Getting a travel nurse job is a very exciting opportunity. You have the freedom to work wherever, whenever. You can make more money. In addition, you get to meet plenty of people and expand your personal and professional experiences. Sounds great right? We think so. However, there are steps you need to take to get a travel nurse job. What are those steps to get a travel nurse job you ask? Well we are glad you did. We have put together these 10 tips to get a travel nurse job. Follow these 10 tips to get a travel nurse job and you will be on your way to this exciting career.
10 Tips To Get A Travel Nurse Job – Education Requirements
1) Get Your Education. The first step in answering the question how to get a travel nurse job stats with your education. Any healthcare professional needs a certain level of education. Whether that is a bachelor degree or higher education. It all depends on your long-term goals. However, one of our tips to get a travel nurse job starts with getting your education.
2) Pass The NCLEX. All nurses must pass the NCLEX exam to receive a nursing license. This exam is designed to measure the competence for anyone interested in becoming a nurse. The NCLEX exam is very important to ensure every nurse can perform the skills need to perform safely and effectively as a newly licensed nurse. Passing the NCLEX exam is one of our tips to get a travel nurse job.
3) Get Experience. To get a travel nurse job you first need to have experience. The minimum experience requirements depend on your specialty, facility, and unit. Most facilities we work with require at least one year of clinical experience in a hospital setting; some require multiple years of experience. Recruiters can start working with you sooner to get you prepared so be sure to find a recruiter to help you through the process.
10 Tips To Get A Travel Nurse Job – Career Tips
4) Determine Your Specialty. As a nurse, you have plenty of paths after school. The first path is deciding your specialty. Do you want to work in the ER? Would you prefer working in L&D? There is no right or wrong answer. Find what fits you. It’s not an easy decision and while it is possible to change specialties; it’s not ideal. Take time to think about it. Don’t worry about what your friends are selecting or what your parents might influence in. Make the right choice for you.
5) Get Your License. The first step in securing your license is figuring out where you want to work. Keep in mind that the license process for each state can differ. However, there are also compact licenses which will allow you to work in multiple states. Your recruiter is someone who can help you with your license process. Also, some travel nurse companies like Host Healthcare will offer license reimbursement for travelers.
6) Maintain Your CEUs. Maintaining your RN license isn’t a complicated task. However, it can take time. Some states require a certain amount of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to renew your license every two years. Again, if you have a compact license all you have to worry about is maintaining your home licensing requirement.
10 Tips To Get A Travel Nurse Job – Discover What You Want
7) Identify Where You Want To Work. There is no shortage of travel nurse jobs. One of our tips to get a travel nurse job is to know what you want. Do you want to work in the city or in a small town? Do you prefer beach or the mountains? As soon as you know what you want, getting what you want is that much easier. This is your time to be a little selfish.
8) Find The Right Agency For You. Just like there is no shortage of travel nurse jobs, there is also no shortage of travel nurse agencies. Most travel nurse agencies offer similar jobs and benefits. However, some certainly go above and beyond. Check out sites like Gypsy Nurse or Highway Hypodermics to identify the top travel nurse agencies.
9) Talk To Other Travel Nurses. Your peers can be another great resource when finding a travel nurse job. Ask them which travel nurse agencies they have used in the past. Which ones have they heard good things about? Picking the brains of others is one of our tips to get a travel nurse job.
10) Be Flexible. Our final tip of our 10 tips to get a travel nurse job is to be flexible. Yes, you want to have your goals but the secret is that sometimes your ideal travel nurse job isn’t available. Either the demand for that city is high, jobs aren’t available, or you need more experience. It’s a good idea to determine do you care most about making the most money, living in your ideal city, or working in your ideal setting. From there, be flexible on the other one or two items. Most recruiters can get you at least two of your three preferences. The key to getting a travel nurse job is being flexible on the third.
Hopefully after reading these 10 tips to get a travel nurse job you have learned a few things about getting your next travel nurse job. If you need any help on securing your next travel nurse job or you are curious about getting started in this exciting industry, reach out to Host Healthcare.
Host Healthcare Travel Nurse
Host Healthcare offers an extensive list of travel nurse jobs. Call one of our friendly recruiters at (800) 585-1299. We are here to help you to get started.
