Demand for travelers/agency staff?

Curious to know what the demand is currently for travel nurses? Are they being used where you work? Last year at this time the word on the street was demand for them was way down - have things picked back up? I work as a RN in a LTC. We are fully staffed with nurses but are using agency CNA's who come from surrounding states.
I don't think it has really picked back up. Last I heard, the only things they are using much of is specialites, like ICU and ER. There are some assignments, but they are very competitive. I tried going back to traveling in Sept/Oct and couldn't get a contract. I spoke with one of my recruiters a couple months ago and she said it's still about the same.

I'm a current traveler. I see the available jobs being slightly improved but still nowhere near the level it was before the economic "meltdown". I've been able to keep employed by having multiple licenses and taking contracts wherever I can get them - especially areas others might not want to go.

My hospital didn't use them a whole lot before, but has cut way back in the past year. We did have one come in on Memorial Day in the ED, but that's the first one I've seen in a long time.

I'm new in tampa, fl, and my travel company has NO work for me. I'm trying to find job on my own. My sense is that hospitals aren't using travelers as the cost is too high. Boy, was I sheltered from the recession in Boston. Think the economy has recovered? Think again....

Quote from oncnursemsnI'm new in tampa, fl, and my travel company has NO work for me. I'm trying to find job on my own. My sense is that hospitals aren't using travelers as the cost is too high. Boy, was I sheltered from the recession in Boston. Think the economy has recovered? Think again....

I have more agency/ per diem work than I can physically work. Travel? Not a thing.

We can't find experienced OR nurses; we have a bunch of OR travelers current in place.

I would get down on my knees and beg and pray for real experienced ICU nurse travelers.... no offense ppl... but not those with one year in that can't handle their own or come from a tiny hospital that shipped everything sick out. That is all that is out there these days... We finally get traveler approval... and get a 6 bed bum frick nowhere nurse that panics over a low BP or intubation, let alone a swan or a pump. WHERE are ya'll experienced nurses that travel????So no, I'd rather tripple and take care of my own, then mine and others... So we have a REAL demand... but are focusing on permanent recruitment of quality and that takes time. I'm a touch burnt out of wanna be ICU travelers and would rather pick up the extra shift and triple, tired as I am.

Quote from Zookeeper3We finally get traveler approval... and get a 6 bed bum frick nowhere nurse that panics over a low BP or intubation, let alone a swan or a pump. WHERE are ya'll experienced nurses that travel????

what do traveling nurses do? i haven't really heard of this before. is that like, in-home assistance or something?thanks!

Quote from Zookeeper3I would get down on my knees and beg and pray for real experienced ICU nurse travelers.... no offense ppl... but not those with one year in that can't handle their own or come from a tiny hospital that shipped everything sick out. That is all that is out there these days... We finally get traveler approval... and get a 6 bed bum frick nowhere nurse that panics over a low BP or intubation, let alone a swan or a pump. WHERE are ya'll experienced nurses that travel????So no, I'd rather tripple and take care of my own, then mine and others... So we have a REAL demand... but are focusing on permanent recruitment of quality and that takes time. I'm a touch burnt out of wanna be ICU travelers and would rather pick up the extra shift and triple, tired as I am.