If you are a nurse, the chance that you have heard the two magical words “travel nurse” is highly likely; it’s literally everywhere you go. At work, you probably work with travelers, and you probably get emails daily with recruiters trying to entice you into diving into the travel nursing jungle. If you spend any time on social media, it’s highly likely that you see plenty of travel nursing ads, as there is not shortage of them all over the internet & social media.
Typically, the thoughts that come to mind when you hear those two words are something like this. Thoughts of Wanderlust, whether or not it’s a sustainable career path, and (if you’re a mom or dad) if your family would enjoy this incredible lifestyle. Whatever your feeling may be, we at Wanderly hope this blog answers all the questions you have about how to become a travel nurse and whether you should jump in now or jump in later. Good luck and remember to stay open minded throughout this process.
Related: Why Destination Travelcare Chooses Wanderly
What is a Travel Nurse?
So, you’re a nurse – you obviously know what that is. A travel nurse is just as simple as it sounds – a nurse who travels. Travel nurses travel around the United States 13 weeks at a time, helping the nation’s hospitals provide excellent patient care while enjoying all the incredible things the United States of America has to offer. So whether it’s California for its beaches and incredible weather (California has literally everything), Florida for unlimited sunshine, Colorado for the mountains, or you just want to make more money and improve your skills, travel nursing is quite the incredible field.
Now that we talked about all the great things travel nursing has to offer, well get a little more technical about what a travel nurse is. Travel nurses help nurses ensure they meet all of their staffing ratios with seasonal spikes, leave of absence and/or maternity leave. The busiest time of year for the travel nursing industry is Flu Season, as hospitals bring in travel nurses to help with the spikes in absences that come with the flu season. So if you are looking to become a travel nurse, start shopping around August/September. You can build a profile on Wanderly, our marketplace for travel nurses, and start applying.
Why are Travel Nurses Important?
Travel nurses are an important part of the care team at a hospital. Their main function to a health system is bridging the gap between supply and demand in the hospital and healthcare industry. As we all know, there is a national nursing shortage. This only increases the need for more travel nurses throughout the country.
Travel nurses help hospitals in the following ways.
- Increase their likelihood of better patient outcomes
- Provide higher quality of care
- Allow for greater staffing flexibility
- Increase cost efficiency
- Improve patient satisfaction
- Meet nurse to patient standard ratios (in some states, mandatory ratios that are law)
Characteristics You Need to Be a Travel Nurse
Adventurous
Travel nursing can and will take you all over the country, and quite possibly, the globe. If you are not up for that kind of adventure, then it may not be for you. A travel nurse has to love the idea of adventure and be excited about experiencing the unknown. It should excite you to know that every assignment will be in a different place, with different people, and with different activities and experiences to have!
Quick-Learning
A travel nurse has to be able to pick things up quickly. There will be a new layout, new policies, a new electronic medical record, and new people on every assignment. These cannot be something that intimidate you nor can they be something you are not equipped or experienced enough to handle. You have to be able to grasp new knowledge fast.
Tough
Nursing is not easy, and travel nursing most definitely is not either. You have to be tough in nursing, but especially in travel nursing. You have to be tough while you are negotiating your contract. You have to be tough while leaving family and friends behind for an assignment. You have to be tough trying to navigate the new facility. If intense experiences bother you or you have difficulty being alone, travel nursing is not for you.
Flexible
A travel nurse must be willing and enjoy being flexible with their schedules. You will have start dates, licensing, work schedules and travel dates that change on a moment’s notice. You have to be okay with that, and honestly, embrace the idea that the change is meant for a reason and is probably a good thing. If a set-in-stone schedule is what you need, that is okay, but travel nursing may not suit you.
Related: 6 Ways to Fight Seasonal Affective Disorder for Traveling Healthcare Providers
What are the Education, Certification, or Credential Requirements of a Travel Nurse?
Certification
A travel nurse is required to have an active Registered Nurse license. Most facilities will only accept a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing for a travel assignment. That means you must attend a four-year school for a Bachelor’s degree if you are starting from zero licensure or certifications. If you are an LPN or vocational nurse, there are other accelerated programs you can participate in to obtain your Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degree.
List your certifications on your travel nurse resume at Wanderly.
Experience
Once you have obtained an active RN license, you must complete a minimum of one year of experience on your unit, but most facilities want to see that you have two years of nursing experience before taking an assignment. You have to be able to hit the ground running in that same unit in a new facility.
Expertise
In addition, for specialty floors and units, there may be certifications that are also required. For example, ACLS, BLS, or a PALS certification. You can always obtain licensure in another state and further certifications, if necessary.
What Do Domestic and International Travel Nurses Do?
Essentially, domestic and international travel nurses do the same job. They are travel nurses. They take care of patients and they act as active participants in the healthcare team of whatever facility they visit, collaborating with other healthcare professionals. However, there are some differences when it comes to what they will experience on those assignments and the length of time they are expected to be there.
Domestic Travel Nurses
Domestic travel nurses are travel nurses that will stay in America for their assignments. They have a ton of options when it comes to locations, but will be able to stay in one country, work with the same agencies and recruiters they chose in the past, and can decide when to take time off in between 13-week assignments. They still take care of patients and they are an active participant in the healthcare team of whatever facility they are at collaborating with other healthcare professionals, but do not have to worry about language barriers or visas.
Thinking about being a domestic travel nurse? Get started on Wanderly.
International Travel Nurses
International travel nurses have some small differences in their logistics, but will still spend their time caring for patients and participating with other healthcare providers. International assignments are typically one year in length. They are not offered by every travel nursing agency; in fact, they are not offered by most. Traveling internationally, even for work, requires
- A visa for entry into that country
- Different paperwork for the facilities
- An airplane flight
Plus, there might also be language barriers.
What is a Travel Nurse’s Working Conditions Like?
Travel nurses work in the same conditions as staff nurses. It all depends on the facility. Of course, a travel nurse’s orientation session is much shorter than a staff nurse’s orientation, so they may start the job feeling less prepared. However, they will be given the same amount of resources as staff nurses to do their job and there is an expectation that they have previous experience that makes up for the lack of time allotted for new facility orientation.
Travel nurses are given a schedule and sometimes have to be more flexible than staff nurses when it comes to schedule changes, but that is rarely a large concern for most travelers. Travel nurses have quality conditions and typically enjoy the frequent change.
Travel Nurse’s Salary and Benefits
Travel nurses notably make more money than staff nurses due to their ability to up and move and flexibility in their schedules. They are filling a need for a hospital, so they are paid for their quick decision making. The agency you decide to work for, found on wanderly.us, will determine exact pay rate and benefits. Often times, travel nurses can make 2-4k a week, and are offered benefits from their agency. Benefits often include health insurance, housing stipends, referral bonuses, etc.
Start Travel Nursing Now
We strongly encourage everyone to give travel nursing a try. If you have a registered nursing license, the options for traveling are endless after you obtain a year or two of experience. Becoming a travel nurse is not that difficult, the difficult choice is choosing to travel somewhere new for thirteen weeks. If you have a flexible life and you are looking for a new adventure, travel nursing could be just the right fit for you. Have fun, work hard, and travel the world all while being paid to do so. You can find and compare pay packages across the globe on Wanderly.
Related: 10 SKILLS TO PUT ON YOUR TRAVEL NURSE RESUME
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