Providing Cutting-Edge Support

The past several years have created systematic shifts in the way healthcare facilities operate. Demand for care and staffing is constantly fluctuating. In an effort to meet this need, Uniti relies on Healthcare commercial intelligence (HCI) to effectively match facility staffing needs with qualified travelers. HCI is a new category of software that organizes the web of data surrounding healthcare systems. This information helps our recruiters identify staffing gaps and find the right candidates to fill each role. It also helps us equip our travelers with the information they need to hop on an assignment and hit the ground running. Uniti COO, Chris Sund provides insight into how Uniti is using HCI to provide cutting-edge service to its facility partners. 

If you are interested in learning more about Definitive Healthcare visit their website https://www.definitivehc.com/. If you are a facility looking for a partner who can integrate into your systems and provide instantaneous support please contact our team for more information!

Long-Term Care Staffing Solutions With Heart

Uniti Med is excited to announce the launch of its Long-Term Care staffing team. The team was founded in response to a desperate need for long-term care professionals. According to the National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) 99% of nursing homes and 96% of assisted living communities said they are facing some degree of staffing shortages post-pandemic. Fifty-nine percent of nursing homes and 30% of assisted living communities characterized their staffing situation as “severe.” This shortage has forced most facilities to reduce new admissions and put even more stress on existing direct service providers. 

Uniti Med is determined to solve this staffing problem by working with long-term care facilities to develop innovative staffing strategies to fill the gaps in their workforce.

Kelsey Leland, Director for Long-Term Care, explains how Uniti Med is going the extra mile to keep seniors happy, healthy and cared for during this difficult time. 

If you are a long-term care facility looking for a dedicated team to help supply the talent you need to fulfill day to day operations, please fill out our long-term care facility contact form to learn more.

The Ultimate Nursing Side Hustle

Looking for a nursing side hustle?! One of the biggest benefits of becoming a traveler is flexibility. Bounce around, live where you want, take time off between assignments or pick up a side hustle to maximize your downtime. Uniti Med Traveler and Recruiter, Mackenzie had been traveling for 2 years. Like so many nurses, she had gotten burnt out at bedside during the pandemic and was looking for respite from the hospital. That’s when she was introduced to Uniti Med Partners and an amazing nursing side hustle. Mackenzie started by helping a few friends find their next travel nursing assignment but her list of travelers continues to grow.

“I’ve always been able to easily make friends with travelers in the past, there’s a camaraderie to it,” MacKenzie said. “Now, I can give them advice on traveling, recruiters, different companies, and my insider experience. If they choose to work with me as their recruiter, it’s great because our relationship is much more than just recruiter and nurse, we’re friends!”

Mackenzie is currently working at the hospital and doing recruiting on her days off. “One thing I’ve really enjoyed traveling and recruiting with Uniti, is the ability to treat my coworkers! I’ve bought pizza, brought in Crumbl cookies, small things like that. I just try to spoil them for all of the hard work they are doing!”

If you are a nurse looking to travel, we can connect you with an experienced recruiter who has been in your shoes. They can guide you on the right assignment based on personal experience. If you’re looking for a nursing side hustle contact us to learn more about becoming a traveling recruiter.

How Does a Travel Allied Health Salary Compare to a Perm Position?

In the medical staffing industry, supplemental staffing continues to be in high demand.  As opposed to their full-time counterparts, Allied Health travelers can travel the country, make significantly more money, and maximize their income by having few living expenses. Uniti Allied is here to give you the support and transparency you need to make the leap from full-time employee to a rewarding career as a traveling Allied Health professional. 

But what is the average travel Allied Health salary? Our team did a comparison of a permanent Allied Health salary compared to a travel Allied Health salary across various specialties. The increases were substantial!

According to ZipRecruiter, the average respiratory therapist salary is $67,000, while the average travel respiratory therapist salary is closer to $100,000. This is almost a 50% increase for hitting the road! The average rad tech salary is $61,119 while the average travel rad tech salary is $90,995. 

In every instance the traveler is making 14%- 50% more! This number also doesn’t include the savings that many Allied Health professionals experience through housing stipends, allowances and benefits. 

“Typically, when I qualify a candidate in the respiratory or therapy field, I hear that they’re making anywhere from $1,200 – $1,600 per week at their perm positions,” said Sean Albright, Uniti Allied Recruiter. “My current travelers are making between $2,200 – $3,500 weekly. And I regularly see rates from $2,500 – $3,000 around the country.”

Need More Tips on How to Become an Allied Health Traveler?

Traveling assignments usually last 13 weeks, giving technicians and therapists both variety and flexibility. If you are interested in learning more about transitioning from a permanent to travel Allied Health job we can help! Our recruiters and logistics specialists will help you find the perfect position, housing and required licenses. Contact us today to start reaping the benefits of the traveler lifestyle!

8 Helpful Tips for First-Time Allied Health Travelers

Any Allied health professional will tell you that they had questions, doubts, and fears before they made the switch to travel. How do I get started? Where do I find jobs? How can I find the right recruiter and company for me? It can all be overwhelming and intimidating. Fortunately, we have you covered! If you are looking to start traveling, here are 8 tips to follow.

1.) Talk to Fellow Travelers

Chances are you have already met one at your staff job, or an old acquaintance has been traveling for a while and you’ve been following their adventures on social media. When it comes to answering questions big or small, you can’t do much better than asking someone who is already traveling. They’ll be able to suggest companies or refer recruiters to you that have helped them get started. Reaching out to someone who has been in your shoes is a good place to start.

2.) Be Flexible

The truth is, you might not get your first choice for the first assignment, and that’s okay! Be prepared to adjust and don’t be too rigid about the location, pay, and facility that you want. A lot of veteran travelers say that their favorite assignments have been in cities they never thought they would visit. Keep an open mind and stay calm if things don’t go the way you planned.

3.) Pack Light

Travel assignments are only 13 weeks long, so only pack what you’ll absolutely need and leave behind what you can live without for a few months.

4.) Explore

This is a big reason so many Allied health professionals start traveling in the first place – to see places they never have before. When you’re off the clock, make sure to check out the local eateries, breweries, and popular recreational activities. Make the most of your stay!

5.) Make Friends

Many travelers make lifelong friends while on the road. Find out what you have in common with the other therapists in your facility. Engage in small talk and suggest grabbing a coffee after your shift. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! Traveling can be lonely, so making connections on assignment can help you feel more at home.

6.) Be Ready to Adjust

While the job itself doesn’t change from facility to facility, your method of operation may be different. Some hospitals use different systems, and some give less training time than others. You already have the skills and experience to do your job correctly, but you may need to shift to different ways of doing that job. Be prepared!

7.) Plan Your Housing Arrangements

Each city will have varying price points and locations for housing. What’s your weekly take home and how much do you want to spend on housing? Do you want to live close to the facility, or are you willing to make a longer commute? Do you have pets, and if so, does your new home allow them? Your recruiter can help you with this, but also do your own research to find the right fit for you.

8.) Remember, It Isn’t Forever

Sometimes, an assignment isn’t what you thought it’d be. Remember that you don’t have to work there forever. Like we said, 13 weeks passes by faster than you think! There’s always another job, another city, and a new experience waiting for you.

Need More Tips on How to Become an Allied Health Traveler?

Travel healthcare can be scary. You are uprooting your entire life and are leaving a comfortable permanent position for a temporary one. That’s why it’s important to find a recruiter and agency that you trust to take care of you. A good recruiter will always have your best interests at heart and will be there with you every step of the way. You’ll never know until you take the plunge!

Becoming a Travel Nurse: Benefits and Compensation

Leaving a predictable, permanent position as an RN can be intimidating. When considering the possibility of becoming a travel nurse, one of the first questions often is, “What are the benefits of travel nursing” and “What can I expect for compensation and benefits?”  A good recruiter will advise how travel compensation works, answer questions that arise during your transition, and assist you at every turn of your newfound adventure.

In years past, transitioning from a permanent staff position to travel nursing came with an income boost in exchange for less stability and fewer benefits. To nurture a positive experience, the best agencies have found better ways to support their nurses’ physical and mental health, work-life balance, and the well-being of their families. Today, most supplemental staffing agencies offer competitive benefits in addition to a significantly higher compensation package.

Travel Nurse Salaries

The pandemic has significantly impacted the salary range a travel nurse can expect. The market has been tight for several years due to retirements, an aging population increasing patient ratios and several other factors. This staffing shortage has resulted in upward pressure on travel nurse demand and positively impacted wages. Add in the effects of pandemic caseloads and layoffs due to vaccine mandates and the shortage has only been exasperated. Some prognosticators believe there will be a correction coming at some point, but its doubtful wages will ever fall to pre-pandemic levels. What does this all mean for the nurse contemplating going on the road?  There has never been a better time as there are no signs that demand or wages are going to subside in the foreseeable future.  

One of the main benefits of travel nursing is salary. Compensation for travel contracts comes in the form of weekly pay packages.  These packages are dependent on several factors, including assignment location, specialty, shift, length, and the severity of need. According to a survey of over 80,000 travel nurses conducted by Indeed, the average yearly salary of a travel nurse in the U.S. is $108,197, a significant increase from the permanent staff RN’s average yearly income of $75,330 (U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics). This equates to an additional $164,335 over a 5 year period!

The salary range can vary wildly depending on a facilities ability to pay crisis rates. Travel RNs can safely expect to exceed the national average of $2,075 in gross weekly wages on a traditional 36-hour schedule whether working for a large hospital system or a small community hospital.

Travel Nurse Benefits

Industry standard for agencies is to provide employment benefits to their travelers, so a travel nurse should be asking recruiters what benefits their company offers, not if their company offers them. An agency which values their healthcare workers will show this by offering benefits that support their employees at home as well as at work.

Uniti is traveler obsessed and we are proud to offer competitive benefits that reflect our core values. We offer health, dental, and vision insurance and cover 60% of the monthly premium. We offer basic and voluntary life insurance. Our 401(k) benefit is outstanding in the industry:  our travelers’ retirement contributions are matched and vested on day one of eligibility. The first month following your contract’s start date, we match up to 4% and every penny we contribute belongs to you immediately; no years-long waiting period.

We offer another unique reward to our travelers:  our newly released YOUniti app, wherein travelers can access their voluntary benefits as well as numerous perks and discounts through a carefully selected partner network.  Our hope is that our app shows how valued our travelers are and supports them in creating a work-life balance. We do our best to ensure our nurses and allied health professionals are happy, healthy, and thriving to provide the absolute best patient care.

Travel Nursing: Personal and Professional Rewards

Beyond compensation, there are many other benefits of travel nursing. A career on the road can offer networking, exploration, variety and extra time off!

1.) Networking

Around here, we talk about community every day. Good recruiters value expanding their communities to include industry professionals around the country. As a traveler, a nurse has the unique opportunity to connect with colleagues from every state and from diverse backgrounds. Travel nurses can network, or grow their community, to encompass more professionals than one can hope for from a permanent staff position.

2.) Exploration

Travel nurses spend their careers gathering new experiences and seeing new places, potentially every 13 weeks. A standard 36-hour contract still leaves four days of the week for exploration.  Whether an assignment is rural or in a large city, travel nurses can expect one thing to be consistent: there will always be new sights to see.

3.) Refresh with Every Contract

Burnout is a significant problem in the nursing profession, and the problem grew exponentially with the pandemic. The community depends heavily on nurses and their compassionate, demanding work. It is a lot of responsibility and pressure to shoulder, and hospital politics can often compound matters. A new contract, new hospital, and new coworkers come with every assignment. It is one of the best preventative medicines for burnout, second only to our impressive benefits offerings and caring, supportive recruiters.

4.) Time Off Between Assignments

In today’s healthcare climate, it is challenging for both travel and staff nurses to get their requested time off granted. Travel nurses enjoy the benefit of being able to choose when they pick up their next assignment. Upon completion of their contract, a travel nurse can immediately start a new assignment, extend their current assignment, or take time off before pursuing another travel position. There is no requesting approval or any work obligations to consider. Travel nurses are in full control of how much time they take off between assignments.

Should You Become a Travel Nurse?

The benefits of travel nursing are endless. Getting into the industry, whether you have got two years under your belt or 20, can be intimidating and confusing. The industry is filled with misinformation, particularly on social media platforms. The most important part of becoming educated about travel nursing is finding a patient, caring recruiter who is willing to take the time to support you and answer your questions. It is common and encouraged to work with 1-3 recruiters, particularly with your first contract.  This will keep your options open and allow you the freedom and exposure needed to select a recruiter who values you, understands your work, and reflects your own values. If you are interested in travel nursing and have questions, please contact us and ask for one of our nurse recruiters.  Pack your scrubs!   We’ll take care of the rest!