May 12, 2023

3887 Views

Ways to Be a Travel Nurse: How Different Families Make It Work

Posted on May 12, 2023May 12, 2023 by Triage Healthcare Staffing

Triage Healthcare Staffing provided this article.

Lots of times, nurses think they can only be travel nurses if they’re travel nursing on their own. Either they’re single or leave their families and spouses at home while they go off on an adventure alone. If you’re interested in travel nursing with a family, see how these travelers make it work.

Travel Nursing with Your Family: How Others Make it Work:

Travel Nursing With a Partner Who’s a Remote Worker

If your partner is a remote worker, they may be able to join you on the road. One of the positive things that came out of the pandemic was how common remote work became for office workers. Before 2020, a lot of companies were against remote working, thinking that employees needed to be in the office to work effectively, but many have loosened that requirement. If your partner can easily work from anywhere, you’ve got a built-in travel buddy.

If your partner is traveling with you, check to make sure your housing is work-from-home friendly. This might be a corporate housing apartment or private Airbnb, so your partner can easily work during the day. Before you book your housing arrangements, make sure that there’s strong WIFI that’s included so you don’t end up spending money each day upgrading your WIFI.

Travel Nursing with a Partner Who’s a Travel Healthcare Pro

If you and your partner are both healthcare professionals, it will take a little extra work to make sure you’re both in the same city and even more if you want to be at the same facility with the same shifts. One way to do this is to use the same recruiter as a resource. If you’re a travel nurse and your partner is a lab tech, make sure you’re working with an agency that has both types of contracts.

Traveling PTs Kari and Tyler love traveling together because they always have a buddy to explore a new area.

“Having each other never makes you feel too far from home because you always have your person ‘home’ with you. However, it can be difficult to find two assignments at the same time. What makes it more difficult for us is that we are a little pickier about setting and location. We see pair jobs pop up often, but not always in settings we are willing to work. Having a recruiter who knows your interests and has your best interests in mind is key to being successful as a travel duo,” said Kari.

Travel Nursing With Kids

If you’re travel nursing with a partner and kids, you’ll want to look for housing near some kid-friendly activities, especially if you’re only taking one car while on assignment. You’ll definitely want to look for an apartment or at least a hotel suite with a separate sleeping area for your kiddo, so you have a place to relax if you’re working long hours or nights. Traveler Cindy travels with her husband and small daughter and suggests Furnished Finder after finding scams on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.

One of Cindy’s favorite things about traveling with her family is the ability to explore new places as well as looking for a permanent place to call home.

“We love to explore the new city, museums, aquariums, zoos, parks, and the best restaurants and ice cream parlors. We are looking for our next place to live permanently and want to experience as many parts of the country that we have interest in as we can,” said Cindy.

Traveling gives Cindy’s husband, James, the freedom to attend online school while staying home to care for their little girl. She sometimes attends preschool, which gives her some interaction with other kids while allowing James time to focus on his studies while Cindy’s working. It’s an arrangement that takes a little effort but is well worth it, according to Cindy.

Travel Nursing With a Pet

Your four-legged buddies can be just as much of your family, but it can make finding housing more difficult, especially if your pet is bigger. Traveling PT Kari says their dog Spencer also has a vet in almost every state. He’s been rushed to the emergency vet after a snake attack in Louisiana, sprayed by a skunk, and even taken into work.

“The best part about traveling with a pet is having someone who is always so happy to see you! It is also great to see how much he loves to explore new places—he loves to adventure as much as we do. He is our little piece of home that is always with us,” said Kari.

Are you interested in travel nursing with your family? Triage staffs the best and brightest travel nursing, laboratory, radiology, cardiopulmonary, and rehab therapy professionals in facilities across the country. Visit our job board of travel nurse jobs, many with pay listed.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

By CareerStaff Unlimited

May 11, 2023

6925 Views

How Hard Is It to Get Your First Travel Nursing Job?

Posted on May 11, 2023May 11, 2023 by CareerStaff Unlimited

CareerStaff Unlimited provided this article.

Travel nursing has taken off in a big way recently, offering more opportunities than ever before. But as more nurses pursue the traveler lifestyle, employers have sometimes become a little more selective. For new or experienced nurses new to traveling, just how hard is it to get your first travel nursing job in 2023?

What to Know About Travel Nursing in 2023

Always a favorite career for adventure seekers and those looking for new experiences, travel nursing is now appealing to many other types of people, too. From nurses who want the flexibility of working as contractors to those driven to help communities in need, travel nursing offers some pretty rewarding outcomes. Alongside visiting exciting destinations across the country, there are multiple reasons why nurses are going mobile!

If those benefits sound good to you, you’re not alone. More nurses are pursuing travel nursing jobs than ever. But the good news is that there are also more opportunities than ever. After the Covid-19 pandemic, many employers started using more travel nurses as contingency staff — a trend that will likely continue into the foreseeable future.

The not-so-good news is that travel nursing jobs aren’t always so easy to land, especially in great facilities or popular locations. As more and more nurses choose to travel, the average experience goes up. As a result, new nurses may find themselves competing with many other, more qualified applicants.

Checklist: How to Get Your First Travel Nursing Job

With that in mind, what should people new to travel nursing understand about working as a traveler? What steps do you need to take to get your first travel nursing job?

✓ Earn your degree. Any type of nursing job begins with getting the right education. For RNs, that means an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited university. For LPNs, LVNs, and CNAs, it means graduating from a college nursing program or similar training — check out the technical schools or community colleges in your area to see what’s available.

✓ Get licensed. All RNs and LPNs will have to pass the NCLEX to get licensed in their home state. A travel job may require getting licensed in another state, too. If this is the case, your recruiter will guide you through the process of getting the license you need to travel.

Pro tip: Getting licensed in a Nurse Licensing Compact state lets you work in dozens of states with a single license!

✓ Get certified. If you’re pursuing a specific specialty, you’ll need to get certified before working in that field. For instance, nurses who want to work in the ICU will need a Critical Care Nurse Certification (CCRN®). If a job requires additional certification, your recruiter should be able to help you get it.

Pro tip: Always ask questions, and discuss the specific path you should take to land your dream job!

✓ Develop skills. Some of the skills that can help you stand out from applicants don’t always require certification. If you really want to make sure you land the job you want, demonstrating skills in communication, organization, and leadership are always valued by employers. Once you gain those skills, remember to spruce up your nursing resume!

✓ Get experience. A look at current job listings for nurses and nurse support professionals shows that some jobs still make a point of accepting new grads. However, many hospitals and skilled nursing facilities prefer RNs with one to two years of experience and LPNs/LVNs and CNAs with at least six months of experience.

✓ Develop relationships. At a time when jobs are competitive, professional references are more important than ever. Cultivating strong relationships in school, during conferences or events, or at other times could be the difference in making your travel nurse application stand out among the rest.

✓ Find a recruiter. As your greatest resource in landing that first travel nursing job, a good recruiter will be dedicated to making sure you find the job that’s the best fit for you. They’ll also help walk you through any additional licensing or certification you may need and be on call to help you through any issues.

So, just how hard is it to get your first travel nursing job in 2023? It’s a little more competitive than it was a few years ago. However, aspiring travel nurses who have honed their skills or built strong connections are more likely to have their choice of great travel assignments than ever before!

Good luck with your next travel adventure! If you’re looking to land your first travel nursing job, CareerStaff Unlimited has opportunities across the United States and great recruiters to help you find the one that’s right for you. Visit CareerStaff.com for all the details.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

By Medely

May 6, 2023

4954 Views

The 6 Things it Takes To Be a Nurse

Posted on May 6, 2023 by Medely

Medely provided this article.

At one point, everyone has had their lives touched by a nurse. Whether it’s the school nurse that let you lay down in her office when you had a headache, the nurse that was with you through the delivery of your first baby, or the nurse that held your hand when a parent or grandparent was in the hospital. Nurses are tireless, compassionate, and passionate workers that are there when it’s time to take care of ourselves and our loved ones, and they are a group with a unique set of skills. So, it’s time to celebrate the qualities that make a great nurse, and there’s no better time to do that than during Nurses’ Week.

Here are the 6 top qualities of nurses who are working every day to provide the best possible care for their patients:

Empathy.

First and foremost, nurses care. Their empathy and compassion are unmatched, and these are crucial skills nurses need to be the best in their field. Patients often come to nurses when they’re in pain, anxious, or scared, and nurses offer comfort and support in addition to medical help. Caring about their patients on a deeper level and trying to understand both their physical and emotional needs establishes a foundation of trust. This nurse-patient trust helps them build a rapport and a plan for treatment catered specifically for each patient.

Ability to Communicate.

Nurses are able to effectively communicate with doctors, medical teams, patients, and their families in order to provide the best possible care. This starts with active listening from the very first patient interaction, communicating those needs to doctors and other medical professionals in the patients’ care team, and conveying complicated medical information in everyday language back to patients and families. They are the essential conduit that patients trust, and doctors rely on to make sure everyone has all of the essential information to give the patient the care that they need.

Passion for helping others.

If you ask a nursing professional why they decided to become a nurse, they will often say it’s because they wanted to help others, care for patients, and be there for people when they’re most vulnerable. They are motivated by creating intimate connections with patients and having a meaningful impact on their lives – helping them navigate illness, end-of-life care, or caring for family members – all while treating them with respect and kindness. They help those in need for a living and take a lot of satisfaction and pride, knowing that they can be advocates for their patients and be the ones that help alleviate their suffering and get them on the road to recovery.

Equanimity.

Nurses are cool under pressure and have quick decision-making and sound judgment skills. They are smart and steadfast. In order to be able to make decisions in complicated and urgent situations when it comes to patient care, nurses have to be able to think critically and solve problems fast, which often involves weighing potential complications, analyzing data, and leaning on precedent and their own knowledge and experience to implement safe and effective care. It’s not easy, but nurses make these tough decisions every day.

Resilience.

Nursing also requires resilience. Many nursing professionals are still reeling from the effects and burnout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which added challenging and distressing elements to work that was already physically and mentally demanding, even in the best of times. Plus, many nurses work in fast-paced and high-stress environments, facing challenging situations like emergencies, critically ill patients, hard decisions, and difficult conversations with patients and families. But, they are a strong workforce that can handle the stress and pressure while staying professional and putting patients first. And the nursing field is growing and expected to see continued growth as more and more brave nurses join the force in order to help people for a living.

Adaptability.

With the ever-changing field of medicine, especially post-pandemic, nurses have to be adaptable, especially when it comes to changing policies, tech, care plans, procedures, and schedules. And, as healthcare has evolved, so too has the nursing profession. Some nurses have found their niche by specializing in cardiac care and family care, or become nurse anesthetists or educators, while some have looked outside of hospitals and delved into home health care or hospice care. Some have turned to travel nursing, local assignments, and other ways to expand their skills and find new experiences, while still, others have found permanent staff positions to be a part of a local community of patients. There are always evolving ways for nurses to use their skills to help those in need, and they continue to step up to be our best care advocates in every stage of life.

Nurses are an integral part of the delivery of care across the United States. This National Nurses Week, take time to acknowledge, celebrate, and recognize the nurses that have changed your work and personal lives. These skills are also something to keep in mind if you are considering a professional career in nursing.

If you’re interested in learning about how you can use your skills to lead a more flexible and balanced work life, visit medely.com to find per diem, local assignments, and travel assignments that are right for you.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. If housing is an issue, we have you covered with our housing page. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By RTG Medical

May 4, 2023

5095 Views

Skills Every Healthcare Traveler Should Have

Posted on May 4, 2023 by RTG Medical

RTG Medical provided this article.

Traveling healthcare professionals, whether nurses or other medical professionals, play a critical role in providing medical services to patients and filling staffing gaps around the country. To succeed in this field, healthcare travelers should possess unique skills and qualities that allow them to adapt quickly to new environments, work independently, and provide high-quality patient care. Here are the critical skills that every traveling healthcare professional should have to excel in their roles.

Adaptability

Traveling healthcare professionals often work in new and unfamiliar environments, adapting to new cities, facilities, staff, policies, and contracts. Having the ability to adjust to new situations is essential to success. In addition to adapting to new environments, several aspects of adaptability are necessary for traveling medical professionals:

Flexibility: Quickly adjusting to schedule changes, patient needs, and healthcare protocols is crucial.
Open-mindedness: Being open to new ideas and approaches can lead to better patient care and more effective teamwork with colleagues.
Resilience: Medical professionals often face difficult situations and high-stress environments. Having the ability to bounce back from setbacks is an integral part of adaptability.

By cultivating these skills, healthcare travelers can thrive in their work and provide the best patient care possible.

Clinical Expertise

Of course, having strong communication skills is essential for any medical professional. As a healthcare traveler, you should be confident in providing quality care in various clinical settings.

As a healthcare traveler, you’ll encounter diverse patients, each with a unique medical history, cultural background, and language barrier. Improving your clinical expertise can provide better care and build stronger patient relationships.

Taking continuing education courses, attending medical conferences, and learning about the latest medical advancements can improve your clinical expertise. Moreover, you can also seek mentorship from experienced healthcare professionals to improve your skills and knowledge. You can build stronger relationships with your patients and provide the best care possible by constantly improving your clinical expertise.

Communication

Effective communication is crucial in any healthcare setting. As a traveling medical professional, you must communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals. Strong communication skills are fundamental in the healthcare industry, where clear and concise communication can be a matter of life and death. As a traveling medical professional, you’ll encounter a diverse range of patients and healthcare providers, each with their own unique communication styles and needs.

Here are some tips for effective communication in a healthcare setting:

Listen Actively: Take the time to truly listen to patients and colleagues and ask clarifying questions when needed.
Be clear and concise: Use simple language and avoid complicated medical terminology when speaking with patients. In addition, be precise and use appropriate terminology when talking with other medical professionals.
Use nonverbal cues: Body language and tone of voice can convey just as much information as words. Make eye contact, use appropriate facial expressions, and pay attention to your tone and pitch.
Be respectful: Treat everyone with respect and empathy, regardless of their background or circumstances. This includes patients, their families, and your colleagues.
Use technology wisely: With the rise of telemedicine and remote work, it’s important to be comfortable using technology to communicate. Ensure you understand how to use any communication tools you’ll be using and be mindful of privacy and security concerns.

By practicing these communication skills, you’ll be better equipped to provide quality patient care and collaborate effectively with your colleagues, no matter where your travels take you.

Time Management

Being a traveling healthcare professional means working in different locations with varying schedules. Effective time management skills are crucial in keeping you organized and meeting deadlines. Here are some tips to help you manage your time more efficiently:

Use a planner or calendar to keep track of your schedule and deadlines, including travel time.
Prioritize your tasks based on their importance and urgency to avoid procrastination and stay focused on the essential tasks.
Minimize distractions while working by turning off your phone or finding a quiet workspace.
Take short breaks throughout the day to avoid burnout and increase productivity. Use this time to stretch or take a walk.
Stay flexible and adaptable because unexpected changes may occur that require you to adjust your schedule or priorities.

By implementing these time management strategies, you can stay organized, efficient, and productive while working as a traveling medical professional.

As a traveler, you may face additional challenges, such as jet lag or adjusting to different time zones. To help combat these challenges, consider the following tips:

Get a good night’s sleep before traveling to your next location
Try to adjust your sleep schedule gradually before arriving at your destination
Stay hydrated and eat healthy meals to keep your energy levels up
Take advantage of any downtime during travel, such as waiting at the airport, to catch up on work or rest
If possible, schedule your work tasks around your natural energy patterns. For example, if you are more alert in the morning, schedule your most important tasks for that time.

By incorporating these additional tips into your time management strategies, you can ensure that you are organized and productive and care for your physical and mental well-being while working in different locations.

Emotional Intelligence

As a traveling nurse, it’s essential to recognize that patient care extends beyond medical interventions. Cultural differences can significantly impact patient care, making it crucial to take the time to learn about a patient’s cultural background and beliefs. This helps to provide respectful and culturally appropriate care, which can make all the difference in a patient’s recovery.

Patients may experience feelings of vulnerability or anxiety, particularly if they are in an unfamiliar setting. Explaining procedures and treatments clearly and compassionately can help alleviate these feelings and put patients at ease.

Sometimes, you may encounter patients with complex medical histories or conditions requiring specialized care. Working closely with the patient’s healthcare team is essential to ensure the patient receives the best possible care.

Overall, empathy and openness to understanding each patient’s unique needs and circumstances are crucial for providing high-quality care. As a traveling nurse, approaching each patient with these qualities will improve their physical and emotional health.

To succeed as a healthcare traveler, one must possess various skills, including adaptability, clinical expertise, communication, time management, and emotional intelligence. Adaptability is crucial when working in new and unfamiliar environments, and clinical expertise can enhance patient care. Effective communication can convey information with clarity and empathy; time management skills can help you stay organized and efficient. Emotional intelligence is essential in recognizing cultural differences and providing respectful, culturally appropriate care. By mastering these skills, healthcare travelers can provide high-quality patient care and make the most out of each assignment.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By AMN Healthcare

May 1, 2023

4973 Views

Finding the Best Assignments in Travel Nursing

Posted on May 1, 2023May 1, 2023 by AMN Healthcare

AMN Healthcare provided this article.

A career as a travel nurse can provide you with adventure, professional development, and personal growth. With literally thousands of travel nurse jobs available across the United States, you can also choose when and where you work.

However, with so many options, such as various locations, clinical settings, organizational cultures, and compensation packages, how can you select the most suitable assignments?

The key components are focusing on your personal and professional priorities, conducting some research, and forming a partnership with a travel nurse agency that will position you for success. These means will require some work front and center, yet they can significantly affect the long haul.

Here are a few critical variables to remember as you start your journey to find prime travel nurture tasks and score your best agreement yet!

How to Find a Travel Nursing Assignment

Selecting a reputable staffing agency, such as American Mobile, and beginning work with a recruiter are the first steps in finding a travel nursing assignment. This step should include online research, requesting referrals from nursing colleagues, and conducting due diligence when contacting an agency. Before deciding if this is the right company for you, learn about the available jobs, reputation, and benefits.

From that point, the fun starts! You can make a list of your preferred travel locations and facilities—teaching hospitals, trauma centers, smaller rural facilities, etc.—before your first meeting with your recruiter. After that, browse the AMN Passport to get a sense of the available opportunities and submit an application within the app. You can likewise set your inclinations in the application to get robotized warnings.

Your travel nurse agency’s database may allow you to search assignments by contract length, location, specialty, and more. Preparing a list of assignments that have piqued your interest will help you when it comes to the next step.

Clarify your personal priorities:

You and your recruiter will be able to choose the best travel nursing assignment for your situation if you evaluate job opportunities based on your priorities. Your recruiter ought to take the time to inquire about your “must-have” and “nice-to-have” lists for potential assignments from the very beginning.

When selecting travel nursing assignments, consider the following:

Assessing job opportunities based on your priorities will help you and your recruiter identify the best travel nursing assignment for your situation. Right from the start, your recruiter should take the time to ask you several questions to help discover your “must-have” list vs. your “nice-to-have” list for potential assignments.

Some of the factors to consider in selecting travel nurse assignments may include:

Geographical location, including whether it is close to people or places you want to visit
Community profile, such as city size, climate, and type of activities available nearby
Type and reputation of healthcare facility and unit (i.e., a Magnet-designated hospital)
Clinical experience and support that may be available
The compensation package, including your travel nursing salary and benefits
Length of assignment and type of shifts available

Network with fellow travel nurses

Developing a network of travel nurses can also assist you in your search for the most You never know when a highly sought-after position might become available, and a colleague in travel nursing might recommend you for it. Making associations is not difficult to do through web-based entertainment, AMN Passport, online gatherings and gatherings, and different methods for computerized relationship building.

Be that as it may, remember eye-to-eye contact, as well. Inquire with the nurses you currently work with to see if they know any travelers who might be interested in learning more about the area and offering advice.

Update your resume

Your resume may have been overlooked if you haven’t looked for a job in a while. If that is the case, you should update it as soon as possible before submitting your complete travel nursing application. Make sure that all of your experience, certifications, special skills, and other accomplishments are up to date because your recruiter will use this information to create your candidate packet, which will be presented to client facilities. Additionally, see “Expert Advice for Writing a Nursing Resume.”)

Notwithstanding, on the off chance that you really want the additional opportunity to guarantee that your resume precisely mirrors your nursing vocation and features the things that make you stick out, don’t let that keep you away from conversing with a spotter. You can let your recruiter know that your resume still needs some work by filling out American Mobile’s quick online application as a starting point. In point of fact, your recruiter might be able to offer you some guidance with regard to making those updates.

Build a relationship with your recruiter.

As you start working with your movement nurture scout, you’ll before long find the significance of laying out a trust-based relationship. You not only want to have faith that they are thinking of your best interests, but they also need to know that you are truly qualified for the position and that you will effectively represent their business when you arrive at the facility.

Correspondence is of the most extreme significance. Staying in touch via phone, email, and text is part of this, as is being open and honest about your needs and wants. A prompt response time can help ensure that you don’t miss any chosen assignments and is always appreciated.

American Portable travel medical caretakers can likewise utilize the AMN Visa Application to rapidly find occupations of interest and speak with their spotter. The app makes submitting applications and documentation on time from your smartphone simple!

Heed expert advice and know when to be flexible.

Keeping an open mind and being agreeable to unexpected opportunities is one of the easiest ways to ensure you have a great experience as a travel nurse. Being too rigid about location or any other factor may exclude you from some amazing travel nurse assignments.

Honestly, it can be difficult to find an assignment that matches everything on your wish list. That’s why it’s important to be clear about any “nonnegotiable” items yet willing to listen and take your recruiter’s advice based on what they know about you and the hiring facility. If they recommend a certain assignment, there is a good reason they are doing so! And as you continue to build that relationship, you will learn to rely on their wisdom and experience even more.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for an upcoming assignment? Click here to search our housing page.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By StaffDNA

April 30, 2023

8230 Views

Decoding Travel Nurse Rates: Anticipating Increases or Decreases Ahead

Posted on April 30, 2023December 18, 2023 by StaffDNA

StaffDNA provided this article.

In the last three and a half years, bill rate fluctuations have sometimes felt a bit like whiplash. Travel nursing changed fast when the Covid-19 Pandemic hit, and the ripple effect caused by the pandemic kept making waves well into two and three years later.

Now, the healthcare industry is shifting again. Masks are coming off, visitor restrictions are being lifted, and in some ways, it feels like we are headed back to a true “normal.” But is the normal of the pre-pandemic travel nursing industry truly what we can expect to see in the coming months?

The short answer: no.

The Start of It All

Back in 2016-2019, typical travel nurse pay packages averaged around $1,500-1,700 per week gross pay. If you were licensed in California, you may have been able to find pay above $2,000 gross due to union requirements and overtime laws.

Once the pandemic hit in 2020, the whole hospital system was thrust into shock as hospitals tried to figure out how to take care of higher volumes of super sick patients seemingly instantly.

At that point, there were significant drops in certain travel specialties while others saw an incredible spike in both rates and needs. Areas like allied health and pediatrics basically hit a standstill. Kids were staying home from school and not being exposed to illnesses as frequently, and thousands of surgeries were canceled, drastically reducing the need for therapists to help rehab post-surgical patients.

Sky High Pandemic Rates

Between government aid and pure need for survival, hospitals were able to pay huge amounts to travel nurses. Gross rates for adult nurses skyrocketed to over $10,000 a week, and there were jobs in every location you could imagine.

The key thing to remember about this time is these nurses also had to deal with significant safety concerns. Vaccinations were not an option, PPE was in critically low supply, and in some places, you were lucky to have an N95 available unless you brought your own. Front-line workers were getting sick no matter their age, and there were a lot of big, scary unknowns. So yes, the money was great, but a lot of people were not willing to put their health and well-being on the line to work in those conditions, no matter what they paid.

The Second Wave of Covid Travelers

Fast forward a couple of years, and while the five-figure rates had started to dwindle, travel nurses could still expect to make close to $4,000 per week gross fairly easily, and more if you got lucky and found a place that was willing to pay for a crisis contract.

Here, we saw a second wave of Covid travelers start to enter the workforce. A lot of these nurses were people who were feeling burnt out and frustrated after working in pandemic conditions for two years, often understaffed and short on supplies. Now, however, the risk of getting sick was much lower with vaccination available, and the country had finally gotten on top of the PPE shortage, so you knew you wouldn’t be expected to take care of the sickest of the sick without proper protection.

In the last year, this has caused somewhat of a flooded market. We aren’t seeing the volume of sick patients that we had in 2020 or even a year ago, so hospitals simply aren’t willing to pay exorbitant rates to keep staffing numbers up. The “threat” of horribly short staffing simply doesn’t seem as threatening anymore.

Leveling Out

As a result, basic economics has taken over. The supply of travel nurses is much higher than before the pandemic, but contracts have taken a dip. Not only are we not dealing with pandemic-level patient numbers, but we are going into summer and coming out of respiratory season.

Hospital systems have realized that they currently have the upper hand in the market and that the supply outweighs the demand for nurses in the travel sector. This happens every year during the spring, but it simply seems more pronounced this year because rates had been so incredibly high for so long.

If you were a travel nurse before 2020, you probably know most of this already. Generally, during the summer, you would expect a dip in pay and opportunity and aim to extend if you had the opportunity at a decent location. Then, when fall rolls around and more people are sick with influenza and other illnesses, you can strategically pick an assignment that pays a premium rate if that is your goal.

How This Affects Pay Rates

So, let’s get to rates. Obviously, supply and demand have a direct effect on rates and what hospitals are willing to pay. If managers are struggling to get job applicants, they are more willing to offer a little extra money to entice you to work for them. If they are getting 50 applicants per open position, they realize they can save some money and still hire a quality candidate.

Is it fair to get paid less for doing the same job? Many could argue either way, but unfortunately, travel nursing rates have always varied based on a variety of factors, and this is where we are right now.

What the Future Holds

Going forward, a few things will likely happen to the travel market. Travel nurses who were only traveling for the sake of very good rates or only for crisis rates will likely reconsider their plans for the future. For those who were traveling and returning home regularly, lower rates might mean it’s not worth it to keep traveling away from home. A large number may decide to return home to staff jobs rather than trying to make travel nursing work with a lower rate.

For those travelers that are looking to keep working as travel nurses regardless of rate changes, this could be beneficial. As some travelers leave the workforce, jobs will once again be more difficult to fill, and hospitals will have to adjust rates accordingly.

It is impossible to predict exactly what travel nursing pay will look like six months or a year from now. However, a fair estimate would probably be that rates will be lower through the summer months and then pick back up again in the fall.

Will Travel Nursing Rates Ever Hit Pre-Pandemic Rates?

It seems unlikely. Short-term housing prices are higher than they were pre-pandemic, not to mention travel and living expenses. Hospitals will have to pay more than they did in the past to make it profitable for nurses to duplicate expenses and pay for travel.

What you can likely expect is rates above pre-pandemic numbers, but don’t expect to see those $10,000 weekly packages any time soon. Aim to minimize your tax home expenses as much as you can if you want to make the most of travel nursing income, and think about whether you are traveling for profit or for fun. Sometimes the perks of being a traveler outweigh being a staff nurse, no matter the pay rate!

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. There you can search for what you are looking for in housing.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Gifted Healthcare

April 28, 2023

20639 Views

Why Nurse Certification Is Important for Travel Nurses

Posted on April 28, 2023September 29, 2023 by Gifted Healthcare

This article was provided by Gifted Healthcare.

Nurse certification is a formal process that tests your clinical knowledge, judgment, and experience in a subject or nursing specialty. Certification is the perfect way to accelerate your travel nursing career, increase your salary, and boost your confidence. It’s also a great way to attain personal growth as you strive to live your best nurse life.

This post will cover the basics of nursing certification and explain why each is so important for travel RNs and clinicians who want to take the next step in their travel nursing careers.

The Benefits of Nursing Certifications

The world of travel nursing is vast, and there are many excellent job opportunities available across the country. But on a basic level, earning a nursing certification can significantly boost your career. See below for the benefits.

Better Travel Nursing Assignments

Becoming certified means you have validated, specialized skills in your RN specialty. The more skills you have, the more marketable you are as a per diem or travel nurse. Earning nursing certifications will improve your prospects of getting the travel nursing assignment you want and also make more travel nursing assignments available to you.

Higher Pay & Career Advancement

This also offers the opportunity for upward mobility once you have landed an assignment. The more responsibility you have as a nurse, the more you get paid.

In addition to higher salaries, nursing certifications command recognition and respect within the healthcare world. Your certification proves that you have worked hard to learn a valuable and specialized skill, which makes supervisors and teammates more likely to depend on you and invest in your professional growth.

Personal Growth

Aside from the professional benefits, earning a nursing certification also provides the opportunity for personal growth. The confidence boost from achieving a hard-earned goal can make a real difference in how you feel, which leads to better performance at work and better care for your patients.

Basic Certification Requirements for Travel Nursing

Two basic certifications are required to be a travel nurse: Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).

However, earning additional nursing certifications will dramatically increase your standing in the job market as well as your earning potential.

Important certifications include Acute/Critical Care Nursing (CCRN), Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP), Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), AIDS Certified Registered Nurse (ACRN), Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN), Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) Certification, and many more.

Find a list of common nursing certifications here.

How Do You Know You’re Ready to Become Certified?

Plenty of preparation is required to become certified. Check to see if you meet the eligibility requirements, like meeting the minimum years of experience providing care for a specific patient population.

For example, to become certified as a critical care nurse (CCRN) or progressive care nurse (PCCN), you do not need a formal education to apply. But it is helpful to prepare with any available prep courses, study materials, and practice tests so you can get ready for certification. If you’re acing the practice exams for the certification you’re trying to earn, that’s a great sign you’re ready!

However, becoming an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) requires additional formal education like a master’s or doctoral degree.

For more information on preparing for the certification process, visit the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) website.

Important Nursing Certifications

While there are many different types of nursing certifications, several highly-regarded ones are common and could be a great place to start. See below to learn about a few different important nursing certifications.

Wound Care Certification (WCC)

Wound care nurses provide care for patients dealing with acute and chronic wounds, assisting with the development of their treatment plans and taking measures to prevent infection.

Click here to learn about the requirements for the WCC certification exam.

Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification (CMSRN)

On any given shift, a MedSurg nurse could care for a patient suffering from an animal bite, a patient with diabetes, a patient recovering from a transplant, and a patient with asthma. MedSurg nurses also may carry a heavier patient load than other specialties, often handling 5-7 patients at a time. They are trained to recognize and understand a large range of medical conditions.

Learn more about becoming Med-Surg certified at the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses’ website.

An individual must be a registered nurse (RN) with a current U.S. license, have practiced for at least two years as an RN in a medical-surgical setting, and accrued 2,000 hours of practice within the past three years to be eligible for medical-surgical certification.

Critical Care Certification (CCRN)

A critical care RN provides care for patients with serious or life-threatening injuries and medical problems. Because of the severity of their patients’ conditions, critical care nurses receive specialized training that allows them to remain alert and perform under intense pressure.

Learn more about Critical Care certification at the American Association of Critical Care Nurses’ (AACN) website.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Miles Oliver

April 23, 2023

5080 Views

The Importance of Sharing Your Experience as a Travel Nurse

Posted on April 23, 2023April 23, 2023 by Miles Oliver

Travel nursing is a popular profession for many reasons. The pandemic led to a “travel nurse gold rush” as nurses were paid more to move from job to job where help was needed most. Higher pay for traveling is a big draw for many nurses, and the profession continues to be attractive for many.

Some nurses are understandably experiencing major burnout. Stress in the nursing profession is nothing new, but traveling on top of the job demands can leave these employees feeling overwhelmed and alone. Luckily, there are ways for travel nurses to connect with others and share their stories. This can aid you in your journey to becoming a travel nurse — or to continue the job you love so much in a healthier way.

Help Other Travel Nurses

Sharing your story and tips as a travel nurse can help others in the same profession. New travel nurses have much to learn that can only come from experience, but sharing what you wish you knew when starting out can help someone navigate the job more easily and successfully.

You can also share your experiences with certain locations. Acclimating to a new culture can be difficult for some travel nurses, so sharing your tips for this can be a big benefit to the travel nurse community as a whole.

Educate the Public

By sharing your experiences, you’re not only helping educate fellow travel nurses but also the public at large. While nursing is an extremely rewarding career, it can often be thankless. Sometimes, patients and their families don’t understand the struggles that their care providers are going through. Sharing your story can help foster compassion and make the travel nurse profession a little brighter, one understanding the patient at a time.

Care for Your Own Mental and Emotional Well-being

While you’re traveling and working long shifts, it’s easy to let your own well-being fall by the wayside. Recognizing your mental health needs is often the first step in getting help. Reading or listening to another travel nurse’s story, talking to other travel nurses with similar experiences, and sharing your own can highlight parts of your well-being that may be currently neglected. This way, you can work toward taking care of yourself and not feel ashamed for doing so.

Feel More Connected

Travel nursing can also become lonely at times. You’re often moving away from family and friends for extended or undetermined periods. Staying connected as a travel nurse can come in many forms. Shared experiences will help you feel closer to others in the same profession. It may also help you feel closer to other people that now get a glimpse into your daily life. People need connection, and putting your story out there can foster that for yourself and others.

There are many ways to share your experience as a travel nurse. Talk to other nurses in person or in online forums. Post a heartfelt story on social media via text post or video format. Write a guest post on a blog or start your own.

Starting a podcast about your travel nurse experiences is a great way to establish yourself as an expert within your industry. Podcasting can also be an effective way to connect with others in your profession and share your knowledge with those who may be interested in becoming travel nurses. Just be sure to fully develop your podcast angle and sketch out ideas for several episodes before you start recording.

You never know how you may help someone by sharing your story — and you’re already helping yourself. It’s not selfish to take care of yourself. In fact, it can make your job as a travel nurse more rewarding because you’re less burnt out and more able to make effective decisions. It helps the public, your patients, other travel nurses, and your well-being to share your story. Find the proper outlet, and let your stories and experiences flow.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Staffmax Healthcare Staffing & Recruiting

April 20, 2023

3283 Views

6 Items Travel Nurses Need to Pack

Posted on April 20, 2023April 20, 2023 by Staffmax Healthcare Staffing & Recruiting

Staffmax Healthcare Staffing and Recruiting provided this article.

Article was written by: Julie Hesseltine, RN, CNO, and Sr. Recruiter for Staffmax.

The excitement within her had her heart beating at a rate not even three IV doses of Labetol would have been able to easily control! Yet here she was. After years of working at the bedside, she had chosen to pursue her dream. Nothing was going to stop her. Her kids were grown. She had no pets. Nobody to answer to except herself. The oil was changed, new wipers were on the windows, tires were at the proper pressure, and the car was filled with as many plastic totes and bags as she could squeeze in. She had just enough room to set her purse and a small cooler in the front seat beside her. The house was locked. The bills were paid. The alarms and security were set. She inserted the key in the ignition and was off to new beginnings.

As you read this, you might ask yourself what were in the plastic totes and canvas bags that she had gently at first and, in the end, forcefully shoved inside her car. What does a traveler need to take? My daughter tells the story of a travel nurse from Florida who came to Nebraska during the winter months. My daughter has a room she rents out and has had a lot of success doing this, having also made lifelong friends as she pursues her doctorate degree. But one nurse truly made her laugh. “I threw in anything that looked warm.” I’d been there upon the arrival of this particular new renter as she was an old travel buddy of mine. The floorboard and front passenger seat were just as full as the rest of the space in the car. She may have packed too much stuff. I thought as I helped her unload.

In the excitement of one’s first travel position, miles away from home, we sometimes forget that we are likely not moving away from home for good. Just for a travel nurse assignment or two. We don’t need the kitchen sink, just the usual necessities, and a few other items. The most important things to take with us are merely the basics.

6 Items Travel Nurses Need to Pack

Healthcare

Medicines and insurance cards. Phone numbers of your physician and dentist.

Financial information

Credit card, debit card, cash, banking information, and phone numbers to all credit card companies in case something happens. Don’t forget your computer and the charger.

Travel paperwork

I always encourage my travelers to have information on their phone, on an external hard drive of some type, saved on a cloud, and a hard copy. Keep a copy of every document you were asked for when you went through your onboarding. Add to this as you continue to travel. I kept a hard copy of everything in a folder, in plastic sleeves, and easily within reach. Throw in the diary or journal so you can write down interesting details about the journey you are on.

Clothing

A couple of good pairs of pants, a few pairs of jeans, 5-10 tops, uniforms if needed, and a few pairs of shoes. You are going to be spending a large amount of time in your uniforms. There is likely no need to pack your entire closet. How many seasons will you be confronting before you come home? Remember, right now, we are packing only the necessary items. At least one nice outfit for a night on the town on your day off.

Toiletries

Hair dryer, curling irons, electric razors, hair gel, makeup, personal towels, etc. You may want to add some of your own bedding and a favorite pillow.

The rest of the totes

Now that you have the basics packed and loaded look around and see what else you would like to take with you. The more minimalistic you learn to become on these travel nurse assignments, the more likely it is that you will leave your apartment on your days off and do what you set out to do; become the explorer and traveler who embarked upon an adventure into the unknown to see new sights and meet new people. Be certain you make time to taste the local cuisine, visit an art museum, or go to a concert or a sporting event. And take your camera with you everywhere!

That nurse who rented the space from my daughter? Charlene went back to Florida for a week-long visit with her parents in the middle of the contract. Her camera was filled with pictures of her adventures. You’ve probably also guessed that she went home with a car full of stuff she really didn’t need. Upon her return, she had laughed at all that she thought she needed the first time, realizing that she wasn’t moving in. She was merely staying until the next adventure! May you all be blessed in your travel adventures and make the best memories!

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

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Ability to Communicate.

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Clarify your personal priorities:

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