Sunbelt Staffing » Travel Nursing

Dermatology Nursing

Howard Gerber — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:00:37 +0000

If you are a nurse who specializes in dermatology, or want to find a position in the field, there are several places you can work. Learn more about these environments, connect with others in your field with professional organizations, stay up to date on the latest news with professional journals, and follow users in the field on Twitter.

Where to Work

Dermatology Office – The most obvious choice would be a dermatologist’s office. This location offers the widest variety of experiences as the nurse would interact with patients with a wide variety of skin problems.

Burn Unit – A burn unit in a hospital requires a special skill set. This is one of the more stressful locations for a nurse interested in dermatology.

Spa – Many spas are now working in tandem with plastic surgeons or dermatologists. This can be an excellent location for nurses to utilize their skills for patients who are following up in the spa or who may have a condition that could be referred to a dermatologist.

What to Join

DNA – The Dermatology Nurses’ Association is devoted entirely to this specialty of the nursing profession. There is a journal, national chapters, relevant news features, information about the latest research, continuing education options as well as career and advocacy sections. If you are a dermatology nurse or are considering the specialty, this is definitely an association you will want to know more about.

ANA – The American Nurses Association is one of the largest associations for registered nurses in the United States. While it is not specifically for dermatology nurses, there is an excellent selection of general information.

State Nursing Associations – Technically this is several organizations. There are links to all of the state nursing associations on this page as well as links to the individual state boards. Utilize your state association to connect with local nurses in the same field and to set up a support network.

What to Read

JAAD – The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology is the official journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The journal can be ordered in print or accessed online.

Journal of Investigative Dermatology – This journal is part of the Nature focuses on original research that cover virtually all aspects of dermatology.

British Journal of Dermatology – This journal was established in 1888 and has grown to be one of the most respected dermatology resources in the world. It is a great way to access information from areas outside of the United States.

Who to Follow

@DNAnurses – This is the official Twitter account of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association. They update several times a day with information of interest to nurses and with current news in the world of dermatology.

@MelanomaReAlli – This is the official Twitter account of the Melanoma Research Alliance. They update several times a day with articles of general dermatological interest and news related to melanoma.

@mnt_dermatology – This is the official Twitter account of the dermatology section of the online e-zine Medical News Today. They update weekly with links to stories pertaining to dermatology in the news from around the world.

Dermatology Nursing is a post from: Sunbelt Staffing

Travel Nursing Profile: Experience the Northeast

Angela Stevens — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:00:56 +0000

Let’s say you have lived your entire life on the west coast, perhaps a nice place in California. That was the case of one of my best friends, Diane. She grew up in southern California just outside of Los Angeles. While she certainly enjoyed all of the entertainment, dining, cultural and shopping options, she did not enjoy the freeway, congestion, and overcrowding. When she graduated high school, she knew she wanted to work in medicine, and she decided nursing was exactly right for her.She graduated from nursing school and immediately found a position in one of the large Los Angeles hospitals. While she loved her work and some of the aspects of the city, she now had a commute of over an hour – and the hospital environment was less than ideal.

While in high school, Diane had traveled to various regions of the country on field trips sponsored by her drama and choral clubs. She found she really liked the Northeastern states – the region in general, but especially New York and Massachusetts. She said their big towns felt more like small towns – but with the same benefits she had grown accustomed to in California. After working for a few years in Los Angeles, she found that she thought about those trips to the Northeast more and more. Eventually, she began searching for a job in that region. However, she realized she knew virtually nothing about the hospitals there and wasn’t sure where she would best fit in.

Around the same time, a friend of hers decided to become a travel nurse. Unlike Diane, her friend had not had the opportunity to travel previously, and thought it would be a great way to see more of the country. However, the company the friend was working for did allow employees to specify what region they were most interested in. Diane thought this was an ideal solution to her problem, and she signed up immediately. She put in her notice and accepted the first posting offered to her in the Northeast.

Diane wound up at a medium sized hospital in upstate New York. Quite a difference from the hectic environment she was accustomed to, but she loved the change. She was also close enough to New York City and Boston to take several road trips when she had consecutive days off. She ended up taking several more positions in that region before ultimately deciding to travel more extensively and accepting random posts. However, she continued to long for the east coast energy, history, and gorgeous seasonal changes. She was eventually posted back in the Northeast, randomly as it happened, where she met her husband. She accepted a position from one of the hospitals she had previously worked in. She was amazed that what began as a visit to the Northeast as a travel nurse ended up as a permanent home.

Do you want to become a travel nurse to see a specific region or to explore all of the regions of the country?

Travel Nursing Profile: Experience the Northeast is a post from: Sunbelt Staffing

Florence Nightingale – The First Travel Nurse?

Angela Stevens — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:00:43 +0000

When you think of Florence Nightingale, what comes to mind? For me, I remember learning about her in school as the founder of modern nursing. Against her family’s wishes, she became an educated woman and dedicated herself to nursing.What I don’t remember learning about Florence Nightingale is her extensive travels while studying and practicing in the field of nursing. Born in Tuscany, Florence was raised and educated in England. She advocated for improved medical care for the poor there.

Throughout her life and her career, Florence Nightingale traveled to places like Crimea, France, Greece, Turkey, and Egypt. She revolutionized nursing practices wherever she traveled, improving hospital conditions and reducing death rates.

Hospitals and foundations around the world have been named after Florence Nightingale, a tribute to her life as a travel nurse. During the Crimean War, she became known as the Lady with the Lamp, tending to the sick and injured soldiers after dark. She brought other female nurse volunteers with her to Crimea, more women who helped to pioneer the field of travel nursing.

Would you like to follow in Florence Nightingale’s footsteps?

Florence Nightingale – The First Travel Nurse? is a post from: Sunbelt Staffing

Is Travel Nursing for You?

Angela Stevens — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:45:53 +0000

Healthcare workers, particularly nurses, are highly susceptible to burnout. After working for two years in the nursing department of a psychiatric hospital, I know my nerves were fried. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I worked in the pediatric unit, and the emotional stress of taking care of all of those kids was just too heartbreaking, or maybe it had something to do with the change in management style that made working in the milieu unpleasant. Either way, I experienced a common feeling – burnout – and I left the job.

One way to avoid job burnout is becoming a travel nurse. Short-term assignments mean you don’t have to stay in one place too long, so even if you find that you don’t get along with your nurse manager, or one particular institution just isn’t a good fit for you, a change is right around the corner!

But there are some questions you should ask yourself before deciding to become a travel nurse.

Do I have the experience?
Most travel nursing agencies require at least one year of clinical nursing experience before you can become a travel nurse.

Am I ready to travel?
You may need to make arrangements for someone to look after your home, or find storage space for your belongings if you’ll be giving up the lease on your apartment.

Do I orient quickly at new jobs?
If it takes you a while to get your bearings whenever you start a new job, the sort of short-term assignments you’d accept as a travel nurse may not be a good fit for you.

Am I a people person?
You’ll get to know a lot of different people as you accept different travel nursing assignments, so it’s helpful to be personable.

Can I take it?
Staff nurses working with you at various facilities may be jealous of your higher salary and better benefits, which can make the work environment difficult at times. And just like when you get floated to another unit, you will probably end up doing some of the least desirable tasks available.

Can I go with the flow?
Because you’ll end up in different locations across the country, you may find yourself in towns and cities very unlike your own. Different hospitals and institutions will have different policies that may take some getting used to.

If you’ve answered all of these questions and think you would like to become a travel nurse, you’re ready to begin your job search. Good luck, and remember we’re here to help.

Is Travel Nursing for You? is a post from: Sunbelt Staffing