Do you want a rewarding career that combines your passion for nursing with the thrill of adventure? Travel nursing offers an incredible opportunity for registered nurses to explore new places while making a significant impact in healthcare settings across the country. In this blog, we’ll unpack the essentials of travel nursing, from the roles and responsibilities of a travel nurse to the various steps needed to transition into this dynamic field. Whether you’re considering a career change or seeking new experiences in nursing, this guide will provide you with valuable insights and tips to help you decide if travel nursing is the right fit for you.
What Does a Travel Nurse Do?
A travel nurse performs the same essential duties as a permanent staff nurse. These duties include patient care, medication administration, charting, collaborating with physicians, and providing emotional support to patients and their families. However, what makes travel nursing different is that registered nurses take short-term assignments in various healthcare facilities across the country.
Assignments can range from 4 to 32 weeks, though the most common duration is 13 weeks. Depending on preferences, travel nurses can work in many environments, such as hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and even in patients’ homes. Specialties in high demand include ICU, ER, OR, telemetry, labor and delivery, and med-surg.
Since travel nurses often fill in for shortages, they are expected to hit the ground running with minimal orientation. This means they must be highly adaptable, confident in their skills, and quick to learn new workflows.
How Does Travel Nursing Work?
Travel nursing typically goes through staffing agencies that have partnerships with top-tier healthcare facilities all over the country. Here’s a breakdown of how it works:
- Partner with a Travel Nursing Agency: You’ll first do your research to find the right travel nurse agency that will act as a liaison between you and healthcare facilities.
- Choose Assignments: Then you’ll work with a dedicated recruiter who will help you find job assignments that match your specialty, desired location, and preferred contract length.
- Credentialing and Paperwork: Once you choose your assignment, you’ll undergo background checks, credential verification, and sometimes facility-specific testing or onboarding.
- Relocation and Housing: Agencies often assist with housing arrangements—either by providing furnished accommodations or offering a stipend to secure your own housing.
- Work the Assignment: Once on-site, you’ll be integrated into the staff, perform clinical duties, and make a meaningful impact on patient care. At the end of the contract, you can extend if the facility would like to keep you on longer, take a break, or accept a new assignment elsewhere!
How Much Do Travel Nurses Make?
One of the major draws to travel nursing is competitive pay. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for a registered nurse is $93,600 per year or $45.00 per hour. Travel nurses have the potential to earn more than their permanent registered nurses, due to the flexibility to fill roles quickly. However, it’s also important to note that not all assignments will pay the same or pay more than a staff nurse position. There are tons of factors that determine a travel nurse salary, such as location, specialty, education, shifts, and demand.
There are also other key components and perks that go beyond a paycheck for travel nurses. These include stipends for meals, incidentals, and housing, as well as referral bonuses, reimbursements, and day-one benefits.
Travel Nursing Requirements and Qualifications
Travel nurses must meet certain qualifications, including proper licensure, clinical experience, and often additional certifications, to work in various healthcare settings. These travel nurse requirements help ensure they can provide effective care while adapting to new environments quickly.
Travel Nurse Education Requirements
To become a travel nurse, you must earn either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). An ADN typically takes two years, while a BSN takes four. A BSN may lead to better career opportunities and pay. Many RNs start with an ADN and later pursue an RN-to-BSN program.
NCLEX Requirements to Be a Travel Nurse
Nursing school graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) to officially become registered nurses. This exam is required for licensing in the U.S. and each state’s Board of Nursing oversees the licensing process. While the NCLEX is challenging, with dedicated study, nursing students can achieve their goal of becoming licensed professionals.
Licensure Requirements for Travel Nursing
After passing the NCLEX, nurses must obtain a state license to practice, with each state having its own application requirements and processes. Travel nurses can benefit from the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), which allows them to practice in member states with a single compact license. However, for assignments in non-compact states, nurses need to apply for a specific state license.
Certifications Needed
Acquiring different certifications can greatly enhance both your skill set and career opportunities. These certifications can range from general ones like Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) to more specialized options tailored to your specific role. These certifications can help you stand out as a candidate for travel nursing positions, not to mention, hospitals often seek or prefer applicants who hold relevant certifications.
Experience
Before you start travel nursing, many agencies and healthcare facilities typically require nurses to have a minimum of 1-2 years of experience working in a hospital setting. Although you may feel eager to dive into travel nursing right away, having clinical experience is crucial as it equips you with the necessary skills and confidence to adjust to various healthcare environments and deliver the highest quality of patient care.
Benefits of Being a Travel Nurse
Travel nursing is a fantastic way for nurses to see new places they have always dreamed of while also gaining clinical experience. It’s not just about the adventure, though; there are plenty of personal and professional perks that make this an incredible career path nurses.
Great Pay, Perks, and Benefits
Travel nursing offers not only exciting adventures and career growth but also excellent pay and perks. With a nationwide demand for nurses, travel RNs earn competitive salaries plus customizable benefits like health insurance, 401(k), paid housing, licensure reimbursement, and bonuses. High-demand or high-cost locations may even offer higher pay, helping you meet financial goals while also enjoying
Work on Your Terms
Travel nursing gives you the flexibility to pick when and where you want to work. This means you can have a better balance between work and life and avoid burnout, leaving room for personal interests, family time, or just some well-deserved rest between gigs. It’s a career that can really adapt to what you want and need.
Adventures Fit for Any Lifestyle
If you love exploring new places, travel nursing is perfect for you! Whether you’re drawn to bustling cities, quaint small towns, or beautiful coastlines, you can choose assignments that fit your vibe. Plus, you’ll get to experience different communities and healthcare settings along the way.
Develop and Grow Your Skills
Every new assignment is a chance to sharpen your skills in different clinical environments with varied teams, tools, and patients. This ongoing learning helps you become more adaptable and enhances your expertise, making you more valuable in today’s ever-changing healthcare landscape.
Expand Your Professional Network
Being a travel nurse connects you with fellow professionals from all over the country. These connections can open doors for future opportunities, mentorship, and career growth, helping you build a diverse and supportive network.
Making a Meaningful Impact
As a travel nurse, you really get to make a difference in communities that need it the most, whether it’s in rural hospitals or during emergency responses. Your work fills vital gaps in care, and gives you a chance to change lives for the better across the nation!
Challenges of Travel Nursing
While many travel nurses have positive experiences, there are challenges in the industry, just like in any other job. Travelers may spend long periods away from home, often during holidays, work extended hours (which is also common among permanent staff), and face a lack of stability and consistency in their routines due to frequently changing locations throughout the year.
Some nurses are well-suited for a full-time career as travel nurses, while others prefer to travel occasionally, and some may not enjoy the travel lifestyle at all. It’s important to reflect on what matters most to you, both personally and professionally, when considering a career in travel nursing. The great thing about travel nursing is that there is no long-term commitment. So, if you try a travel assignment or two and find it’s not for you or if the timing isn’t right, you can simply pause and return to a permanent position.
How to Become a Travel Nurse
To become a travel nurse, you need a mix of education, experience, and the appropriate credentials. Here’s step-by-step what you need to kickstart your travel nursing career:
Step 1: Earn a Nursing Degree
You’ll need to get either your Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
Step 2: Pass Your NCLEX-RN Exam
The NCLEX exam is required for licensing in the U.S. and you must pass it in order to work asa nurse.
Step 3: Get Licensed in Compact or Desired States
If your home state is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), you’re already one step ahead. Otherwise, apply for licenses in the states you want to work in.
Step 4: Obtain Necessary Certifications
Keep your BLS, ACLS, and other specialty certifications current. Some facilities won’t hire without them.
Step 5: Get Experience
Work at least 1–2 years in your specialty area. Facilities expect travel nurses to be highly competent with minimal supervision.
Step 6: Choose a Reputable Travel Nursing Agency
Look for agencies with good reviews, transparent contracts, and knowledgeable recruiters. Ask questions about benefits, housing, pay breakdowns, and support during assignments.
Start Travel Nursing with Medical Solutions
If you’re ready to dive into the world of travel nursing, Medical Solutions is here for you every step of the way. Whether you’re a first-time traveler or a seasoned pro, we offer personalized support, competitive pay packages, and access to thousands of assignments across the country. Apply today, and one of our dedicated recruiters will help you achieve the nursing career of your dreams!
