As America faces a nursing shortage, travel nurses have become increasingly in demand. They step into roles in understaffed hospitals and medical centers where they are needed most.
In return, top travel nurse agencies provide competitive hourly pay rates, housing stipends or free furnished housing, health insurance starting on the first day of each assignment, and more. Learn more about this rewarding career opportunity below!
What is a Travel Nurse?
If you want to add variety and excitement to your nursing career while building a solid resume with diverse hospital experience, consider becoming a travel nurse. These nurses fill temporary staffing shortages at hospitals on short-term contracts — usually 13-week blocks — to meet the needs of the healthcare environment.
Staffing agencies are often the best resource for travel nurse jobs in Texas. Each agency offers benefits packages, including health, dental, and life insurance, tuition reimbursement and vacation time, housing or hotel allowances, and other perks. Experienced travel nurses recommend that new RNs keep track of their options and benefits and contact multiple staffing agencies to get the most out of their careers.
Travel nurses can bring their spouses and pets on assignments if their housing accommodations allow it. The agencies can often provide recommendations and housing options to accommodate family considerations and pet needs.
Many travel nurses live with roommates or rent an apartment to save money and make their stipends go further. Travel nurses typically can extend their contracts if they like an assignment or hospital location, but if their contract ends early, they will not be paid through the end of the contract.
What are the Requirements to Become a Travel Nurse?
The requirements to become a travel nurse vary by hospital and specialty, but generally, nurses should have a BSN, a few years of nursing experience, and be ready for a change of scenery. Nurses interested in this career path work with specialized nursing agencies to find hospital placements with staffing shortages.
Hospitals use travel nurses to fill temporary nursing positions without permanent staff due to budget restrictions or specialty needs. Travel nurses can choose from assignments in rural areas, small towns, and big cities nationwide and internationally.
Some travel nurses pursue specialty certifications to increase their employment options or earning potential. Earning these certificates requires additional training, so following them while working as a permanent nurse is best.
Travel nurses must also adapt quickly to new assignments, often starting in a completely different location each 13-week contract. There may be better career choices for nurses who get bored rapidly. However, for those who thrive on change and adventure, travel nursing is a fantastic opportunity to see new parts of the country and meet new people.
How Do I Become a Travel Nurse?
You can work on short-term contracts in various healthcare facilities as a travel nurse. You may find assignments in multiple locations, from major cities to remote areas with unique medical needs. You can find jobs by looking at job boards online or contacting travel nursing agencies.
Some staffing companies specialize in specific clinical specialties, so choosing one that matches your qualifications is essential. Travel nurses must be licensed RNs, and the requirements vary by hospital. Some hospitals only require a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) and a couple of years’ experience, while others have more specific requirements, such as certification in a particular field.
Travel nursing offers many benefits, such as a flexible schedule and the chance to build a diversified nursing resume. However, working far from home can be lonely, and it’s crucial to have supportive family members or friends.
Many travel nurses make lifelong friendships with their co-workers and become accustomed to uprooting themselves every few months. However, they still need a support system in place to cope with homesickness.
How Much Money Can I Make as a Travel Nurse?
Travel nurses earn higher salaries than staff nurses, which makes this a great career choice for those who want to make more money. Travel nurses can boost their pay by taking assignments in high-demand states or in specialized fields such as trauma nursing or pediatrics. They can also take advantage of housing stipends, which are non-taxable payments that cover a portion of the cost of living.
Choosing to work on rapid response assignments can boost your pay, too. These are short-term positions that hospitals often offer in emergencies. These positions are more difficult to snag than regular staff nurse jobs, but they can provide extra income to help cover living expenses. You can increase your opportunities if you can find multiple state nursing licenses.
Your claim is valid in other states because many states are part of the Nurse Licensure Compact. It can considerably expand your travel nurse job options, mainly if you specialize or become a fill-in nurse manager. Multiple state nursing licenses can also increase your bargaining power with healthcare staffing agencies.
How Do I Find a Job as a Travel Nurse?
Getting started as a travel nurse begins with applying to a staffing agency. These organizations can be located online or by requesting recommendations from co-workers. Staffing agencies often post open nursing positions and may offer additional services, such as housing assistance or credentialing support.
The minimum requirement for becoming a travel nurse is a registered nurse (RN) license, which you can get with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nursing. Some agencies prefer nurses with a bachelor’s degree because they tend to be more flexible and adaptable to new work environments. Since travel nurses change assignments every 13 weeks, they have to be able to adjust quickly and effectively to different situations.
In addition, they are frequently uprooted from home and family. For some, this constant movement can be a bit stressful, but others thrive on the variety and flexibility of travel nursing. Moreover, it’s common for travel nurses to make lifelong friends as they relocate across the country. These connections can be valuable as you move to new assignments or start a career in another field.
