Travel Nursing 101
Do you love to travel, but also enjoy being a nurse? If so, consider combining your passions and becoming a travel nurse. From making more money to having the freedom to travel the world, there are so many benefits to travel nursing. When you entrust your career to Total Medical, it becomes possible.
What is a travel nurse?
A travel nurse is an RN, BSN, or NP from varying clinical backgrounds who choose to take non-permanent working assignments to fill employment gaps. These positions mean you work for an independent nursing staffing agency as oppose to a single hospital.
How is travel nursing different from Per Diem nursing?
Per Diem or per day, nurses do not have set schedules or hours that they are required to work. Per diem nurses work on a day-to-day basis, helping to fill in at local medical facilities in their area. There is an excessive amount of flexibility for per diem workers, but it is important to note that per diem nurses are not guaranteed work.
Per Diem nursing is why many local nurses seek out Total Medical. Their goal is to pick up extra shifts to earn more money. In turn, our per diem jobs are in abundance. If you are looking for local per diem jobs as opposed to travel nursing, feel free to check out our job board.
Why are travel nurses critical?
Travel nurses are an essential part of health care because they work to bridge the gap between supply and demand in the nursing field. Hospitals and medical facilities all over the country face nursing shortages for various reasons. These shortages allow travel nurses the opportunity to assist the facilities, permanent workers, with their caseloads.
Travel nurses may not wear their cape to work, but they are heroes because they give hope. Whether they are caring for a patient during a typical shift or helping after a disaster, they offer strength, comfort, and capability that is hard to come by. Nurses are heroes because saving lives is “business as usual”.
How does travel nurse pay differ from staff nurse pay?
Staff nurses are generally paid a set salary based on education and experience. Travel nurses, on the other hand, are different in that they receive packages composed of various components such as pay, housing stipends, travel reimbursements, and more.
What are the educational and experience requirements for travel nursing?
If you are interested in becoming a travel nurse, please know that there are three main types of travel nurses; RN, NPs, and LPN. No matter the type of nursing degree you hold, to become a traveling nurse, you must have passed the NCLEX exam and be licensed as a nurse in the state in which you hope to work. Most travel nursing positions require at least six months of nursing experience before applying.
It is important to note that travel nursing requirements vary by state and specialty. Our experienced team of recruiters is available to help guide you through the process and ensure that you are qualified and prepared to enter an assignment.
Is travel nursing a smart choice in the nursing job market?
Working as a travel nurse allows you to work in a variety of clinical settings that are unavailable to you in a full-time position. New work experiences have the potential to inspire new perspectives and knowledge that will only benefit you in your career as you continue to hone your clinical skills.
Let’s face it; travel nursing allows you the opportunity to build and grow your clinical competency, which will make you highly sought after in the long run.
How can I become a travel nurse with Total Medical?
There has never been a better time to being your career as a travel nurse! At Total Medical Personnel Staffing, we understand your industry and promise to listen to your specific needs. To become a Total Medical traveler, you must complete an online application. Once you submit your forms, one of our recruiters will contact you to discuss assignments that match your skills and experience.
Where can I go as a travel nurse?
One of the many exciting things about travel nursing is that you have the opportunity to choose where you want to go when you want to go. Travel nursing allows you to explore new places and experience diverse practice environments at the same time. Feel free to check out our job board and our affiliates’ job board as well to figure out where you feel called to travel!
Ready to start your career as a travel nurse?
Do you have other questions about the requirements travel nursing requires? If so, our experienced travel nurse recruiters are standing by, ready to help you! We want to allow you to step in and support communities that need it most while being paid top dollar. Contact us today to begin your journey!