Why We Don’t Offer 1099 Contracts

Posted on September 2, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

EmpowerCare gives nurses the power to choose when, where and how often they work, usually right in the palm of their hands by our easy-to-use app. When one of our talented nurses works a CNA job, LPN job or RN job, they are their W-2 hired employee. We have chosen not to offer 1099 options to our healthcare workers and here are 3 main reasons why.

1. 1099 contractors must manage their payroll taxes.

When you choose a staffing agency that does 1099, you’re responsible for managing your payroll taxes throughout the year. That means your weekly/biweekly checks will be bigger in size, but at tax time you will need to pay all the taxes that would usually have been taken out in a lump sum. This could be a problem if you don’t correctly estimate your taxes or if you don’t set money aside for your taxes. Being a W-2 employee, you don’t have to do any of this. Your employer withholds a specified amount, which you determine, from each one of your paychecks to cover your taxes. Making it easier to manager.

2. W-2 employees can have access to company benefits

Being a W-2 employee, you will have access to the company benefits such as health insurance, life insurance and paid time off, as well as your travel nurse salary. These are additional benefits that you can access and use when needed. Having a benefits package, you can fall back on is so important. It shows that the employer is invested in not only you, but your future and happiness as well.

3. W-2 employees are protected

W-2 employees are protected by laws covering minimum wage, workers’ comp, unemployment, and overtime. 1099 contractors must handle their own insurance, meaning there is less protection for you in your RN job.

At EmpowerCare, we prioritize your security and benefits, choosing W-2 over 1099. Join our caring team for the best possible work experience.

Block Booking

Posted on August 15, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

Full time stability with per diem flexibility

When our CEO founded this company back in 2005 as a Registered Nurse, it was to help nurses combat burnout and get more autonomy in their careers. We understand more than most staffing agencies how fast the industry can change. One significant shift we are seeing right now is the rise of block bookings.

What is block booking? It empowers you to schedule shifts at you preferred facilities as if you were a full-time employee, while still enjoying the flexibility of Per Diem jobs. Essentially it’s the best of both worlds! EmpowerCare is excited to offer block bookings to our healthcare professionals.

More control of your own schedule and time

Being able to take a shift when you want to at different facilities is the amazing benefit of working as a per diem RN. With block booking, you will still be able to do that but you can simplify your life even further by creating a more consistent schedule that you can plan around.

If Christmas is coming up and you need to work more hours than usual, so you can afford to spend the holidays with your loved ones, block booking in your answer!

Have a once in a lifetime vacation happening next month and won’t be working? Pick up extra shifts this month to make up for it!

More consistent income

Now that block booking is being offered at EmpowerCare, you can rest easy knowing that you can have the shifts you need booked and out of the way in advanced, instead of trying to find shifts last minute. There is nothing worse than deciding you want to work one day and seeing that all the open shifts have already been taken by other per diem CNAs or per diem RNs. T

Saved and guaranteed hours

Everyone wants some more free time, right? Block booking can give you just that by being able to provide you saved and guaranteed hours. Gone will be the days that you spend time searching and worrying if you are going to be able to work the right number of hours that you are needing each week. Once block booking is happening, we can guarantee you the hours that you need each week going forward. If you want to be able to use more of your time the way you want to use it while knowing you have the hours you need to work, block booking is right up your alley, and you should make the switch today!

Finding comfort with facilities

One last thing that shouldn’t be overlooked is the opportunity to become a regular face in facilities. This can help you build relationships, get to know your coworkers and patients more, and get to the point where you feel comfortable in the facilities you work in day to day. This helps make the days go by much faster and you get the sense of belonging that might have been missing before while working per diem shifts. Being comfortable where you work can make a huge difference in your day-to-day operations, so try it out for yourself.

Block booking has many benefits for you and your healthcare career, and EmpowerCare is here to help you make the switch. We are educated and have the knowledge needed to help you make the change fast and efficiently, so what are you waiting for? Contact us today and let them know you are looking for block booking shifts to get the ball rolling!

How to Avoid Nurse Burnout

Posted on July 9, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

Raise your hand if you have ever had a difficult day at work that causes you to rethink every decision you have ever made. Yes… we have all been there at one point or another. This happens especially in RN jobs as they are the backbone to our intricate healthcare system we have. With everything going on for the past few years, RNs have seen and dealt with some pretty intense situations. They are exhausted, tired, short staffed, and just over worked to say the least. So bad days are bound to happen occasionally. Long hours, lack of support and sleep, and working in a high stress environment are all factors that contribute to what we call nurse burnout. On order to stop this from happening to you, we’re giving you some tips to manage your workload and day to day life to cope with this irritating issue.

Take Care of #1

Number one meaning you. You are the only person who can make sure your mental and physical self is taken care of, so be sure to take time for yourself. I’m sure you have heard this time and time again, but there are simple things you can do to make sure you are taking time for yourself. Exercise, meditate, drink water, are the normal self-care regimens, but you can also pack your own food for work, do a self-care day, and wear compression socks while at work to take for of yourself.

Learn to Say “No”

Nurse burnout can happen when you take on too many responsibilities or feel an obligation to accept every task that is given to them. Most of us are guilty of doing this. Just learn to say “no” to things so you don’t take on more than you can handle.

Work for a Company you Enjoy

You need to be able to enjoy your company that you work for and have a good experience there. If for some reason you are having issues you should address them with your management team or look for a different company all together. Your happiness in your personal and work like matter, so be sure to be your own supporter in your happiness, always.

Seek Professional Help

At EmpowerCare we want you to know that seeking help is one of the bravest things you can do, and it will always put you on the road to recovery the fastest. There are so many different options when it comes to professional help, and you can decide what option works best for you and our needs.

Whatever you need to do to keep the nurse burnout away, make it a priority. RNs are the backbone that we all need in our lives, and we wouldn’t be able to function as a society without you doing what you do best. EmpowerCare can help you find the right facility that can keep you feeling happy and appreciated while providing you the benefits and schedule you need to keep it away or good.

Being Cozy When Travelling

Posted on June 28, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

Travel nurse jobs are all the rage, and we can understand why. You get to see and experience new and exciting things while doing the job you love to do. Travel nursing inevitably involves a lot of actual traveling, which can either be a blessing on a curse depending who you ask! Personally, I love the travel aspect, especially as I have become something of an expert on finding ways to stay cozy on the go. Here, I’ll share a few of my secrets so you can enjoy a more comfortable journey on your next travel nurse job assignment.

Dress Comfy

Cotton and layers will be your best friend when it comes to traveling. Cotton is a soft and breathable fabric that keep you cozy and can help you stay relaxed on those long flights or drives. As for layers, these will allow you to increase or decrease the amount of clothing layers you have on depending on the temperature you are dealing with. Nothing is worse than sitting on a three hour flight freezing. A few other tips for comfort would be compression socks if you are prone to swelling and also one of those much needed travel pillows. All of these things will make your traveling a breeze!

Snacks and Hydration

I always overpack snacks when I am traveling, especially on airplanes. Something about being stuck somewhere for a certain amount of time makes me want to snack hardcore. Eating healthy snacks such as nuts, bars, trail mix, popcorn, fruits, and veggies are all great ideas. Try to avoid salty snacks as they tend to make you thirstier and also try to avoid super crunchy foods if at all possible. No one wants to hear a random person crunch down over and over again. Water is simple, stay hydrated and keep a reusable bottle with you at all times so you can easily refill when needed. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely hate feeling thirsty and try to avoid it at all costs.

Stretch

Did you know that you can get sore after sitting for too long? To decrease muscle soreness, you should really move around and stretch your muscles as often as possible. If you find some time to walk around, even for a minute, it will help in a big way.

Bring Things you Enjoy

Time flies when you’re having fun! Bring items you genuinely enjoy and your travel time will feel like a breeze. I always bring a book that I can enjoy, my phone loaded up with new music, and a show or two downloaded on my phone. This way I am giving myself options in what I want to do, but all of them are things I really like to do so win win win.

Buy Boujee Items

Sometimes, it’s okay to be a little extra. When it comes to my travel set up, I am usually the most extra. Invest in some items that can take your traveling experience to the next level. Here are just a few items that you could purchase hat have worked wonders for me.

Noise cancelling headphones
Face mask
Portable battery for phone
Travel packing cubes (game changer)
Phone holder for hands free holding
Foot hammock for air travel

I hope this helps make your next travel assignment easier and more enjoyable. I know personally that after I started making these changes in my travel routine, it increased my love for travel that much more. There is no reason why you should hate the idea of traveling, and these easy tips will help you on your adventure.

Per Diem Jobs – All The Rage!

Posted on May 15, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

A group of healthcare professionals taking a selfie.

After the fallout of the pandemic, people have reassessed what is important to them and their work/life balance. We are seeing that many nurses would prefer to have a flexible schedule that fits their needs more than other benefits. Per diem work is when work hours for a person can very from week to week depending on the employer’s needs and how much the employee is wanting to work each week. There are many benefits of working per diem jobs, and we are going to highlight 3 of them right now.

Enjoy the Ideal Work-Life Balance

Everyone has their ideal work-life balance in their head. Whether it’s working night shifts 4 nights a week to be at home with your kids during the day, or working in the morning for half the work week so you can concentrate on your second job the other half of the week, per diem jobs can be the easiest way to get you to where you want to be. You get to decide how often and when you will be working. This also means you could pick up more shifts if you wanted to from week to week. The schedule is really up to you and your needs.

Work at more than one place

Another great opportunity that per diem jobs provides is the ability to work at multiple facilities at the same time. This would be great if you wanted to explore a variety of clinical settings or maybe if you wanted to have additional shifts that just one facility could offer you.

Multiple specialties

Per diem positions are also able to hone their skills in a variety of different specialties. While in the healthcare field, you can try different specialties and make choices that will improve your resume as you work. This can in turn help you figure out what specialty you truly enjoy.

Are you interested in a better work-life balance than what you’ve previously had? Then you should really consider looking into per diem work. In our opinion, the benefits clearly out way the disadvantages and per diem work never goes away. We are always looking for new and excited candidates to join our team and if you choose to work with us, we could have you at your 1^st shift in less than a week. Contact us now to learn more about everything we have to offer.

Prioritize Yourself! Self Care for Healthcare Workers

Posted on April 24, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

Everyone knows what self- care is, and we all need it in some way or another. Healthcare workers need it more than most, with the stress they face on a day-to-day basis and the obligation to care for other people, they need to be sure their “cup is filled” at all times or they could start to get the sense of burnout. Unfortunately, with most healthcare workers, self-care is the least of their worries. There are so many things a person can do to provide themselves with the self-care they need, but we are going to focus on 4 main areas that healthcare workers can concentrate on.

Physical
Emotional
Social
Professional

Physical: Consistency is key in this one. Your role might be a physically demanding job, but you need to also take the additional time and effort to find other ways to exert yourself throughout your day. This also includes drinking plenty of water throughout your day, each day, and also eating a healthy diet. Some simple ideas for this one would be:

Go for a 30-minute walk
Get a massage
Take an Epsom salt bath and just relax
Drink plenty of water
Get 8 hours of sleep each night
Take time throughout your day to stretch
Find an active hobby you enjoy that you can do a few times each week

Emotional: When you fail to acknowledge your feelings, your body’s emotional response intensifies. This is not good for anyone, especially someone in the healthcare field. They need to be on high alert with the correct mindset and attitude to help themselves and the people they are responsible for. Some simple things that a person can do to ease the emotional side of things in regard to self-care would be to:

Meditate
When you feel like your getting stressed out, take a moment to recharge
Use a gratitude journal nightly
Learn to say “no”
Affirmations in the morning go a long way
Fill your life with people who bring you happiness and joy
Don’t sweat the small things

Social: Human beings are social creatures; we thrive when we have people in our lives and we are able to connect to others. This is an important step in any self-care plan that shouldn’t be ignored. A few simple ideas to make sure you are getting the social aspects you need would be to:

Host a game night with your friends
Reaching out to people you care for
Making plans with someone who makes you smile
Have a weekly walk with someone
Provide compliments to those around you
Join a group or club that interest you
Host a virtual dinner party

Professional: Professional care is one of the most overlooked parts of self-care. People just don’t think about it, but it is something that needs to be address. Professional self-care encompasses anything you do to make your work life easier or to create a healthy work-life balance. Some ideas for this are:

Keep your work area clean and organized
Take your lunch, everyday

Schedule a mental health day
Turn off your work when you leave for the day
Make friends at your work
Plan social gatherings with like-minded coworkers
Leave all the stress and worry at the door

There is no denying that the healthcare field is mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting work, especially with the last few years we have had. However, a little self-care will go a long way in helping you meet the challenges of a new day. EmpowerCare is here to help you make your day-to-day work/life balance easier by finding you the right placement for your specific needs.

Self-care is something everyone needs to acknowledge and work on each day, especially our heroes in the healthcare fields.

Travel Nursing Just Got Easier

Posted on April 12, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

If you have a lust for adventure, seeing new places, and meeting new people while helping people who need it, a travel nurse job might just be for you. With the travel nursing life comes income fluctuations as well. Budgeting your income is important all the time, especially when it comes to travel nursing. It might seem like a daunting task, but we’re here to share our top five budgeting tips that can help make the adventure that much better!

1. Create a Budget Breakdown

This is the first step in learning how to manage your money. The main goal for this step is to figure out how much you spend on a monthly basis for your bills, food, entertainment, and other activities. Establish your needs versus your wants and think about how much money you need to set aside for each category. There are plenty of apps out there that can help you achieve this first step fast and efficiently.

2. Utilize the 50/30/20 Rule

The 50/30/20 rule is a staple when it comes to budgeting. First, you need to calculate your monthly income after taxes have been taken out. Next, divide your income into three segments—50% of your income should go toward needs, 30% on wants, and 20% will go to savings or paying off debt. This method ensures that your needs and wants are met while still setting money aside for your savings account.

3. Research Free Things to Do

While on a travel nursing assignment, one of the best ways to save money is to find activities that are free to do during your time off! Honestly, there are so many options out there and most people have no idea! Parks, museums, hiking trails, and local events are always fun options and are typically free or have a low cost to them. This will help you save money while also experiencing things you might not usually experience. Natural beauty is everywhere, and it’s usually free to experience, so go out there and explore!

4. Learn How To Cook

Some of us spend more money on eating out at restaurants than we’d like to admit. I am especially guilty of this when I’m away from home. If you’re joining the travel nursing community, you will be away a lot, so best learn to cook! It will save you so much money and you will be gaining cooking experience as well, so two birds with one stone with this one. Pinterest, TikTok, Google, and Facebook are all great tools to find great recipes with step-by-step instructions to follow.

5. Talk To Locals

Locals are a great resource for spending your money wisely. These people know where and how to get the most out of your budget and can provide information that can save you money in the long run. From weekend entertainment to the best grocery store for your dollar, the locals can fill you in on what’s worth spending money on. Along with this, you can happen across some great friendships along the way.

Travel nursing with your favorite healthcare staffing agency, EmpowerCare, gives you the opportunity to advance your career, develop new skills, and experience new things. Let us help cure your Wanderlust. Talk to one of our recruiters about our open travel nursing assignments and start exploring the country today!

Earn With A Desire To Help People

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

Have you ever wanted to transition into the medical field but didn’t know where to begin? You’re in luck! If you’re willing to pair your desire to help people with a CPR certification, we can help you start a career as a Caregiver.

TL;DR

Caregivers are compassionate people looking to make a difference in the lives of others.
Entering the field requires a CPR certification, which can be obtained online quickly and inexpensively.
EmpowerCare wants to help anyone interested in entering this field find rewarding work, with the best fit for their life and schedule, at the best pay (starting at $16/hour).

What is a Caregiver?

Caregiver is a general title for a person who takes care of other people. You may hear other titles like Residential Counselor, Rehab Aide, or Personal Care Aide—but they’re all the same thing.

In short, caregivers provide support to people who have difficulties completing basic tasks. This can include caring for people with disabilities, the elderly, or someone with a mental disorder. Primary duties include giving medications, assisting with bathing, dressing, cooking and eating, transportation to appointments, reminders to take medication, light housekeeping, etc.

Most people in this role find the work incredibly rewarding. Yes, at times it’s challenging, but that is the nature of all meaningful work. Many of the people who require a Caregiver wish they could be fully independent, so part of your role is to help people achieve whatever level of independence they can safely obtain.

Work settings can include anything from a small group residential setting, or a private residence. You will very likely work alongside friends, family, employers, and others who play a role in caring for your Resident or Patient.

What are the qualifications?

A highschool diploma or GED, a CPR certification, and some empathy are really all you really need to get started. You probably have experience caring for people already. Perhaps you took care of a family member on a regular basis, or helped a friend after they got out of the hospital. Maybe you worked at a summer camp with kids who needed a little extra attention or support.

These types of experiences prove you have the one quality every Caregiver truly needs: compassion. If you can bring that to the table, EmpowerCare can help with the rest.

How to get your CPR certification?

You can get CPR certified in about an hour through an online course offered through The National CPR Foundation. It will cost about $15.

If you’re not able to complete a certification online, you can usually find a class through The Red Cross. Just know that in-person classes are typically a little more expensive, costing around $60.

We want to find you a job!

Whether you are currently CPR certified or not, EmpowerCare is ready to help you find work as a Caregiver! Here are a few things you can expect when you decide to work with us:

We’re Convenient—from the application process, to finding a job with the best fit at the best pay—we work hard so finding work is as stress-free as possible.

We’re Personable—like you, we care about people. We’re friendly, open, and 100% transparent. We pride ourselves on telling candidates everything we know about potential jobs so there are no surprises.

We’re Responsive—93.3% of all calls, texts, and emails are returned within 24 hours. If you reach out with a question, you will get an answer.

Starting pay for Caregivers is $16/hour, and can go up to $19/hour (note: this article was published in April 2022, so that may have changed depending on when you’re reading this). We work with facilities all over Massachusetts, so we can help you find work that fits into your schedule.

Reach out to get started, or if you have any questions. A new rewarding career awaits!

Travel Nurse Jobs: The Financial Aspect

Posted on November 28, 2020 by Luke Hewitt

Financial freedom or independence is something that nobody wants to forego. However, at times this aspect can make or break employments. For the people applying for travel nurse jobs; compensation, pay rates and other financial benefits are something that should be discussed in order to ensure that there are no problems later. Of course, the healthcare recruitment agency such as EmpowerCare will also take care of such issues and ensure that complete transparency is maintained. Here are a few financial considerations that a person needs to keep in his or her mind before replying in affirmative for a position for a travelling nurse.

Aspects to look out for

In the case of a travel nurse employment, the compensation and the entire range of benefits is quite lucrative. Sometimes, it may even surpass the financial benefits of a person who is a permanent staff at the medical facility. In other words, people in this profession tend to receive their normal pay according to the number of hours worked and are also entitled to overtime pay, medical benefits apart from choosing the house to work as well. In some cases, travelling nurses receive bonuses at the end of every week depending on the criticality of the assignment and the number of hours worked. However, there are many other medical facilities and establishments, which do not pay weekly, but hand out a sizeable amount at the end of the tenure of the travelling nursing staff at the hospital. Travel nursing jobs are thus very lucrative and the demand for such nurses is quite high. Medical establishments are willing to spend as long as they are able to get the desired work quality from a person. There are many medical hospitals, which either provide accommodation or an equivalent amount of allowance so that travel nurses can get a suitable accommodation somewhere nearby to the medical facility.

Salaries and other monetary benefits tend to form a major reason for taking up employment away from home as a travel nurse. Travel nursing jobs are highly lucrative and a major part of this aspect is the financial remuneration. This is also one of the major reasons for the people to take up jobs. Staffing companies like EmpowerCare tend to look into this matter quite closely and makes sure that each person gets a near perfect fit according to his or her desire of a dream-nursing job.

Travel Nursing Jobs – What You Need To Know

Posted on September 20, 2020 by Luke Hewitt

Travel nurse jobs is a very lucrative field for nurses right now. However, there are certain aspects of this type of profession that tend to be hidden from common knowledge. Many people tend to experience it only when they join the profession. These aspects should be made clear as they are extremely important for a person to know and then decide whether he or she would want to be a part of such a profession. However, any reputed healthcare placement agency such as EmpowerCare will ensure that the persons applying for the positions are educated about these aspects of travel nurse jobs.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Any reputed recruitment agency such as EmpoweCare will tell you all the information that you should have about travel nurse jobs. It is important for a person to know about the roles and responsibilities that he or she is expected to carry out in due course of their tenure with a medical institution. Duties and responsibilities of travel nurse jobs might include patient care, administration and monitoring of medication intake, preparation of meals which have specific nutrient content according to the condition of the person. In some cases, travel nurses work for a medical organization at their premises while there are cases when these nurses are stationed at a particular facility depending upon the services available to the medical institution.

Requirements for Traveling Nurses

Travel nursing jobs require candidates who are either registered nurses (RN) or licensed practical (LPN). In other words, a person has to be accredited from some reputed institutions and have a degree to prove the above mentioned qualities of being a travel nurse. From the American point of view, there is a National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) which can be also obtained for the certification of travel nurse employment.

One of the most important aspects about nursing jobs is that it is important for the people to be patient with the ones that they are dealing with. If a person is not aware of his roles and responsibilities apart from the remuneration that he is being paid, then this anxiety tends to get reflected in the outward appearance and demeanor as well. It is always a good thought to inquire as much as possible about the professional field that one wants to be a part of it so that there are no hidden secrets that you will discover at a later date.