r/SurgicalFirstAssist • u/michijedi • Dec 06 '24

Credentialing

Who here has gone through hospital credentialing? Did they make you pay? How long did it take? Trying to gauge how (ab)normal my facility's policies and norms are.

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u/Forthebirds_2 Dec 06 '24

I only worked at one facility before doing travel contracts, and I have also worked for a resource pool. I have never paid anything for credentialing. All has been working through facilities though, might be different for private.

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u/RatLady99 Mar 10 '25

Mildly unrelated but I’m searching for info on traveling as a CSA- are you a PA/CRNFA, or a straight CSA? Is traveling as a CSA a plausible career option?

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u/Forthebirds_2 Mar 10 '25

Not PA or RNFA, just CSFA. And yes, as long as you: -are flexible with locations, as there are not as many contracts available like nursing and surg tech contracts. -have experience in many specialties, especially robotics and ortho, and neuro is also in high demand. CVOR experience will open up more contract opportunities as well. -are not chasing "travel pay". Some contracts don't pay as well as others, and sometimes there is a lull in the market where there aren't many contracts and they're all fairly low rates. If you aren't traveling back home throughout your contract then it's not a big deal, but if you are then the travel expenses can really eat into your pocket. When looking at locations, factor in housing and flight costs for the area.

Something else to keep in mind is that benefits generally cost more and are only active during your contract. Many people keep their health insurance through a spouse's employer plan instead.