Sessions

Whether you have been working in your position for 5 or 25 years, healthcare travelers have a unique set of challenges unrelated to their clinical skills. This workshop provides the essentials of traveling as a healthcare professional, giving the attendee the framework necessary to fully engage in the main conference sessions. This workshop is highly recommended for anyone interested in, or relatively new to healthcare traveling.

Sessions Include:

1. Life as a Traveler – The Pros & Cons
2. Basics of Pay – Understanding Traveler Pay Packages
3. Secrets to Finding the Right Travel Company
4. The Interview Process
5. Its all about Credentialing
6. The Submission Process
7. Traveler Resources you Need to Know
8. Expert Traveler Panel Q&A

An Expert Lunch & Learn is included, and the day is wrapped up with a fun cocktail reception from 4:15-6:30pm to give you time to connect with your new traveler friends! Experienced recruiters from our Platinum Sponsors will be available to answer any questions you have along the way.

Provides 7 Contact Hrs for RNs & most disciplines
Instructors: Multiple

Pre-conference Sunday Workshop
9am – 4:15pm followed by cocktail reception until 6:30pm
$75-85 – TravCon Attendees
$100 – General Public

The quick & dirty on what’s new & current in your practice. Multidisciplinary.

Instructor: National Institute for Healthcare Education

$158 online (prior to arrival)
$105 skill session (at conference)

The online portion must be completed prior to arrival – please arrive with printed certificate in hand. The instructor will be conducting the Skills Sessions (Parts 2 & 3) only. This is a quick, convenient, and LOW STRESS way for you to stay current on these certifications. Printed cards will be issued at end of course. This blended learning for ACLS, PALS, or BLS is per AHA rules open to ALL new, expired, or renewing students.

You can do the online portion at your own pace – stretch it out over an evening or even several days if you want – then you’ll spend less time in a classroom for the Skills Session review and checkoff – and you’re done! This is especially recommended for those who suffer from test anxiety because you can repeat the online scenarios and final exam until you pass, and the instructor will make sure you know what you need to know to pass the skills portion.

Healthcare Traveling offers one of the best opportunities to build a business of your own or start a side hustle. We are prime examples of this. Last year Steve and Ellen did a side hustle session and it was super popular. So after their session, we spoke with them and decided it would be awesome to collaborate with them. Our session will be a mix of our entrepreneurial journey the ups and downs we faced. Navigating this journey while traveling – how traveling was beneficial, but also tough at times. And then wrapping it up teaching from the widely popular entrepreneurial book called “The Entrepreneurial Leap”: 6 traits of an entrepreneur.

This session will be part one and then in Part Two Steve and Ellen Stockhausen will give their talk on side hustles. Our talk will inspire travelers to take the leap or NOT and then Ellen and Steve will give them practical steps and ideas to move forward on. GOING TO BE EPIC, EXCITING, INSPIRING, and INFORMATIVE!!!

This presentation will (1) help travel nurses understand how the multistate license model of licensure works, (2) clear up common misconceptions about the nurse compact and (3) educate nurses about the compact so that they do not place themselves or their license at-risk.

Instructor: National Institute for Healthcare Education

$34 online (prior to arrival & not included in TravCon fee)
$55 skill session (at conference)

The online portion must be completed prior to arrival – please arrive with printed certificate in hand. The instructor will be conducting the Skills Sessions (Parts 2 & 3) only. This is a quick, convenient, and LOW STRESS way for you to stay current on these certifications. Printed cards will be issued at end of course. This blended learning for ACLS, PALS, or BLS is per AHA rules open to ALL new, expired, or renewing students.

You can do the online portion at your own pace – stretch it out over an evening or even several days if you want – then you’ll spend less time in a classroom for the Skills Session review and checkoff – and you’re done! This is especially recommended for those who suffer from test anxiety because you can repeat the online scenarios and final exam until you pass, and the instructor will make sure you know what you need to know to pass the skills portion.

**Registrations are due in advance so we have enough instructors available

Looking for pathways to become a travel nurse in Canada? Like in the US, Travel Nurses are demand in Canada. Most Canadian RNs do travel work not only across Canada but also to America to practice nursing and explore the diverse and beautiful country of the US.

By the same token, it is high time that US RNs look into travel nursing in Canada and cross borders to experience the beauty of different provinces which are highly sought after by travel nurses. Here, we will explore the processes of Canadian Nursing Registration set by different provincial regulatory bodies and navigate immigration pathways to legally work as a travel nurse in Canada. In addition, we will be enumerating the pay and perks of working in Canada as a travel nurse.

Dementia is a common diagnosis and has influenced the lives of 6% to 10% of older adults (over the age of 65 years or older) (Chapman et al. 2006). Medical environments present unique challenges to individuals with dementia and their caregivers. The complex context in which care occurs can further confuse patients with dementia. This presentation seeks to explain updated literature related to the care and high-impact approaches to support their medical needs safely.

Travel life beyond bedside….how about Case Management?
Exploring the career of a case manager/social worker in healthcare.
Did you know you can be a Case Manager traveler or a Social Work traveler? Join me as we explore these great Allied health roles.
We will share steps on how to get started and share experienced insight into this growing specialty.

Travelers can experience clinical errors and patient incidents just the same as full-time staff in any given healthcare setting. The difference is Travelers are required to face these issues without the benefit of an onsite advocate that exclusively represents their interests. Travelers often experience isolation and are not fully informed of the resources provided to them by their employer to deal with these incidents. As a “Temp”, Travelers can face discrimination when it comes to incident and problem investigations and are not provided with the same due diligence as would a full-time staff person in the same role. In this session, an expert panel of clinical liaisons will talk about some of the most common issues that arise in a travel assignment and discuss best practices for handling those situations. We will also discuss the recent criminal conviction imposed upon TN RN RaDonda Vaught and the potential impact this may have on all healthcare providers.

Treating Kids without Trauma and making their visit less traumatic.

Pediatric nursing, like any specialty, has specific challenges. The patient may be much smaller than you are accustomed to assessing. Finding veins, inserting IVs or catheters, or communicating may be more difficult. Do you get anxiety when you are assigned a baby patient or when you need to perform interventions? Pediatric assessments and interventions can be done with enthusiasm and reassurance. Your job can be easier! The patient can be less traumatized with a “one voice” approach and parent involvement.

Nurses are tasked with one of the most stressful and emotionally taxing jobs – providing life-saving care. The considerable responsibility takes a profound toll on our mental well-being. Given the all-consuming role of a nurse, we often forget to take care of ourselves, and our profession has also failed to show up for us. The affect is that nurses are abandoning the profession to protect themselves from further mental and emotional ruin. It is time for action. It is time to innovate a workplace that alleviates the burden and starts to empower nurses with meaningful solutions.

As a nurse, educator and now a healthcare industry executive, I know it is essential to not just listen to travel nurses on the front lines, but to hear them and to act. In this session we’ll cover “quick hacks” to care for yourself, tools to manage longer term, and systemic changes required to lift up the healthcare workforce.

I’ll share innovative and creative ways to manage stress before, during and after each travel assignment. I will help identify forgotten sources of stress that shouldn’t be ignored, spotlight tools that are available for stress management, and offer up examples of effective, wrap around programs that support clinicians’ needs. For example, I will unpack the “travel nurse toolkit” which addresses the small and the big stuff – from reminders to schedule our own annual exams and medical appointments and guides for navigating a new city to licensing renewal resources, mental health services and career advocate programs.

Travel nurses will leave this session with a clarity on the breadth of stressors and the ability to access tools to help mitigate and manage their work and maintain a better quality of life.

The struggle with fitness, body and self image is REAL and applies to everyone. Learn how to be HAPPY in your skin, HOW to eat, and HOW to workout. Lets break all the myths out there surrounding fitness (imposed by diet culture and the illusion of quick fixes). Merge fitness into your life and your schedule so you can not only live a long life, but make it one worth living.

I want to get you unstuck. When you change your internal health, the aesthetic body becomes a byproduct. This will cover your well-being as a whole. I’ll show you how you can have a body you love even amongst the chaos of a traveler’s schedule.

As healthcare professionals, we typically work 36 hours a week. What plans do we have for our other 4 days off? In this presentation, the audience will learn practical steps to find and develop their interests and passions while building a practical roadmap/guide to accomplishing their goals.

As an OEM, Siemens Healthineers is asked by the health systems that utilize our equipment to take more ownership of improving patient outcomes through up-skilling today’s and tomorrow’s Medical Imaging Technologists. Providing additional training improves outcomes and helps drive revenue, making technologists an indispensable part of an organization well into the future and giving more leverage during the employees’ lifecycle.

It is critically important to be able to distinguish between reasonable expectations as a travel nurse versus times when it may be acceptable to cut your contract short. This session will teach you the importance of understanding all of your options when facing challenging situations on assignment and how to leave gracefully with the support of your company if necessary.

It took me thirteen contracts to hit one where I *truly* felt that my license was in danger, and I was able to leave as gracefully as possible thanks to communication and support from my company.

As travelers that work all across the United States, some healthcare travelers may experience the complexity and intersectionality of diversity, equity, and inclusion working in all different healthcare settings and demographic environments as they travel.

How does this affect where you choose your assignments? How does this affect patient care, outcomes, and healthcare professional treatment?

This session is for everyone who would like to partake in an honest and productive conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion as it relates to being a traveling healthcare professional. Persons of color, allies, and all persons with an open mind and heart alike are all invited to have this important dialogue with us.

Does an EKG rhythm strip still seem like scribbles and give you a heart attack? Join us to learn fundamentals of the anatomy of the heart and it’s electrical conduction system. This session includes the ABC’s of EKG rhythm strip interpretation of normal as well as the most common atrial and ventricular dysrhythmias.

Want to be more confident and in-control of your finances? This presentation will help you build a financial plan that can serve as a roadmap to help you reach your financial goals. Sal Nyang is an industry expert in providing basic and advanced training for travelers who need to get a handle on their finances.

Healthcare workers need to be educated on the complex systems of oppression facing our communities and patients. We are the most trusted professions, and we are called upon to be patient advocates. The world is seeing an onslaught of attacks against queer and trans people in the form of oppressive legislation, the politicization of healthcare, outright violence, and the spread of dangerous and false narratives against these populations. This speaker will bring her own personal experiences to enlighten the audience about the issues facing the LGBTQ+ community. Learn how healthcare workers can be part of the solution towards creating a world that is safe for people of all identities.

Looking for health insurance options for travelers? Considering securing your own insurance policy that allows you the ability to work with different agencies thereby avoiding breaks in employment and COBRA payments. We’ll review the positives and negatives of each insurance option including sample plans and prices.

This session is designed to provide all Health Care Travelers the knowledge they need to choose the best health insurance plan for their situation. I will also discuss supplemental plans available to everyone such as dental, life, disability, medical savings accounts, etc.

During the pandemic, healthcare workers were considered superheroes. But as history shows, even for healthcare “heroes”, our fifteen minutes of fame clock would soon come to an end. And when it did, we’d be back at square one with lower wages, unsupportive leadership, etc. But what if you’d started a real side gig? What if you had planted the seeds of a real income outside of your profession so that you never had to bow down to an ungrateful system after your fifteen minutes were up? Well, it’s never too late.

You think you found the perfect apartment for your next assignment, send a deposit and then you get ghosted and realize you have been scammed out of your money. Don’t let this be you. In this session, we will teach you how to find housing, identify the red flags for scams, and avoid those scams. Learn from the experts how to find that safe, affordable, and comfortable nest to land in after a long shift.

Working as an Independent Contractor is a basic part of the “Gig Economy” and there are opportunities for healthcare providers when the right pieces of the puzzle are in place. We will explore the basics of self-employment / contracting vs working as an employee, the additional filing requirements, an introduction to entities (LLC, S Corp etc.), and the regulatory hurdles involved.

In the current culture of healthcare JUST CULTURE is not always adhered too and nurses can end up in front of 1 of 3 courts of law. This session will teach you about rules, regulations, policies and how to chart and increase the chances that a YOU will not end up in a court of law or in front of a nursing board fighting for your license.

This session is designed to motivate travelers to take advantage of their travel income and flexibility to invest in themselves, real estate, and business development to create financial independence. There can be a life after traveling where there are other options to working at the bedside. Travelers can become more financially literate by changing spending habits, organizing finances, creating short-term and long-term financial goals, and viewing themselves as a business and not an employee.

TBD

As travel healthcare professionals, we often put the well-being of our patients and the facilities we work for before ourselves, even when we are constantly on the move. Learn how to implement strategies to maintain a healthy lifestyle despite the frequent change of environment.

Being a team member on a medical mission is a rewarding experience for any healthcare clinician. This session will provide healthcare professionals with information about opportunities and how they can apply their skills in other parts of the world. This session will go over some of those opportunities, and how to prepare for them.

The rising Hispanic Latino population in the United States creates potential communication gaps with non-English speaking patients. Nurses who can learn to speak basic Spanish phrases can increase their confidence and competence to provide quality patient care. Health care professionals who can speak conversational and basic Spanish phrases to Spanish–speaking patients can improve patient satisfaction, decrease communication errors, and potentially avoid medical errors.

Learn the basics you’ve always wanted to know to get you through your shifts. This is a 7 hour intensive that gives you lots of time to practice so you can walk out ready to ‘Habla’!”

CE Credits: 7
2 intensives available: Sunday 9-5pm & Wednesday (repeated)

This session is for everyone who would like to partake in an honest and productive conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion as it relates to being a traveling healthcare professional. Persons of color, allies, and all persons with an open mind and heart alike are all invited to have this important dialogue with us.

Coming from another country to work temporarily in the US? Working in another country or a US Territory? There is a lot more to your filing than you might expect!

Licensure and credentialing requirements are different in each state. This roundtable discussion will prepare Medical Laboratory Scientist and Technicians to successfully apply for licensure (if required) in their target employment jurisdiction. Our discussion will also include expectations of the MLS/MLT traveler in a traditional work day.

Instructor: Patricia Pitts, RNC-OB
$45 – Online Cert (Prior to Arrival)
$99 – Hands on Session (at conference)

The Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) offers education based on American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)/American Heart Association (AHA) “Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation & Emergency Cardiovascular Care: Neonatal Resuscitation Guidelines.”

For specific questions on NRP or AWHONN Certifications, email Patricia.

This course will provide a CPI approved ‘Blue Card’ for health professionals requiring this certification. 6 CEs will be provided in addition to the certification. This course is provided by and co-sponsored by Healthtrust Workforce Solutions.

Instructor: National Institute for Healthcare Education

$158 online (prior to arrival & not included in TravCon fee)
$115 skill session (at conference)

The online portion must be completed prior to arrival – please arrive with printed certificate in hand. The instructor will be conducting the Skills Sessions (Parts 2 & 3) only. This is a quick, convenient, and LOW STRESS way for you to stay current on these certifications. Printed cards will be issued at end of course. This blended learning for ACLS, PALS, or BLS is per AHA rules open to ALL new, expired, or renewing students.

You can do the online portion at your own pace – stretch it out over an evening or even several days if you want – then you’ll spend less time in a classroom for the Skills Session review and checkoff – and you’re done! This is especially recommended for those who suffer from test anxiety because you can repeat the online scenarios and final exam until you pass, and the instructor will make sure you know what you need to know to pass the skills portion.

Understanding per diem eligibility and limits is critically important for healthcare travelers. This session will make these complex issues clear and understandable.

Mutual funds, stocks, bonds, 401ks? Is it all Greek to you? Many of us were not taught about financial planning beyond putting money in a piggy bank. This session will teach you essential skills to decrease your debt, including student loans, and maximize your traveler income to ensure a better financial future. This presentation is designed to inspire travelers to take care of their finances and build a better future for themselves.

Healthcare professionals are susceptible to musculoskeletal injuries that can disrupt their job performance, and in some cases, end their careers. This session will highlight safe patient-handling initiatives, identify ergonomic principles and unsafe work environments, and create practical self-care opportunities to extend your career in healthcare.

Work smart, not hard! This session will educate travelers on how to connect the dots between a traveling career and strategic professional, financial and exponential personal growth.

This is the secret recipe for anti-burnout purposely driven career path that takes control of your life.

Resilience is defined as the ability to remain agile and effective amid stress and bounce back quickly from difficult situations. It acts as a buffer to protect travelers from becoming overwhelmed and burned out. While most travelers already have a high level of resilience, it is essential that they recognize the importance taking the appropriate steps to further build individual resilience and help manage stress.

During this presentation, I will cover: a brief overview of the looming staffing crisis, the foundation to become a resilient traveler, and identify techniques to improve resilience and reduce stress. This session is aimed toward new travelers who are either still developing their resilience and self care habits, or maintaining it as they are transitioning to traveling. The discussion with cite specific tools, habits, and resources.

Healthcare travelers are notoriously late in planning for their financial future. Due to inconsistent employment, Travelers are often challenged by eligibility criteria in agency sponsored retirement programs and can struggle to secure auto and  home loans. Learn the steps and strategies travelers need to adopt to properly prepare for retirement including an understanding of the financial and investment tools available.

TBD

Travelers are uniquely positioned to take advantage of side hustles while on contract, and who couldn’t benefit from a little (or a lot) extra income these days. In our presentation we discuss a wide variety of side hustles for travelers, most of which we have personal experience with.

There is something for everyone in this one!

The landscape of the Travel industry is changing with technology interrupters and legislation that seeks to “control” travel companies including how much they pay travelers. This session will provide you with important information about recently passed legislation that is impacting the travel industry and what the future of our industry might be facing.

This session will cover basic, everyday aspects of tax reporting, and how it affects you. Crucial for new travelers, and even for experienced travelers who have been ducking these topics.

The Tax Home never fails to be the most important, yet least understood, concept for the Healthcare Traveler. Learn how to keep it (legally), and how it is different from a permanent address. Learn how to tell if you even have a tax home, and how it is different from a permanent address.

This presentation discusses both the effects of fatigue on our personal and professional lives- as well as strategies to address it and fatigue countermeasures.

The healthcare staffing industry has been on a wild ride over the last 3.5 years with technology being a significant disrupter in the travel healthcare industry. Where do you fit in to this ever-changing landscape? You won’t want to miss this expert perspective on current technology trends that will impact YOU, including things to watch out for, and what you can expect next in the world of travel, permanent position, and per diem opportunities.

In 2022, MonkeyPox began spreading around the world with significant spread in the US. Prior to this outbreak, the disease was largely unknown by much of the healthcare industry. Also unknown is that MonkeyPox is part of a family of viruses, many of which are also largely unknown (with the exception of chickenpox).

This session will look at this entire family of viruses with special emphasis on Monkeypox, the communicability of this virus, it’s symptoms, it’s implication to healthcare and the treatment for this family of viruses.

Chris Scheumann, former emergency department traveler, educator and trauma specialist will provide the attendees with an educational and emotional experience reviewing some amazing stories of recovery from severe traumatic injuries. This session will present actual trauma cases, illustrating quality care of severely injured patients, from prehospital care to acute trauma center care through rehabilitation. In an effort to immerse the participant in the case, actual 911 audio, scene pictures and videos and a detailed timeline of care will be shared. Traveling healthcare professionals of all disciplines will find relevance to their profession in reviewing the trauma care in these cases.

This session will include tips for Lab and Respiratory Travelers to successfully navigate their travel assignments.

A presentation geared towards those who are curious about or interested in living and traveling full-time in an RV. Let’s dive into the basics. What are the different types of RV’s and how do I choose which one is best for me? How do I find a place to park it during contracts? How much should I anticipate spending on a monthly basis compared to traditional housing? What are the pros and cons to choosing an RV over traditional housing?

This presentation is by no means “all-inclusive” with answers but will provide some basic information on frequently asked questions when considering the RV lifestyle.

Hear how Alex – a travel nurse – and her husband have managed traveling with small kids, navigating child care, work options, etc. It is possible!

In this session, travelers will gain a better understanding and ability to recognize poor science and articles published in healthcare journals. Learn how to truly differentiate between good science and bad and identify the best practice to follow.

In many healthcare facilities, respiratory therapists take the lead role in managing the ventilator. But respiratory therapists may not be employed at all healthcare facilities or may not always be readily available to manage the ventilator.  With the advancements in medical devices including ventilators, patients are transferring to long term acute care facilities or even home settings while still needing ventilatory support.   This session will provide basics in ventilator management and how to collaborate with the respiratory therapist to ensure the best care for the ventilated patient.

This session explores the history and function of Critical Access Hospital facilities. You find out what travelers can expect if they work there.