MedPro

More than 15 percent of all healthcare workers in the U.S. in 2005 were foreign born (according to MigrationInformation.org). We believe that number has grown in the eight years since then.

If you’re a foreign nurse, PT, OT, speech therapist, physician assistant or other allied healthcare professional looking to work in the U.S. as a traveler, read below for information on how to obtain your license here.

The first step is to apply for healthcare worker certification (also known as a VisaScreen certificate). This will allow you to procure a temporary working visa or permanent residence in the United States.

Each state has its own licensing requirements. If you’re a registered nurse, you can take the NCLEX licensing examination in your home country, but most other foreign health professionals will have to come to the U.S. in order to take your profession’s mandatory licensing exam.

The licensing and immigration process is complicated. Your MedPro Healthcare Staffing recruiter will help you as much as he or she can, but you must understand that getting your license/Visa, etc. is your responsibility, not ours.

That said, check out this handy listing of important links you should read about the process.

The VisaScreen’s purpose is to ensure that any foreign-born healthcare professional who wants to practice in the U.S. has the equivalent training, education, experience, and English-language ability of a native-born worker. Also, as you go through the VisaScreen process, the organizations you’ll be using to certify that you have the required experience, education, etc., must verify that your foreign license is “unencumbered.”

If English isn’t your native language, you’re going to have to take and pass the following exams:

The Test of Spoken English (TSE) and the Test of Written English (TWE). You may take these tests from the following organizations:

• Test of English for International Communications (TOEIC)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

Obtaining your VisaScreen, acquiring the necessary documents and taking the necessary tests are not uncomplicated. While it’s ultimately your responsibility to make sure the process is done correctly and that the proper paperwork/documentation is delivered, we highly recommend that you work with an attorney on this important process.

As mentioned above, we’ll help you as much as we can. We do hire foreign healthcare professionals and we hope you’ll contact us soon for more information on how we can help you become a traveling healthcare professional with us. Contact us today!

If you’re a healthcare professional interested in working as a traveler within the United States, read below for a brief description of what you can expect during our visa screening and processing.

Be aware that you must have passed any and all U.S. licensing exams for your profession within the state(s) you wish to work before applying for a visa.

First, your employer (that would be MedPro Healthcare Staffing or another travel healthcare service) needs to get labor certification approval from the U.S. Department of Labor. We’ll then need to file what is known as the Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, Form I-140 with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). We most likely will file the Form I-140 that designates you as what is known as “Employment Third Preference (E3): Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Unskilled Workers (Other Workers).”

Once the USCIS approves our petition, they send it to the National Visa Center (NVC). The NVC then assigns a case number to our petition. You – or your attorney – will then receive a “fee bill” that asks for payment in advance of all government processing fees for you. Once you pay the fees, the NVC will forward your packet to you or your attorney that contains biographical information forms that you’ll need to complete, as well as a list of documents you’ll need to submit.

Once you’ve submitted the forms, the NVC will schedule an appointment for an Immigrant Visa for you at the U.S. Consulate or Embassy in your country.

Applying for a visa here in the United States can take weeks or months. We’ll help you here from our end as much as we can, but the responsibility for applying for and working your way through the visa process is yours, not ours. You should research the process thoroughly. For more information, check out the NVC’s Immigrant Visa Processing site.

We urge any healthcare professional – nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, pharmacist, etc. – from a foreign country who can obtain licensure here in the United States and is interested in traveling to different assignments within the U.S. to contact a recruiter at MedPro Healthcare Staffing. We’d love to talk to you about our many opportunities. Contact us today.

An interesting read from one of our association partners – American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment (AAIHR). The article touches on a variety of topics relating to immigration issues regarding foreign-trained healthcare professionals. A snippet of the Executive Summary with a link to the full text are listed below.

The U.S. Congress and the executive branch have failed to establish immigration policies that would allow a
sufficient number of foreign-born doctors, nurses and other medical personnel to work in the United States. At a
time of tremendous need in health care, the United States is saddled with an immigration system designed to
prevent, not facilitate, the entry of highly skilled physicians, nurses, physical therapists and other foreign-born
medical personnel. The aging U.S. population, the demands of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the potential
benefits brought by medical advances and increased specialization mean America must tap the global talent pool
in health care or see its citizens suffer the consequences.

To read more, download the white paper here:

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/22488496/1275517538/name/NFAP_Policy_Brief.Health_Care_and_Immigration.November2012.pdf

National Nurses Week takes place this year between May 6 (National Nurses Day) and May 12 (the birthdate of Florence Nightingale). If you’re a nurse, have you thanked yourself lately?

Why not? After all, you play an extremely important part in the healthcare of this country. You do realize that, don’t you?

If you don’t, here a few critical facts regarding the importance of nurses in the U.S. (brought to you by the American Nursing Association):

• Nursing is the most trusted profession in the country. The annual Gallup poll that asks Americans to rate different professions for their ethics and honesty found that the population ranks nurses as “very high” or “high” by more than 80 percent of those polled.
• “The public’s high regard for the profession,” the ANA says, “coupled with nurses’ education and skills, makes them well positioned to help transform the health care system into one that places more emphasis on prevention, wellness, and coordination of care.”
• There are about 3.1 million licensed registered nurses in America, with about 2.6 million currently working as a nurse.
• More than 150,000 people have joined the profession since 2004 (a 5.3 percent increase), with more than 14.5 percent (450,000) nurses receiving the first license in the U.S. after 2003.

National Nurses Week in its present incarnation got its start in the mid-1950s. It took several years for the recognition to become national, but the week now is celebrated in communities and in medical facilities all over the country. Here’s a very brief history of National Nurses Week.

• What we now call National Nurses Week got its start in in 1953 when a member of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Dorothy Sutherland, asked President Eisenhower to proclaim “Nurse Day” for October 1954. The president didn’t make the proclamation, but the ANA observed a National Nurse Week from October 11-16, 1954.
• President Richard Nixon in 1974 finally issued a proclamation that designated National Nurse Week.
• The ANA started “National RN Recognition Day” on May 6, 1996.

The ANA recommends the following activities for National Nurses Week.

• Sponsor health fairs, organize a walk-a-thon, conduct preventative screenings. This helps promote a positive image for nurses.
• Invite a politician to follow a nurse around during the work day. This helps our lawmakers understand how critical nurses are to successful patient care.
• Talk to your newspaper about asking its readers to submit stories about how a nurse has helped improve their lives and/or provided above-and-beyond care at a critical time.
• (For more ideas, check out NursingWorld.org’s list of suggestions.)

If you’re an RN with an itch to see the country, honor your contribution to your own contribution to the welfare of the United States’ citizens and contact MedPro Healthcare Staffing about our many traveling nurse assignments. See the country while bringing your critically needed skills to medical facilities desperate to have them. Contact us today!

 . . .you’re amazed every time you open your paycheck (in a good way).
-Travel nursing can have its downsides, but luckily this isn’t one of them!

 . . .you’re amazed at tax season (in a not-so-fun way).
-Ah, the joys of multi-state employment. (Word to the wise: find an accountant
who is familiar with the complexity of a mobile profession: they will be your best
friend come tax season.)

 . . .you’re not quite sure what zip code you live in.
-And, you’re still getting mail at five different addresses.

. . .you use Skype. . .a lot.
-You no longer know how to make a phone call without a laptop.

 . . .you carry your own roll of “Hello, My Name Is” stickers.
-Industrial-size.

 . . .you can understand and speak in every United States accent.
-You’re as at home with Tennessee drawl as you are with Minnesotan.

 . . .your friends and family think you’re a secret agent.
-Well, no, but you’re the next best thing.

 . . .you own scrubs in every possible color/shade.
-From Eggplant to Cyan to Prussian blue.

. . .your “vacations” are less exotic than your work assignments.
-You cash in your frequent flyer miles after that assignment in Honolulu…
and go visit the folks back home.

Being a travel nurse means embarking on a journey- both personal and professional. As a travel nurse, you will likely be exposed to a much wider variety of vocational experiences at a faster pace than a traditional, non-traveling healthcare pro. How can you best capture and represent these experiences for prospective employers?

Building a Travel Portfolio
A professional portfolio is a must-have for any traveling healthcare pro. A clear document of self-assessment (your goals, achievements, and professional growth) will help you keep track of where you’ve been—and help you decide where you’re going. Not only will a portfolio help you maintain licensure—some states are increasingly considering making professional portfolios mandatory in demonstrating competency—it will boost your confidence and help you work out a career path.

Be Thorough
In discussing your goals and development, be thorough; you can always trim your portfolio down or revise it later. You’ll also want to stay on top of things like including professional recommendations—it’s better to request one earlier rather than later. Don’t be afraid to include your reflections on the actual experience of healthcare service—make it a living document that represents you, not just a resume.

Revise Annually
Once you establish your portfolio, make sure to update and reassess it annually. This will give you an opportunity to reflect on both long and short term goals, keep track of education and certification requirements, and guide you in choosing new assignments. You’ll want to make sure you are keeping abreast of any changes in clinical practice, especially in your specialty area. Use valuable downtime between assignments to catch up on your documentation.

Do some research and look at examples of good travel portfolios, and ask experienced travel nurses to share tips and help you in getting started. Don’t wait!

How to Address Issues with Your Healthcare Staffing Agency

So you’ve packed up and headed out on an exciting new assignment—chances are you’re acclimating well, taking in your new surroundings, and getting to know your co-workers and patients. But every once in a while, you may encounter unforeseen problems, or—worst-case—find yourself stuck in an assignment you are having second thoughts about. Here are a few tips for dealing with bumps in the road on your healthcare journey:

Avoid Problems Before They Arise
It might not seem helpful if you’re already stuck in an assignment you’re unhappy with, but many problems can be avoided by taking the time to fully understand an assignment before you agree to it. Get all the details you can about the type of facility you’ll be working in and tasks you’ll be expected to perform. When talking with your recruiter, share any misgivings you have. Most importantly, take time to self-assess and make sure this is the right assignment for where you are in your development.

Contact Your Recruiter
When things aren’t going as expected, make sure to contact your recruiter immediately—don’t let problems get worse before you make your concerns known. Also, your recruiter may be able to help rectify the situation, and give you valuable advice for overcoming challenges in a new assignment. Be patient and don’t make any rash decisions.

Give Feedback
It’s important to share your experiences in a completed assignment with your recruiter. Being upfront about problems or stress you encountered in an assignment will help your recruiter select future assignments more appropriate and enjoyable for you. If you have negative experiences with an assignment, don’t be afraid to share them. Help your recruiter help you.

Stay Positive
While following the above tips, there still may be times when a traveling healthcare pro will encounter difficulty in an assignment. It is important to treat each assignment as a learning experience—you’ll gain valuable experience and be better prepared for both avoiding and anticipating problems in the future. Stay positive, and keep things in perspective!

 Interested in working with a travel healthcare staffing agency?
MedPro is one the nation’s leading travel healthcare staffing agencies.  We offer outstanding travel nursing jobs, travel therapist jobs and travel allied healthcare jobs.

Part of the excitement of travel nursing is the variety of experiences you’ll encounter. In your travels across the country, you will meet people from all walks of life and all backgrounds. Even if you’re a social butterfly and seasoned traveler, it is normal to feel a little nervous meeting new co-workers and working with new patients—but there are many ways you can get to know your new colleagues and help break the ice.

Ask Questions
Get to know your new co-workers and patients the easy way: by asking questions. Showing interest in their stories and backgrounds is the best way to develop rapport and overcome early shyness in a new assignment. Even if you feel like a fish-out-of-water in your new assignment, you’ll likely discover much common ground. Find a topic of conversation your new patient enjoys and go with it.

Keep an Open Mind
Depending on your assignment, you are likely to encounter different customs and work habits in your new environment. It may prove wise to go with the flow at first: try to adapt to the pace of your colleagues, get into the rhythm of your patients. Even if things seem a miss or unfamiliar at first, try to respect the expertise of your coworkers and make an effort to understand new protocol and procedures. You’ll feel at home in no time!

Accept Invitations
The most important thing in establishing yourself in a new assignment is to maintain a positive attitude and make yourself available to staff who are friendly to you. If lunch out with your co-workers is the norm, you will do well to head out and get to know you’re new colleagues at first—even if there’s something you’d rather be doing. Putting in time in the beginning will pay off in the long run.

Be Yourself
Finally, remember to be yourself and be honest about who you are and where you come from. Don’t worry about projecting an image—just be friendly, professional, respectful, and maintain a positive attitude about your new assignment. You’ll find that remembering these simple rules will reduce any discomfort you’ll have in a new situation. Don’t expect the worse: you’re likely to make lifelong friends!

As a traveling healthcare professional, you get to visit outstanding locations and experience new things. But now many locations can rival Hawaii? Warm tranquil waters. Amazing beaches. Great outdoor recreation. Wonderful food. And friendly people. Hawaii has it all.

MedPro currently has several travel healthcare jobs in Hawaii:

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Job in Honolulu, Hawaii
13-week assignment.

Travel Nurse Intensive Care Unit Job in Waimea, Hawaii
13-week assignment, nights.

Imaging CST Surgical Technologist Job in Honolulu, Hawaii
13-week assignment, days.

Imaging Cath Lab Technologist Job in Honolulu, Hawaii
13-week assignment, days.

Interested in learning more about these outstanding travel job opportunities in Hawaii?
Search our existing openings now and apply online!

 

With every profession come pros and cons.  There are always going to be things you absolutely love, and maybe some things you wouldn’t mind changing!

Traveling healthcare is no different.  While there many advantages to being a traveling nurse or therapist, there are also some challenges.  Let’s examine a few of the pros and cons:

Pros of being a travel nurse or therapist:

Gain great experience.
Whether you’re relatively new to the healthcare profession or are a veteran, travel healthcare will open your eyes to a wealth of new experiences.  You’ll see how different facilities are managed.  You’ll have the opportunity to work in a variety of fields, if you choose.  And, you’ll learn some amazing things from all the different practitioners you’ll work with.

Find your niche.
Along with trying a variety of different fields of medicine, you’ll determine what you like, and what you don’t.  Through trying different fields, you can pinpoint your area of expertise and focus on an area of medicine that suits you.

The pay.
Let’s face it, many healthcare professionals get into travel because of the pay.  Many traveling jobs pay outstanding wages and offer housing allowances.  This allows you rake in an outstanding salary in a short amount of time!

The travel.
As a travel nurse, you’ll get to see and stay in places that you’ve always wanted to.  You can work with your recruiter to build a wish list and spend time in some of our nation’s top destinations.

Cons of being a travel nurse or therapist:

The travel.
Yep, it’s both a pro and a con.  With each new assignment comes the relocation and getting all of your belongings to the new destination.  The key is to travel light and only bring along the things you really need to.

Getting acclimated to a new setting.
With each new assignment, there will be an adjustment period.  You have to get acclimated to your new position, the facility and new co-workers.  It can be intimidating at first but after a few assignments you’ll learn some tricks to make this less of an issue.

Finding your next assignment.
Being on a temporary contract can bring along with it some level of uncertainty.  So, it’s important to work closely with your recruiter/travel agency to line up your next assignment well in advance.

Establishing roots.
With constant travel, it can be a challenge to establish roots and build personal relationships.  It’s important to know this going in, so that you can plan appropriately and ensure the travel doesn’t put a strain on your personal life.  And remember, one of the benefits of traveling is meeting new people and making new friends!

Thinking about becoming a traveler?  Call MedPro.
We would be happy to talk with you about both the pros and cons of being a traveling healthcare professional.  We can even let you talk with other travelers to get their take and advice!  Call us today.