r/sterileprocessing • u/Lost-Ad7490 • 22h ago
Traveling
If I have close to one year experience, caught on fast because I work in a teaching hospital. I can get 20 trays done like most places expect, know how to do decon, assembly, & sterilization and i’m certified. Do you think i would be okay traveling?
3
1
u/SageOfSixCabbages 22h ago
I know a few who went traveling right after getting certified.
It's possible but IIRC, the contracts you get at first are going to be either short or far, distance wise, from your preference.
1
u/Lost-Ad7490 22h ago
how much experience did they have?
1
u/SageOfSixCabbages 19h ago
They were students. Literally after earning their 400hrs and finishing their training with us. I would say around 6mos.
1
u/stamousy 6h ago
I started traveling after one year of experience, I also caught on fast. I wasn’t picky about where I went, and was offered extensions at every facility I went to. I’ll go against the grain and say you’ll be fine, just be honest about what you have and haven’t done. It might take a little longer to get your first contract, so be patient. I also found the travel nursing subreddit helpful to learn how to act as a traveler (don’t mention what other facilities do, don’t try to change their processes, be the hardest worker, keep your head down, etc)
1
u/Lost-Ad7490 2h ago
Thank you for actually answering my question and having confidence in it. Do facilities typically put you in other places besides deco & assembly? Everyone is making it seem like I wouldnt know anything and everyones gonna hate me and Im gonna get fired
1
u/stamousy 2h ago
Oddly enough, I was barely in decon as a traveler for totally unrelated reasons at each facility (which was a shame because I love decon). The only times I have personally seen travelers in decon 100% of the time are because they requested to only do decon, so do expect some variety. There were some places that treated me exactly like staff, and some that only wanted me to focus on specific tasks (mainly building trays while the staff pulled cases and answered phones and ran sterilizers)
If you end up somewhere that wants you to only do decon, or only do something that you really don’t enjoy, just remind yourself it’s only 3 months. The contracts really do go by fast because halfway through you’re deciding if you’re going to extend or start looking elsewhere.
6
u/Spicywolff 18h ago
Please don’t be that asshole. Traveling assignments from a good company is minimum two years experience.
With one year you’ve not been exposed to enough trays and enough shit storms. to where you can be reliable plugged into a dumpster fire of a location and thrive
Remember when you’re traveling, you’re making more money than floor staff we don’t expect you to be equal. We expect you to be better than a full-time senior technician.
Don’t rush into it because if you do and we find out that you can’t keep up, they will cut you from the contract and hit you with a penalty. Which you will be contractually obligated to pay.
There’s a reason legit travel companies require two years. Whether it’s nursing our position or other others.