You’ve found the assignment. You’ve agreed the pay. You’re excited about where you’re going. Your start date is in the diary.
Then comes the paperwork.
We get it. Compliance probably isn’t the part of becoming a healthcare traveler that anyone gets excited about.
But getting your compliance paperwork completed quickly is one of the most important things you can do to make sure your assignment starts smoothly, on time and without any last-minute surprises.
And ultimately, it’s not about making life easier for your recruiter or your agency.
It’s about protecting you, your assignment and your paycheck.
Why is there so much paperwork?
When you work in healthcare, hospitals and clinics need to know that every clinician walking through their doors is appropriately qualified, licensed, screened and ready to work.
Depending on your profession, facility and state, that might mean providing things like:
- Professional licenses and certifications
- Employment history
- References
- Background checks
- Drug screening
- Health records and immunizations
- TB testing
- BLS, ACLS or other certifications
- Skills checklists
- Identification and employment eligibility documentation
- Facility-specific forms or training
Some assignments will require more than others.
It can feel like a lot, particularly when you’ve completed similar paperwork before. But every assignment and facility can have different requirements, and we have to make sure everything is in place before you start.
Your start date isn’t guaranteed until you’re cleared.
This is probably the most important thing to understand.
Accepting an assignment and agreeing a start date doesn’t necessarily mean you are ready to walk into the facility on Monday morning.
You still need to be fully compliant and cleared to start.
If something is missing, expired or still being processed, the facility may delay your start date.
And a delayed start date can mean a delayed paycheck.
That’s why we encourage our clinicians to start compliance as soon as an assignment is confirmed rather than leaving it until the last few days.
The earlier we find a problem, the easier it is to fix.
Sometimes compliance uncovers something nobody was expecting
- Perhaps a certification is about to expire.
- Maybe the facility requires a particular test you haven’t had.
- Perhaps your state license needs updating.
- a reference hasn’t responded
- an old employment date needs confirming.
Most of these things are perfectly manageable.
What makes them difficult is time.
Finding out three weeks before your assignment starts gives everyone time to sort it out.
Finding out on Friday afternoon when you’re supposed to start on Monday is a very different situation.
Getting your documents to us early gives our compliance team time to check everything properly and come back to you if anything else is needed.
It protects the assignment you’ve worked hard to get.
Travel healthcare moves quickly.
Facilities are using travelers because they have staffing needs to fill, and they need clinicians who can be ready when they say they will be.
If your compliance isn’t completed by the required deadline, there is a risk that your start date could be moved—or, in some circumstances, that the assignment itself could be affected.
Nobody wants that.
You’ve invested time finding the right opportunity, completing interviews, making arrangements at home, organizing accommodation and perhaps traveling hundreds or thousands of miles.
Completing your compliance early helps protect everything you’ve already put in place.
It makes your move much less stressful.
The days before an assignment should be about getting ready for your journey—not searching through files for a certificate you last saw three years ago.
If you’re relocating, you may already be arranging housing, packing, organizing travel, saying goodbye to family and friends and working out where you’re going to buy groceries when you arrive.
The last thing you need is an urgent message asking for a missing document.
Get as much of your compliance completed as possible early and that’s one less thing to worry about.
Keep your own Traveler File.
Here’s one tip that can make life considerably easier.
Create a digital folder containing all your important professional documents.
Keep copies of your licenses, certifications, immunization records, identification, training certificates and anything else you regularly need for assignments.
And keep an eye on the expiry dates.
When something is renewed, replace the old version immediately.
Your future self will thank you for it.
Respond quickly—even if you don’t have the answer.
If our compliance team contacts you about something, don’t avoid the message because you haven’t got the document yet. Just tell us.
If you need a few days, can’t find something or aren’t sure what we’re asking for, let us know.
There may be another way of obtaining it, we may be able to help, or we can at least make sure everyone understands what’s happening.
Communication is nearly always better than silence.
Compliance should be something we do with you, not to you.
At WHR, we don’t expect you to figure everything out on your own.
Our job is to help you understand what is required, keep you updated on what’s outstanding and work with you to get everything completed before your start date.
There may be a few reminders along the way—and occasionally we might chase you!
We’re not doing it because we love paperwork.
We’re doing it because we want you arriving at your new assignment ready to work, without unnecessary delays or surprises.
So when that compliance email lands in your inbox, don’t leave it sitting there.
Get started.
The quicker your paperwork is complete, the quicker you can forget about the paperwork and concentrate on the reason you’re really there—your next assignment.
Ready for your next assignment?
Whether you’re already an experienced traveler or thinking about taking your first assignment, the Windsor team is here to help you through every stage—from finding the right opportunity to getting you cleared and ready for your first day.
Care More. Do More. Be More.
