It’s no secret. The world’s economy is tanking and it’s only a matter of time before the ripple effect hits the healthcare arena. A couple of weeks ago, a reader asked me if she should spend the last of her savings on a nursing education. She thought that a nursing education would guarantee her work during hard economic times, but unfortunately, that’s not the case. I told her that hospitals downsize when times are tough and nurses can end up losing their jobs. However, even when things are on a downswing, there are ways of bulletproofing your nursing career.

I’ve learned over the years that nurses have a much better chance of finding work if they are flexible. The bottom line is, never say never… Never say, “I won’t work the night shift,” or “I refuse to work weekends.” You won’t endear yourself to your boss and coworkers, and you’ll miss out on picking up extra hours by refusing to work off-shifts. Another thing that will give you an advantage over you coworkers when it comes to getting hours is your willingness to cross train to other units. I know, nurses hate floating to other units, but this is another way of getting in more hours at work, especially if your unit’s census is low and your boss wants to send you home. Cross training isn’t just for athletes. It exercises your mind and keeps you from getting bored at work. I’ve worked in many different nursing specialties over the years and it really paid off during the last recession.

Another strategy that will work to your advantage is to branch out and work PRN in several different facilities. Healthcare facilities want to avoid paying full time and part time benefits during tough times, so they usually start hiring additional staff for their PRN float pool. Working in the float pool is great if you want to avoid the politics and the squabbling that happens on every patient care unit. You just say hello, do your work, and go home. Period! The downside to working PRN is that you can’t count on how many days you may get to work, so it’s a smart idea to sign up at as many healthcare facilities as possible. It’s also a good idea to sign up for work at a couple of nursing temp agencies.

Travel nursing is always a great way to see the country, but it’s an even better way to make ends meet when the job market is in flux. Travel nurse jobs are lucrative, and the benefits are great, too. Travel nurse agencies pay for moving expenses, housing, utilities, and health insurance. Assignments last from a couple of weeks, to many months, and you can find jobs around the corner as well as around the world. Working as a travel nurse is a great way to help others while helping yourself.

Have you started seeing cutbacks in the workplace related to the downturn in the economy? Do you have any survival tips? Your thoughts and experience are important; please join us and jump into a conversation at NursingVoices. We’re waiting to hear from you!