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”.

Aya Healthcare is here to affirm the rumors of Austin, Texas; Austin is spirited and soulful, communal and gracious, eco and affordable.

While many metropolitan areas have made tremendous cut backs in 2009, Austin’s lower cost of living was conducive for small businesses to actually start up, hence Austin took top honors as a market that did not take any major hits on employment losses in 2009.  The city’s growing economy means grand opportunities for healthcare travelers who are interested in a youthful city that has a stellar lineup of art, music, and entertainment events. Residents can also easily raft the down the Colorado River, enjoy trails through Texas Hill Country and get a taste of Tem-mex at one of the fantastic southern eateries.  Fresh farms nearby provide the city with some of the best produce in the country including some of the tastiest peaches and heirloom tomatoes we’ve ever tasted.  Also worth noting is the fact that Texas Wine Country is all within a short 45 minute drive out of the city. 

Overall, Austin is a great location for Aya Healthcare travelers. It hits homeruns on three fronts that make a great placement: community, career and affordability.

At Aya Healthcare humor is one of the important ways we create a happy work place.  Humor simply brings us joy in which we hope to share with all of our fellow healthcare professionals. Here is some humor our Aya Healthcare employees wanted to share with you today: Read the rest of this entry »