It takes a rather large state to absorb the whole North every winter, but Florida gladly accommodates the midwinter migration. With October now upon us, hospitals are beginning to pick up, and travel nurses should be more in demand in this region of the country than ever.

2) Fingerprinting - the AHCA (Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration) requires special fingerprinting. This means that you should send in finger printing cards 2-3 weeks in advance or the safer bet would be to do the Livescan, which means arriving in the state of Florida 4-5 days prior to your assignment start date. 

Travel nursing in San Antonio, Texas never looked so good! For all of our Aya Healthcare travel nurses and travel therapists, we’ve composed this little guide of San Antonio’s best shopping, eateries and recreation for you! If any of our current Aya Healthcare travel nurses in Texas have any favorite spots they’d like to share, we’d love to hear about them (send an email to newsletter at ayahealthcare dot com).

To learn more about travel nursing in Texas with Aya Healthcare please give us a call at 866-687-7390 or register here.

SHOPPING LIST

Adelante Boutique- Looks like a Mexican market, with a wonderful selection of women’s accessories and clothing.

Alamo Antique Mall- For all antique lovers (it has three floors of antiques).

Antiquarian Book Mart- One of the best used and rare book stores in all of Texas.

Dos Carolinas- Custom beautifully embroidered embroidered Mexican shirts. Perfect souvenir for an Aya Healthcare travel nurse to bring back for loved ones.

Fiesta on Main- Aya Healthcare travel nurses know how to have fun and should with a serious fiesta! This store has house wares, gifts and party goods.

Inter Artisan- Folk art gallery and shop of artwork from both Mexican and San Antonio artisans.

Jive Refried- Local designer Agosto Cuellar stocks his store with an eclectic array of vintage clothing, accessories and more.

Melissa Guerra- If any of our Aya Healthcare travel nurses like to cook, this is your spot! Items include corn grinders to Latin American chocolate.

The Regalo Gift Shop and Botánica- A unique selection of gifts and crafts.

EATERIES

Beto’s Comida Latina- Latin American soul food-yes, it’s time for taste buds to adventure out into new cuisines.

Biga on the Banks- A perfect place to eat along the river.

Casa Rio- Another great river walk eatery with Tex Mex cuisine.

El Mirador- The daily soup is delicious!

The Friendly Spot- Fun outdoor hangout (cash only).

Green- Vegetarians unite! It’s a perfect place to have lunch.

Guenther House- Café with a selection of yummy items for all of our travel nurses should enjoy.

Il Sogno Osteria- Italian restaurant that is always packed.

La Fonda on Main- Mexican restaurant that is the perfect place to take visitors in town.

La Frite Belgian Bistro- Classic Belgian cuisine.

Liberty Bar- One of the most inventive menus on this list.

Madhatter’s Tea House- Dog friendly and great spot to have brunch.

Rosario’s- Another great Mexican eatery.

Sandbar Fish House & Market- Oyster bar and fresh fish.

Texas Farm to Table- Perfect breakfast/lunch spot.

Torres Taco Haven- Who knew you could have tacos for breakfast?!?

ACTIVITIES

Creative Spots

Artpace, Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, The McNay Art Museum Museo Alameda, The San Antonio Museum of Art, The Southwest School of Art and Craft, The Witte Museum

Cultural & Historical Sights

The Mission Trail- A wonderful path to rent a bike and venture along the 8 mile trails that connects to the historical missions.

The Pearl- Famous brewery that sprawls over 22 acres. Wonderful place to spend a Saturday (especially with the Farmer’s Market in town)

The San Antonio River Museum Reach-Recently completed with beautiful grottos, mixed use developments and art displayed.

Southtown–Nice area for shopping, eating, dancing and drinking, plus there is a great art walk the first Friday of the month.

You thought Las Vegas was only good for a weekend, but our Aya Healthcare travel nurses and allied team affirm otherwise- 13 weeks of living the good life with sunny skies, world renowned entertainment and restaurants, and relaxing pools and spas just around the corner of your living quarters. Here are some tips and insights from our past healthcare travelers in Las Vegas:

“You have to go to some shows while you are out here. I just took some of my relatives in town to the Mac King Comedy Magic Show and it was absolutely wonderful, funny, and great for family too.” –Jackie L.

“Best buffet in town goes to either the Bellagio or The M (off the strip).” -Josh W.

“Try grocery shopping at Greenland (if you have a car). It’s one of the best and most affordable Asian grocery markets I’ve ever been to. It has beautiful produce and a great selection of marinated meats and fresh seafood.” – Nancy M.

“One of the best things I did out here was participate with a meetup group called “Las Vegas Hiking with Dogs” where a bunch of dog owners would meet up and exercise with their pets. It’s also a chance to see some beautiful views of the city.” -Russ R.

Thank you to all of our Aya Healthcare travelers feedback. If you have any suggestions or tips for destinations you’ve traveled to with Aya Healthcare, please email newsletter@ayahealthcare.com.

What makes us happy?   How can we become happier?  And is happiness sustainable? 

Since we are in the business of making healthcare professionals happy, we’ve been circulating around the Aya Healthcare office a listing of  “evidence-based happiness-increasing strategies” as described in Sonja Lyubomirsky’s  The How of Happiness. By being happy, we have the potential to reach our goals, feel good, and empower and change many other lives just by being ourselves. 

I hope all of our Aya Healthcare travel nurses, therapists and community will enjoy.

Happiness Increasing Strategies:

1. Expressing Gratitude

2. Cultivating Optimism

3. Avoiding Overthinking and Social Comparison

4. Practicing Acts of Kindness

5. Nurturing Social Relationships

6. Developing Strategies for Coping

7. Learning to Forgive

8. Being Open to New Experiences

9. Savoring Life’s Joys

10. Committing to Your Goals

11. Practicing Spirituality

12. Taking Care of Your Body

Of course, its up to you as to which activities you want to put into practice. Hope everyone has a great rest of the week!

Good jobs, affordable housing, and an active outdoor culture… no wonder Aya Healthcare is quickly filling the new positions posted for Washington this week. You’re in luck since we still have some travel nursing jobs in Yakima and Tacoma though. The state’s natural beauty includes some of the most striking trails, waterfalls and vast parks in the whole country. Plus, you will rediscover the meaning of “fresh food” since Washington also boasts some of the finest local farms. We’re hoping your ready to climb, ski, bike, float and buckle up for a wonderful assignment in Washington.

As Aya Healthcare continues to grow, it has become more and more important for us to foster values of self improvement and empowerment with all of our internal staff.  As part of Aya Healthcare’s weekly internal newsletter, we circulate a number of  inspiring quotes and book excerpts.  This week we’d like to share some of the favorites that focused on the power of influence:

“You are in charge of your feelings, beliefs, and actions. And you teach others how to behave toward you. While you cannot change other people, you can influence them through your own behaviors and actions. By being a living role model of what you want to receive from others, you create more of what you want in your life.”

-Eric Allenbaugh

“Think of ways to be more proactive and address things you CAN do something about.  Your circle of influence will enlarge and your circle of concern shrinks.  Focusing on what you don’t like is disempowering.  Focusing on what you can do is proactive and empowering. “Be part of the solution, not part of the problem”.

–Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

There is no better way to celebrate a summer than in California’s most charming city by the bay-San Francisco! 

Aya Healthcare’s nurses and therapists continuously praise San Francisco for the variety of beautiful places to see and things to do. 

Here are some traveler insights on the best of SF:

 “Farmer’s markets offer the most flavorful produce in the country.”- Amber L.

“I take all my visiting friends to the jazz supper club spot Coda-it’s got the best line up of bands in the city while you eat and drink the best meal you’ve ever tasted!” –Megan L.

“The bicycle rides over the bay bridge on Sunday mornings were some of my favorite past times as a travel nurse”- Jeffrey C.

“I love to collect small little memoirs from all of my travels, and I must say the flea markets in San Francisco are full of the most fantastic treasures!”-Krystal N.

Aya Healthcare wants to make sure we’re doing our best at sharing job and travel information with all of our healthcare professionals.  Hence, we have our Facebook, MySpace and Twitter accounts all in full gear, and we just need your help in staying connected!Be sure to join our Aya Healthcare community:

• Follow Aya Healthcare on Twitter
• Follow Aya Healthcare on Facebook
• Follow Aya Healthcare on Myspace
• Follow Aya Healthcare Blog (RSS Feed here)

Please join Aya Healthcare in the spirit of nurse appreciation week and thank the nurses who care for our communities! This year’s theme is “Caring Today for a Healthier Tomorrow”.