A traveling nurse is an RN (registered nurse) who travels and works in a hospital setting for a short period, usually between a few months and one year. Employers generally cover traveling nurses’ travel expenses, accommodation, and health benefits.
A traveling nurse must have the same skills and certifications as a typical Registered Nurse and the ability to adapt to varying working conditions. If you’re thrilled to pursue this profession, this post is for you. Here’s how you can pursue a career in nursing without giving up travel.
Gaining Knowledge and Experience
Find out what careers are available in nursing. Make sure this career fits your goals and interests before pursuing a degree or program certification in nursing. Learn what it’s like to be a traveling nurse online and speak with nurses to see if this career path suits you. Besides, consider how you’ll learn. You could choose an online program with a complement of online study documents like this Biology document to gain more knowledge and enhance learning.
You might volunteer in local clinics or hospitals so you can gain first-hand experience in a nursing career. Doing this can determine if you are interested in the job before applying. Consider the pros and cons of moving around frequently for your career. This career might not be suitable for some people because they want a more stable lifestyle.
Take Additional Courses
Make sure you set yourself apart from your competitors, even if you have a degree or an apprenticeship. Taking additional caregiving courses will help you improve your skills. Short courses devoted to specific patient care are available at several places. It can include providing dialysis, assisting patients after anesthesia, and caring for disabled patients who need more exceptional care.
It is often essential to present skills such as these to a prospective employer to secure a job. Ultimately, travel nurses should help fill staffing gaps by being as flexible as possible. Adding a wide range of relevant skills to your CV will make you more attractive to recruiters since you will fill in more gaps than your competitors.
Become an RN by Passing the NCLEX
With your nursing degree, you will be ready to take the NCLEX-RN — the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.
Registered nurses can become nurses when they pass their NCLEX exams and meet their state’s licensing requirements. Once you’ve gained enough nursing experience, you can seek opportunities as a traveling nurse.
Apply With a Travel Nurse Staffing Agency
After you’ve obtained your education, experience, and credentials, you’ll be ready to find a travel nursing staffing agency. The following resources can help you find the right one:
- Rating services — Several online services are available for former traveling nurses to rate the various agencies they have worked with.
- Lead generators — You can sell your contact information and data to agencies through lead generation websites. Upon receiving your information from these websites, these travel nursing agencies will contact you.
- Colleague referrals — Get recommendations from colleagues who have used a travel nursing agency. If they worked at the agency, they might connect you with someone.
- Consider joining a professional networking site — Get in touch with others in the field through a professional networking site. There might be more referrals available or recruiters and agencies you can contact.
Staffing agencies differ in their benefits and alliances with specific healthcare facilities, geographic areas, and even nursing specializations. Don’t forget to keep track of the positions offered and their benefits packages.
What are the Skills Required of a Travel Nurse?
Travel nurses often play a variety of roles and have complex responsibilities. It would be best to demonstrate the following skills to be effective in this role:
- Adaptability — Travel nurses must adapt to different tasks and working conditions daily.
- Customer service — Patients are not necessarily your customers, but their perception of their illness may differ from the medical reality, and you may need to change their belief about treatment.
- Teamwork — You may need to work effectively with other nurses and medical professionals to ensure top-quality patient care.
- Compassion — You play a crucial role in nursing by helping others. It is often necessary for you to put your concerns and views aside to make sure your patient receives the care they need.
- Working under pressure — As a nurse, you must think quickly and come up with solutions to developing problems rapidly and effectively during high-pressure situations. Being able to act calmly in stressful situations when a patient’s life is at stake is also essential.
Conclusion
A career in nursing can provide you with traveling opportunities. If you’ve always been passionate about providing community wellness and love traveling, you won’t have to forgo one. With the above tips, you can become a traveling nurse without sacrificing your freedom.