David Morrison, RN (COURTESY OF DAVID MORRISON)

Every travel contract has certain requirements that must be met during the application process. Experienced travelers will often have immunization records, state license information, and certifications such as ACLS and BLS already on file with their travel companies.

Background checks and fingerprinting for state nursing licenses have also become common when starting a new assignment. Government contracts, however, require a few checks that I have never before encountered in more than a decade of travel.

To work in a government facility today, you must be VetPro certified. This means that you have completed a universal certification to work in a federal facility, a process that takes more time initially.

Daniel Matus, manager of the government division at Cirrus Medical Staffing, says that once you become VetPro certified, this "will expedite future assignments with the government."

Matus also mentions that some of the requirements for VetPro certification can include a DMV check, a sexual predator check, HIV testing, and "a detailed criminal background check through the government for every city and state that the traveler has lived in"—not exactly the run-of-the-mill requirements most of us are used to.

As you can imagine, these checks do add a bit of time to the process for obtaining an assignment. Brad Hilton, manager of government services at Medical Solutions, says once the traveler accepts a job offer, it may take the facility from "one to four weeks to complete the process."

Hilton estimates that "the total turnaround time from review to start date can vary from around three to six weeks." Obviously, if you need a quick start date and you are not yet VetPro certified, you may need to consider other options.

Reap the rewards

(PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES/PHOTODISC)

Kisha Waltzer, client partnerships and administration manager at RN Network, notes, "Once travelers have experience in a federal setting (especially Indian Health Service and Veterans Health Administration facilities), they are almost always given preferential treatment when returning to a facility."

Waltzer also mentions that she has gotten "incredibly positive feedback" from travelers who have worked government assignments for her company.

The travelers added that they were treated very well at the facilities, by both patients and staff, and that they felt truly appreciated for the care and attention they gave.

Most of us who have traveled for any given time have been offered a government contract at some point. Government contracts are nothing new, but the credentialing and conditions that are now required have only been in effect for the past few years.

In the past, a government facility was no different from working in any other facility. But with the advent of VetPro certification, obtaining a government contract can take some forethought. Most of the recruiters with whom I spoke mentioned that the process can be very time-consuming.

Many of us, however, also know that anything good is worth a little extra work. One recruiter mentioned that one of their travelers was in the middle of a five-month contract with facility-provided beachfront housing; for an assignment like that, I think I can handle a little extra paperwork.