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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 17 J U LY 8 , 2 0 2 4 F O C U S H E A L T H C A R E / W E L L N E S S different hospitals, and from there she got matched with a recruiter that asked her what her job preferences were and then matched her to a job. ose look- ing to travel as nurses have to make sure they have a license to travel in that state. Around 40 states in the U.S. have compact licenses, which means they are allowed to work any- where with one state license. Travel nurses often take three- month contracts, but can work up to six months to a year in one hospital if the hospital agrees to another contract and needs more help. However, once Orvis got hired, she found that housing was the most challenging part. "[Housing is] one of the difficulties and hassles with travel nursing, which is why I am no longer a travel nurse," says Orvis. "e process is really difficult and you are pretty much on your own in regards to finding housing." Once you get matched with a travel position, it's up to you to find housing and figure out your commute. Training as a travel nurse is a differ- ent process than that of a typical hospital nurse. Travel nurses must have two years of experience before starting a travel assignment. Most of the time travel nurses get one day of orientation and then they hit the ground running and learn the ways of the hospital. Which is unlike a typical staff nurse who gets weeks to months of training. "I've had a couple of assignments where I have had to just hit the ground running with no orientation," says Orvis. A travel nurse is just as busy as a staff nurse, Orvis says. ere is defi- nitely a need for nurses. ere are days when she would just have to hustle because the hospital didn't have any other help. "Oftentimes, there were only travel nurses working on a unit," she says. "at could be difficult because if you don't have a staff nurse as a resource, you have to figure things out on your own. If you don't have anyone to ask questions or refer to, 'you guys are just running the unit by yourself.' It's intense in that regard." A travel nurse has to be resourceful. "We always figured it out. A nurse is a nurse is a nurse — so you just know what you are doing and can be a nurse anywhere. You just have to work with the resources you have and be open and flexible to hospital resources that they may or may not have. Because every facility is different." Alexis Wells, Mainebiz staff writer, can be reached at awells @ mainebiz.biz 2 Monument Square, Portland, ME | 207.773.7100 | dunhamgroup.com Put Our Collaborative Approach to Work for You. CREATIVITY. VISION. COLLABORATION. From envisioning exciting new chapters for underutilized buildings to helping an evolving business consolidate into one space, we are here to help our clients realize their vision for success. It is work that inspires us and humbles us. We love that we get to be a part of building up our communities and supporting the growth of Maine companies. At the heart of every deal we put together is a team of brokers committed to serving clients with creativity, collaboration, and open communication. It's how we've done business for over 45 years and will continue to do so for decades to come. SP ONSORED BY Unlock success: Navigating the top concerns for small businesses 7:30–10 :30AM / HILTON GARDEN INN FREEPORT DOWNTOWN PA N EL IS T S WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7 MOD ER ATOR Dottie Chalmers Chalmers Insurance, CEO Ben Davis OpBox, Co-founder Matt McGrath Systems Engineering, CEO Matthew O'Malia TimberHP, Co-Founder & VP Diane L. Sturgeon District Director, Maine District Office, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Small Business Administration Join us at the Mainebiz Small Business Forum where we tackle the top 5 issues that keep entrepreneurs up at night. 1. Scaling Your Business 2. Tech Trends and AI 3. Automation and Customer Engagement 4. HR Innovations 5. Workforce Challenges