Career Guide for Travel Nursing

Wish you could check out the lifestyle in several different cities or states before settling down in just one place? Plan ahead and you can be paid to do just that by becoming a traveling healthcare professional.

Traveling positions are open to medical and allied health professionals including doctors, pharmacists, therapists, technologists and pathologists, with travel nurses being in the highest demand.

As a travel nurse you can pick where you want to go, be paid a handsome salary, live in free accommodations and even receive a bonus after completing your assignment.

But the work isn’t easy. You’ll step into unfamiliar territory, and will need to quickly acclimate to the routines, processes and people around you.

At the end of the assignment, you can hire on permanently, pick another location and job or go back home.

Job description

Being a travel nurse is like being a nurse anywhere else. Your job will be determined by your assignment, and your specialty. Once you accept an assignment you’ll be committed to a specific period of time, from four to 13 weeks.

Nurses should consider many things before they pursue a career as a travel nurse, says Ana Trevathan, RN, BSN. When Trevathan chose Maui for a travel nursing assignment eight years ago, she had only one thing on her mind: location. She says she didn’t mind that the pay wasn’t going to reflect the high costs of living there. “It was Maui!” she says. Trevathan has also accepted travel assignments in Colorado and California.

Beyond the location of the assignment, Trevathan, who is now a part-time remote recruiter for Medical Staffing Solutions, a company based in Rice Lake, Wis., suggests nurses look at these factors before they delve into the world of travel nursing:

High cost of living does not always mean your pay will match that. The company may have to spend more on these places to relocate you, she says.

Decide what your motivating factor is for traveling: Is it strictly location? Is it a place that does an unusual kind of work? Is it a chance to be near friends or family? Is it a high salary?

Can you hit the ground running? Travel nurses should be prepared to walk into a facility and start working as part of their team with an open mind, a positive attitude and fresh perspective, Trevathan says. ”This is refreshing for the facility and their staff, especially for those facilities experiencing challenging conditions such as gaps in staffing or software changes.”

Can you handle separation from family and friends? “As a newlywed, the last thing I wanted to do was spend the majority of my time away from my new husband,” Trevathan says. “However, we had dreams of building a new home and my earning potential was much greater as a travel nurse.” She continued to travel until the house was within reach and they decided to start a family. The travel urge kicked in again, but this time, they traveled with her.

Can you be flexible? This will work in your favor when you’re applying for a position, Trevathan says. If you’re willing to fill in where and when you’re needed, the employer will be more willing to accommodate your requests, she says.

Think ahead if you’ll need time off. That’s usually negotiated at the time the contract is being settled. That doesn’t mean you can’t ask for it later, but it’s good to request it up front, Trevathan says.

Be prepared for a breaking-in period. “The first couple of weeks at a new assignment are typically the most challenging,” she says. “That’s when staff members are evaluating the traveler’s skills and level of competence.”  After that, travelers are welcomed as valued members of the team, she says. “The more you do it, the easier it gets,” she says.

Education/experience

These are not jobs for the inexperienced. The catch is that most travel positions require at least 18 months of experience. To make yourself as appealing as possible once you’ve put in that time, spend your early days in an in-demand specialty such as emergency, intensive care, pediatrics or the operating room.

Licensing

According to TravelNursing.com, “Each state has its own rules and regulations regarding licensure.” But you can avoid getting another state license if you confine your search to “compact” states. Similar to the one-license-nationwide approach that Veterans Affairs’ and military nurses enjoy, the Nurse Licensure Compact, recognized in 24 states, allows you to be licensed in one state and practice in another.

Where the jobs are

Travel nurse assignments are found in those places having difficulty filling their positions or needing temporary workers during a specific time frame (perhaps to fill in for a nurse on maternity leave). You’ll find these jobs in large cities, rural locations, even your hometown! California and Florida are especially in need of travel nurses. According to American Traveler, a healthcare staffing agency in Boca Raton, Fla., demand is skyrocketing for travel nurses. Look for travel nurse positions in Florida and all 50 states at AllHealthcareJobs.com.

Another easy way to break into travel healthcare is to sign up with a U.S. staffing agency. Traveling healthcare placement firms give you the ability to focus on the setting, the type of facility and the shift you’d like to work.

If you’re interested in exploring traveling healthcare opportunities, ask your co-workers to recommend recruiting firms they’ve worked with in the past. Each firm will have its own requirements and procedures, so interview several until you find one that’s a good match for you.

Once you have a recruiter, he or she will help you narrow your choice of assignments. You’ll then do phone interviews with potential employers. Do a little homework of your own by reaching out to your personal and professional network to gather information about both potential employers and the local lifestyle in places where you might go.

Kim McAllister, an emergency room registered nurse in San Francisco, receives calls from travel nursing agencies offering her positions all across the county. “There is a huge demand for critical care and emergency nurses,” McAllister says. “I was fielding at least two calls a day for positions all over the United States.”

McAllister offers this bit of advice for job seekers: “Even if you are not open to relocating I would advise staying open to calls from local travel companies. They have the scoop on local facilities, with opportunities to work per diem or short term. Often, local hospitals have travel openings when they do not have “regular” openings, and a travel assignment is a great way to get your foot in the door.”

Salaries

Pay for a travel position is comparable to all nursing specialties. But more importantly, you’ll reap a nice slate of benefits, like free furnished housing, meal allowances and travel reimbursements, as well as the same healthcare and retirement benefits you’d get working in a traditional medical setting.

As with any job, negotiate the best possible pay package and working conditions for each assignment. Ask about how much overtime they’ll expect you to work and how much they’ll pay for regular and overtime hours. Find out how they’ll tax your pay, and see if you’re eligible for a bonus after completing your first assignment, or if the employer offers continuing education tuition reimbursement. When you get to your job, you can either live in one of the recruiting company’s apartments, or use the housing allowance to have your own place.

Contributors: Marcia Frellick,Terry Sheridan