Roles of a Travel Nurse Agency
Travel nurses are registered nurses who travel across the country and abroad to fill short-term staffing gaps at healthcare facilities. The role requires many skills, from nursing experience and certifications to adapting quickly to new systems. A travel nurse must also be mature, professional, and respectful. This is crucial to their success in the field, especially when they are called into different areas for short periods.
Account Managers
Account managers handle several crucial roles within a travel nurse agency. They perform various duties, including recruiting, placing nurses, and maintaining relationships with medical facilities. In the travel nursing industry, some agencies assign a recruiter as the only person a nurse will speak with. Others have account managers who focus on a specific territory and have relationships with hospitals in that area. This means that a nurse will get to speak with a more familiar person who can know their skill sets, career goals, and travel nursing preferences in a particular location. Another crucial role that an account manager plays is ensuring that their agency receives all of the information from a prospective facility for any open travel nursing positions they have. This includes things like compensation, location, and shift type. They also ensure that their agency sends confirmations to the hospitals when a traveler is accepted for an assignment. This way, if the hospital doesn’t live up to any of its agreements with the traveler during the interview process (such as time-off or float policies), the agency can hold them accountable. In addition to these crucial roles, some account managers are responsible for assisting in marketing travel nurses to facilities that may need them. This is a great way to find new jobs for traveling nurses and generate new business for the company.
Recruiters
Recruiters are essential to the travel nursing process, helping you find the right jobs that match your skills and interests. They can also help you advocate for better contract terms and pay. Whether you want to travel all over the country or stay in the same area, recruiters can help you find the best travel nursing jobs. They also offer training and assistance to ensure your experience is positive. Many agencies employ credentialing teams to assist nurses with all the required nursing credentials, drug screens, and paperwork needed for their assignments. The process can vary significantly from agency to agency, but support is crucial for a smooth onboarding experience. The most successful recruiters will know how to develop a strong relationship with their travel nurses so that they are confident and informed about what is required of them as an employee. This can increase their satisfaction and retention rates. While social media and job boards are popular sourcing methods, the phone is still the king of sourcing. Many recruiters’ KPIs are based on how many telephone calls they make to potential candidates. When preparing to apply, asking and writing your questions is essential. This way, your questions can be passed from your travel nurse recruiter to your account manager at the nurse staffing agency and the facility’s account manager, if necessary.
Placement Specialists
Placement specialists screen and interview job candidates for various organizational positions. They use email, cold-calling, instant messaging applications, and Internet research to attract candidates for job openings. They also help new hires fill out and submit their new hire paperwork, educate them about the company’s compensation and benefits packages, and schedule orientation training. Education requirements for a position as a placement specialist vary from job to job. Entry-level jobs go to certificate-holding college graduates, while bachelor’s degree holders in human resources, human resources administration, or industrial labor relations are generally preferred. Graduates with technical or business backgrounds or a well-rounded liberal arts degree may also be selected. Job responsibilities of placement specialists include researching data about industries, companies, labor market statistics, and employment trends using the Internet. They also translate this information into meaningful employment opportunities that can help people with disabilities find work. Placement specialists typically work in clean, comfortable offices that allow them to focus on their responsibilities without distractions. They usually earn a standard 40-hour workweek. They may be required to occasionally travel for professional meetings, job fairs, and job interviews. They also need to have a computer and internet access. Some employers offer benefits to their employees, including paid vacation and sick leave.
Customer Service Representatives
A travel nurse agency’s customer service representatives provide customers with various support services. If needed, they answer questions, resolve problems, and process refunds or orders. They also provide information about products, services, and company policies. They may interact with customers over the phone, in person, or online via chat, email, or social media. These representatives liaise between the company and its clients, facilitating relationships that drive sales. Most customer service reps undergo specialized training in their chosen field to ensure they know how to handle all situations that arise. They then continue to learn as they work and meet new challenges. When hiring customer service representatives, recruiters look for candidates with good communication skills and the ability to help customers resolve their issues. These traits help reduce costs associated with inadequate customer services, such as time spent on training, equipment supply, and employee turnover. These professionals can boost brand loyalty and create memorable customer experiences, increasing revenue. 85% of customers say they will spend more after a positive customer service experience. Customer relationship management (CRM) software helps service reps quickly access and share contextual customer data. CRM solutions such as Freshdesk have extensive features to help CSRs maintain logs of their daily tasks and track their performance.
