Most, if not all, nurses desire to be travel nurses. You get to experience new places and experience new things. The pay is better and the hours are a bit more flexible. If you have been toying with the idea, then go for it. You might be afraid of trying it out initially because you have no idea what to do or how to go about it. Do not be afraid. With a few pointers, you will be on your way to landing your dream nursing job. Here is what you need to do to get into a travel nursing career.
Do Your Research
Before you make any major career moves, do your research. Read on blogs online on how a travel nurse works and what the requirements for the job are. There are various blogs online that involve travel nursing. Know what the perks are and what the downside to it is. If you have any friends who are travel nurses, then you should talk to them. They will give you pointers that you might have missed out on the blogs. By doing your research, you will know if this is the right career move for you. Try to look for Top Travel Nursing Agencies to find amazing opportunities!
Have the Right Credentials
Before you get started on the travel nurse job, ensure you have the right credentials. Find out what you will be required to have in terms of certification and years of experience. Many hospitals will only take a travel nurse if they have an RN and not an LPN. Sometimes you can be required to have an ACLS certification. As this is not a lifetime certificate you will also need to verify if it is still valid and if it’s not you will need to renew it. If you need to work in a surgical wing or special ward, you might be required to have more years of experience. Most hospitals might ask for at least two years of minimum work experience. Bear this in mind as you start looking for a travel job.
Find a Travel Nurse Company To Work With
There are so many travel nursing companies in the market. Ensure you narrow down on the companies you would want to work with. For instance, if you want to get a travel nurse in job in West Virginia, you might have to get a nursing company in the area. Even if they are not in West Virginia, getting a company that has worked in the area before will help you land jobs in the area. You can also check online to see what reviews were left about the company. It is the only way to know if you are working with an honest company. Check out their working rates online and pick the company that will work for you.
Get a Recruiter
The jobs you get will only be as good as the recruiter you are working with. For this reason, be very keen on who you settle with. Talk to the recruiter you think you might work with and gauge their responses to you. If your gut tells you something is off, it probably is. Do not work with a recruiter who does not listen to your wants and needs. A good recruiter should translate what you desire to get out of your travel career into job openings. When in doubt, you can ask a fellow travel nurse if they can refer you to a recruiter.
Compile A List Of Places You Are Interested In Working At
One of the things you need to ensure you have is a list of places you would like to work. It will help if you have at least 5-10 cities. If you want to travel nurse in jobs in West Virginia, then get jobs in areas in West Virginia or near West Virginia. It should be at the top of your list. In doing this, the agent can narrow down job offers before you settle on an interview. Sometimes, you might want a travel nurse in jobs in West Virginia, but you have less experience, or the job offers do not meet your needs. It should not be a cause of worry for you. You can start by working in other places as you gain the experience required to secure a job in your choice area. Travel nursing jobs require that you be flexible and easily adaptable to change.
Choose An Assignment
Your recruiter will get back to you with a list of openings in the areas you picked out. Select one or two and do the interview. Interviews for these jobs are mostly done through phone calls. What is covered in these interviews are the patients the nurse will take care of, the type of scrubs they wear, and the hospital perks. Ask questions where you need clarity before you decide on accepting the job offer.
Notify the Hospital of Your Move and Needs
Once you land the job, ensure the hospital you will work for knows when you can move. Important thing to mention is where you will be traveling alone or with a companion or pets. They also need to know if you have any accommodation preferences. Notifying the early will ensure they plan for your stay.
Have Some Cash On Hand
Even though the hospital will take care of everything, it is good to have some money with you. You are moving to a new place, and chances are there are some things you will find different. In case you get the house they kept for you is too small, you might have to move. You might also need to pay some of the bills upfront and get some food before getting reimbursed by the hospital. The money you have will act as a safety net before you get things figured out.
Travel nursing is an interesting career option for any nurse. You get to experience a different world from what you are used to and gain experience as well. If you have the heart for it, then give it a shot. It is a career move that is worth your time. It is a great career move for you as a nurse.
