Name: Alecia Carr Specialty: ER, PICU, NSICU Number of Assignments with Fastaff: 1st assignment Number of Years with Fastaff: 9 months Type of Award Won: Daisy Award Nomination Why do you love working with Fastaff? I enjoy the support of my recruiter. What was your experience around winning this award? I was unaware that I had won the award until the unit manager called for a brief meeting and it was during the busiest time of the morning when she announced and presented me the Daisy award. Of course, I was excited but very embarrassed. It was noted that "I bring a positive attitude and caring experience to work every day. I always go above and beyond for patient care as well as the team". What does winning this award mean to you? It shows my daily dedication to health care especially when we all are exhausted. How do you feel traveling with Fastaff prepared you for your award-winning assignment? Just having a great support system with Fastaff has made this assignment great. How do you think having won this award will impact your Fastaff travel career? I am glad that I can represent the company in a positive way. How have you accomplished other personal and/or professional goals by traveling with Fastaff? Yes, my daily goal of always providing great patient care. What is your greatest achievement as it relates to being a healthcare professional? Being able to provide excellent patient-centered care even while traveling. Respecting the values of every patient interaction while learning new experiences What is a bit of advice you'd give to your fellow healthcare professionals? It's important as a travel nurse to stay neutral and remember why you are doing this assignment (patient care). Always look at it from a team approach, yes you are a travel nurse, but you are always there to provide support. Just smile and enjoy your experience 😊
When it comes to healthcare, patient outcomes are the ultimate measure of success. The quality of care delivered in operating rooms (ORs) plays a crucial role in determining these outcomes. However, one significant challenge that hospitals and surgical centers face is staffing gaps in the OR. Insufficient staffing levels can lead to decreased efficiency, increased costs and most importantly, compromised patient care. That's where Fastaff Travel Nursing comes in. With their expertise and flexibility, Fastaff can bridge these gaps, optimize efficiency, reduce costs and ensure top-quality surgical services. Efficiency is key in any healthcare setting, and the OR is no exception. ORs need to run smoothly, with a well-coordinated team that can perform procedures efficiently and effectively. However, when there are staffing shortages or gaps, the entire surgical process can be disrupted. Delays can occur, surgeries may have to be rescheduled and patients might face longer wait times. These inefficiencies not only impact patient satisfaction but can also have serious consequences for patient outcomes. Fastaff is the leader in providing Rapid Response® professionals who can seamlessly integrate into existing OR teams, filling the staffing gaps and ensuring a smooth workflow. Reducing costs is another crucial aspect for healthcare institutions. Staffing shortages in the OR can lead to increased expenses due to overtime pay, temporary staff hiring and inefficiencies caused by delays or rescheduled surgeries. By partnering with Fastaff, hospitals can reduce these costs significantly. Fastaff provides a cost-effective solution by offering their services for specific periods, precisely when the staffing gaps need to be filled. This eliminates the need for unnecessary long-term contracts or permanent hires. Additionally, Fastaff clinicians provide continuity of care to your patients by working 48-hour weeks, with no overtime charges to the hospital. Fastaff clinicians are highly experienced and require minimal training, further optimizing costs for healthcare institutions. While efficiency and cost reduction are essential, the ultimate focus in the OR is on patient care. ORs are high-stakes environments where precision and expertise are crucial. Staffing gaps can lead to increased stress levels among the existing team, affecting their ability to provide top-quality care. Additionally, inadequate staffing levels can lead to fatigue, burnout and errors, which can have severe consequences for patient safety. By partnering with Fastaff, hospitals can ensure their OR teams have the necessary support and expertise precisely when they need it. Fastaff clinicians are experienced professionals who are accustomed to adapting quickly to new environments and collaborating effectively with existing teams. This ensures that patients receive the highest quality of care, regardless of staffing shortages. Fastaff nurses and techs bring a wealth of knowledge and diverse experiences to the OR. They have worked in various healthcare settings and encountered a wide range of surgical procedures, making them adaptable and versatile. This expertise can positively impact patient outcomes by introducing new perspectives and best practices into the OR environment. By leveraging the expertise of Fastaff, hospitals can enhance the quality of their surgical services and continuously improve patient care. In conclusion, OR staffing gaps can have a significant impact on patient outcomes. Fastaff offers a solution to this challenge by providing expertise precisely when it is needed. By partnering with Fastaff, hospitals and surgical centers can optimize efficiency, reduce costs and ensure top-quality surgical services. Fastaff clinicians seamlessly integrate into existing OR teams, bringing their experience, adaptability and versatility to provide the necessary support and expertise. By bridging staffing gaps, Fastaff contributes to improved patient outcomes and overall success in the OR.
What is Women's and Children's Care? Women's and children's care is a specialized area of nursing that requires exceptional clinical skills and a profound level of empathy, compassion and dedication. From prenatal care to adolescent medicine, these clinicians provide comprehensive support, tailored treatment and preventive measures that cultivate lifelong health and happiness. Engaging with families during some of life's most joyous yet challenging moments, they serve as more than healthcare providers; they become a crucial part of the families they care for, symbolizing hope, love and unwavering support. The Role of Nurses in Women and Children's Care Nurses working in women's and children's care play an essential role in the healthcare system, encompassing many specialties that cater to the unique needs of both groups. Their work involves assessing and understanding the individual health requirements of women, infants, children, and adolescents. They administer specialized care, from immunizations and screenings to providing emotional support. The education they give families on health and development is invaluable, enabling better at-home care and fostering lifelong well-being. They are dependable and driven, always looking to make things better for their patients in the world of women's and children's health. Common Women's and Children's Specialties Women's and children's care includes many specialties, each pivotal in its own right: - Pediatric RNs - From $3,819/week - Labor and Delivery RNs - From $2,215/week - NICU RNs - From $2,870/week Travel With Fastaff Today Be part of a community where exceptional nurses meet exceptional job opportunities. With Fastaff, you're embracing a career and a pathway to fulfilling your potential in the heartwarming field of women and children's care. Fastaff offers premium pay, flexibility and opportunities tailored just for you in the field of women's and children's care. Learn how you can make a lasting impact and enrich your career with Fastaff. Click here to explore opportunities, or download our app for more information.
Fastaff nurses are rewarded and recognized for the experience, skills, and dedication they bring to each travel nursing assignment. This nurse is someone who exemplifies the Fastaff values. Read below to learn more about Lindsey Sims . Name: Lindsey Sims Specialty : Labor & Delivery Number of assignments : 3 Number of years with Fastaff: 1 year Why do you love working with Fastaff? I’ve been fortunate to have really great recruiters who truly care about me, as a person, and my needs. They have been very transparent, great listeners, responsive, and great at following up and checking in. If there was ever a time that they did not know the correct answer they worked diligently to find the correct answer. Huge shoutouts to Christin Shultz and Susan McConnell. What do you love about nursing? Having the ability to help and connect with someone in their most vulnerable, place and/or stage in life by giving empathy, reassurance, education, and support. What makes travel nursing rewarding for you? I get to see, experience, and immerse myself in different cultures and ways of life which helps me to be a part of new experiences, and learn new ways of thinking which leads to extreme growth. Tell me about a time when you felt more valuable/respected because of the experience and knowledge you gained from your Fastaff assignment. I felt more valuable when I was able to assist with a skill that none of my fellow Nurses nor the Charge Nurses had experience with. I had learned the skill during a Fastaff assignment less than a month before. Going to different places definitely teaches you different nuggets to carry with you in your travels. What has been your most challenging Fastaff assignment and how did you feel that impacted your worth as a nurse afterward? My most challenging one has been in NY which was the farthest away from my family and where the culture and practice in care was very different from where I came from. The patient population consisted of mothers with multiple comorbidities and higher acuity levels. This overall experience made me a better L&D nurse and has added to my knowledge base of being a part of more complex scenarios. Therefore, I feel like I can go anywhere with more confidence. Describe the most miraculous or impressive thing you’ve witnessed or been a part of during your time as a nurse with Fastaff. The entire experience of being a Labor and Delivery Nurse is the most miraculous and impressive thing I truly enjoy being a part of. I’m thankful that Fastaff has provided me with different places and opportunities to continue to do what I love to do in the place of my choice. How have you accomplished some of your personal and professional goals by traveling with Fastaff? Professionally, I’ve been able to gain more confidence in my skills and experience. Personally, I have been able to have more freedom and flexibility to arrange a schedule that fits me and my family’s needs, as well as, reach my financial goals faster.
When hospitals need nurses fast, they trust Fastaff to deliver experienced nurses, often in 10 days or less . More than half of our nurses in our deep database are in a hard-to-fill specialty , including ICU, NICU, PICU, CVICU, CVOR, Cath Lab, ED, OR, PSYC, IR, LDRP, PER, PED, and more. Keeping hospital’s most critical units operating at max capacity is our commitment, including working within a set budget. With uncertainty in the status of the ACA and both private and commercial reimbursement, most hospitals are watching the budget in preparation for additional cuts. The rise of employer-sponsored health savings accounts transitioned patients into consumers, only utilizing healthcare if necessary and price shopping for any ancillary services. Hospitals are responding by tightening budgets, paired with the difficultly of forecasting staffing needs for welcomed census spikes. Fastaff’s one-of-a-kind guaranteed delivery promises experienced nurses, ready to hit the ground running, coupled with budget-saving techniques to ensure appropriate coverage without affecting the bottom line. Flexible-length assignments Unlike traditional travel nurse agencies, Fastaff offers flexible-length assignments , providing hospitals staffing solutions to meet their unique needs. Whether nurses are needed for as little as two weeks or 20 weeks, Fastaff will deliver nurses specifically to the hospital’s need. If staffing needs change during a contract, hospitals can cancel with a four-shift notice for no penalties. Offering flexible-length assignments provides hospital’s customized staffing solutions. 48-hour workweeks Fastaff offers 48-hour workweek s for no overtime charges to the facility to optimize nurse utilization. Hospitals can curb core nursing staff overtime expenses by scheduling Fastaff nurses for 48-hour weeks, along with saving any overtime expenses accrued using traditional travel nurses over 40 hours a week. Housing and Travel Our in-house housing and travel team strategically schedules nurses’ travel to avoid higher cost days and negotiates discounted rates for housing accommodations. Utilizing Fastaff nurses for shorter assignments results in shorter housing expenses, rather than the typical fixed 13-week assignments required by traditional travel agencies. Client Success Story When staffing 90 nurses for an EMR conversion in Hawaii, Fastaff managed all logistical details, including travel, housing and credentialing; along with securing temporary housing in Hawaii during the busy holiday season and the Pro Bowl weekend. With considerations to the client’s budget, Fastaff strategically scheduled arrival dates and flights to keep the project within the set allocation. Fastaff’s 48-hour workweek model contributed to optimal scheduling, enabling the facility to schedule nurses for extended shifts, while saving money in overtime expenses. Flexible-length assignments also permitted full nurse utilization when needed throughout the five months, based on patient census, saving the hospital money in excess travel and housing costs. To discuss our strategic staffing solutions with our experienced sales team, complete a Staffing Request form for immediate follow up.