Travel Nurse Guide Introduction
As many of you know, The Gypsy Nurse Travel Nurse Guide has helped hundreds of would-be travel nurses over the years get started on their travel adventures. Where to start travel nursing? The Gypsy Nurse Travel Nurse Guide is a great travel introduction for nurses trying to decide if this is the path they want to take. In this travel nursing guide, I’ll be breaking down each of the following steps into easy-to-follow directions. It is recommended that you follow them in order. If you have any questions that aren’t covered in our travel introduction, please feel free to join our…
From a Travel Nurse Husband
The Following is a Guest Article by Jay Lane Originally published: April 2014 This life we are still getting used to. A life of seemingly endless conversations. Meaningful exchanges of our day’s events. Sharing the good with the bad like many married couples all over the world. Discussing current events near and far. There is nothing routine, monotonous, or laborious about these communications. These conversations are different; we hang on to every word, not taking one syllable for granted. Time zones and space separate us. I am a travel nurse husband. A job that takes my wife thousands of miles…
Trusted Resources
This comprehensive travel nurse resource list was compiled from other Gypsy Nurses just like you. We’ve prepared this so you have a place to find everything easily. Most importantly bookmark this page so you can refer back easily. Travel Nurse Licensing Resources The Gypsy Nurse® (TGN) offers multiple licensing resources to answer your licensing questions. Nurse Board Websites for All 50 StatesNational Council State Boards of Nursing Information on eNLC (Compact License): What does the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) mean for Travel NursesWhat Travel RNs Need to Know About the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Fingerprinting: Fingerprints – L1 Identity Locations/Contact…
Step #1: Determine Why Travel Nursing is Your Goal
WHY Choose Travel Nursing? If you aren’t sure why to choose travel nursing as your next career step, you need to sit down and really think about it. If you’re not sure, here are some reasons why travel nursing is a hot career choice: Flexibility Travel nurse contracts vary in length, location, and in position. You can decide why you need a travel nurse contract and then decide where and when. Time off work Another huge reason why nurses choose travel nursing? Travel nurses can request in their contract for specific dates off of work or arrange complete contracts around…
Step #2: What Will You Get Out of Travel Nursing?
The benefits of travel nursing vary depending on the person. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide what you want to get out of your travel nursing career. To help guide you, we’re going to help you nail down what perks you want most in your travel nurse career. In order to effectively communicate with your recruiter, it’s important to know what is most important to you! Remember that handy list on why you want to travel from Step #1? Let’s turn that page over and make another list. Brainstorm your personal wants and needs. Don’t worry about making…
Step #3: Where and When Are You Willing to Go
Where to Start Travel Nursing? Sometimes this is the most intimidating question. Some travelers are completely open to location and willing to go wherever there is a need. Others want a specific location for a variety of reasons. There is no right or wrong place to start travel nursing. Know your Restrictions If you have some restrictions on where you can work as a travel nurse, or a specific timeline, you have a little planning to do. Keep in mind that for your first assignment, you might have to be a little more flexible. Being open to locations will make…
Step #4: Understanding the Myths
The Truth About Travel Nursing Travel nursing myths are abundant. As in any career, it’s important to be able to make an informed decision. Here, we will break down some common travel myths and counter them with the truth about travel nursing. Travel Nursing Myth #1: Travel Nurses make $10,000 per week (or some other outrageous amount). The Covid 19 pandemic definitely skewed the perception of what travel nurses actually make. It is hard to say for sure what an “average” rate for a travel nurse is because so many factors play a role. Explaining travel nurse pay can be…
Step #5: Know Your Deal-Breakers
It’s important to know and understand what your deal-breakers are so that you can communicate this during your travel nurse contract negotiation. First, let’s define what is meant by the term deal-breaker. Know your Deal-Breakers deal breaker (plural deal breakers) An issue which causes a relationship (especially in business) to fail. – Wiktionary Example Deal Breakers One popular deal breaker is usually pay. At the bare minimum, your weekly take-home pay will need to cover your expenses on contract and at your tax home. Figure out what your minimum pay is and stick to it! Another deal breaker might be time off. If…
Step #6: Building Your Travel Portfolio
Keeping track of travel nurse paperwork can be a nightmare! Last minute requests for items that you may or may not have easy access to while on the road can be annoying to both you and the recruiter. Avoid having any issues with your travel nurse paperwork by being organized and having everything easily accessible. Build your Travel Nurse Portfolio Over the years that I spent as a Travel Nurse, the one thing that consistently impressed my recruiters was my level of organization. Building your Travel Portfolio is an important step in becoming a successful Travel Nurse. At the beginning…
Step #7: Research Travel Nurse Agencies
How to Research Travel Nurse Agencies There are several factors in determining what agencies to work with. As you learn how to research travel nurse agencies, keep in mind that you need an agency that you can trust, that has the benefits and services that you want and need and can accommodate your deal breakers. Get Travel Nurse Agency Referrals Before you start Googling or calling random agencies, ask for recommendations from your travel nurse friends or on the Gypsy Nurse Facebook Network. Choosing a travel nurse agency is about more than what agency shows up on a search first,…