You’ve signed the contract. Your bags are packed. You’ve scoped out the best local coffee shop and even found a gym with travel nurse discounts. But then… crickets. Your start date is suddenly pending because credentialing is delayed.
Stuck in Credentialing Limbo? Here’s How to Take Back Control:
Sound familiar?
You’re not alone. In 2025, one of the top non-clinical challenges facing travel nurses is the slowdown in credentialing, and it’s not talked about enough.
Let’s fix that. Below is your survival guide to navigating the credentialing wait like a pro (and keeping your sanity in the process).
What’s Causing the Bottleneck?
Credentialing delays aren’t about you—they’re about an overloaded system. More hospitals are tightening their onboarding requirements, states are adjusting licensing timelines, and third-party vendors (looking at you, background checks) are seeing major delays.
Oh, and let’s not forget EMR training modules that take longer to access than a Taylor Swift presale queue.
Real Talk: How This Impacts Travel Nurses
- Financial Stress: You’ve booked housing, maybe even left a permanent job, only to sit unpaid while paperwork floats in the credentialing void.
- Mental Whiplash: One minute, you’re on; the next minute, your recruiter is saying, “Maybe next Monday.”
- Housing Trouble: Your move-in date may hit before your first paycheck does. Yikes.
What You Can Do (Instead of Just Refreshing Your Email)
1. Build a Digital Credential Kit
Keep a cloud folder (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) with:
- Immunization records
- CPR/BLS, ACLS, PALS certifications, and Specialty-specific certifications (e.g., TNCC, NIHSS)
- RN, LPN, CNA, and Allied professionals’ license(s)
- Past performance evaluations
- Compliance modules or past EMR screenshots
Your future self (and recruiter) will thank you.
OneStaff Medical’s “Traveler Backpack” is a massive game-changer for our own travelers. It is a resource that helps with organizing medical records, licenses, and certifications, and tracks expiration dates to keep the teams organized and ready to quickly get you into that next assignment.
2. Ask Smart Questions Before You Sign
- “What’s the average credentialing time for this facility?”
- “Will I need new drug screens or physicals?”
- “Can we get any paperwork started early?”
Pro tip: Some OneStaff travelers begin onboarding before contracts are even finalized—we call that being one step ahead.
3. Use the Down Time Wisely
If you’re in limbo:
- Get ahead on online training or CEUs
- Scope out weekend adventures near your assignment
- Ask your recruiter about local PRN or per diem work to fill the gap
4. Talk to Your Agency—A Lot
Stay in close communication with your recruiter. At OneStaff, we’re constantly working with facilities to streamline credentialing, but transparency goes both ways. The more we know, the more we can do to help you pivot if things shift.
A Recruiter’s Take
From the recruiters:
“Credentialing delays are the number one unexpected curveball right now. We tell our travelers: stay flexible, keep everything organized, and always ask how long credentialing actually took for the last nurse at that hospital.”
When considering a ‘quick start’ assignment, recruiter/compliance partners often assess if the traveler has already gathered basic compliance items. They might ask:
‘Do I have the basic compliance items gathered already?’
-or-
‘Have I checked state records or with my primary doctor for these documents?'”
This adds another layer of preparedness to help our travelers and help us all ensure a streamlined onboarding to the next assignment.
These little things can make all the difference in the quickness of the effort.
Final Thoughts
You can’t always speed up credentialing, but you can be prepared, proactive, and empowered. Delays may be frustrating, but they’re temporary. Your adventure, your impact, and your assignment are still ahead of you.
And if you need a team that hustles on your behalf (with backup plans always in motion), we’ve got you.
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Are you on the hunt for your next travel healthcare gig? Look no further than our job board! Click here to explore all our current opportunities. We have opportunities for all travel healthcare professionals.
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