Category: Advanced Practice

5 Reasons to Give Travel Positions a Try

For those with a sense of adventure, travel positions need no other selling point. If you don’t have a natural love of travel, though, here are five other reasons to consider travel assignments.

Not a lot of careers come with the ability to travel the country and get paid for it, but there are quite a few in the healthcare arena that do. Physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, therapy professionals, and more are afforded the unique opportunity to accept contract positions, often also referred to as locum tenens, at hospitals and clinics all over the United States, from sea to shining sea. For those with a sense of adventure or a love of travel, this needs no other selling point. However, here are five scenarios in which you may want to give travel assignments a try, if you need more convincing.

If You’re Relatively New

Travel positions provide a good opportunity to figure out what you want to specialize in, in which setting, or even what area of the country you want to live in. Since travel positions are predominantly contracts that are two or more months long, you’ll have plenty of time to see what you like, or don’t like, before fully committing to a permanent position somewhere and setting down roots.

If You’re Feeling Burnt Out

A change of scenery can do wonders for the seasoned clinician who is struggling with the all too common pains of burnout. Working with different populations of patients, or even different coworkers, in different places can help to alleviate the feeling of stagnation. Travel positions typically also afford more work-life balance and less intensive schedules, which allows you to focus more on the things that truly matter in your life—not just documentation.

If You Want More Money

Locums positions typically offer higher salaries than permanent positions, sometimes as much as 30-50 percent more. If you are trying to pay off a student loan, or just want to tuck some money away for a rainy day, signing on for a few travel positions is likely to get you out of the red.

If You Want a Trial Run

Travel positions allow you to try out a wide range of settings and patient populations, often with the option to take on a permanent role within the practice you are filling in at. If you are thinking of pivoting in your career, this is a good way to “try before you buy,” so to speak, that will allow you to make an informed decision about where you want to settle in for the long-term.

If You Want to Make a Difference

Locums positions are often available in remote and underserved areas, allowing you to significantly impact the lives of people who need your skills the most. From the most secluded towns in Alaska to small town America, you’ll be able to provide quality care for those who would not otherwise have adequate access to care.

Ready to give it a shot? We have over 40,000 travel positions available on our site right now, if you want to take a look.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

NPs Touted as Primary Care Shortage Solution—Yet Again

Nurse practitioners are the solution to health care provider shortages, or so said a rally cry of an op-ed published by The Hill this week.

Nurse practitioners are the solution to health care provider shortages, or so said Sophia L. Thomas, President of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, in an op-ed published by The Hill this week.

The op-ed, which can only be described as a rally cry for full practice authority, points out the strain of the primary care physician shortage, one that is estimated to fall short of patient demand by 120,000 physicians by the year 2030.

In contrast, however, the NP profession is growing, expected to increase by 6.8 percent annually between 2016 and 2030, with more than three-quarters of NPs trained in primary care areas.

“There are more than 270,000 nurse practitioners (NPs) licensed in the United States, and they are an under-utilized asset in the struggle to strengthen and expand primary care access,” said Thomas. “While 40 percent of U.S. states authorize full practice authority (FPA) for NPs providing patients with full and direct access to NP care, unfortunately a whopping 60 percent of states have yet to modernize their state licensure laws to grant the same access. In those states, outdated regulations restrict NP practice rights, which in turn reduces access to care for patients.”

In addition to expanding FPA laws, Thomas calls for states to allow NPs “to sign the forms for the care they deliver instead of being forced to get redundant third-party signatures,” as well as to “create flexible and sustainable reimbursement methods to ensure that NP care is covered and reimbursable.”

Thomas closes the piece by saying, “NPs are uniquely qualified to provide high-quality, comprehensive and cost-effective primary health care to all patients. It’s time that policymakers at both the federal and state level take the steps needed to ensure that all Americans, regardless of where they live, have access to the primary care they deserve.”

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

NPs Bite Back at Physicians’ Call for Public Advocacy Campaign

Physicians and Nurse Practitioners have been battling it out online in the form of open letters this past week, with both calling on the AMA to step in.

An open letter penned by the President of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Sophia L. Thomas, DNP, FNP, PNP, FAANP, was posted to the AANP website this week, and in it, calls for the American Academy of Emergency Medicine and its Resident Student Association to retract their own open letter, which they released last week, asking “Where is the Public Campaign Advocating for Physicians?”

The AANP’s letter stated that the AAEM’s letter, which was written by Haig Aintablian, MD, President of the AAEM/RSA, and David A. Farcy, MD FAAEM FCCM, President of the AAEM, “was riddled with blatant inaccuracies and self-serving statements that seek to undermine the NP profession and devalue the health care needs of patients nationwide.”

One of the inaccuracies pointed out in the AANP’s letter is where the AAEM’s said, “the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) has put forth a significant public campaign challenging physician education and compassion with slogans such as “brain of a doctor, heart of a nurse” going so far as airing commercials recommending patients actively choose a nurse practitioner over a physician for one’s health care.”

Thomas said in the NP letter, “AANP is proud of its public awareness campaign that highlights the role of the NP as well as the patients who choose them as their primary care providers. Our goal is to expand public awareness of the NP role and to encourage more patients to consider an NP.”

She went on to explain, “To be clear, AANP never conceived of nor sponsored “brain of a doctor, heart of a nurse” as a tagline in any advertising campaign or as content in any official social post issued from our organizational social accounts. In fact, we find the entire premise insulting, as 50 years of research clearly demonstrate, the “brains” of NPs drive health care outcomes equivalent to physicians, year in and year out.”

The AANP letter closes by saying, “It is time for the American Medical Association (AMA), AAEM and AAEM/RSA to put patients first and let them choose their own provider. Only then can we make patient-centered, accessible health care available to all. AANP stands ready to work with medicine to find reasonable solutions to the issues where we differ and promote high-quality health care together for all of our nation’s citizens.”

The AAEM/RSA letter can be found here, and the AANP’s reply can be found here

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

89% of Patients Consult “Dr. Google” First

Dr. Google is in. 89% of patients queue up Google and search for their symptoms before going to see a medical provider. But this isn’t exactly a good thing.

No matter what symptoms you Google, it seems as though the search engine ends up painting a bleak picture, returning worst-case-scenarios like that you are having a heart attack, or that you have cancer, or any number of complex diseases or conditions. Or maybe even worse, it downplays more serious conditions. Yet, for some reason, 89% of patients queue up Google and search for their symptoms before going to see a medical provider.

The reason? According to a recent survey conducted by eligibility.com, where the staggering number came from, it is because patients wanted to see just how serious their symptoms were before seeking a professional diagnosis and treatment.

This practice comes with its own problems, of course, since Dr. Google is not an actual doctor and neither are the people who are Googling their symptoms. For instance, Googling “nasal congestion,” which is the most popular symptom Googled in Texas, Georgia, and Florida, returns the following possibly related, mildly problematic health conditions: seasonal allergies, common cold, sinusitis, upper respiratory infection, and animal allergy. However, it can also be a symptom of something more serious that should not go ignored, such as thyroid disorders, the flu, or even pregnancy, and Google has absolutely no way of saying for certain. Meanwhile, on the other side of it, patients who Google their symptoms can be susceptible to “cyberchondria,” a sort of adjunct hypochondria, in which they experience unreasonably high anxiety regarding common symptoms due to their search behavior.

While Google may be a useful tool for a lot of things, one thing is for certain: it is no replacement for a living, breathing medical professional. And even Google will tell you that.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

PAs to Prescribe Medical Marijuana in NH

New Hampshire’s Governor signed a bill on Friday, expanding the list of providers who are allowed to prescribe medical marijuana to include physician assistants.

Governor Chris Sununu (R-NH) signed a bill on Friday, expanding the list of providers allowed to prescribe medical marijuana in New Hampshire. Under the bill, a licensed physician assistant, who possesses an active registration from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to prescribe controlled substances, and who receives the express consent of a supervising physician, will be able to prescribe cannabis for therapeutic purposes. The legislation is slated to go into effect 60 days after its passage.

Another bill, which would allow medical marijuana users to grow their own cannabis at home also awaits the Governor’s signature.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

How Much PAs and NPs Make in Every State

How much do PAs and NPs make across the U.S.? We found out. How does your salary stack up against the average?

Using the latest data available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, we dug up the average salaries for PAs and NPs across the United States.

Some quick takeaways from the findings are:

  • NPs earn the most, on average, in California, Alaska, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.
  • PAs see top pay, on average, in Connecticut, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, and California.
  • On average, the least lucrative states for NPs are Alabama, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Kansas, and Kentucky.
  • For PAs, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama pay the least, on average.
  • PAs are paid more than NPs in the majority of the country, including 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia, though NP salaries outpace PA salaries in terms of dollar amount, as a whole.

How does your salary stack up against the average? Find out below.

State Physician Assistant
Average Annual Salary:		 Nurse Practitioner
Average Annual Salary:
Alabama $92,880 $95,970
Alaska $122,260 $122,880
Arizona $101,590 $110,750
Arkansas $99,280 $104,300
California $117,230 $133,780
Colorado $102,770 $111,210
Connecticut $125,610 $118,020
Delaware $105,300 $108,340
District of Columbia $114,740 $109,800
Florida $105,930 $101,100
Georgia $103,190 $106,750
Hawaii $121,120 $120,570
Idaho $109,090 $102,600
Illinois $108,260 $105,800
Indiana $96,090 $103,200
Iowa $110,550 $106,290
Kansas $104,720 $99,430
Kentucky $91,010 $99,790
Louisiana $85,990 $105,340
Maine $110,030 $103,220
Maryland $108,180 $115,060
Massachusetts $108,700 $122,740
Michigan $110,240 $106,880
Minnesota $116,200 $119,160
Mississippi $81,130 $109,700
Missouri $94,480 $102,470
Montana $106,130 $103,510
Nebraska $106,700 $103,800
Nevada $116,850 $112,540
New Hampshire $111,080 $109,460
New Jersey $116,270 $122,100
New Mexico $108,610 $109,810
New York $117,000 $120,970
North Carolina $104,680 $104,100
North Dakota $107,340 $106,200
Ohio $105,410 $101,970
Oklahoma $104,200 $103,280
Oregon $113,570 $110,010
Pennsylvania $98,510 $98,250
Rhode Island $103,710 $109,290
South Carolina $103,710 $99,910
South Dakota $102,830 $100,690
Tennessee $87,700 $95,990
Texas $109,590 $111,060
Utah $102,710 $105,840
Vermont $106,520 $106,000
Virginia $99,340 $105,170
Washington $123,980 $117,650
West Virginia $104,180 $100,690
Wisconsin $107,920 $106,790
Wyoming $116,890 $116,030

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Hiring Spotlight: CoreMedical Group

In this Hiring Spotlight, learn more about CoreMedical Group and the thousands of openings they have available for nurses, therapy professionals, and physicians.

Welcome to the Hiring Spotlight, a feature that takes a deeper look at companies that are offering excellent opportunities for you across the country.

Company Profile

For more than 25 years, CoreMedical Group has been a leader in healthcare staffing and recruiting for registered nurses, physical and occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, respiratory therapists, physicians, and medical management roles for placement in hospitals and healthcare facilities across the country. Their mission to “Connect People, Improve Lives, and Give Back” is the foundation of everything they do. With thousands of openings across all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, if the right position for you is out there, you can very likely find it with CoreMedical Group.

Take a look at a handful of their openings below, or view thousands of CoreMedical Group’s available jobs by clicking here.

Featured Openings

Nursing Jobs:

RN, Med/Surg $10K BONUS – Muskogee, OK

Immediate need for experienced Med/surg RN’s to join a leading hospital system. Prefer RN’s with 2+ years clinical experience in Medical/Surgical unit or related specialty. Active OK license, BLS Certified.

RN – Registered Nurse – Honolulu, HI

Client in HI seeking HI- TELE (RN) to work 12 hour shifts, Rotating Day / Night. Must work weekends. May be asked to be on-call at times. If voluntary on-call from regular scheduled shift, and called to report, hours will be paid at straight time for regularly scheduled shift.

RN, Nurse, Critical Care, ICU – Frisco, TX

Immediate need for a Registered Nurse with 2 or more years Critical Care / ICU experience in a fast-paced, high acuity setting to join a leading hospital system. BSN Degree preferred. ACLS, BLS Certified. Active TX license.

RN – Registered Nurse – Washington, D.C.

Client in DC seeking RN OR (RN) to work Weekends, Days (05:00-08:00)

RN – Registered Nurse – Los Angeles, CA

Client in CA seeking Staff Nurse Inpatient-CVICU/Coronary-Fast Response (RN) to work 07:00 AM to 07:00 PM

Advanced Practice Jobs:

Nurse Practitioner – Houston, TX

Immediate opening for an experienced Acute Care Nurse Practitioner to join a leading hospital. Qualified candidates will have 3 or more years experience. Must have TX License and prescriptive authority.

Physician Assistant – Albuquerque, NM

CoreMedical Group has partnered with a client in New Mexico that needs ongoing coverage for their Urgent Care. If you do not currently have a NM license but are interested, we can help facilitate this process for you.

Nurse Practitioner – Colorado Springs, CO

CoreMedical Group has partnered with a client in Colorado that needs ongoing coverage for their Neonatal program. This opportunity requires an active CO license.

Nurse Practitioner – Altoona, PA

CoreMedical Group has partnered with a client in Western Pennsylvania that needs ongoing APP coverage for their Hospital Medicine program. If you do not currently have a PA license but are interested, we can help facilitate this process for you. Night Shifts 7p-7a. Block Scheduling. Ongoing Need. Full Sub-specialty support. Market Competitive Rates.

Physician Assistant – Santa Clara, CA

CoreMedical Group has partnered with a client in California that needs ongoing coverage for their Urgent Care. If you do not currently have a CA license but are interested, we can help facilitate this process for you. Mon- Fri- 9 hr day- no weekend, no call. Must see all ages. Minor procedures. Market competitive rates.

Therapy Jobs:

Physical Therapist – PT – Portland, OR

Client in OR seeking Temp – PT – Home Health (Days) Portland, OR (PT) to work Days

Occupational Therapist – OT – Syracuse, NY

Client in NY seeking OT – Ongoing Saturdays (OT) to work Days

Speech Language Pathologist – SLP – York, PA

Client in PA seeking Temp – Rehabilitation – Speech Language Pathologist (Days) York, PA (SLP) to work Days

Occupational Therapist Outpatient Clinic – Rock Hill, SC

Immediate need for a Licensed Occupational Therapist to join a dynamic team of therapists. Prefer an OT with 1 or more years of experience working with pediatric patients. SC License.

Physical Therapist – PT – Macon, GA

Client in GA seeking Travel – PT – Physical Therapy (762) – Days (PT) to work 07:00-19:00

Physician Jobs:

Pediatric Practice Physician – Sidney, OH

Seeking a board certified or board eligible Pediatrician to join a very successful practice. Provider will see approximately 20 to 25 patients per day and enjoy a 1 in 4 call rotation with other employed pediatricians. The practice opportunity is about a 95 percent outpatient and 5 percent inpatient opportunity.

Urology Physician – Machias, ME

This is an opportunity to join a critical access, hospital affiliated multi-specialty group in a small town in Eastern Maine. The practice has been going strong for many years and continues to grow and progress with the times. This is a permanent position. Pay Rate median $450,000 annually and will be dependent on qualifications and experience. Incentive compensation based on WRVU generation. Relocation $10-15k. Sign on bonus $25k.

Physician – Sitka, AK

CoreMedical Group has partnered with a client in Alaska that needs ongoing coverage for their Emergency Medicine program. This opportunity requires an active AK license.

Physician – Punta Gorda, FL

CoreMedical Group has partnered with a client in Florida that needs ongoing coverage for their Neuro-Interventional Radiology program. If you do not currently have a FL license but are interested, we can help facilitate this process for you.

Physician – Williamstown, MA

Outpatient Primary Care. Board Certified FM or IM or BE within 2 years. BLS. Mon- Fri- 8a-5p with weekend call. October start date ongoing. Market competitive rates.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

NP Role Expansion Bill Passes Pennsylvania Senate

Nurse Practitioners saw another victory in their quest for full practice authority on Wednesday in the Pennsylvania Senate.

Nurse Practitioners saw another victory in their quest for full practice authority on Wednesday in the Pennsylvania Senate, when they voted by a margin of 44 to 6 to advance legislation to allow certified NPs to practice independently of physicians.

Senate Bill 25, sponsored by Senator Camera Bartolotta, aims to amend the Professional Nursing Law, and will allow certified NPs to practice independent of a physician after they fulfill a three-year, 3,600-hour collaboration agreement with a physician. The law as it currently stands requires NPs to practice under a collaboration agreement at all times.

Similar legislation was approved by Pennsylvania’s Senate in April of 2017; however, the bill did not receive a vote in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives. The bill will now be moved to the House for a vote.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Maine Law Allows PAs, NPs, Midwives to Perform Abortions

When the bill goes into effect next June, Maine will be the eighth state to permit advanced practitioners to provide abortion services.

With the signing of a bill by Governor Janet Mills this week, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse-midwives gained the ability to provide abortion medication and perform in-clinic abortions in the state of Maine. The bill, which was introduced into legislation by the Governor herself, aims to expand access to reproductive health care for women across Maine, particularly for those located in rural areas.

“Allowing qualified and licensed medical professionals to perform abortions will ensure that Maine women, especially those in rural areas, are able to access critical reproductive health care services when and where they need them from qualified providers they know and trust. These health care professionals are trained in family planning, counseling, and abortion procedures, the overwhelming majority of which are completed without complications,” Governor Mills said in a statement released on Monday. “Maine is defending the rights of women and taking a step toward equalizing access to care as other states are seeking to undermine, rollback, or outright eliminate these services.”

When the bill goes into effect next June, Maine will be the eighth state—joining New Hampshire, Vermont, Alaska, California, Colorado, New York and Oregon—to permit advanced practitioners to provide abortion services.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

VA Study Supports Advanced Practitioner Led Care

A new study has found no clinically important differences in patient outcomes, regardless of whether their provider is a physician, PA, or NP.

A study conducted by a Durham VA Health Care System has found that Veterans Affairs patients with diabetes have similar health outcomes, regardless of whether their care provider is a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.

Researchers examined the outcomes of more than 600,000 veterans with diabetes, a patient type that represents a large population within the VA, and who often have complex healthcare needs. Of the patients whose outcomes were studied, physicians were the usual provider for 77% of them, with the remaining patients under the care of a PA or NP. The researchers did not find any statistically significant differences in quality of care, nor any clinically important differences in patient outcomes, based on the discipline of the provider.

“Our study found that there were not clinically important differences in intermediate diabetes outcomes for patients with physicians, NPs, or PAs in both the usual and supplemental provider roles, providing additional evidence for the role of NPs and PAs as primary care providers,” said Dr. George Jackson, a research health scientist with the Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT) at the Durham VA Medical Center and author of the study.

A news release from the VA regarding the study goes on to state, “The fact that PAs and NPs had similar results for quality of care without sharing care with a physician suggests that using these providers in primary care may improve the efficiency of health care.”

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.