Wednesday, September 29, 2004

When good assignments go bad

First off I'd like to thank my friends and co-workers in Rhode Island. They were very nice and I will miss you all...Thelma, Velma, Maggie, Heidi, Joy, Tarissa,Karyn, George and the evening shift group especially Tina,NT and Fred they really helped me a lot. An extra special thanks to Missy for trying to make my last night the best...she worked 16 hrs and agreed to float so I could be on my floor the last night it didn't turn out that way but at least I got to work with her. Many problems have plagued my new assignment in Phoenix. Much miss communication between me and the fill in recruiter that I was given while my recruiter is out on maternity leave. Long story short my assignment has been delayed by a week. OUCH...that's no paycheck for me. So, I went to a local agency and will begin work with them tomorrow...weekly pay with a higher rate and more choices than the travel assignment. They were very helpful and genuinely want me to work unlike my travel company. I think it's more the recruiter than the company...my advise if you find a recruiter that you get along with and you like stick with them nevermind the company we are just numbers to them. The only one you are a person to is your recruiter. Anyway, the weather is perfect as you would expect but a little warm for my husband. The average this past week has bee 98 degrees...and it actually rained yesterday. My housing is very cozy and in an actual gated community...a first for us. Well, I have work for the next 3 days and I start my assignment on Monday I'll let you all know how it's going. Email any questions to travelingnurse@gmail.com or leave a comment...remember first do no harm.

Monday, September 06, 2004

Labor Day

Hello there and Happy Labor Day...are we celebrating the fact that we work? Not really sure what Labor day is all about other than another day off for the banks and schools. So why do they send your kids to school and then give them a long weekend...is it to ease them in to going to school again? I never did understand that. I grew up in the small town of Novelty, Ohio in Geauga county. A lot of the kids I went to school with didn't start school until after Labor day because of the county fair...they had to be there with the rest of the family and their animals...I grew up in the country. No, I didn't grow up on a farm but I knew a lot of people who did and we did have a little farm across the road from where I grew up. The good old days before holiday time and double overtime. No, I am not working this holiday most hospitals don't want to pay time and a half for travelers on the holidays except the big ones. They always seem to want us to work Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Guess I can't blame them. That's why I negotiate my contract before I sign. My next contract should take me to Christmas and I'll work Thanksgiving for Christmas off. We'll see what happens. Still no word yet where we are off to. California seems short on the dayshift at the moment so we are considering Arizona as an alternative. Any feed back for me about the desert state would be appreciated. Take care and as always...first do no harm.