How To Start Travel Nursing
Wondering how to become a travel nurse?
I started my travel nursing journey in 2019 so this blog is an account of my experience these last couple of years and how I've navigated them!
TRAVEL NURSING REQUIREMENTS
One year of experience in the area of your nursing specialty.
I have never seen a requirement for a BSN and an ADN will still get you a job just about anywhere. From my experience I have worked with plenty of travel nurses who only have their ADN
2-3 references from your current job
References should typically be someone from a management position or at least a Charge RN.
Active RN license in the state you want to work in.
Some states provide compact privileges meaning you can practice in other states within the compact without applying for additional licenses. Another circumstance where a license would not be required are in states of emergency when the board of nursing in a particular state grants practice privileges. Click here for a link outlining the nursing compact map including states with pending legislation.
First thing to consider: what are your goals? Are you wanting to make the most money or move somewhere for the experience? Picking the right company can help you accommodate your needs!
Second thing to consider: where do you want to go? There are over 500 travel nurse companies and each hospital can be particular about the companies they use. I would consider first where you're interested in going so you reach out to the right companies.
Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite weekend getaways when I take contracts in Northern California
CHOOSING A TRAVEL NURSE COMPANY
Once you've thought about your goals, now you have to find a company to accommodate your needs.
A great resource for finding a company that suits you is using this Facebook Group and using the search engine for specific questions or posting your own. If you have a specific location in mind I highly recommend joining a Facebook group that covers your area of interest. For example, joining a FB group created by Alaskan nurses assisted me greatly during my assignment there. I found a recruiting company through the group who had a job opening which enabled me to land a competitive contract in Alaska. To find a FB group for the area you’re wanting see, simply type in the city followed by “travel nurses” in your FB search bar and there should be groups that will populate for you to join.
If you’re hoping to choose travel contracts to make the most money you can, click here or here for a Facebook group that regularly post higher paying contracts. Keep in mind that if you want to make more money, they might be 48 hour contracts in lesser desirable locations. Fastaff is also know for having the highest paying jobs in the country and they post there pay packages openly.
I have personally used Aya Healthcare, AMN, RN Network and Aureus. I think it all comes down to the recruiter and their transparency. Aya and AMN are larger companies which means they typically have more opportunity and resources to help you through the onboarding process but I’ve also used smaller companies and have had a great experience!
Using your connections with friends and colleagues to find a company/recruiter is a great option as well. Many companies offer referral bonuses for recommending new travelers.
A quick google search can lead you to many different companies that can help guide you in the right direction. I do suggest working with 2 companies to broaden your options and to make sure they are paying you appropriately! Working with 3 or more companies can get confusing and sometimes lead to double submitting which is critical to avoid.
HOW SOON CAN YOU START TRAVEL NURSING?
Once you are working with a recruiter, you have mostly online paperwork to fill out before being submitted for a job. It can take less than an hour to get your profile together and from there you can start submitting for jobs. The job process can be quick as you could hear back for a job offer as early as the same day so be prepared to move fast! Most start dates are 2-6 weeks out.
pro-tip: keep all of your documents that you submit to recruiters in an organized place so if you have to change companies the process is smoother.
WHEN TO LOOK FOR JOBS
Some jobs have start dates as early as the following week but typically no further than 6 weeks. If you are really set on being in a certain location, I would start looking for jobs 3 months prior to when you can start just to gauge what hospital contracts are looking like and what pay packages you can expect.
If you have other questions or if this was helpful, comment below!
