What's It Actually Like? (Floating, First Assignment, MS/Tele-Specific)
What this post will cover
The first 30 days at a new hospital: orientation, badges, charting systems, who to actually ask.
Floating realities: how often it happens, what “like units” really means, when to push back.
MS/Tele ratios across different regions and what to expect at a 6:1 vs. 5:1 hospital.
How travelers get treated by staff — the good, the petty, and the surprisingly welcoming.
The first 30 days at a new hospital
The travel-friendly and efficient hospitals usually have no more than six hours of training on day one, with one orientation shift with a preceptor before you go on your own. The difficult and complicated hospitals may have you complete up to 24 hours of online training and skills before getting started. As long as we are getting paid, right? Most hospitals have staff who are super helpful as long as you are respectful of their community and hospital. Always be transparent about the types of patients you are not comfortable taking care of. If it requires a skill you have not used in a long time, speak up — they will change your assignment nine times out of ten.
MS/Tele ratios across regions
Standard ratios are usually up to five MS/Tele patients on day shift. If you find that your ratios may be as high as seven, it usually means that the unit will not be helpful and you will be on your own. I avoid these hospitals now. Anywhere in the Pacific Coast states you'll find safe ratios, thanks to the unions. Most small rural hospitals will also have safe ratios, both to maintain staff and simply because they are not high-traffic hospitals. From what I have experienced, nursing in the South is awful in pay and work conditions — although I'm sure there are a few gems.
How travelers get treated by staff
Most of the time the staff is very welcoming and helpful. You may get a couple of people who are a bit cold, but never let it slow you down. Sometimes the hospital treats travelers really well and gives them easy patients and assignments; sometimes they do the opposite. Unfortunately, most of the time it just depends on the charge nurse or manager.
Extend, walk, or come back
If you have a great experience at a hospital, make good connections and finish strong so that you have an open door if you ever want to return. One really awesome thing about travel nursing is that you have complete freedom over where you work and when you work. If you have an awful experience at the hospital, cancel the contract, burn the bridge, and never go back. We are in a wonderful field with an abundance of jobs. Do a good job, take care of people, and leave a good impression for fellow travel nurses. Most importantly, take care of yourself.