Interview Questions for the Travel CNA
Being a traveling CNA is an exciting and rewarding career path for the Certified Nursing Assistant. Travel opportunities are available in some of the most beautiful places across the country. A CNA traveler is fortunate enough to live like a local for up to 13 weeks at a time! Making smart travel contract decisions is a necessity. Asking questions of your recruiter about a contract and then asking contract related questions during your interview is the best way to let your recruiter know about any discrepancies from what they were told about an assignment and what you are told. Better to have the opportunity to resolve these variances prior to the start of an assignment. It will make for a much better start, and give you peace of mind. I have compiled the most important questions for a traveling CNA to ask their recruiter and to ask during your facility interview. You can find this list in the Downloads area.
NOTE: Any questions about money should be asked to your recruiter only. The hospital pays a flat rate to the agency, which is called the Bill Rate. The Facility will not be able to answer these questions.
Interview Question List
Facility location, Contract Length & Start Date, Pre-Contract Testing
What is the facility name?
City and State?
How many weeks is this contract for?
Most common will be 13 weeks
Contract length can be 4, 6, 8, 12 weeks (or even short or longer)
Expected Start Date?
Will I be required to complete any form of online testing prior to my contract start?
Will I be paid for this time?
Travel, Pay (Regular & Overtime) and Guaranteed Hours
Is travel provided or reimbursed?
If reimbursed- this amount is evenly split between first and last check
What is the hourly taxed pay rate?
What will the overtime rate be?
Is overtime paid after 40 hours?
Or, is overtime any hours after 8 hours? 10 hours?
How many hours will I be guaranteed per week?
Guaranteed hours will be the number of hours that you are guaranteed to be paid per week. You want to know not only the number of hours, but also the total number of shifts per week.
36 hours per week is the most common
Some contracts will not have a “Guaranteed Hours” clause.
Recruiters can not guarantee hours (in your contract) if the contract they have with the facility does not have written hours that are guaranteed.
How much will the stipend amount be?
Stipend is the tax free portion of pay that is done on either quoted daily, hourly or weekly.
These are sometimes also called ‘M&I’ (meals and incidentals), ‘Housing Allowance’
Make sure to ask how these are calculated- hourly weekly or monthly and divided on each check
Housing Questions
Is housing provided?
If housing is provided:
What is the address?
Is this shared or private housing?
What fees will be my responsibility?
Is internet, cable, phone provided?
Are laundry facilities on property?
Are bed linens and towels provided?
What housewares are included in the housing?
Housewares are pots & pans, dishes, small appliances (toaster, coffee maker, microwave), vacuum, etc.
If housing is not provided:
Make sure to get a concrete dollar amount of housing stipend
This is very important- if your housing calculation comes out to $650 per month and the only housing you can find is $800 per month? You are out of your pocket $150 per month.
Sometimes you will decide to take an assignment like this because it’s an area with things you want to see or do. And that is perfectly alright. YOU are the only person that can decide what pay package works for you.
Duties, Shift Length, Float Policy
What will my expected duties be?
As a CNA your duties can vary greatly, unlike an RN that specializes in Labor Delivery, or any other area. It is good to know what will be required of you.
Which unit will I be working?
How many hours will the shifts be?
8 hours
12 hours
Or, Shifts will vary
What is the Float Policy?
This means whether or not you are required to, or will you be able to float to different areas of the facility. *GREAT opportunity to get that much desired acute care experience that can be very difficult for CNA’s to get.
Overtime, Holidays, Days Off, Requested Time Off, Cancellation Policy
Am I eligible to work overtime?
You will want to know if there is an availability to work overtime and what you will be paid for those hours. (Some states pay overtime over 8 hours per day, some pay overtime after 40 hours per week).
Will I be required to work any holidays during my contract?
If so, which holidays?
What is the holiday rate? *Some places pay time and a half, and some pay double time (You will mostly see a double time rate on a government assignment.)
What will my days off be?
Will my days off vary each week?
Ex: Every other weekend, Every third weekend, etc.
Will my days off be the same each week?
Requested Time Off:
What is your procedure for requesting time off?
This is where you will also ask for specific days off during your contract. This is very important if you are anticipating having family come in from out of town, or perhaps you know there is an event/concert and you really want to go. * These days off must be written into your contract.
Cancellation policy
What is your cancellation policy?
This could be how many shifts you can be cancelled by the facility during the duration of your contract, or it could be how many hours they can cancel you per week.
Uniform, Shoes, Charting System, Orientation, Parking
Uniform
What color uniforms are required? Some facilities require a specific color of scrubs for each department, so they can tell by sight where you work.
Shoes - Do you have any restrictions on type of shoes that I may wear?
What charting system do you use?
Orientation
What will my orientation schedule be and how many hours or days? What is my pay for Orientation?
Testing
Will I be required to take any tests? If so, ask them what tests they are.
Parking
Is parking provided? If not, where do I park, and what is the fee?
What area should I park in when I arrive for my first day?
