why you would want to secure your own assignment housing. The first, and one of the more common, is that you [...]

Ask a Travel Nurse: What should I expect with housing provided by my company?

By David Morrison R.N. on Mar 31, 2010 in Ask a Travel Nurse, Travel Nurse Housing, Travel Nursing, Travel Nursing Career Advice

Recently, a nurse considering her first assignment emailed me to ask about travel assignment housing. Her question will be the genesis of the posts in the coming weeks where we’ll take a look at the different aspects of assignment housing. As most travelers know, when you take a travel nursing assignment, your company will often [...]