TravCon is an annual healthcare traveler's experience and conference. Over 1500 healthcare travelers come together in Las Vegas from September 26th to 29th to talk healthcare. The event includes fun activities, info sessions, exhibits, speakers, and the opportunity to find your people! Here is a breakdown of everything we are looking forward to.

It's that time of year again, and you know what that means- 

! TravCon is an annual healthcare traveler's experience and conference. Over 1500 healthcare travelers come together in Las Vegas from September 26th to 29th to talk healthcare. The event includes fun activities, info sessions, exhibits, speakers, and the opportunity to find your people! Due to growing safety concerns, Nomad will not be in Vegas this year but we will be there in spirit and virtually. Here is a breakdown of everything we are looking forward to.

This year's keynote speaker is Brenda Elsagher, an international speaker, author, and comedian. Brenda puts a comedic twist on discussing the topics of professional life, self-esteem, health, and not having enough hours in the day.

In addition to the keynote speaker, TravCon features a full session schedule covering topics from Staying Fit on the Road to Explaining VMS/MSP and what that means for you. These sessions include a full list of speakers from bloggers, traveling PTs, and RNs to business heads, and more. A full list of this year's sessions can be viewed 

TravCon features 69 exhibitors guaranteed to be giving away top-notch free swag and professional connections. Check out the exhibits for more information on staffing companies, healthcare finance, medical facilities, housing agencies, and most importantly, free stuff.

This year Nomad has made the difficult decision to not attend TravCon in person. We were excited to attend and meet all of you, but have decided to put the health and safety of our nurses first and limit travel unless absolutely necessary.

Still want to learn more about Nomad? Learn about our nurse-centered tech and how Nomad is putting more cash into your pocket by exploring our 

. For more Nomad Health updates check our 

.  You can also chat with us on the TravCon conference app as well during the event. We will be there in spirit and hope to see you in person next year!

Besides all the knowledge there is to gain at TravCon, there's also a lot of memories to be made. Check out morning yoga, an epic after-party, or the annual golf tournament for some well-deserved relaxation. There are also "unofficial" events for attendees to look over on the 

For anyone interested in becoming part of a larger traveling healthcare community and striving to better understand their industry, TravCon 2021 is the place to be.

For travelers who will not be attending TravCon in person, no worries. There will be a virtual stream of sessions with the ability to message and view all exhibitors. Download the TravCon app 

The conference will be taking safety precautions for all in-person attendees including large venues, high ventilation, masks inside, temperature checks upon entry, social distancing, and sanitization at all high touch-points. Vaccinations will not be required although they are highly encouraged for all attendees.

To view a thorough outline of TravCon safety protocols you can view their Health&Safety Protocols document 

Your 2021 Guide to TravCon

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re spotlighting Hispanic nurses who are or have been trailblazers in their profession.

The original version of this post was first published in 

, we’re spotlighting Hispanic nurses who are or have been trailblazers in their profession.

About 7.3% of nurses in the United States identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino, representing about 135,600 RNs and 51,800 LPNs, 

. Hispanic nurses, those who speak Spanish and/or are descended from Spanish-speaking populations, are more likely to be found in the West South Central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas), Pacific (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington) and Mountain areas (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming).

As the number of Hispanic nurses grows, so does their impact on the field of nursing. The following are some Hispanic nurse trailblazers everyone should know, including nurses who helped pave the way decades ago and ones who are making their impact now:

ildaura-murillo-rohde.png

 helped found the National Association of Hispanic Nurses in 1975 after she felt the American Nurses Association wasn't meeting the needs of Hispanic nurses. A native of Panama, she wanted to help Hispanic nurses secure their education and serve their community. She started her career in San Antonio, which, despite having a large Hispanic population, had few Hispanic nurses. Murillo-Rohde continued her education in New York, working her way to a doctorate and a federal job reviewing grants, but also found no Latina nurses in her areas of research and public policy.

Murillo-Rohde served as faculty, professor, and dean of nursing at SUNY's School of Nursing and received other honors such as a fellowship from the American Academy of Nursing. A scholarship and award for Hispanic nurses are named in her honor.

hector-hugo-gonzalez.png

 was one of the founding members of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees before serving in the United States Army Nurse Corps as a captain. In 1974, he became the first Mexican-American registered nurse in the U.S. to earn a doctorate and went on to serve on the board of directors for District 8 of the Texas Nurses Association and became its first Hispanic and male president.

Gonzalez later chaired the Department of Nursing Education at San Antonio College, where he helped develop programs that would allow nurses to complete their degrees in the evening. Under his leadership, the department also had one of the highest minority and male student enrollments and the largest number of qualified minority faculty in the U.S.

henrieta-villaescusa.png

 received her bachelor's and master's degrees before becoming the only Hispanic Public Health Supervisor while working in Los Angeles. She was also the first Hispanic nurse to be appointed health administrator in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and the first Mexican-American chief nurse consultant in the Office of Maternal & Child Health.

In 1985, she assisted the surgeon general with the Hispanic Health Initiative on the west coast and also served on the Task Force for Minority Health. Villaescusa went on to serve as president of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses.

hilda-ortiz-morales.png

 has earned her doctorate and works as a nurse practitioner, providing care to about 2,500 patients through the Montefiore Medical Center Infectious Diseases Clinic in New York City. She's the HIV-HCV (hepatitis C virus) program coordinator and evaluates the clinic's patients who have both HIV and HCV.

The vast majority of her patients are African-American and Hispanic, and the clinic provides a multidisciplinary approach that includes psychiatrists, dermatologists and nursing staff.

elizabeth-florez.png

 is an assistant nursing professor at DePaul University and earned a doctorate in nursing science. She has served as president of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses-Illinois Chapter and has worked to support and increase the number of Hispanic nurses.

She has earned several awards and served as a leader in many organizations in an effort to address health disparities within the Latino community.

5 Hispanic Nurse Trailblazers Everyone Should Know

Not feeling your best lately? Dealing with the stress of everyday life and life in the healthcare industry can be a tall order. As healthcare providers are pushed to new limits and stressful workplaces become more common, "burnout" has become widespread and tricky to handle.

Not feeling your best lately? Dealing with the stress of everyday life and life in the healthcare industry can be a tall order. As healthcare providers are pushed to new limits and stressful workplaces become more common, "burnout" has become widespread and tricky to handle. In this article, we discuss what burnout is and the symptoms to help you identify it. We also cover a few strategies to help you prevent and fight burnout in your own life.

, burnout is a syndrome caused by chronic workplace stress resulting from exhaustion, mental distance from one's job, and a sense of ineffectiveness.

Nurses fulfill many roles including caretaker, interpreter, educator, and emotional support leading many to become prone to mental, physical, and emotional strain. With the increased reliance on nurses as a result of the COVID-19 virus, nurses are facing enormous mental health pressures.

 reports that the proportion of nurses reporting mental health distress has risen from 60% to 80% since the first wave of the pandemic.

Common physical symptoms of burnout include:

Common emotional and behavioral symptoms include:

Most of us experience days when we feel overwhelmed and exhausted, you know the days when you really don't want to get out of bed? There is no shame in needing rest however if you are having more days like these than normal you may be burnt out. Experiencing burnout happens gradually over time and the warning signs may be subtle at first. Here are some red flags to look out for that often lead to worker burnout.

Long hours and irregular shifts can be harmful to both nurses and patients. Nurses working consistent 12-hour shifts are at risk for burnout and poor performance.

Poor work environments such as management issues and lack of teamwork can burden nurses and contribute heavily to burnout.

Balancing patient care with administrative responsibilities in the face of a global pandemic and increased nursing demand can result in greater workloads for each individual nurse. As nurse workloads increase it can become frustrating to maintain high levels of care as nurses are faced with increased hours and overtime to solve staff shortages and high rates of turnover.

Taking care of patients day-in and day-out means experiencing death and sickness as part of the job. This exposure over time can become overwhelming and lead to burnout across all nursing specialties.

What You Can Do To Prevent and Help Burnout

Nurses and medical professionals are nothing short of superstars. Today's healthcare industry can be grueling, especially to face on your own. Here are some of the best ways to help prevent burnout by practicing self-care and mindfulness. You got this!

Creating strong support systems with co-workers and others outside of work play a crucial role in balancing personal and professional pressures. These relationships with human resources, supervisors, co-workers, friends, and family help nurses deal with high-stress situations and provided the necessary emotional support needed to feel present and prepared.

Managing boundaries between work and personal life is another key to ensure a healthy work-life balance. By focusing on time spent outside of work and activities that you enjoy you can remain more present and mindful throughout the day.

While nursing schedules are demanding, the importance of good sleep for nursing professionals is crucial to improving alertness, concentration, motivation, and mood. It is recommended that medical professionals fit in at least 8 hours of sleep each night or day. Working an overnight shift? Check out our tips and tricks for surviving your night shift 

To help with sleep and stress management nurses should also try to maintain a regular exercise routine. Making time to focus on physical health and diet helps refresh your body and take a mental break from work-related stress.

Lastly, you can explore your human resources department to see if they offer therapeutic or counseling services. These resources can help provide mental health tools and emotional support outlets. Nomad wants to ensure nurses feel safe and appreciated at work and provides all nurses with 24/7 counseling services with unlimited, confidential telephone consultation, and in-person or telemedicine mental health session options. Additionally, legal and financial assistance is available to anyone experiencing difficult times.

For more mental health resources check these out:

Nursing Burnout Reality and How To Deal With It 

Having the correct state license is one of the most important requirements when applying for a travel nursing job. To help you get started, we have listed each state's board of nursing website where you can begin your application. 

Having the correct state license is one of the most important requirements when applying for a travel nursing job. Each state's board of nursing has a distinct process by which they grant permission to a nurse to practice in their state. While many states are part of the 

 meaning that having a multi-state license will allow you to practice in all participating eNLC states, not every state is participating in the eNLC.

To help you get started in procuring the relevant license for a job you are interested in, we have listed below each state's board of nursing website where you can read about the state's licensing process and begin your application. 

‍Have any questions about licensing or your application? Feel free to reach out to the Nomad Navigators at any time at 

How to Get a Nursing License in Each State

If you've decided you want to become a travel nurse, you’ve come to the right place. Read on for the 5 stages of becoming a travel nurse and how to make sure you’re set up for success.

Travel nurses are nurses who work temporary assignments around the country throughout the year. These assignments are typically 13 weeks long and are a great way for nurses to gain experience in a variety of locations, facility settings, and different patient populations.

There are a number of great reasons to start travel nursing - whether you’ve just begun your career or you’re a seasoned professional - including:

The only requirement for qualifying for a travel nursing position is having 

 in the specialty that you’re applying for.

But just having the experience won’t guarantee that you will get the position - so take some time to build up a strong foundation and bolster your resume. This includes things like:

Now that you have a solid foundation and strong resume, it’s time to submit your first application! There are a number of documents, requirements and information you will want to have on hand so that you can fill out an application quickly.

This information will be required by any position you apply to, so just having it handy will make the process much faster. 

Stage 3: Moving From Application to Offer

After you’ve submitted your initial application, the facility will be reviewing your application and your 

 may reach out for some additional information. 

Make sure to pay attention to your phone and email and respond as quickly as possible.

A few things that will happen before you can be offered the job:

Stage 4: Accepting the Offer and Signing the Contract

Congrats, you’ve been offered the job! Now the ball is now in your court to make sure that all of the details of the jobs fit what you’ve agreed on with the facility.

Expect an email from your Nomad Navigator outlining all of the details of the job including:

Take this chance to review the details well - it’s your last chance to make any amends. Once everything looks right, respond with your written agreement to receive your contract.

Once your contract is signed, you will be asked to fill out a compliance checklist. This should be quick to complete if you already have all your requirements ready to go.

And that’s it! The only thing left to do is get excited for your first day! You should receive an email from your Nomad Navigator with first-day information before you begin your assignment.

It’s time to start your first travel nursing assignment! This is one of the most exciting career choices you can make - and you can certainly expect to learn a lot.

A few tips from our Nomad Navigators on how to best navigate your first assignment:

Becoming a travel nurse is a big decision and one that can seem intimidating if you don’t know what to expect. But now that you have all of the information at your fingertips, you can prepare to submit your first travel nursing application with ease!

If you’re ready to start searching for your first travel nursing position, 

If you have questions about travel nursing, feel 

5 Stages to Becoming a Travel Nurse

Nurses are in a unique position that they have so many options at their disposal to further their career and increase their salary as a result. We’ve identified 10 ways nurses can increase their salary and have included useful resources to help you do it.

The mean salary of an RN in the United States is $74,550/year according to the 

 and their specialty, these numbers are by no means a barrier.

In fact, nurses are in a unique position that they have so many options at their disposal to further their career and increase their salary as a result. We’ve identified 10 ways nurses can increase their salary and have included useful resources to help you do it.

Most medical facilities will have shifts that are less popular with the usual staff and as a result, offer a 

 for nurses to work them. These can include:

Find out if your facility offers these types of shifts and if it fits your schedule, sign up to cover a few! Not only will you be helping out during a time in need, but you will also be making a little side income.

 for becoming a travel nurse, but the clearest benefit is that 

By taking travel nursing positions, not only will you be making more money, you will also have the chance to explore and get paid to travel. By working in a number of different facilities, you will also be building your network. You could literally have connections and lifelong friendships all over the country in just a year!

 allows nurses with multistate licenses to practice in any of the 29 (soon to be 30) eNLC states. The purpose of this compact is to allow nurses to more quickly and effectively provide care to patients in the locations most in need.

By getting a compact license, you can more easily find a new assignment in a new location and if you decide to become a traveling nurse, the whole country is your oyster without the need to worry about getting a new license every time.

 and find out if your state is part of the compact. If you have questions about whether you qualify and how to get licensed, 

4. Consider the whole package when applying for a new facility.

One perk that you might see when viewing a job opening is a 

 This is an incentive often used by facilities to help their retention rates. This bonus will likely be given proportionally to the amount of time you stay at the facility. If you plan to stay for a longer period of time, this is a great option to look out for as you will likely make a large percentage if not all of your bonus.

Another type of bonus that you may find is an 

 based on certain key performance indicators (KPIs) like patient satisfaction. Even if you aren’t offered this bonus up front, it may be something you can negotiate during your contract negotiation process.

perks, benefits or reimbursement incentives

 you can negotiate for like continued education reimbursements.

Before going into a contract or salary negotiation, 

 and highlights all of our accomplishments throughout your career. This will be your framework for showing your value and will be what your potential employers refer back to when considering your requests.

Do your research and determine your value upfront so that you can present your unique value and provide a case for what you’re worth during negotiations.

consider more than just an increase in salary.

 Ask for other types of benefits - like time off, continued education or stipends for housing. 

Some of the highest in-demand specialties are critical care (ICU, CICU, CVICU), labor & delivery, operating room, cath lab, and oncology. And with demand, comes an increase in salary to attract qualified candidates.

 can help you secure one of these high-paying positions. Here are some resources for getting some of the most in-demand additional certifications:

7. Get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

 of the salary range for every specialty. While this salary boost is definitely a perk, the bigger opportunity for BSN-educated nurses comes in the form of managerial roles within a facility. These 

supervisory roles tend to be more reserved for nurses for BSNs

 so furthering your education could make you a quality candidate for these positions.

The best part is that there are a number of BSN programs that can be completed online while you continue working. Check out one of these 

 Once you’ve finished your BSN, you are primed and ready to move into a more supervisory role!

Be on the lookout for any open managerial positions and reach out to your network to see if anyone knows of positions that might interest you. Don’t be afraid to take the initiative and ask your supervisor what the process is for being considered for a managerial role.

If you are interested in pursuing an even further level of education, consider going back to school to become an 

. Advanced practice nurses fall into a number of categories with varying levels of average salaries:

Interested in any of these programs? Click the resources below to learn more and find the right program for you:

While all of these options fall into the category of your day-to-day work, there are also ways you can bolster your salary outside of your normal work day.

If you are interested in expanding your horizons for other earning opportunities, 

look to your local community for nursing needs.

 Some nursing training programs will be looking to hire tutors to help students who are learning to be nurses. Community events may also be hiring nurses for a few days to help out during events that are being held.

By looking outside of your normal work environment, you might find a cause that you are passionate about and help out your community while also making a little extra income.

If you’re looking to increase your nursing salary, we hope that you felt inspired by one of these tips! As a nurse, you have many options at your disposal. It’s up to you to decide which one is the best for you!

10 Ways Nurses Can Increase Their Salary

Now that you're ready to submit your first application on Nomad, let's walk through the Nomad travel nursing application process.

Now that you're ready to submit your first application on 

, let's walk through the Nomad travel nursing application process which - we admit - can be a little daunting at first.

However, all of this information is important to allow us to submit a complete submission packet for you to the VMS. And the best part is you only need to do it once! Once you submit a complete application once, we save all of your information securely in our database, so that you can submit every future application with one click.

Let's walk through each of the section of the application in detail and address common questions we see about the application.

You might be asking, "Why do you need my social security number?". This is required by the hospital to run background checks on all candidates that may come to work at their facility. Any information provided to Nomad is stored within our secure servers and not shared or sold to any external organizations other than the parties that process the application.

 are required for us to submit you to a facility. These references must have worked with you within the last two years and should have been your direct supervisor or a similar role.

That's it! You're almost ready to submit. This section will let you know if there is anything you missed in the application. This is also where you can share your availability and time off requests. Please indicate the earliest you are available to work an assignment, as well as any time off or special schedule requests you might have. This is your best chance to indicate any time off or other requests so please note them here!

Breaking Down the Nomad Application Sections

Intrigued by the idea of being a night shift nurse, but not sure if you could handle the late-night hours? To help address the questions around working a night shift, we spoke with one of our stellar nocturnal Nomad Nurses, Sybille!

Intrigued by the idea of being a night shift nurse, but not sure if you could handle the late-night hours? Or maybe you’ve been assigned to work a night shift and you’re dreading the thought of it?

Working a night shift (or shift work) can be uniquely challenging - especially for your body to healthily adjust to the night schedule - but with the right amount of preparation, it can become a style of life that you actually really enjoy and even prefer.

To help address the questions around working a night shift, we spoke with one of our stellar nocturnal Nomad Nurses, Sybille!

Sybille is a traveling ICU RN, currently in south Georgia, who has worked the gambit of ICUs - including surgical, medical, neuro, trauma and cardio. She travels with her husband, an ICU nurse who works day shifts. They have been nurses for 5 years, but have been traveling for a little over a year.

Why did you decide to start working night shifts?

I started out working a rotating schedule out of school. My facility did a month on days and then a month on nights. It wasn’t too bad. I just didn’t like the pace of day shift. For me, there is too much talking and too many people asking the same questions over and over.

Night shift has a very different vibe. It seems less hectic and I think I have more time to read about the patient and really get a full picture of what is going on with them.

I also enjoy doing things when they aren’t busy. Like grocery shopping is easier during the day. Going to the gym before the work rush gets there. Things like that.

What are some of your tips and tricks on surviving the night shift?

One of my favorite things about the night shift is that 

you have more time to meet and talk with nurses on your floor because patients need to sleep so there will be downtime.

 I rarely ever stay late charting because I have time to get it done on shift.

That being said there are definitely a few things I make sure to do to survive the night shift. Here are my top tips:

How do you maintain work-life balance and relationships with friends and family?

When I am not on a work stretch I switch back to a day shift sleep schedule.

My husband works day shift so his is easiest for us. When I get off my last shift for the week I will sleep until noon and then go about my day and go to be like a “normal” person.

For us opposite shifts has worked best to raise our dogs. It would be nearly impossible as a nurse working 12 hour shifts to have a puppy otherwise.

We have to be intentional about making time for each other on our off days. It’s also very important to work most of the same days. Otherwise you really won’t see each other.

Working the night shift can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be a scary one. By following Sybille’s great tips, you may learn that you actually enjoy being a night shift nurse even more than being a day-shift nurse!

If you’re feeling inspired to take a night shift assignment, 

Night Shift Nursing: Tips & Tricks to Survive

Interviews are a conversation. They should never be a one-sided exchange. In this article we’ll discuss the different types of questions you may encounter in your nursing interviews and how best to answer them.

Interviews are a conversation. They should never be a one-sided exchange. It’s a chance for you to see if this medical institution is right for you and for your potential employer to see if you’re a good fit for the facility.

Traditionally, interviews were geared at gauging your skill set, compatibility with the facility and work-habits. While those priorities haven’t changed, increasingly, employers have started incorporating a new style of question within interviews to better glean this information: 

In this article we’ll discuss the different types of questions you may encounter in your nursing interviews and how best to answer them.

Standard nursing interview questions tend to fall into three different categories:

These questions tend to be very one-dimensional. While they help the interviewer glean the information they’re interested in, they don’t go deep enough to truly determine a good fit. That’s where behavioral questions in.

Behavioral questions usually ask for a story. 

They are questions that ask about your past performance to help inform how your future performance may be.

 They focus on how you handled various past work situations and how your skills, abilities and personality contributed to the solution you reached.

That means, your answer to each question should be framed around describing your problem solving skills and provide a clear message on how you’ll handle situations in your next position. Behavioral questions are also said to be 55% predictable of future on-the-job behavior. Compared to the 10% predictability of traditional interviewing, that’s a big step up.

These types of questions also make a lot of sense in nursing interviews as a great deal of the work that nurses like you do has to do with patient and family care - this is work that requires a great deal of interpersonal skills. Asking behavioral questions allows interviewers to truly get a sense for how you make decisions and interact with people on a daily basis.

One clear best practice we’ve noticed when it comes to answering behavioral questions is to use a formula that clearly structures your answers.

While the jury is still out on which acronym you should use to remember this formula - we’ve seen a few iterations including BAR, SAR, PAR - they all break down to a similar thought process:

Whether you decide to use BAR, SAR or PAR, keeping this formula in mind will take you far. 😉

But knowing this formula isn’t the only key to acing behavioral interview questions - you need to tailor your answers to every medical employer’s values. Do your research on the organization’s values and align your responses where appropriate.

There are a variety of behavioral questions you may be asked, but they’re often trying to answer one of three types of questions:

As you think about how best to approach your response, first identify the root of the question and use that to help you decide what to focus on in your answer.

Let’s talk through each type of question:

how you as a nurse deal with situations in your everyday work.

 They look into how you make choices and overcome problems that affect your work.

These questions are looking for your internal thought process when dealing with situations. They want to see what you value as a nurse and what factors come into play when ultimately deciding what actions to take. Answer by walking through your thought process and what decisions ultimately led to your actions.

Common questions that fall into this category include:

Question Type: How Do You Work With Others?

your outward performance within the medical institution.

 Whether it’s in relation to interacting with other nurses, techs, doctors, or the medical institution itself, your performance is directly influenced by, and directly impacts those around you.

Answer these questions by keeping everything in a positive light. Even if you disagreed with a policy or coworker, potential employers want to see that you remained professional and found a way to work around your differences to a mutually agreeable solution.

Question Type: How Do You Work With Patients?

Unsurprisingly, patient-focused questions determine 

how you interact with patients and their families.

 Your patients are your most important interaction, so the medical institution will often want to know how your bedside manner translates in difficult situations.

When approaching these questions, focus on how elements of the situation you’re describing affected how you decided to conduct yourself. Every situation is different and showing that you remained cognisant of important factors even in difficult situations will emphasize how you pay attention to every case.

Before going into an interview, take some time to think of a few situations that can be used to answer these questions. Think over how you might frame the situation to each of these questions to highlight the actions you took to reach to desirable result.

Doing a bit of practice in how to frame each answer will help you avoid one common mistake interviewees run into when answering behavioral questions - their answers get too long. It’s easy to want to tell the entire story of each situation, but interviews should be a discussion - not a monologue.

Pause at appropriate times to allow for questions and create a chance for you to discuss your story rather than tell it. It’ll create a more engaging response for the interviewer and build a better rapport.

We hope this helped you feel more prepared for tackling nursing interview questions! If you have questions about how to prepare for an upcoming interview, feel free to reach out to our team of 

10 Nursing Interview Questions and How to Answer

Whether this is your first year as a travel nurse or your fifth, it’s important to remember that filing your taxes as a travel nurse is slightly different than you would for a staff nurse position.

Guides