Medical Solutions provided this article.
So, you’ve heard about the option of travel nursing, and your interest is piqued. But, like many others before you, there are so many questions to ask and answer before getting started. Right off the bat, people tend to wonder if travel nursing is only an option for certain types of nurses or in certain specialties. The good news for nurses considering a career in travel nursing is that pretty much all varieties of nurses can become travel nurses! That includes everyone from an RN all the way up to a CNO. If you visit an established company’s travel nurse job search tool and browse through the specialties and titles, you’ll get an excellent idea of what kinds of opportunities are out there for you.
Of course, you’ll also want to make sure you’ve got the proper education, credentials, and experience, and, when the time comes closer for you to kick start your travel career, the right licensing to practice in the state where each of your assignments is located.
Education and Experience
While all kinds of nurses can be travel nurses, there’s technically one exception, and that’s brand-new nurses. Of course, you’ll have to earn your BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) or ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) and then pass the NCLEX to become an RN, but most hospitals and facilities also require two years (one minimum) of in-facility experience before offering you a travel nursing job. Often, nurses with their BSN may be more in-demand than a nurse with their ADN if stacked against each other.
Rather than just an arbitrary rule, experience requirements protect patient care and nurses’ licenses. It’s crucial for your skills to be down pat so you can hit the ground running at each new travel nursing assignment and provide the best patient care possible. Orientation at a travel job tends to be brief, and there are tons more to download at every new position. Experience requirements also protect you and your license while helping ensure you have a good travel nursing experience. Travel nursing takes adaptability and quick thinking, so having that solid, well-practiced base of skills makes all the difference for you, your patients, and the facility.
Most In-demand Specialties
Just because all types of nurses can become travel nurses doesn’t take preference out of the picture. Hospitals and facilities still have a higher demand for certain specialties, which you’ll see reflected in job openings and compensation. Some of the most consistently in-demand nurse specialties are:
Non-RN and Allied Travel Healthcare Jobs
The term “travel nursing” is often used as an umbrella term that includes CNAs, LPNs, and allied health professionals. Just because you’re not an RN doesn’t exclude you from a career in travel healthcare! Many travel companies offer jobs for allied health professionals, other types of nurses, and healthcare industry roles. In fact, some CNAs, for example, might even choose to travel with their current title while earning their BSN online. That kind of approach would be fantastic for a person’s travel resume.
So, in summary, all kinds of nurses can be travel nurses — even nurse leaders and allied health professionals — but you’ll also want to consider your education, experience, and specialty when thinking about a career in travel nursing. The best thing to do at the early stages of travel nursing curiosity is to connect with a recruiter. They can help answer your questions and arm you with important information, even if you’re not ready to get started right away.
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.
