Training Videos to Maximize Your Earning Potential

You might have noticed new training videos recently added to MSOC’s website, www.medstaffoncall.com. After you log in, you will see a small box with the title “Training Video” on the left-hand side of the screen on each page. Simply click anywhere in the small box to launch the training video. These videos were posted in case you needed a refresher on the functionality of each page. The videos are anywhere from 1 to 4 minutes long and go in detail about the content and usage of each page.

The video on the “Calendar” tab explains how you can edit your preferred availability or unavailability on certain days and how you can view the calendar on a weekly basis. The video under the “Availability” explains how to post preferred availability and unavailability. This video also shows you how to post recurring availability, which can be useful and time-saving. Under the “Pending Shifts” tab, you will find the video that explains a different way by which you can accept shifts.

There are more training videos on the way to help you use MSOC’s technology to maximize your earning potential. The videos are there to remind you that you are in control of your schedule with MSOC and that you possess all the tools required to manage when you receive shifts and for which hospitals and you receive them.

MSOC: Your Contact for Contracts

Contracts give agency nurses many benefits while still maintaining high pay rates. The greatest benefit associated with contracts is having a set schedule at the same health center on the same unit for a specified period of time. Unlike per diem work, shifts associated with contracts are guaranteed – no cancellations. Nearly all of the contracts MSOC offers are $2/hour less than MSOC’s per diem rate. Contracts last anywhere from 4 to 13 weeks and many are renewed for several more weeks or months.

MSOC has offers almost every day for contract opportunities and they are highly sought after by nurses. Since contracts become available and are filled quickly, MSOC must know if you are interested in accepting a contract. This way we can recommend you for long-term work immediately when we receive notice of a contract that matches your qualifications and your needs. Please make sure we have your résumé on file and which contracts you would be interested in. For example, what specialties you would like to have a contracts and what shift. Currently, MSOC has opportunities for contracts in the South Suburbs, the North Suburbs and the city of Chicago.

If you’re interested in working a contract, please send us an e-mail at info@medstaffoncall.com and make sure we have a copy of your résumé on file.

Have You Considered 1099/Independent Contractor Status?

MSOC would like to inform our nurses and CNAs about the benefits associated with working as an independent contractor (1099 filing status). The following sections describe what you need to be eligible to work as an independent contractor, the benefits in doing so, the difference between an independent contractor and a regular employee, and a brief testimonial from one of our nurses who is an independent contractor.

Criteria- There are three main criteria that need to be satisfied to be considered for 1099 status and work as an independent contractor:

1. Do we determine your schedule?
   No. We give you options and you choose when and where you want to work.
2. Do you work for MSOC exclusively or for others as well?
   Many of you also work for hospitals or other agencies. If so this criteria is met as well.
3. Are you incorporated?
   In order to take advantage of the tax benefits you must be incorporated. Many RN's are not but could easily be if they knew how.
   

Benefits- If you spend money to run your business you can deduct it from your taxes. Here are some examples of things you can deduct as business expense:

• Cell phone
• Your home office if you use it as your primary office
• Your car or car mileage
• Your cost for meals and entertainment if your business was to meet clients at a restaurant and you discussed business
• License or education requirements for your "business"
• Laptop or computer equipments
• Office supplies
  
• Travel related to your business

Take this example: Say you travel 30 miles each way to a hospital and work 3 shifts per week and 48 weeks per year. Your tax deductions would add up to $5,054!

What's Different?

1. You must make quarterly tax payments based on the tax rates that apply to your income: http://www.moneychimp.com/features/tax_brackets.htm
2. In addition to your normal taxes you must pay self employment tax of 15.3%: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98846,00.html
3. You must register and incorporate your business. There are two options:

• Doing Business As (DBA) - This is the cheapest way to get started. Fees are less than $100. http://mycorporation.intuit.com/business-formations/dba.jsp
• Corporation (Inc, LLC) - This option removes the liability from you and places it on the corporation. Fees are approximately $350.

Testimonial

Lynn Mitchell is one of the nurses we work with that works as an independent contractor. Here is what Lynn has to say about working as a 1099:

"I've been incorporated for 6 years. Believe me, businesses get the tax breaks and many other benefits that individuals don't. I have many business credit accounts, lines of credit, special offers, etc. I even bought a new car in the business name. With all the deductions available my taxes have been oh so low it's wonderful. This is a win-win situation."

Editing your Specialties and Preferred Hospitals

In this issue, we will discuss how to edit your preferences by logging onto MSOC’s website at www.medstaffoncall.com and the benefits in doing so.

As mentioned in the previous issue, keeping your calendar updated is extremely important and invaluable to you getting shifts. Of equal importance is ensuring that the specialties you would like to work in and the hospitals you would like to work at are designated as ‘preferred’ in your profile. The reason for this is that our technology not only looks at your calendar but also at your preferences before matching you for shifts. For instance, if you say that you can work all day on Fridays but don’t select any specialties or hospitals to be preferred, you won’t get auto-booked for shifts on Fridays. However, if you put that you prefer to work ER at Norwegian American and Advocate Trinity, you will get auto-booked for ER shifts on Fridays at either of these hospitals.

Now that you know the importance of editing your specialties and hospitals, we have created a video that walks you through this process in detail:

Keeping your Calendar Updated

The importance of keeping your calendar updated on www.medstaffoncall.com cannot be overstated. As an MSOC nurse, you have the power to set and maintain your own schedule at any time. MSOC nurses take charge of their availability, posting preferred availability on their calendars and accepting shifts on their cell phones. This freedom to choose the hours you work and the hospitals you work at comes with responsibility. Since MSOC’s technology connects you directly to hospitals, it is crucial that your calendar is up-to-date because you will be booked by the hospitals you selected as your preferred hospitals in your preferred specialty. There are several advantages for you to post your preferred availability. Let’s compare a nurse who posts preferred availability (Nurse A) and one who would rather accept shifts on his/her cell phone (Nurse B):

Nurse A has an up-to-date calendar. Immediately after hospitals post their staffing needs, MSOC’s technology searches for nurses who have preferences that match with the shift’s date, time, specialty, and hospital. If Nurse A’s preferences match then Nurse A will be submitted for the shift. The whole process is complete in seconds. Nurse B waits to accept shifts via text message. The hospital posts a shift, and the nurse receives a text message. Nurse B then decides whether or not he/she can work this shift. Nurse B confirms by sending a text message.

As you can see, Nurse A gets preferred shifts immediately whereas Nurse B must go through a few steps in order to accept shifts. While Nurse B is deciding whether or not to work, the shift may have already been filled by another agency. Nurse A is first in line for his/her preferred shifts and doesn’t have to worry about losing out on shifts by not responding quickly enough.