Travel nursing can be a life-changing career move for many nurses, offering opportunities to explore new parts of the country or even the world. Not only can travel nursing provide adventure and excitement, but it can also help to advance your nursing career and improve your skills. Here’s what you need to know about gaining six months of experience as a travel nurse.
What is Travel Nursing?
Travel nursing is a type of nursing profession that allows nurses to work in different locations on a temporary basis usually for 13 weeks. As a travel nurse, you get to work in different hospitals or medical facilities, often covering staff shortages or seasonal demands.
Travel nursing assignments can range from a few weeks to a year and sometimes longer. You can choose your assignments based on the location, the type of facility or even the specific patient population you want to work with. This level of flexibility is what makes travel nursing so appealing to many nurses.
Why Gain 6 Months of Experience?
Many travel nursing agencies require at least 6 months of experience before hiring a travel nurse. This means that nurses just starting out in their careers may not be eligible for travel nursing until they have gained enough experience in their field. Having six months of experience also helps to make you more attractive to hiring managers, as it shows you have a solid foundation of nursing knowledge and skills.
Additionally, having six months of experience can help you to feel more comfortable and confident as a travel nurse. By this point, you should be comfortable with basic nursing skills like medication administration, documentation, and patient assessment. This will allow you to better focus on mastering the new policies, procedures, and routines of each new workplace.
What are the Benefits of Travel Nursing?
Travel nursing offers many benefits beyond the opportunity to travel and work in different locations. Some of the benefits of travel nursing include:
- Higher pay rates than staff nurses
- Flexible schedules and work hours
- Free or subsidized housing
- Health, dental, and vision insurance benefits
- The opportunity to gain new skills, work with different patient populations, and advance your nursing career
Overall, travel nursing can be a great way for nurses to gain valuable experience and advance their careers while exploring new places and meeting new people. If you have at least six months of nursing experience and a sense of adventure, travel nursing may just be the perfect career move for you.
How to Get Started in Travel Nursing?
If you’re interested in travel nursing, the first step is to find a reputable travel nursing agency to work with. These agencies will help you to find assignments, negotiate pay rates and benefits, and provide support and resources throughout each assignment. Some popular travel nursing agencies include:
- American Mobile
- Aureus Medical Group
- Cross Country Nurses
- FlexCare Medical Staffing
- Medical Solutions
Once you’ve chosen an agency, you will need to complete an application and provide your nursing credentials, including your licensure, certification, and work experience. Once you’ve been accepted by an agency, you can begin looking at available assignments and planning your first travel nursing adventure.
Conclusion
Travel nursing can be a rewarding and exciting career path for nurses who are looking for adventure, flexibility, and the opportunity to advance their careers. By gaining six months of experience in your field, you can open up new possibilities for your nursing career and take your skills to new levels. If you’re ready for a new nursing adventure, consider exploring the world of travel nursing today!