2 answers
Brianna
Student
Haines City, Florida
1
Question
Asked
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What are the steps of becoming a travel nurse and how long does it take to become a travel nurse. What are the pros and cons of being a travel nurse what do you need to have an associate or bachelor degree to be a travel nurse What is the best medical school in Florida for student that are interesting in nursing how many years does it take to become a travel nurse? Do travel nurses have to pay for their own housing on every assignment they get? What nursing field is the harder to work in?
What are the steps of becoming a travel nurse and how long does it take to become a travel nurse. What are the pros and cons of being a travel nurse what do you need to have an associate or bachelor degree to be a travel nurse? What is the best medical school in Florida for student that are interesting in nursing how many years does it take to become a travel nurse? Do travel nurses have to pay for their own housing on every assignment they get? What nursing field is the harder to work in
2 answers
Thomas Stevens, Jr. MSN, RN
Psychiatric Nurse
3
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
Thomas’s Answer
Hi:
Travel nursing is a wonderful way of life if nothing is tying you down to one location. First one must graduate from nursing school. That takes three years at a community college or 4 plus at a university. Most travel companies employ nurses with no less than one year's experience. The facility that uses travel nurse agencies usually specify the level of education required for an assignment. Travel nurses can be Associates degree or baccalureate prepared depending on the contract between the travel agency and the facility. The more successful travel nurses I've met have three to five years experience within their specialty. ICU and Emergency Dept nurses, for example, usually have more experience than those hired for nursing homes, jails and prisons. A med-surg floor nurse can usually get by with one year's experience if it was at a good sized community hospital or medical center.
The most difficult specialty in nursing to get into is in advanced nursing practice such as anesthetists and critical care nurse practitioners. They are also higher earners and can easily accept temporary travel assignments with rewarding contracts.
A competent travel nurse is usually invited to extend their contract.
I defer to questions about schools in Florida and travel expense benefits.
There are no easy nursing jobs. Either you are working your butt off or thinking your brains out or both at the same time. All are strenuous to some degree. A nurse is held to a higher standard of deportment, a higher sense of professionalism, a greater degree of knowledge, and a unique responsibility as an advocate for patient and community. The public have expectations of nursing that are cherished in tradition and manifested in law and regulation.
Travel nursing is a wonderful way of life if nothing is tying you down to one location. First one must graduate from nursing school. That takes three years at a community college or 4 plus at a university. Most travel companies employ nurses with no less than one year's experience. The facility that uses travel nurse agencies usually specify the level of education required for an assignment. Travel nurses can be Associates degree or baccalureate prepared depending on the contract between the travel agency and the facility. The more successful travel nurses I've met have three to five years experience within their specialty. ICU and Emergency Dept nurses, for example, usually have more experience than those hired for nursing homes, jails and prisons. A med-surg floor nurse can usually get by with one year's experience if it was at a good sized community hospital or medical center.
The most difficult specialty in nursing to get into is in advanced nursing practice such as anesthetists and critical care nurse practitioners. They are also higher earners and can easily accept temporary travel assignments with rewarding contracts.
A competent travel nurse is usually invited to extend their contract.
I defer to questions about schools in Florida and travel expense benefits.
There are no easy nursing jobs. Either you are working your butt off or thinking your brains out or both at the same time. All are strenuous to some degree. A nurse is held to a higher standard of deportment, a higher sense of professionalism, a greater degree of knowledge, and a unique responsibility as an advocate for patient and community. The public have expectations of nursing that are cherished in tradition and manifested in law and regulation.
Jenny Lytle BSN, RN
Registered Nurse/Holistic Nurse Coach
2
Answers
Kokomo, Indiana
Updated
Jenny’s Answer
Great points made by Thomas above!
Becoming a travel nurse starts with a nursing program (the degree needed depends on the position) and licensure, then typically at least one year of experience in the specialty. There may be additional qualifications and experience required, but this is the minimum for most positions.
Here are some pros/cons - I'm sure there are more, but these are off the top of my head.
Pros:
traveling to new places, having new experiences
meeting new people
exposure to new ways of doing things
minimal commitment - most positions are 8-13 week contracts, often with the option to extend. If it's not a good fit you aren't stuck for long.
pay is often higher than staff positions
flexibility - you can take breaks between contracts and don't have to worry about vacation time
many companies offer benefits
can request unpaid time off when negotiating a contract
Cons:
traveling to new places, needing to learn your way around
some staff members aren't welcoming to travelers (although my experiences have all been good)
lack of long-term connections with coworkers
orientation can be short - need to be able to hit the ground running
no paid time off in general
affordable accommodations can be difficult to find in some areas
need to drive a long distance to your location (or find local transportation if flying)
As far as paying for your own accommodations, there are housing stipends that are included, but you don't have to use all of that money for housing (or sometimes you need to spend more).
Specialties - it depends on your unique skills and experiences, as well as how you're wired. Some people love the structure of a hospital. I have worked in hospice for 17 years and love end-of-life care and the unpredictableness of going into patients' homes. I've also enjoyed the pace and adrenaline rush of ER, but it's not for everyone.
If you're someone who likes change and experiencing new things, and you're open to different ways of doing things, give traveling a try! I learned a lot about myself on my first assignment.
Becoming a travel nurse starts with a nursing program (the degree needed depends on the position) and licensure, then typically at least one year of experience in the specialty. There may be additional qualifications and experience required, but this is the minimum for most positions.
Here are some pros/cons - I'm sure there are more, but these are off the top of my head.
Pros:
traveling to new places, having new experiences
meeting new people
exposure to new ways of doing things
minimal commitment - most positions are 8-13 week contracts, often with the option to extend. If it's not a good fit you aren't stuck for long.
pay is often higher than staff positions
flexibility - you can take breaks between contracts and don't have to worry about vacation time
many companies offer benefits
can request unpaid time off when negotiating a contract
Cons:
traveling to new places, needing to learn your way around
some staff members aren't welcoming to travelers (although my experiences have all been good)
lack of long-term connections with coworkers
orientation can be short - need to be able to hit the ground running
no paid time off in general
affordable accommodations can be difficult to find in some areas
need to drive a long distance to your location (or find local transportation if flying)
As far as paying for your own accommodations, there are housing stipends that are included, but you don't have to use all of that money for housing (or sometimes you need to spend more).
Specialties - it depends on your unique skills and experiences, as well as how you're wired. Some people love the structure of a hospital. I have worked in hospice for 17 years and love end-of-life care and the unpredictableness of going into patients' homes. I've also enjoyed the pace and adrenaline rush of ER, but it's not for everyone.
If you're someone who likes change and experiencing new things, and you're open to different ways of doing things, give traveling a try! I learned a lot about myself on my first assignment.
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