How to become A Travel Nurse

Travel Nurses get to achieve two cherished goals in one go - they get to travel and develop new insights into the world around them while taking care of the sick and ailing.

• Registered Nurses (RN)
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN/LVN)
• Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) 
• Nurse Practitioners (NP)
• Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS)
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)

What do Travel Nurses do?

A Travel Nurse would typically need to:

• Undertake short-term temporary positions in healthcare facilities, hospitals and clinics that experience staffing shortages
• Assist the in-house staff with managing bedside care as well as ensuring patient safety and execution of their activities of daily living
• Monitor and administer medication and infusions in recommended dosages at designated times
• Observe and report the effect of the medication/infusion on the patient to the physician-in-charge or other stakeholders
• Take and report patient readings on blood pressure, blood sugar, pulse, temperature, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and other health parameters
• Obtain a blood, saliva, stool or urine sample from a patient, ensure it undergoes appropriate lab testing and report the results
• Watch over and attend to patients in the ICU (intensive care unit), when assigned to a hospital as a substitute for the staff nurse
• Undertake vent management; monitor ICP and CRRT; inspect wounds, change dressings and track the patient’s wellbeing
• Offer their services in the MICU (medical intensive care unit), SICU (surgical intensive care unit) or ER, as required
• Assist staff in the emergency department or ER (emergency room) that specialises in trauma, chest pain, congestive heart failure and stroke 
• Help stabilise patients who underwent elective or emergency surgery in their post-operative phase
• Intervene and administer proper ACLS interventions/medications during code blue and emergency situations
• Organise and manage regular clinics conducted by external physicians such as ophthalmology, medical, surgical, orthopaedics and podiatry professionals
• Take adequate care of the elderly/ terminally ill patients or recovering addicts, when employed in hospices, rehab centres and old age homes
• Take care of sick/injured students and supervise/administer vaccinations, when employed by a school to substitute for the regular nurse or as a cost-cutting measure  
• Conduct vaccination drives in remote areas; set up a camp that people may attend or walk door-to-door and administer the vaccinations
• Work with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to develop a superior diet and healthcare plans
• Address the patients’ concerns; provide healthcare and nutritional advice, when necessary
• Train family members or caretakers on the administration and dosage of the medication/infusion to the patient
• Ensure all medical equipment and supplies in their charge are kept sterile and in order
• Spend time researching on their next assignment; ensure their professional goals are in sync with the staffing agency

Travel Nurses practice their profession in diverse work environments ranging from a large urban hospital to a small rural health centre to a school to a private residence as they move from one short-term contract to the next. Travel, domestic and international, is an inherent part of the job.

Travel Nurses must follow the work schedule set by their employers; it may result in ones that are totally dissimilar in length. Your work hours may include night shifts, weekends and public holidays.

Although jobs seem to be easily forthcoming, Travel Nurses can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting companies directly, using job search platforms, going to job fairs, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies. Most assignments are short-term contracts that may extend from a few days to a few months.

Travel Nurses are generally employed by: 

• Travel Nurse Staffing Agencies
• Hospitals
• Rural Health Facilities
• ICUs
• Community Health Centres
• Clinics
• Private Practices
• Surgical Centres
• Educational Institutions
• Private Patients

Healthcare associations, such as The International Council of Nurses (ICN), provide unparalleled networking and educational opportunities. They offer all the certification courses members will need throughout their professional careers. 

Affiliated Travel Nurses may attend conventions, seminars, and dinners frequented by peers, mentors, and other industry leaders. The events help them keep up with the newest breakthroughs and latest developments in the field, including plum jobs.

• Absence of perks such as paid vacation days and time-off enjoyed by full-time RNs
• Spending significant time away from family and friends
• Remote likelihood of developing long-term relationships with colleagues and patients
• The need for special licences to be able to practice in different geographic locations
• Tedious paperwork accompanying tax returns

To show their commitment to the long qualifying period, every applicant to a nursing program needs work experience in their local hospital, doctor's surgery, nursing home, or mental health trust.

It will help the participants understand some of a nursing career's physical and emotional demands. Some teaching hospitals also offer work experience to secondary school students interested in a career as a Travel Nurse for similar reasons.

In addition, RNs who wish to specialise in a particular nursing discipline require at least two years of experience in that field before they can apply for highly-valued certification and become Travel Nurses. 

Your clinical background, along with the attendant work experience and certification, will open the doors to advantageous positions in hospitals and nursing agencies. Check whether you need further work experience in a speciality area with your staffing agency.

Read about the profession, perform community service, undertake relevant research work and interview/ job shadow experts working in travel nursing to prove your commitment to course providers and prospective employers. It helps document any such experiences on letters of recommendation submitted with nursing school applications.

Most Travel Nurses have a four-year bachelor’s degree followed closely by those with an associate degree in nursing, nursing science or business. A tiny number acquire a master’s degree in the subjects mentioned above.

LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurses), vocational nurses or licensed paramedics can complete an LPN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) bridge program in 28 months.

Candidates with prior learning experience or transfer credits may acquire the BSN degree in less than three years. In addition, licensed RNs (Registered Nurses) can opt for a one-year online RN to BSN program. Furthermore, students with an accredited non-nursing bachelor’s degree can complete an accelerated BSN degree in just under 20 months.

Online courses in trauma emergency and care, integrative nursing, palliative care and pediatric HIV nursing offer viable options to attending a regular school. Besides, some education providers also offer an online BSN program to students new to nursing.

While achieving your high school diploma or GED, focus on science, math, chemistry, psychology and English in high school.

Certification demonstrates a Travel Nurse’s competence in a skill set, typically through work experience, training and passing an examination. It mainly helps acquire requisite licences and specialised positions in critical care, paediatric and obstetric nursing.

Certification in BLS (Basic Life Support), ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support), ICP (intracranial pressure) and CRRT (continuous renal replacement therapy) from an objective and reputed organisation can help you stand out in a competitive job market and allow you to become an independent consultant.

By the same token, accredited certification in trauma nursing, adult, pediatric & neonatal critical care, family nursing, case management, and executive nursing practice will enhance your career growth.

Successful certification programs protect public welfare by incorporating a Code of Ethics.

An RN licence is a must for Travel Nurses to practice. Nursing licences generally require a degree from an accredited school and passing a recognised licensure exam. Some licensing authorities may require a background check. 

The standard computer-adaptive, six-hour-long RN licensing exam includes nursing practice, conditions and treatments, the functioning of the healthcare system, legal and ethical issues as well as patient communication and education.

Since licensing requirements vary across locations, the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) that allows you to practice in participating regions will serve the purpose. Board certification is an additional step you might take to improve your job prospects.

You may also want to secure additional licences if you wish to specialise in surgical, neonatal, critical care, paediatric or clinical nursing.

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications drive the career progression of Travel Nurses who can travel to destinations of their choice and earn well while continuing to gain experience and confidence that will promote their career, bolster their resume and contribute to their professional development.

The vast skills and knowledge you manage to amass during your assignments will open new doorways to various hospitals worldwide. You will build your marketability and gain a competitive edge that will stand you in good stead when applying for full-time jobs or negotiating higher salaries.

Candidates with an associate or bachelor’s degree in science, certification from professional organisations and formal licensing have the best job prospects.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is essential in the healthcare sector for public wellbeing and career progression. It also helps with the regular renewal of desirable certifications and licences. 

Reflective learning, interaction with peer groups, comprehensive inclusion, workshops, and professional publications educate, influence, support, and foster lifelong enlightenment in all career-grade Travel Nurses.

The various short-term assignments in diverse healthcare settings expose you to novel technologies, techniques and practices that will equip you to readily adapt to change while bringing innovative ideas to the table. They will also expand your network and help develop beneficial relationships across the industry.

Moreover, the frequent experience of fluctuating patient volumes and conditions as well as changing work environments and situations will instil an optimal level of adaptability and flexibility that go to make a world-class nurse who can calmly take heated and stressful situations in their stride.

Travel Nurses have greater opportunities to reinforce their critical thinking, problem-solving and valuable nursing skills while they explore and build specialist skills. They will have a better understanding of global healthcare disparities and patients’ barriers to quality healthcare so they can provide culturally competent care.

Familiarity with different EHR (electronic health record) formats will make training and orientation easier every time you take up a new assignment. Invest time in earning additional certifications and a master’s degree.

Travel Nurse Trivia

Women constitute close to a whopping 80% of the Travel Nurse population, whose average age is 44 years.

Travel Nurses are more likely to work with private companies.

It may not be everyone’s idea of a plum job but if you have the itch to travel, meet new people, experience new cultures and learn about diverse healthcare resources, travel nursing may be the right one for you.

Listen to your patients. No matter how much you know about a disease or condition, patients know their own bodies better than you ever will. Pay attention to what they tell you, they might be describing an important symptom.