Is one year of experience enough to become a travel nurse? Technically, yes. Some hospitals will accept new travelers with one year of experience in their chosen specialty. These contracts can be challenging to find, especially in high-acuity specialties, but they do exist. Most contracts require two years of nursing experience and at least one year in the contract’s specialty.
I am frequently asked by newer nurses whether or not they SHOULD choose to travel without two years of experience. That question is more complex than it appears, so here are some aspects of travel nursing to keep in mind.
Aspects of travel nursing to keep in mind:
- Do you feel competent in the role you are in?
- Travel nurses get minimal orientation at a new facility. Three shifts are typical for an orientation period, but I’ve heard plenty of stories about nurses getting less than two hours of training or being put directly on the unit as soon as they arrive. New travel nurses must feel comfortable with their role and be able to start on the floor with minimal help. When I started my last contract, I had to track down and start an IV medication for my critical ICU patient before I even got my computer login information! If you don’t feel ready for that yet, you might need more experience before becoming a travel nurse.
- Do you have good communication skills?
- As a traveler, you are expected to step up and seek answers independently. Do you need labs ordered? A medication dosage changed? A bedside commode for your patient? The phone number for the night shift cardiologist? While charge nurses and other staff members may try to help you, a travel nurse must be able to communicate those needs and advocate for their patients. If you can’t do that yet, you might not be prepared to be a travel nurse.
- Are you flexible?
- We joke about travel nursing being “the wild west,” but it’s true! I’ve shown up to take a patient load and had completely different patients by the end of the shift. We step in and out of different roles and are the first to be floated to other units. Flexibility is the name of the game! The ability to adjust to new situations is crucial as a traveler.
- Outside of the hospital setting, travel nurses tend to jump between housing options, drive across the country for assignments, and occasionally get contracts cut short unexpectedly. Are you mentally prepared to step out of your comfort zone? If not, you might still need to prepare to be a travel nurse.
However, if your answer is yes to the above questions, welcome to the show!
Travel nursing has equipped me to follow my professional and personal dreams. I left my staff job to become a travel nurse just a few months after hitting my one-year mark. I worked hard to build my communication skills, put myself in new situations, and purposefully prepared myself to become a travel nurse.
During my first contracts, I learned how important it was to know my role and perform well in my specialty. I enjoyed my first contract and wished that I could’ve started sooner!
However, I worked with another nurse who only had one year of experience, and she dreaded coming to work every day. She realized that she had started traveling because the pay was attractive but that she hadn’t given herself enough time to develop her skills properly. She finished her contract but returned to her staff job when she finished her contract. I am grateful that I gave myself the time I deserved to become a good nurse before I started traveling. I’ve seen countless nurses come and go who had the minimum experience required, and it’s honestly a mixed bag. Successfully traveling with one year of experience is possible if you prepare yourself!
If you’re considering becoming a travel nurse and only have one year of experience, I highly recommend you ask yourselves the above three questions. You are the only person who can decide if you’re truly ready to make the leap!
Did you start travel nursing with one year of experience? How has your journey been? Comment below.
To read more from Skyler, you can visit her website: The Zinn Diaries.
Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.
