Us vs Them

By Rich Smith, 04-11-2018

When does this Us vs Them stuff finally end? I get it, it might have been like that at one time. Even now there are people in the industry that profit from keeping agencies on one side and nurses on the other. It might have been Us vs Them back in the beginning, when the big agencies were growing. But that time is over. This isn't a transactional business anymore. Times have changed. We have this amazingly powerful medium called social media now. There is so much information at your fingertips, you just have to go find it. The industry has changed...dramatically. Unfortunately, change is usually met with resistance. I can see it from where I sit every day. The old guard doesn't accept the new norms. They cling to what has always worked, because that's what made them money in the past. But what you might not understand is that their resistance to change is actually hurting you and the industry.

This is your career. Your professional license. Travel nursing is going through a very vibrant and wonderful new age. Why would you settle for anything less than excellent? Why would you accept employment with an agency that has bad reviews online? Why would you work for a company when your fellow travelers are telling you they are consistently paid less? Or their recruiter doesn't call them back. Or the recruiter has an assistant, and that assistant won't even call them back? Or their hourly rate is so low they are concerned they might get audited. Why? Why settle for this when others just like you are so happy?

I'm not saying everyone should work for Atlas. We aren't perfect, we openly admit that. But I believe we are in a group of good companies out there doing it right for the right reasons. I've said it before, if we aren't for you I'll gladly give you every piece of your compliance file and help you to another agency that fits your needs. In the end, the internet is bringing us all closer. This isn't a battle. We are on the same side. The recruiter/nurse relationship is more important than it's ever been. Being a nurse is a highly personal job, why wouldn't your relationship with your company be personal too?