Everything you need to know about Travel Nursing in Iowa

Iowa has a low cost of living, tons of travel nursing opportunities, and loads of quirky Midwestern charm. Contrary to popular belief, it’s way more than just cows and cornfields. Think cool cities, a beautiful environment and landscape, fun attractions, and legendary events. You might not have considered it before, but it could be time to give a Iowa another look as your next travel nurse or travel allied health location. Keep reading to learn more about The Hawkeye State. You can also apply now to get started or search travel nursing jobs in Iowa to find your perfect assignment.

Travel Nursing in Iowa

Iowa is a great option for travelers who like a low cost of living, exploring the country off the beaten path, and the flexibility travel nursing can offer them. The state’s ranked #1 among all 50 states for opportunity after all!

 

When you take an Iowa travel nursing assignment with Medical Solutions, you can choose from lots of great travel nurse jobs that come with industry-leading benefits and our human-first style of support and service. With us, traveler benefits include day-one medical, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k) with company match; safe, pet-friendly housing; license and certification reimbursement; unlimited $600 loyalty bonuses; unlimited $500 referral bonuses; free employee assistance program; and many more.

 

U.S. News & World Report’s 2020/2021 Best Hospitals list evaluated 123 hospitals in Iowa — five of which met high U.S. News standards and are ranked in the state. The #1-ranked hospital is the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. The top five continues with #2-ranked MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center in Des Moines, #3-ranked UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, #4-ranked UnityPoint Health-Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, and #5-ranked Mercy Medical Center-Cedar Rapids in Cedar Rapids. Iowa also has many other great facilities and clinics statewide where you might find a travel nurse or travel allied health opportunity that fits your career needs.

 

U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 Best States list ranked Iowa at #12 overall, #1 for opportunity, #18 for education, and #20 for both natural environment and healthcare. With its higher overall rank, great marks in other categories, and high demand for  travel nurses, Iowa is a super solid state to take your next assignment in!

 

Iowa is currently a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). The NLC lets nurses practice reciprocally in other NLC states without having to get additional state licenses. New states frequently join so keep an eye on the latest NLC map. In the meantime, our team is happy to help you with any Iowa state licensing questions.

Iowa travel nurse

Quick Iowa Facts

State Nickname: The Hawkeye State

Capital City: Des Moines

Largest Cities: Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, Iowa City

Charming Towns: Amana Colonies, Decorah, Okoboji, Pella, Winterset, Bentonsport, Dyersville

Cost of Living: 13th-lowest cost of living in U.S.

Average RN Salary: $62,570

Random Trivia: It’s hard to believe, but there’s exactly one island town in the landlocked state of Iowa. It’s called Sabula and its practically in Illinois.

 

To Do and See in Iowa

Iowa’s got the kind of cool that flies under the radar, waiting for only the savviest of travelers to come find it! I mean, sliced bread was literally invented here. And taking your next assignment in Iowa could turn out to be the greatest thing since. There’s great art, culture, and food, fun outdoor adventures, and all kinds of offbeat events to check out.

 

Iowa does festive annual events right. Bikers flock to RAGBRAI, a seven-day bike race crossing Iowa from the west to east and drawing 10,000-plus folks and thousands more daily riders. The race is often secondary to exploring the small towns along the way and enjoying the community that’s created every year at the event. Pella hosts its annual Tulip Festival each May, celebrating Dutch culture with music, food, and dancing while fields of hundreds of thousands of blooming, multi-colored tulips offer a beautiful backdrop. Then there’s the famous Iowa State Fair in Des Moines that attracts more than one million visitors each year with its entertainment, attractions, fair food, and the majorly quirky annual butter sculpture.

 

Des Moines is a wonderful spot for art, food, and culture. Iowa City is a classic college town and the only UNESCO City of Literature in the United States. Okoboji sits near the Minnesota border and has an incredible chain of lakes, plus a small amusement park and other family fun. It’s a rite of summer for many in the region. And the tiny town of Riverside is — get this — home to the future birthplace of Star Trek’s Captain James T. Kirk. As the story goes, Captain Kirk will be born in 2228 and Riverside is ready with a monument and an annual Trek Fest.

 

As a farm state, Iowa also has great food of course. While on assignment, you can dig in to local favorites like Maid-Rites (iconic loose beef sandwiches), pork tenderloin, Steak de Burgo, sweet corn, pork chops, taco pizza, Casey’s breakfast pizza, morel mushrooms, BLTs, corn dogs, all kinds of fresh produce, puppy chow, and Scotcheroos.

 

Are you a travel nurse or travel allied health pro looking for a great new healthcare job? Medical Solutions can help you get started on assignment in Iowa — or anywhere else you want to go nationwide! Apply now to start your next career adventure or search Iowa travel nursing jobs to see what’s out there for you.

Find Travel Nursing jobs in Iowa

We connect care by staffing top healthcare facilities in Iowa with brilliant Travel Nurses.

Benefits

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Personalized Pay Packages

Travel Nurses working in Iowa enjoy a personalized payment package with great wage rates, licensure and certification reimbursement, a 401(k) with an immediately vested company contribution, loyalty and referral bonuses, and more.

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Great Benefits

We offer our travel nurses and travel allied health professionals day one medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus the option of several additional voluntary benefits, including life, long-term disability, critical illness, accident, hospital indemnity, and AD&D insurance.

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Employee Assistance Program

Current travelers also have automatic, free access to our employee assistance program (EAP) through Cigna, which includes eight free counseling sessions and many more free resources to support you and your family in every facet of life.

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Travel Nurse Housing

When it comes to making a home in your latest location, Medical Solutions travelers have the option of company-provided, private, fully furnished, secure, pet-friendly housing arranged by our expert housing team or a non-taxable housing stipend that helps you arrange and pay for your own housing costs, depending on your eligibility and location.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to your questions about Iowa Travel Nursing Jobs with Medical Solutions and Travel Nursing in general.

Simply apply here. You can also call us at 1.866.633.3548 and speak with a recruiter, who can answer your questions and send you an information packet. All we need to begin is your application and resume. Once we receive your information, we can begin discussing potential assignments that fit your profile. When you find a job you want, your recruiter will submit you for the job and walk you through the process from there.
Most assignments are 13 weeks in length, but we’ve seen them as short as four weeks and as long as 24. You are obligated to finish your assignment as contracted, but there is no contract binding you to work more assignments afterward. You can take a new assignment right after your last or take a break. It’s all up to you!
Many states are in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), which allows you reciprocal rights to practice in compact states. If you need to obtain a new state license, your Recruiter can tell you exactly how much time is necessary to apply for it and the cost. If a new license is required for your assignment, Medical Solutions will reimburse you for the cost!