Ask a Travel Nurse Question:
I work in clinics (started in family medicine then went to endoscopy procedures) and have always presumed this meant I couldn’t become a Travel Nurse. But recently, an agency saw my resume posted on a job board and contacted me for a travel clinic position! On the other h and , most agencies I’ve spoken with say there’s pretty much no clinic work to be had for Travelers. Do clinics offer Travel Nursing jobs, and if so, how would I find the clinic contracts? Thanks for your help!
Ask a Travel Nurse Answer:
I’m sorry to say that I may not be able to help you out here. While in recent years Travel Nursing has seen new opportunities in positions like case management, house supervisor, and even positions for unit managers, I am still unaware of many outpatient clinic opportunities.
That is not to say there are not any to be found or that there are not agencies that may specialize in this type of travel. But my expertise lies in hospital-based travel opportunities and none of the agencies with which I work closely offer these types of assignments.
You will need to do some research and ask A LOT of questions of any agency claiming to specialize in these types of opportunities.
Ask how many assignments they are currently posting, in how many states, and how many clinics they represent.
Clinics are usually separate entities from healthcare systems. That is why a company representing even a dozen clinics may not come close to the number of assignments a company might have even if they just serviced one large healthcare system.
I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but just because an assignment or two exists in a certain field or specialty does not mean that it would provide a sustainable travel career.
I would hate to see you give up a full time position only to work an assignment or two and then not be able to find work.