If you are familiar with nursing, you may have heard the phrase, “travel nurse” and wondered what that title pertains to. A travel nurse is like a temp for hire, that helps meet the current demands for nurses across the country. Today, there is a shortage of nurses and when a hospital or medical facility needs to fill in the gaps they hire a travel nurse. The travel nurse is paid wages higher than their permanent peers, and meets the needs of the hospital. If the nurse is satisfied with the position, it is possible that he or she may become a permanent staff member as well. Travel nurses help meet the needs of medical facilities that are short on staff.
When a nurse decides to take temporary positions, he or she will work with a company, like a placement agency for nurses. The company will work out an arrangement with the medical facility and the nurse will agree to meet those needs as specified. There are also special arrangements made regarding the nurses living arrangements, transportation, and reimbursements. There are many financial benefits awarded to travel nurses and the position is often very lucrative.
If you desire a position as a traveling nurse, you will need to find a company to work with. You will also need to meet certain requirements before being approved. Some of these requirements are in regards to your work experience, certification, and licensing. However, if you are selected for an assignment, the company will assist you with any additional licensing needed to perform your job responsibilities.
One of the best advantages of working with a travel nursing agency, is that fact that you gain a large amount of experience in a relatively short amount of time. Also, your resume will be quite impressive as it demonstrates your ability to adapt to different situations, environments, and become a vital part of the team.