Healthcare Traveler - February 2009 - (Page 60)

Allied Corner T R E N D S & O U T LO O K S F O R A L L I E D H E A LT H T R AV E L E R S Choosing a healthcare staffing agency Andrew Rossi o you want to travel, but don’t know where to start. Launching a mobile career as a traveling therapist or technician is a big decision that requires thought and consideration. Where do you want to go—east, north, west, or south? In what type of setting do you want to work—hospital, skilled nursing, inpatient, or outpatient? The answers to these questions are very important, but none is as crucial to your success as the staffing agency with which you choose to work. This single decision will have the most impact on your mobile career. Think of your staffing agency as your personal GPS device to guide you through every step of your travel experience. Your representative will be your personal confidant and advisor, available to assist with any situation you may face. To select the right staffing company, you need to ask yourself some questions and honestly evaluate what is important to you at this stage of your life and career. S chose their staffing agencies, location areas, and facilities. Ask them to walk you through their selection process. Find out what aspects were the most important and helpful for them. Research online Also, use the Internet to research potential agencies. To begin with, try Google search phrases like “traveling therapist” or “travel jobs,” and visit www.HealthcareTraveler.com’s “Career Center” to contact several staffing agencies simultaneously. Also, check your discipline’s national association website. For instance, www.apta.com and www.aota.com are great resources. Think of your staffing agency as your personal GPS device to guide you through every step of your travel experience. When selecting an agency, determine if therapy placement is a specialty or a division of the staffing services offered. Find out how long the company has been placing therapists or technicians. Is it Joint Commission certified or a member of the National Association of Travel Healthcare Organizations (NATHO)? The Joint Commission and NATHO ensure staffing agencies and healthcare facilities abide by the highest industry standards. Visit www.jointcommission. org or www.natho.org for more info and a full list of members. Ask other travelers One of the easiest and best resources for choosing a staffing agency is other therapists or technicians. Speak to your peers who are traveling or who are previous travelers to get a firsthand glimpse into this career alternative. They will be eager to share their experiences, so don’t be shy. Inquire about the companies with which they worked and determine what they liked about the lifestyle. Discuss their experiences in detail. Use probing questions to gain clarity as to why they Expanding Horizons Allied Corner… Going the Distance… 60 Healthcare Traveler February 2009 60 62 Talk to recruiters After you narrow down your options, it’s time to pick up the phone and call potential recruiters at staffing agencies. When you are introduced to your would-be personal advisor over the telephone, be prepared to ask questions as well as to listen. Inquire about his or her experience, the challenges that you may face, and how he or she will assist you during those situations. Ask your potential recruiter to walk you through the process of finding, accepting, and fulfilling a travel assignment. What expectations do the agency and the client facility have in mind for you? Think about your expectations of them as well and what you want to achieve from traveling—and tell your potential representative. After all, open and honest communication between recruiters and travelers is vital. If you have any special requests, such as traveling with a spouse or housing preferences, speak your mind now. Finally, be sure to ask for references and to talk with other travelers with whom your potential recruiter has worked. The goal here is to get answers to all of your questions and to get to know your potential staffing representative. This professional should be an expert in his or her field and will become a trusted www.healthcaretraveler.com http://www.HealthcareTraveler.com http://www.apta.com http://www.aota.com http://www.jointcommission.org http://www.jointcommission.org http://www.natho.org http://www.healthcaretraveler.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Traveler - February 2009

Healthcare Traveler - February 2009 Editor’s Desk Contents In a Flash Paws for Thought Field Notes Med Ec-cerpts The Economic Meltdown What Really is a “Tax Home”? Beach Therapy Drug Update Professional Update Advice of Counsel Cityscape Advertisers’ Index Name It Contest Rules On Assignment Tax Facts Dot.com Big Deals Allied Corner Going the Distance Classifieds Tales from the Road

Healthcare Traveler - February 2009

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.