March 29, 2024
#Featured #Hot Markets #Market Data #News

Missouri Travel Nurse Needs Remain High In Wake Of Slow Flu Season

missouri travel nurse-st louis-archway

Missouri travel nurse needs have remained at a significantly high number throughout November and the first week of December, according to current market data.

More than 140 travel nurse needs are active in the state, most of which are newer positions located in or around the St. Louis region, said Jennifer Pomietlo, a director of client advisory for LiquidAgents Healthcare. That includes cities like St. Charles, Chesterfield and Columbia.

The most-needed specialties include medical-surgical, telemetry, ICU, step-down and OR nurses, with limited openings for other non-core or surgical specialties, Pomietlo said. Allied healthcare travel positions are also fairly limited, but certified surgical tech and rad tech opportunities are available.


Contact Allie Evans with LiquidAgents Healthcare for more information about Missouri travel nurse jobs >>

Flu is the main driver for hiring in the state, Pomietlo said. Normally, Missouri hospitals will aggressively hire in early fall because the state is one of a handful that typically see high levels of flu activity starting in November, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention records.

This year’s flu season is off to a slower start for the state, with “minimal” influenza-like illness activity and sporadic spread, according to CDC data. A total of one death and 1,384 laboratory-positive influenza cases have been reported as of Nov. 24 to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). More than 300 cases were reported from the eastern region of the state, where St. Louis is located.

Missouri hospitals are hiring in December in anticipation of a delayed surge in flu patient census in January and February, Pomietlo said.

“They get hit hard by the flu in St. Louis, and it also hangs around longer in Missouri than in other places,” Pomietlo said.

In the record-breaking 2017-18 flu season, Missouri reported 133,957 laboratory-confirmed cases of flu and more than 2,000 pneumonia and influenza-associated deaths, according to a DHSS press release.

Other things travelers should know about Missouri

Missouri is one of the 31 states that are part of the enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact, meaning nurses who have a compact license can work in the state without paying additional licensing fees.

Travelers who don’t have a compact license can get a single state license at a low cost. The state board charges $55 for a license by endorsement or $45 by examination. Missouri is also a walk-through state, so nurses can get a temporary license within a day. 

You can find more Missouri licensing information on the state nursing board website.


 

Missouri Travel Nurse Needs Remain High In Wake Of Slow Flu Season

The 2018-19 Flu Season Is Off To

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

x  Powerful Protection for WordPress, from Shield Security
This Site Is Protected By
ShieldPRO