Credentialing is a crucial component of starting your next travel assignment. It doesn’t matter your discipline, or facility location, getting credentialed is your way of verifying your qualifications and allowing you to provide care in your new facility – including the requirements like a drug and health screen, a background check, as well as any other necessary licensure and certifications that are relevant to your position.
Your recruiter will share your information with our credentialing team when you are accepted for a new assignment. They will then compile your credentialing requirements for your discipline, state, and facility that you will be working in. After you have looked at your list of credentialing requirements it is important not to panic! You are not on this journey alone and our credentialing team will be here to help you navigate through the process, so you are ready to work!
The role of our credentialing team
Our credentialing team will communicate each requirement you need to fulfill before your starting date, this way you will know exactly what you must do and when! They are always present to answer any questions you might have about the process or any specific requirements, all while keeping you on track from start to finish.
Things every clinician should know before getting started
This is important not only for travel nurses but travel Allied professionals too! Make sure you aren’t psyching yourself out before you start! To help make your credentialing journey as efficient and stress-free as possible we have made a list of some helpful things to remember:
Communication is key!
In cases like these, it is always better to over-communicate than under-communicate! Our recruiters and credentialing team are your allies in getting your steps completed by reaching out in advance to give you time to get prepped. They are also always there to answer any questions or concerns you might have along the way. Believe it or not, there is no such thing as a silly question! It is also a good thing to remember that the state boards don’t bite – If you have any specific questions about licensing, they are in most cases, the best lifeline.
Help the team help you
You must move through the process without any hitches before your start date. So make sure to lean on the resources that are at your disposal! Our credentialing team possesses a wealth of knowledge, and experience with this process, no matter which discipline you are in, your recruiter is your support system for anything else you need to get ready for your first day.
Don’t wait until the last minute
The faster you submit your required items, the faster our credentialing team can clear you! Waiting until the last minute or pushing off credentialing requirements to complete this step will only open the door to potential errors and issues in this process. Typically, the deadline for credentialing is a week before your start date, so make sure to plan to ensure you are scheduling appointments and submitting documents on time! The last thing anyone wants is for a start date to get pushed back or have an assignment canceled on you because your credentialing requirements aren’t in on time.
Nothing is required without a reason
Although you may get overwhelmed when first looking at your list of requirements, everything is on there for a reason. Each component of this process is required to ensure that you are ready for your first day at your new facility.
Common credentialing items needed:
If you are thinking about applying for an allied or nursing travel contract, it’s always a good thing to get your ducks in a row early. We created a small list of commonly required credentialing items below. Take a quick look at this list and see if you can start compiling these things in an easy-to-find place. When you officially take an assignment, our credentialing team will send you this list plus any other specific items that are required for your state or facility and how to obtain them.
- State License
- TB Test within last year
- Physical within the last year
- Copy of driver’s license (front and back)
- Copy of Social Security Card
- Background Screen
- Drug Screen
- BLS Certification (American Heart Association BLS is universally accepted!)
- Immunization (MMR, Varicella, Tdap, Hep B, Influenza (annual), COVID)
Keeping your records organized and secure
Moving from one facility to the next requires you to submit these similar documents each time you start a new contract. Making sure you keep your documents secure and accessible can save you a lot of time and headaches. Saving your files to a Google Drive, iCloud, or even Kamana Health can help you send your documents to our credentialing department with ease! Whenever you are uploading new documents or taking pictures of them, make sure the digital copies are CLEAR (just like with your timesheets)! The information on these documents is very important so being able to read them clearly is a must! Google Drive has a scanning feature that will make it easier to upload documents using your smartphone.
If you have any questions reach out to your recruiter today. If you haven’t applied yet, give us a call or email one of our fantastic recruiters today!