Gypsy,
HI Gypsy Nurse! I love your site. It’s so informative. I am currently working in the surgical trauma ICU at a Level! Facility. My one year is in Sept (brand new RN), but I am ready to start traveling, specifically in NYC! I have been talking with a travel company, started the app process, etc., but I wondered if you had any knowledge or info about being new RN and a travel nurse in NYC. Any info you might know would be SO wonderful as I start to work out all the details in the next few months…
Thank you, thank you!
Nurse K, RN BSN
Thank you for reading The Gypsy Nurse. You have taken the first step on your journey to becoming A Gypsy Nurse.
Kristen,
I have not personally worked in NYC, so I can’t give you any specific information on the location. Our Facebook group is a great place to ask questions about NYC. You could ask there specifically about NYC, and hopefully, someone with personal experience can help.
I would caution you on taking a travel contract as a new RN with only a year of nursing experience. As a traveler, you will be expected to ‘hit the floor running. You will be lucky to get a full shift of floor orientation. You will likely be given the worst patients. Staff could be helpful, or they could throw you under the bus and let you drown….either extreme is possible. As travel nurses, we are expected to adapt quickly to the new environment, rules, and patient loads. Not to mention new computer systems, new equipment, different drugs (what’s a common treatment in one part of the country may not be the same in another). I am not questioning your ability to care for patients. However, please understand that it’s best for the safety of the patients if you are experienced before traveling.
I would really encourage you to hold off on travel nursing until you have had a good two years of experience under your belt. In the meantime, I would suggest that you pick up a couple of ‘agency’ shifts in your local area and see how you adapt to the varied environments. This will give you a good feel for how you will adjust to travel nursing.
I realize that this is not the answer that you were looking for, and I’m sorry. I hope that you will consider my advice. If you decide to continue to pursue the travel nursing route, please feel free to contact me with any further questions.
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