Keeping the Faith

If there is one thing I have learned throughout my experience with Advanced Medical, it is to have faith that everything will work out the way it is supposed to. The travel world can be very stressful at times. Because of the massive amount of flexibility in the profession (one of the many perks), it is accompanied by the fear of the unknown. Let me explain...

Within most contracts there is a two-weeks notice clause that allows you and the client (facility you are working for) to end the contract within two weeks. This is good for you, in the case that a jaw dropping opportunity becomes available you can give a two-weeks notice and take it! It is also of the facilities benefit. In a lot of cases, the facilities hire travelers as they attempt to find permanent employees. If they are successful in their search, they are able to give you a two weeks notice... which can definitely present with some (or a lot) of anxiety.. you now have 2 weeks to find a new gig! Now I know what you're thinking, ONLY TWO WEEKS?! Seems crazy, but two weeks in the travel world is probably equivalent to a month any other time.

I have been given a two-weeks notice twice since I began my traveling journey. Without a doubt it elicited some panic. I am probably best described as a type A personality, I like to be prepared, to plan, to plot. This personality characteristic in which control is at the center, has changed drastically in my time as a traveler.

The first time the two-weeks notice occurred, Amy called and said "I want you to sit down and take a deep breath!" Which now makes me laugh because she knew exactly how I was going to react. I was in a facility that was quite unethical, a job that I did not enjoy waking up in the morning for... but I had just signed a lease and moved to the area 3 days prior! Within 7-10 days, the AMPS team had a job lined up that was going to start immediately following my notice. Absolutely no space between the end of one, to the start of the other. This new opportunity required a drive, but it was an absolute AMAZING experience in a facility that I am thrilled to say I was once a part of! It was meant to be, it was supposed to happen this way! My new placement was in a much happier environment, filled with life changing experiences that made me a better therapist and human being.

The second time I encountered this two-weeks notice was for my most recent assignment. (This may be the craziest story yet!) I was legitimately exiting the state of WV on my way to Florida when I received the call from Amy regarding the client cancelling my contract. Without a doubt, the behind the scenes crew in the office had my back and was able to get me a 2 week paid vacation!!! (Totally awesome, right?) We began the search for a replacement job opportunity within the area and had a few options on the horizon. Just when something seemed promising, we were let down. Since Amy and I have developed such an awesome relationship with one another, I always ask her.. "Should I start to stress yet?"

By Thursday of the second week, we began to get a little stressed and started exploring additional options. We were looking at positions in Virginia, applying for jobs across the state of Florida...At this point we just wanted to get me working by Monday! With one high priority in mind, I have Garth Brooks tickets for his show in Tampa the first week of June... though it sounds like any other concert, this was non-negotiable as it is on my bucketlist! (haha, priorities.. Garth>job!) I had found an ad for a job at a hospital in Ormond Beach and sent it over to Amy to check it out. After some investigation into this position, the account manager came in contact with the individual who had originally offered me a position two weeks prior. & would you believe that she wanted to reinstate my contract because they had an influx of patients and wanted me to start Monday?! What are the stinkin' odds?!

So in the end, I came to Florida two weeks ago to do a job, who then cancelled on me and paid me for two weeks to tan on the beach, only to find that they still wanted me to work for them the following Monday!!

Without a doubt this job has allowed me to experience parts of the world that I wouldn't otherwise, increase my skill set in ways no permanent placement could, and has allowed me to develop incredible lifelong friendships in different parts of the country! But what I am most proud of, is how it has changed ME.

I have learned to be patient. I have learned to have faith that everything will work out the way it is supposed to. I have most definitely learned to be more easy going and a lot less uptight. I have become more trusting and less apprehensive. All with a little help from my friends at Advanced Medical !! I cannot brag enough about the company I work for. It is such a blessing to have a team that has your back, that works hard to ensure you have a job when you need one, and who you can honestly and truly call your friends!

So thankful for all my loves in the office who have made this experience a positive one! & to my favorite, Miss Amy Barnes, who is not only amazing at what she does, but is also one of the most wonderful lifelong friends I have acquired throughout the past year! I love you dearly!

FAQs: Tips for New Grads

After answering many questions at the University of St. Augustine's career fair, I thought I would share some common questions/answers from the day that may help new grads who are interested in joining the AMPS team on an amazing traveling journey! I thought this would be the perfect time to answer some of these important questions as my friends from West Virginia University prepare for their board exams and many students prepare for graduation within the next few months!

National Therapy Recruiter, Helina Jones & I at the Career Fair

When should I start talking to a recruiter?
I recommend that you start talking to your recruiter as soon as you are interested in taking the plunge! Obviously I am a bit biased and would recommend chatting with Amy, however after spending time with many recruiters at Advanced Medical, I am confident that you would be well taken care of by anyone from the team! By talking with your recruiter early in the game you are allowing them to have an opportunity to get to know you, your career goals, and personal goals as you embark on your post-grad life! You also have plenty of time to get all of your paperwork in- trust me, there is a lot of it! Your recruiter will discuss your resume, call your references, and make you as marketable as possible before submitting you to your first travel job. Use your recruiter as a great resource in this process, they have assisted many therapists and have a lot of expertise to ensure success!

How should I handle state licensure?
This topic is one of my favorites and one lesson I learned the hard way! As you will soon find, state licensures are expensive, there is tons of paperwork and hoops to jump for a measley, yet very important piece of paper! If you are interested in travel and anticipate visiting and working in multiple states, I highly recommend that you gain state licensure immediately upon taking/passing your boards in all of the states of interest. When you are a new grad, they only require school transcripts and notification from your national board exam (sometimes a few other things). However, once you are licensed in multiple different states it is increasingly difficult to acquire a license in another as you are required to send more and more paperwork. This can delay the start of an assignment if the state you are attempting to acquire licensure has strict requirements.  Therefore a 2 week process may become a 4-8 week process! Save yourself the trouble, spend the money straight out of the gate if you can, and acquire as many state licensures as you anticipate using. Be sure to keep your receipts, as Advanced Medical will reimburse you for your expenses once you have locked in an assignment!

Can I travel locally or within a small area? Where can I get a job?
The possibilities are endless! Advanced Medical has therapists all across the country so you can pretty much go wherever your little heart desires! Some areas are more fruitful in their traveling possibilities as far as availability, pay, setting, etc. this is why it is so important to speak with your recruiter regarding what your best options are as you begin this journey. Some locations have more options than others and this is something your recruiter will definitely help you with if you are interested in traveling locally, but it is totally possible!

What kind of mentorship does the company provide? Do I have any obligations with this program?
The companies new grad coordinator will send you a mentor's information as well as send your mentor your information (did you catch all that?!). You do not have any obligations as a new grad in this program. It is simply there for your benefit. As a mentor I try to contact my travelers before they start and periodically through their assignment. Some have lots of questions and respond, others do not and that is their choice. I also had personally developed a facebook group that has allowed me to keep in touch, post helpful articles, and so we can all have open discussion about any concerns or obstacles!

How long am I required to stay with AMPS? How long are the assignments? Contracts are generally 13 weeks unless it is within the school system or government job.  You do not have a long standing commitment to Advanced Medical outside of each contract. You could travel with the company for 1 assignment or 10 assignments! That is all up to you. I do highly encourage everyone to attempt at least 2 assignments with the company because let's face it, there are bad facilities and really amazing ones! The bad facilities are no reflection of the amazing experience that Advanced Medical can provide. Remember, they are on your team (AMPS) so be honest with them about your concerns and rest assured they will try their best to give you the best experience.

Do I get to make decisions on where, what, when I take an assignment?Yes! Yes! Yes! You are the driver of this crazy roller coaster. Your team at AMPS is there to guide you so that you can be as successful as you possibly can be! You work very closely with your recruiter regarding your priorities. Be honest with them so they can present the best opportunities to not only benefit your career but your life!


I truly hope this was helpful for anyone who is apprehensive with lots of questions regarding travel therapy! If you have any other questions and would like to reach out, do not hesitate to comment or shoot me an email! Happy to help!! Good luck as you prepare for post-grad life! :)

kaylalayner@yahoo.com or klayner.ot@gmail.com

A Day in the Office

I have been quite the blogging slacker, but I assure you that I will catch up this week! :)

Last Friday I had the opportunity to head into the office at Advanced Medical to chat with some of the amazing people I have been getting to know via email, phone calls, etc. The behind the scenes team is even more wonderful than I had anticipated! A full of energy team that welcomed me with warm, open arms!

Friday afternoon my recruiter, Amy, set up a Q&A session with other recruiters so that they could have a more personal look into the lives of their travelers and the therapy world. The conversations were very pleasant and the team was eager to know how they could be of better service to their travelers. I am grateful for this opportunity, not only because it was a lot of fun, but also it has given me even more confidence in the company I work for. I brag all the time about how lucky I am to have such an amazing recruiter in Amy, but now I can honestly say that there are SO many wonderful recruiters at Advanced Medical who want nothing more than for you to have an amazing experience. 

I am certain that the AMPS team is one that will always have my back in any situation. I am forever grateful for the connections I have made since working for this company and could not be more proud to be apart of it. 

In addition to making it into the office, I FINALLY got to meet Famous Amy!! :) We have talked for countless hours and she is without a doubt one of my dearest friends, but it was really great to spend some face to face time with her! I know this will not be the last time (I hope!). 

The Dreaded Interview

Travelers are definitely not strangers to job interviews. Thankfully, we do not have to stress about how to dress, what our hair looks like, or hold back our nervous non-verbal behaviors due to the fact that the majority of our interviews are completed over the phone! How wonderful is that? Not only do we get to answer all of the questions in the convenience of our pajamas, while sitting with a big mug of coffee, but we also get to have an interview cheat sheet!

Before my first interview as a traveler, I was a nervous wreck. What should I say? What kinds of questions should I ask? How am I going to effectively allow them to get to know me through the phone?  With the help of my recruiter and some great Pinterest blogs, I gathered a list of questions, answered some typical interview questions and had them ready to go before the call. In most cases, the DOR will go over these questions before you even have a chance to ask, but this can helpensure that you have covered what you need to.

Scheduling Questions
Discuss start date
How many hours? M-F?
Will weekends be required?
Is overtime available?
Policy for working holidays?
Confirm/discuss any prearranged days off you may need

Facility Questions
What are your productivity standards?
Am I required to reach full productivity the first week?
How many COTAs will I be supervising?
Number of beds/common diagnoses
How many patients seen per day?
What type of charting/documenting system?
What is the dress code?
Will floating to other facilities be required? (If the answer is yes, you may want to find out more!)
Where do you report? What time?
Do you use modalities?
 
Mentorship Questions
How many OT/PT/SLP?
Is there mentorship available?
Specifics on orientation/ramp time
Will someone be able to show me documentation requirements?
Will there be an evaluating therapist on staff within the facility for questions?

In addition to the logistics that need to be discussed, I also made a list of frequently asked interview questions and answered them with bullet points. I chose to bullet point my answers so that I would not want to read straight from my notes. You never want to sound scripted. Here are a few that I have found to be most helpful.

Tell me a little bit about yourself
       ^Here I like to talk about work and personal related things. It is important to show versatility, what makes you different?
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
Can you describe a situation that you believe you handled well?
Can you describe a situation that you could have handled better?
How do you deal with stressful situations?

New Grads/New Travelers
It is a giant leap of faith to start your career as a traveler. I am very grateful for the experiences and opportunities the travel world provides, but there are definitely some things that I would recommend for first time travelers/new grads. Please, please, please do not start in a facility that does not have another therapist there to assist you. Travelers are supposed to be able to hit the ground running, but the amount of stress and insecurities you are likely going to have will outweigh a lot of the positive attributes of being a traveler. Try to get your feet wet in a larger facility so that you can learn from your coworkers, you can build your therapy toolbox, and you can gain some confidence. I am very grateful to have started this journey in a large facility with an abundance of resources, it most definitely made me a better therapist. I have also experienced facilities where I am the only OT on staff. Great experience, however I would not have handled it as gracefully if my first job was not so great. Being the only OT is hard, especially when you are just starting out.

Do not be afraid to ask questions. That is how we learn and you will be a much better therapist and colleague for doing so. If you do not feel comfortable asking someone you work with, reach out to your mentor or shoot me an email. I am by no means an expert, but would be happy to help in any way possible! Hope this little (or big) list helps ease some of your interview stress!

I'll be home for Christmas

Today, I began my commute home to Parkersburg! First time since August for this girl and I am so ready to be among the hills again! I woke up with such excitement (could barely sleep!), anxious to see my family with a feeling that it was going to be a great day! But the day has most definitely taken a turn in an unexpected direction. 

I do not normally push my faith on others, however God's presence on my journey home has been overwhelming. He works in very mysterious ways. I had gotten to my gate very early and had planned on writing a post during my wait when an older lady sat down beside me with tear filled eyes. First of all, I am very nosey... I always want to know what is going on. Secondly, I am a very caring person... I want to be there for everyone if/when I can. 

After a few minutes I felt that I needed to initiate conversation. I quickly learned that this lady had just found out that her 51 year old son had passed away in the middle of the night due to a heart attack. She was on her way to Boston to be with her family and do what no mother should have to do, bury their child. Completely and utterly heartbreaking. 

Following some dialogue I learned that she was originally from West Virginia (what are the odds?!) and that her story was extremely similar to the passing of my Uncle Rick. We shared stories and reminisced about the amazing angels God had gained. My mind is flooded with wonderful memories shared with such an absolutely wonderful man. Boy, do I ever miss him!

Our Last Christmas Together

Things truly do happen for a reason, and though we may not always have the answers when we want them, God will find a way to reveal them to us in time. I am a firm believer that God wanted our paths to cross and am grateful that I was able to be with this sweet lady in her time of need. 

As I prepare to board the plane for the final leg of my journey, I am even more anxious to get home. I am going to hug my family a little tighter, kiss them a little more, and tell them I love them so many times that it may get annoying. You never know when God may need another Angel and very grateful that I am able to spend the holidays with my family!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

One of my favorite photos of us!

The Value of Teamwork

Throughout the past month, I have really gotten the opportunity to understand the value of teamwork. Unfortunately, we live in a world full of individuals who are only interested in their own personal gain and well being. Until you have truly experienced an interdisciplinary team that works seamlessly together, you may never truly understand the meaning of teamwork.

After only 2 days at a facility in Virginia Beach, I was given a 2 weeks notice due to the fact that the facility had filled the position with a permanent employee (who just so happens to be my VB BFF!). If you know me at all, you should know that I like to plan, and this new information was sure to give me some anxiety! This is definitely an occurrence that happens quite often in the travel world due to the fact that travel positions are temporary, however I do not think that I was prepared for it!

My VB BFF, Natalie!

Thankfully, I have the worlds best recruiter! Y'all are probably sick and tired of hearing about her. I'm really not pulling your leg when I say that she falls nothing short of being completely phenomenal! I learned a lot about the way the travel world works, and that the team that I had fighting for me behind the scenes was a great one! Within one week following my notice I had a job interview and an offer to start the day after my initial contract was supposed to end. Wow! Now that, my friends, is teamwork!

The unfortunate part of this new offer was that I would be required to drive a minimum of 50 minutes to and from work every day... what a bummer! I can honestly say, I did not want this job for the simple fact that I would have to wake up before 7am! (Obviously not a morning person!)

Little did I know that I would be walking into an AMAZING facility! A facility that I have the ability to have an impact on, and also a facility that undoubtedly knows what teamwork should really look like! This team amazes me every day. Everyone works together so seamlessly and they truly care about their patients. The environment is infectious, in the best possible way!

There are so many benefits to having an interdisciplinary team that works so incredibly well together. Not only is it amazing for the residents and their well being, but it creates a wonderful, positive atmosphere to work in.

I guess driving an hour to work everyday is a small price to pay for having an awesome job and living in a great area! I'll take it!

I also get to see beautiful skies like this on my way home!! :)

Contact Amy or me if you are interested in joining the travel world or if you just have some questions! We would be happy to help! abarnes@advanced-medical.net or kaylalayner@yahoo.com

The Move... Bittersweet

After 11 short weeks in Richmond, it was time to pack up my car and head for Virginia Beach! The only word that can adequately describe my feelings is bittersweet...

The bitter...
I love Richmond! I finally felt at home here... but as I became more comfortable the decision of "where to next" creeped up on me. I did consider staying here, however that was not an option at the time. Opportunities elsewhere presented and I had to do what was best for me and my career.

Security. Safety. It is very difficult (no matter how independent I may be) to move to a new city, new apartment, new everything... alone. Always spending the "first night" by yourself wondering if it is a safe place to live. The feeling of security comes with time, so at first moving to a new area can be very stressful for me. I feel as though having someone else with me, or even a dog, may make me feel better.. until then, flying solo!

I had the honor of working with the most incredible team! I learned so much, from so many. To say that you truly enjoy the people you are working with every, single day can be very rare. Going to work was not so bad when there are SO many great people. I will definitely miss the awesome work environment, the food (courtesy of some pretty awesome therapists and patients), and the awareness that I could learn something new daily!

And now for what I believe is the most difficult part of being a travel therapist... the connection you make with the patients you are forced to leave behind. On my last day at my current facility, I had an overwhelming feeling that I had/have unfinished business. In any therapists career you get to a point with a patient where you have not only applied your knowledge to make them more independent, but you have put your heart and soul into caring for them. These are the patients that you cannot wait to see walk out of the front door on their way HOME! As a traveler, you have those patients that are half way to the finish line, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and are forced to pass on to the therapist who is taking over for you. Absolutely and utterly heartbreaking. I have a heavy heart for one patient in particular, one that I feel as though I left too soon. But, this person reassured me on our last day together that I did not have unfinished business. She said "Always remember, you have made a great impact on my life. You helped me get back to being a mother, a teacher, and a caregiver for my mother. No matter where you are, please know that you made a mark here!" & that, my friends, is sweet...

The Sweet...
New place. New people. New attractions. New restaurants. All of these make for one heck of an adventure!  Adventure is definitely something I truly enjoy, seeing new things and experiencing new things is half of the reason I became a traveling therapist!

By becoming a travel therapist you have the opportunity to network all over the country... what better way to insure job security?! As travelers we get to show TONS of people just what we are made of, which will absolutely make you more marketable in the future. Not to mention the diversity you experience in so many different environments. This is awesome not only for job security but for increasing the tools in your toolbox, too! (Another reason I decided to travel)

You are thrown many obstacles when faced with a new placement. It could be furniture (current problemo), utilities, space, apartment, location, price, etc. or it could be related to the workplace. But ya know what the sweet part about that is? You adapt. You change. You get stronger. You become resilient. You can handle anything that you are faced with. Though these obstacles can be very frustrating, they make you grow, allowing you to learn more and more about life.


Needless to say, my first transfer to a new facility has given me a variety of emotions. Nonetheless, I will be a better therapist and a stronger person for doing so. That alone helps me sleep a little more soundly on my "first night"...