By StaffDNA

April 30, 2023

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Decoding Travel Nurse Rates: Anticipating Increases or Decreases Ahead

StaffDNA provided this article.

In the last three and a half years, bill rate fluctuations have sometimes felt a bit like whiplash. Travel nursing changed fast when the Covid-19 Pandemic hit, and the ripple effect caused by the pandemic kept making waves well into two and three years later. 

Now, the healthcare industry is shifting again. Masks are coming off, visitor restrictions are being lifted, and in some ways, it feels like we are headed back to a true “normal.” But is the normal of the pre-pandemic travel nursing industry truly what we can expect to see in the coming months?

The short answer: no.

pay rate

The Start of It All

Back in 2016-2019, typical travel nurse pay packages averaged around $1,500-1,700 per week gross pay. If you were licensed in California, you may have been able to find pay above $2,000 gross due to union requirements and overtime laws. 

Once the pandemic hit in 2020, the whole hospital system was thrust into shock as hospitals tried to figure out how to take care of higher volumes of super sick patients seemingly instantly. 

At that point, there were significant drops in certain travel specialties while others saw an incredible spike in both rates and needs. Areas like allied health and pediatrics basically hit a standstill. Kids were staying home from school and not being exposed to illnesses as frequently, and thousands of surgeries were canceled, drastically reducing the need for therapists to help rehab post-surgical patients. 

Sky High Pandemic Rates

Between government aid and pure need for survival, hospitals were able to pay huge amounts to travel nurses. Gross rates for adult nurses skyrocketed to over $10,000 a week, and there were jobs in every location you could imagine. 

The key thing to remember about this time is these nurses also had to deal with significant safety concerns. Vaccinations were not an option, PPE was in critically low supply, and in some places, you were lucky to have an N95 available unless you brought your own. Front-line workers were getting sick no matter their age, and there were a lot of big, scary unknowns. So yes, the money was great, but a lot of people were not willing to put their health and well-being on the line to work in those conditions, no matter what they paid.

The Second Wave of Covid Travelers

Fast forward a couple of years, and while the five-figure rates had started to dwindle, travel nurses could still expect to make close to $4,000 per week gross fairly easily, and more if you got lucky and found a place that was willing to pay for a crisis contract.

Here, we saw a second wave of Covid travelers start to enter the workforce. A lot of these nurses were people who were feeling burnt out and frustrated after working in pandemic conditions for two years, often understaffed and short on supplies. Now, however, the risk of getting sick was much lower with vaccination available, and the country had finally gotten on top of the PPE shortage, so you knew you wouldn’t be expected to take care of the sickest of the sick without proper protection. 

In the last year, this has caused somewhat of a flooded market. We aren’t seeing the volume of sick patients that we had in 2020 or even a year ago, so hospitals simply aren’t willing to pay exorbitant rates to keep staffing numbers up. The “threat” of horribly short staffing simply doesn’t seem as threatening anymore. 

Leveling Out

As a result, basic economics has taken over. The supply of travel nurses is much higher than before the pandemic, but contracts have taken a dip. Not only are we not dealing with pandemic-level patient numbers, but we are going into summer and coming out of respiratory season.

Hospital systems have realized that they currently have the upper hand in the market and that the supply outweighs the demand for nurses in the travel sector. This happens every year during the spring, but it simply seems more pronounced this year because rates had been so incredibly high for so long. 

If you were a travel nurse before 2020, you probably know most of this already. Generally, during the summer, you would expect a dip in pay and opportunity and aim to extend if you had the opportunity at a decent location. Then, when fall rolls around and more people are sick with influenza and other illnesses, you can strategically pick an assignment that pays a premium rate if that is your goal. 

How This Affects Pay Rates

So, let’s get to rates. Obviously, supply and demand have a direct effect on rates and what hospitals are willing to pay. If managers are struggling to get job applicants, they are more willing to offer a little extra money to entice you to work for them. If they are getting 50 applicants per open position, they realize they can save some money and still hire a quality candidate. 

Is it fair to get paid less for doing the same job? Many could argue either way, but unfortunately, travel nursing rates have always varied based on a variety of factors, and this is where we are right now. 

What the Future Holds

pay rate

Going forward, a few things will likely happen to the travel market. Travel nurses who were only traveling for the sake of very good rates or only for crisis rates will likely reconsider their plans for the future. For those who were traveling and returning home regularly, lower rates might mean it’s not worth it to keep traveling away from home. A large number may decide to return home to staff jobs rather than trying to make travel nursing work with a lower rate. 

For those travelers that are looking to keep working as travel nurses regardless of rate changes, this could be beneficial. As some travelers leave the workforce, jobs will once again be more difficult to fill, and hospitals will have to adjust rates accordingly. 

It is impossible to predict exactly what travel nursing pay will look like six months or a year from now. However, a fair estimate would probably be that rates will be lower through the summer months and then pick back up again in the fall. 

Will Travel Nursing Rates Ever Hit Pre-Pandemic Rates?

It seems unlikely. Short-term housing prices are higher than they were pre-pandemic, not to mention travel and living expenses. Hospitals will have to pay more than they did in the past to make it profitable for nurses to duplicate expenses and pay for travel. 

What you can likely expect is rates above pre-pandemic numbers, but don’t expect to see those $10,000 weekly packages any time soon. Aim to minimize your tax home expenses as much as you can if you want to make the most of travel nursing income, and think about whether you are traveling for profit or for fun. Sometimes the perks of being a traveler outweigh being a staff nurse, no matter the pay rate!

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. There you can search for what you are looking for in housing.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Gifted Healthcare

April 28, 2023

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Why Nurse Certification Is Important for Travel Nurses

This article was provided by Gifted Healthcare.

Nurse certification is a formal process that tests your clinical knowledge, judgment, and experience in a subject or nursing specialty. Certification is the perfect way to accelerate your travel nursing career, increase your salary, and boost your confidence. It’s also a great way to attain personal growth as you strive to live your best nurse life.

This post will cover the basics of nursing certification and explain why each is so important for travel RNs and clinicians who want to take the next step in their travel nursing careers.

The Benefits of Nursing Certifications

The world of travel nursing is vast, and there are many excellent job opportunities available across the country. But on a basic level, earning a nursing certification can significantly boost your career. See below for the benefits.

Better Travel Nursing Assignments

Becoming certified means you have validated, specialized skills in your RN specialty. The more skills you have, the more marketable you are as a per diem or travel nurse. Earning nursing certifications will improve your prospects of getting the travel nursing assignment you want and also make more travel nursing assignments available to you.

Higher Pay & Career Advancement

This also offers the opportunity for upward mobility once you have landed an assignment. The more responsibility you have as a nurse, the more you get paid.

In addition to higher salaries, nursing certifications command recognition and respect within the healthcare world. Your certification proves that you have worked hard to learn a valuable and specialized skill, which makes supervisors and teammates more likely to depend on you and invest in your professional growth.

Personal Growth

Aside from the professional benefits, earning a nursing certification also provides the opportunity for personal growth. The confidence boost from achieving a hard-earned goal can make a real difference in how you feel, which leads to better performance at work and better care for your patients.

Basic Certification Requirements for Travel Nursing

Two basic certifications are required to be a travel nurse: Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).

certifications

However, earning additional nursing certifications will dramatically increase your standing in the job market as well as your earning potential.

Important certifications include Acute/Critical Care Nursing (CCRN)Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP)Basic Life Support (BLS)Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)AIDS Certified Registered Nurse (ACRN)Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN)Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) Certification, and many more.

Find a list of common nursing certifications here.

How Do You Know You’re Ready to Become Certified?

Plenty of preparation is required to become certified. Check to see if you meet the eligibility requirements, like meeting the minimum years of experience providing care for a specific patient population.

For example, to become certified as a critical care nurse (CCRN) or progressive care nurse (PCCN), you do not need a formal education to apply. But it is helpful to prepare with any available prep courses, study materials, and practice tests so you can get ready for certification. If you’re acing the practice exams for the certification you’re trying to earn, that’s a great sign you’re ready!

However, becoming an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) requires additional formal education like a master’s or doctoral degree.

For more information on preparing for the certification process, visit the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) website.

Important Nursing Certifications

While there are many different types of nursing certifications, several highly-regarded ones are common and could be a great place to start. See below to learn about a few different important nursing certifications.

Wound Care Certification (WCC)

Wound care nurses provide care for patients dealing with acute and chronic wounds, assisting with the development of their treatment plans and taking measures to prevent infection.

Click here to learn about the requirements for the WCC certification exam.

certifications

Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification (CMSRN)

On any given shift, a MedSurg nurse could care for a patient suffering from an animal bite, a patient with diabetes, a patient recovering from a transplant, and a patient with asthma. MedSurg nurses also may carry a heavier patient load than other specialties, often handling 5-7 patients at a time. They are trained to recognize and understand a large range of medical conditions.

Learn more about becoming Med-Surg certified at the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses’ website.

An individual must be a registered nurse (RN) with a current U.S. license, have practiced for at least two years as an RN in a medical-surgical setting, and accrued 2,000 hours of practice within the past three years to be eligible for medical-surgical certification.

Critical Care Certification (CCRN)

A critical care RN provides care for patients with serious or life-threatening injuries and medical problems. Because of the severity of their patients’ conditions, critical care nurses receive specialized training that allows them to remain alert and perform under intense pressure.

Learn more about Critical Care certification at the American Association of Critical Care Nurses’ (AACN) website.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Furnished Finder

April 27, 2023

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Avoiding Homesickness While Travel Nursing

Travel nursing is exciting, adventurous, and thrilling but can also be challenging! Leaving home for periods of time can leave you feeling like you’re missing a part of yourself, and you can even get homesick from time to time. We’ve put together a few tips to help you avoid this feeling and make any place you’re living feel like home!

Ways to avoid homesickness while travel nursing:

homesickness while travel nursing

Bring some familiar bedding.

Any great rental property will provide plenty of bedding, including extra blankets and sheets, but sometimes just having a blanket from home can make you feel more settled in. It doesn’t have to be something bulky and hard to travel with, just something that reminds you of the coziness of your bed back home. 

Have some photos.

Yes, we all have thousands of photos on our phones, but it’s much more inviting to have some photos printed that you can put on the fridge, on the mirror, or your nightstand. They don’t have to be in a big frame. Just quick and easy prints or even Polaroids can suffice to remind you of the people you love. 

homesickness while travel nursing

Get out and about.

This may seem obvious, but all too often, when working long shifts, the last thing you may want to do is go explore. Take advantage of your days off to really go explore the city you’re in. Join a Meetup group, find a friend through work, and go adventure together. You can even make a city bucket list of things you want to see before you’re off to your next adventure!

Check out nature.

One of the best parts about traveling the country is the ability to see the different parts of Mother Nature. Even if it’s a bit of a drive to get to the local nature areas, make time for it and get out there to see what it has to offer you! From the oceans to the mountains and everything in between, there are some amazing things to be seen when you go looking!

Have some visitors.

If your home has space for it, have a visitor come stay with you for a while! You can explore together while spending good, quality time with someone you might miss from home. These days, with so many people working remotely, this can be easier than ever! 

homesickness while travel nursing

Order your favorites from home.

Are there certain foods, drinks, or anything else from home that just make you feel good? Online ordering can be a great thing! Order some of these to have on hand for homesick times when you can have a bit of home!

Carve out time to visit.

It’s often common to go from a travel assignment to a travel assignment but consider taking time to visit home for a week or two, maybe longer, if you feel like you need a break from the road. Don’t let yourself get burnt out! You’ll take your travel career much further if you give yourself the grace and space to take breaks!

Remember that travel nursing is a way to explore and bring joy, and never forget to make it an adventure! We hope that you found these tips for avoiding homesickness while travel nursing helpful. Do you have any tips for fellow travel nurses to help avoid homesickness while travel nursing? Comment them below.

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.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Miles Oliver

April 23, 2023

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The Importance of Sharing Your Experience as a Travel Nurse

Travel nursing is a popular profession for many reasons. The pandemic led to a “travel nurse gold rush” as nurses were paid more to move from job to job where help was needed most. Higher pay for traveling is a big draw for many nurses, and the profession continues to be attractive for many.

Some nurses are understandably experiencing major burnout. Stress in the nursing profession is nothing new, but traveling on top of the job demands can leave these employees feeling overwhelmed and alone. Luckily, there are ways for travel nurses to connect with others and share their stories. This can aid you in your journey to becoming a travel nurse — or to continue the job you love so much in a healthier way.

Experience as a Travel Nurse

Help Other Travel Nurses

Sharing your story and tips as a travel nurse can help others in the same profession. New travel nurses have much to learn that can only come from experience, but sharing what you wish you knew when starting out can help someone navigate the job more easily and successfully.

You can also share your experiences with certain locations. Acclimating to a new culture can be difficult for some travel nurses, so sharing your tips for this can be a big benefit to the travel nurse community as a whole.

Educate the Public

By sharing your experiences, you’re not only helping educate fellow travel nurses but also the public at large. While nursing is an extremely rewarding career, it can often be thankless. Sometimes, patients and their families don’t understand the struggles that their care providers are going through. Sharing your story can help foster compassion and make the travel nurse profession a little brighter, one understanding the patient at a time.

Care for Your Own Mental and Emotional Well-being

experience as a travel nurse

While you’re traveling and working long shifts, it’s easy to let your own well-being fall by the wayside. Recognizing your mental health needs is often the first step in getting help. Reading or listening to another travel nurse’s story, talking to other travel nurses with similar experiences, and sharing your own can highlight parts of your well-being that may be currently neglected. This way, you can work toward taking care of yourself and not feel ashamed for doing so.

Feel More Connected

Travel nursing can also become lonely at times. You’re often moving away from family and friends for extended or undetermined periods. Staying connected as a travel nurse can come in many forms. Shared experiences will help you feel closer to others in the same profession. It may also help you feel closer to other people that now get a glimpse into your daily life. People need connection, and putting your story out there can foster that for yourself and others.

How To Start Sharing Your Travel Nurse Experience

experience as a travel nurse

There are many ways to share your experience as a travel nurse. Talk to other nurses in person or in online forums. Post a heartfelt story on social media via text post or video format. Write a guest post on a blog or start your own.

 Starting a podcast about your travel nurse experiences is a great way to establish yourself as an expert within your industry. Podcasting can also be an effective way to connect with others in your profession and share your knowledge with those who may be interested in becoming travel nurses. Just be sure to fully develop your podcast angle and sketch out ideas for several episodes before you start recording.

You never know how you may help someone by sharing your story — and you’re already helping yourself. It’s not selfish to take care of yourself. In fact, it can make your job as a travel nurse more rewarding because you’re less burnt out and more able to make effective decisions. It helps the public, your patients, other travel nurses, and your well-being to share your story. Find the proper outlet, and let your stories and experiences flow.

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.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Staffmax Healthcare Staffing & Recruiting

April 20, 2023

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6 Items Travel Nurses Need to Pack

Staffmax Healthcare Staffing and Recruiting provided this article.

Article was written by: Julie Hesseltine, RN, CNO, and Sr. Recruiter for Staffmax.

The excitement within her had her heart beating at a rate not even three IV doses of Labetol would have been able to easily control!    Yet here she was.   After years of working at the bedside, she had chosen to pursue her dream.  Nothing was going to stop her.  Her kids were grown.  She had no pets.   Nobody to answer to except herself.  The oil was changed, new wipers were on the windows, tires were at the proper pressure, and the car was filled with as many plastic totes and bags as she could squeeze in.   She had just enough room to set her purse and a small cooler in the front seat beside her.  The house was locked.  The bills were paid.  The alarms and security were set.  She inserted the key in the ignition and was off to new beginnings.

need to pack

As you read this, you might ask yourself what were in the plastic totes and canvas bags that she had gently at first and, in the end, forcefully shoved inside her car.   What does a traveler need to take? My daughter tells the story of a travel nurse from Florida who came to Nebraska during the winter months.  My daughter has a room she rents out and has had a lot of success doing this, having also made lifelong friends as she pursues her doctorate degree.   But one nurse truly made her laugh.   “I threw in anything that looked warm.”  I’d been there upon the arrival of this particular new renter as she was an old travel buddy of mine. The floorboard and front passenger seat were just as full as the rest of the space in the car.  She may have packed too much stuff. I thought as I helped her unload.

In the excitement of one’s first travel position, miles away from home, we sometimes forget that we are likely not moving away from home for good.  Just for a travel nurse assignment or two.  We don’t need the kitchen sink, just the usual necessities, and a few other items.  The most important things to take with us are merely the basics. 

6 Items Travel Nurses Need to Pack

Healthcare

Medicines and insurance cards.   Phone numbers of your physician and dentist. 

Financial information

Credit card, debit card, cash, banking information, and phone numbers to all credit card companies in case something happens. Don’t forget your computer and the charger.

need to pack

Travel paperwork

I always encourage my travelers to have information on their phone, on an external hard drive of some type, saved on a cloud, and a hard copy.    Keep a copy of every document you were asked for when you went through your onboarding. Add to this as you continue to travel.    I kept a hard copy of everything in a folder, in plastic sleeves, and easily within reach.  Throw in the diary or journal so you can write down interesting details about the journey you are on.

Clothing

A couple of good pairs of pants, a few pairs of jeans, 5-10 tops, uniforms if needed, and a few pairs of shoes.   You are going to be spending a large amount of time in your uniforms.  There is likely no need to pack your entire closet.  How many seasons will you be confronting before you come home?  Remember, right now, we are packing only the necessary items.  At least one nice outfit for a night on the town on your day off. 

Toiletries

Hair dryer, curling irons, electric razors, hair gel, makeup, personal towels, etc.   You may want to add some of your own bedding and a favorite pillow. 

The rest of the totes

need to pack

Now that you have the basics packed and loaded look around and see what else you would like to take with you.  The more minimalistic you learn to become on these travel nurse assignments, the more likely it is that you will leave your apartment on your days off and do what you set out to do; become the explorer and traveler who embarked upon an adventure into the unknown to see new sights and meet new people.  Be certain you make time to taste the local cuisine, visit an art museum, or go to a concert or a sporting event.  And take your camera with you everywhere!    

That nurse who rented the space from my daughter? Charlene went back to Florida for a week-long visit with her parents in the middle of the contract.  Her camera was filled with pictures of her adventures.  You’ve probably also guessed that she went home with a car full of stuff she really didn’t need. Upon her return, she had laughed at all that she thought she needed the first time, realizing that she wasn’t moving in. She was merely staying until the next adventure!   May you all be blessed in your travel adventures and make the best memories! 

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.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Lindsay Gantz

April 19, 2023

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How to Not Lose Access to Mental Health Treatment As A Travel Nurse

Are you excited to start travel nursing but unsure how to maintain access to mental health treatment? I was ecstatic when I accepted my first travel nursing job, but little did I know the choice would soon cause me to lose access to my beloved therapist of 3+ years. This sent my mental health spiraling. Travel nurses can avoid my same predicament with a little planning ahead. Here are some ways travel nurses can maintain access to mental health treatment while on assignment.

mental health treatment

Ask Your Current Therapist About Telehealth

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many practitioners have started offering telehealth to clients. If you have a therapist now, depending on the state they are licensed in, they may or may not be able to practice across state lines (for example, if they are in New York and you accept an assignment in Georgia). It is important to ask your therapist if a move will impact their ability to work with you. Many will make exceptions if you tell them your move away is not permanent.

Avoid Gaps in Your Insurance Coverage

Another big reason travel nurses lose access to mental health care is when their insurance status changes. This is a broad topic, and there is no “right” choice for any travel nurse when it comes to choosing insurance coverage.  No matter what, keep your mental health coverage needs in mind when deciding. If you decide to use your agency’s insurance, beware of gaps in coverage between assignments. You can also ask your therapist if they will accept self-pay if they cannot accept your new insurance.

Find Out About Employee Assistance Programs

mental health treatment

Many travel nurse agencies realize the huge toll working in healthcare takes on our mental health. Often, agencies will give nurses access to Employee Assistance Programs (or EAPs) that allow nurses between 5-10 free visits with a mental health professional. This can be a huge benefit to nurses who switch agencies and may not always have the same health insurance. EAPs can also help you quickly book an appointment with a new therapist when you move to a new state.

Call Your Health Insurance Company

When you move states, sometimes a quick way to land a new therapist is to call your health insurance company directly and ask if they can help you find a qualified mental health professional. Rather than Googling and searching yourself, concierge services at insurance companies might speed up the process of booking an appointment.

Try an Online Therapist

Online therapy also exploded after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Many travel nurses use services like BetterHelp, Cerebral, and Talkspace to maintain mental health coverage. Some services accept health insurance, and some only allow self-pay. Know that these services will also ask you what state you are in because many of their therapists are restricted to practicing only with clients in the same state.

Use Prescription Delivery Services

A great way travel nurses can keep up with mental health medications is by using prescription delivery services. Your pharmacy might offer prescription delivery (like my CVS pharmacy did, for example), or those who qualify can try online services like Hers, which allow you to connect with a prescriber and get medications sent to your door.

Remember the Importance of Self Care

mental health treatment

While it is crucial to have access to mental health treatment and therapy as a travel nurse, I also cannot underestimate the importance of self-care. Travel nurses can engage in self-care activities such as meditation, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and connecting with a support system.

Travel nursing can lead to a lot of big, exciting changes in your life. That said, you should take steps to ensure that this does not include changes in your mental health routine. You will only love your travel nursing assignment more if you are thriving and at your best mentally.

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.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Covelo Group

April 17, 2023

3896 Views

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Job Outlook: Why Start Travel Nursing Now?

Covelo Group provided this article.

If you’re a registered nurse looking for a unique career opportunity, now is an ideal time to try travel nursing. Experienced nurses are in high demand due to the persistent shortage of healthcare workers in the U.S., and the shortage[i] of RNs is projected to continue through 2030. In response to this shortage, many hospitals and medical centers are turning to travel nurses to fill their staffing needs.

Travel nursing contracts can last from several weeks to a year or longer. Some hospitals will even opt to extend contracts beyond the original term when a placement is a great match. Whether you’re thinking about making travel nursing your full-time career or are open to trying it on a case-by-case basis, travel nursing can be a rewarding choice for RNs in all stages of their careers.

try travel nursing

Fresh Perspective

One great reason to give travel nursing a try is for the adventure. It’s an ideal way to see new places, enjoy different cultures, or experience another climate, all while making a great living. The fresh perspective gained from traveling can also help you avoid the burnout[ii] that nurses and other healthcare workers commonly report experiencing.

Whether a bustling city interests you, or you want to experience a winter without snow finally, there are plenty of travel nursing opportunities to meet your needs. Remember that no matter where you end up, each new contract comes with a fresh group of coworkers, so new friendships are an added advantage.

Generous Compensation

try travel nursing

It’s no secret that travel nurses receive generous compensation. Pandemic pay for travelers increased dramatically due to the stress that was placed on hospital systems at the time. While this spike has leveled out in 2023, traveling wages remain very competitive. Full-time RNs may wonder if the grass is greener for travel nurses, and it’s not hard to see why. Hourly pay varies greatly from state to state, but the reality is that travel nurses do make substantially more per hour than their full-time counterparts.

Keep in mind your high hourly pay also comes with fewer professional responsibilities beyond direct patient care. Full-time staff may be required to serve on committees or attend meetings outside of their regular shifts. In contrast, when you clock out as a travel nurse, you’re free to pursue your favorite hobbies and pastimes. In fact, many travel nurses can make enough in a 12 to 13-week assignment to take some time off between contracts for personal travel.

Speaking of travel, your staffing agency will likely pay for your airfare upfront and reimburse you for mileage or rideshare expenses. Depending on your contract, your housing may be covered by a housing stipend, or affordable housing arrangements may be offered. Some employers even offer signing bonuses to attract qualified nursing talent.

Manage Career Transitions

try travel nursing

Whether you’re a recent nursing school graduate exploring career paths, in between full-time positions with time to fill, or a veteran RN pondering retirement, travel nursing is an ideal way to bridge your career transition.

Travel nursing also presents an excellent pathway to experiencing a variety of healthcare systems, specialties, and clinical settings within a timeframe that meets your needs. Communicating your goals to your staffing partner upfront will help you land the contracts that align with your professional aspirations and advance your nursing career.

Make a Difference

Travel nursing is an excellent way to put your skills and education to work to treat patients in underserved communities. If hospitals in every major U.S. city are strapped for good nursing talent, just imagine how dire the staffing needs of medical centers in remote communities must be.

Commonly referred to as healthcare deserts[iii], remote rural communities often struggle to staff enough qualified doctors and nurses to meet the needs of their patients. In fact, many of these facilities rely on a constant rotation of travel nurses in place of permanent full-time employees.

Nurses make a positive impact on the health and well-being of their patients, whether they work in cities big or small. Your willingness to accept travel nursing contracts in underserved communities can truly make a meaningful difference to patients who might otherwise lack access to the healthcare providers they need and deserve.

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.


[i] https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-information/fact-sheets/nursing-shortage

[ii] https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2023/04/05/US-healthcare-workers-face-rising-levels-of-burnout/8191680634238/

[iii] https://hitconsultant.net/2021/09/10/healthcare-deserts-goodrx-report/

By Medely

April 15, 2023

3776 Views

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Why Local Assignments Are Good for Travel Nurses and Facilities

Medely provided this article.

When it comes to travel nursing, many RNs think of traveling and exploring faraway places. However, that’s not always an option for everyone, as some nurses want to be closer to home. Nurses can actually choose to be local travel nurses and only “travel” close to home or within their own state. Local assignments provide an option, different from per diem shifts and traditional travel nursing assignments, that benefits both nurses and the facilities they serve.

Want to take advantage of the perks of travel nursing – like higher pay and flexible shifts – without leaving your hometown? Then this might be the right option for you. Learn more below!

local travel nurse

First things first. What is a local travel nurse?

A local travel nurse is an RN that takes on short-term contracts (4-13 weeks) within his or her hometown or neighboring locations. Like travel nurses, local travel nurses are typically employed by an independent staffing agency rather than one healthcare facility. However, unlike travel nursing, local assignments do not include stipends for housing and meals or travel expense reimbursements. Local assignments are 1099. Thus, taxes are not withheld, and the professional is still considered an independent contractor.

How are local assignments different from per diems?

Local assignments are longer term than per diems, and they can last between 4-13 weeks. They’re referred to as local because RNs can use these assignments to find long-term or permanent assignments at local facilities.

How does local travel nursing, a.k.a local assignments benefit nurses?

Local travel nursing is advantageous to those nurses who love travel nursing and might not want to stay in one place but also want to be close to home or family, especially if they were unable to take their families with them on travel assignments.

local travel nurse
  • Coming home at the end of the day. Local assignments let nurses come home to be with friends or family at the end of every workday and on their days off.
  • Flexibility. Local travel nursing can also be a great option for travel nurses who want to work near home in between travel assignments or when visiting friends and family in their local areas.
  • Money! Travel nurses that take on local assignments in their home states will get higher pay on average than permanent staff nurses.
  • Exploring local facilities. Many local travel nurses leverage the opportunity to work across different facilities in their hometowns to learn about all of their options, which is helpful if they were to consider taking a permanent staff position in the future. Plus, local travel nurses can choose the amount of time they spend at each facility.
  • Exploring all options. If nurses are looking to shift out of working in a hospital setting and into home health nursing, this can be another local assignment option. Some agencies offer in-home shifts taking care of older patients and adults with disabilities who need help in their own homes.

How do local assignments benefit healthcare facilities?

It’s been three years since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but hospitals and healthcare facilities are still under-staffed and under-resourced. Local assignments are beneficial to healthcare facilities that need people in the local area to fill shifts quickly in order to help the patients they need to serve within their own communities.

local travel nurse
  • Overcoming being short-staffed. Healthcare facilities struggling to overcome staffing issues can utilize local assignments to bring in people as soon as possible.
  • Utilizing local talent. Facilities can meet their staffing needs without having to find someone from out of town and wait for them to arrive in the area to fill it.
  • Covering more than one shift at a time. When healthcare facilities need coverage for more than just one shift, they can employ local travel nurses. Instead of posting several per diem jobs, they are able to book one professional for the desired days or over a number of weeks.
  • Long-term possibilities. The facilities that bring in local talent for short-term work may gain them as full-time employees later on. Some local travel nurses that find facilities they love to work in may want to put their names in the hat for permanent staff positions in the future, potentially helping these facilities overcome their staffing issues in the long term.

As you can see, local assignments or local travel nursing offer a compelling option for both nurses and facilities. Nurses can still take advantage of the flexibility and higher pay options of travel nursing while staying close to home, and facilities can bring in much-needed staff from a local talent pool.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. If housing is an issue, we have you covered with our housing page. You can search for what you are looking for.

By AB Staffing Solutions

April 14, 2023

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How to Get Hired Quickly as a Travel Healthcare Professional

AB Staffing Solutions provided this article.

Travel healthcare professionals are in demand across the country, but how fast can you get hired? For travel nurse positions, we require 1-2 years of experience before you explore travel positions. For others, it may be a different timeline, so talk to the agency and recruiter to understand the recommendations. Once you’ve selected an agency, you will work with them to find the best match.

As always, we encourage you to communicate with your recruiter from the beginning as well as while you are working. They are your connection to answering questions about the contract. They want to learn how you’re doing in your placement and how you like your new home. While you would need to contact your on-site manager for specific facility-related questions, your recruiter is your resource for everything else.

travel healthcare professional

In this article, the AB Staffing recruiters offer tips for making the hiring process for travel healthcare professionals as smooth and quick as possible.

1. Organize your documents.

Send them to the agency quickly. This includes a resume, certifications, credentials, license, and references. Having this available digitally will make it easy to send from your phone or laptop. A delay in the submission of this information can result in the position being filled by someone else. We don’t want that to happen to you, so make sure to be prepared.

2. Communicate with your references.

Don’t let a call from an agency or employer be a surprise. Contact your references to let them know they may be receiving a call, the type of position you’ve applied for, and guidance for how your work with them matches the job. They should expect a call and be ready to answer our questions about your experience working with them.

3 . Be sure your resume is up to date.

As you advance in your career, make a point to update your resume. This way, you will always have a clearly formatted document to send to potential employers and recruiters. Your recruiter can also help you format your resume, but the info you send must be the most current. Keep this in a digital file as well. The more organized you can be, the better for you in this step of your career.

4. Be sure your physical and certifications are up to date.

travel healthcare professional

It takes time to get these, so having them current will make the hiring process move faster. If these aren’t up to date, we may have to wait until they are to place you in a travel healthcare professional position. 

5. Be flexible with the locations where you would like to work.

Our recruiters understand you have dream locations where you’d like to work. While we try to make these happen, being flexible with what is currently available increases the chances of being placed. The more specific you are, the more challenging it is for our recruiters to place you.

6. Flexibility with scheduling is necessary.

As a travel healthcare professional, you are hired to fill in where the facility has no one else. Every place has a different shift available. There may be weekdays from 9 to 5, or you may have 12-hour shifts or overnights. Being flexible will go a long way for you to be invited back or to extend your contract, especially if you want to stay longer. We cannot guarantee anything, but your openness makes it easier for us to place you and/or extend a contract when available.

7. Communicate with your recruiter.

We cannot express this enough. Whether you’re looking for your first placement or you’re a seasoned traveler, always keep in contact with your recruiter. They can find a contract faster if you’re in communication with them for submittals and questions. They also want to hear from you and learn about your experience.

travel healthcare professionals

8. Answer your phone.

After you’ve submitted for a position, keep your phone close and answer it. Try not to miss potential interview calls by screening your incoming calls. This can make the process take longer, and/or you may lose opportunities.

Getting hired quickly as a travel healthcare professional has as much to do with what AB Staffing has available as it does with how prepared and engaging you are. Our recruiters love when you have documents and references ready because they want to place you where you’d prefer. While we cannot always do this, we do our best to make great matches that support your career goals.

Want to learn more? Contact AB Staffing today!

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.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)