Mark S. Kuhar
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This month we pose the question, are the good old days back? You remember the good old days, don't you? Let me remind you.
You had your pick of assignments just about anywhere in the country. You had no trouble extending if you wanted to, or moving
on to the next exciting location. The only real problem was decisions, decisions, decisions—which assignment to choose from
the many offered. You were inundated with calls from recruiters asking when you might be available to take a new assignment.
If you were out of work, it was only because you wanted to take a little personal time off to do what you wanted. Indeed,
life was good.
But then the recession hit. And as the authors of our cover story, Barry Padgett and Donna Padgett, RN, BSN, so succinctly
note, travelers ultimately began to feel the pinch. As revenues declined, healthcare facilities found it difficult to hire
travelers or keep them onboard, especially if permanent staff jobs were in jeopardy. Travel assignments all of a sudden started
drying up. There were still openings, but they were fewer, some were in remote locations, and sometimes dozens of candidates
were applying for positions. Competition was fierce among agencies.
Is the worst of the recession past us? Some experts say yes, and numerous signs now point to a positive economic turn. Others
say that the measures taken by the government amount to nothing more than a temporary solution. Recessionary conditions notwithstanding,
the country's medical needs are not going away any time soon, and the healthcare-reform wars in Washington will keep us glued
to the news for some time to come.
The key for healthcare travelers is to take the minuteman approach: Be ready at a moment's notice. Assess your professional
position with a marketing perspective. As always, keep an open mind about all assignments offered to you. The good old days
of tomorrow may not be the same as the good old days of yesterday, but they will be good nonetheless. You can take that to
the bank. Mark S. Kuhar
Editor-in-Chief
mkuhar@advanstar.com
