Contract Registered Nursing 101

High Demand for Travel Nurses

Types of Travel Nurses

In most cases, travel nurses are hired on a per-assignment basis, or at least for agreed periods. These can range from a few days to years, but it mostly depends on the employer’s needs.

Registered Nurses (RNs)

The most common type of nursing professional is the registered nurse (RN). These can fall into many categories, such as helping people with cancer, heart disease, surgical procedures, post-operative rehabilitation, and many more. They are primarily found in hospitals,  doctor’s offices, clinics, and nursing homes. The breadth of their knowledge and education makes them desirable for any healthcare provider to give care to patients with all sorts of health needs.

Nurse Practitioners (NPs)

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) defines nurse practitioners as licensed, autonomous clinicians who focus on managing people’s conditions and preventing disease.

These types of nurses are often specialized practitioners focused on specific types of patients, such as pediatric and women’s health, or subspecialized in dermatology, oncology, etc.

The main difference between RNs and NPs is their educational background. A registered nurse needs an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN), while the minimum requirement to become an NP is a master’s degree.

Since being an NP allows for a more considerable degree of independence, they are considered primary care providers and take on a more holistic view of healthcare, providing physical and emotional care. Frequently, an RN will become an NP to advance their careers, get better career opportunities and higher salaries.

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)

An LPN performs more basic nursing duties generally, and is responsible for the comfort of the patient. On the other hand, someone with an RN nursing license will take on duties such as administering medication, give out treatments, and even offer medical advice to the general public. While these two jobs may be similar on the surface, RNs and LPNs have less in common than it might seem.

An LPN usually takes on a more basic range of care responsibilities than RNs, which generally means comforting the patient, treating minor injuries, pain, interpreting charts, inserting IVs, and taking vital signs.

Travel Nurse Assignment Duration

A travel nurse should always be aware of how long their assignment will be to plan their next step.

Regular jobs can last anywhere between 2 weeks and up to 3 months, but the actual duration depends on many factors, such as what position you’re being assigned to, your employer, if your RN license is still valid, etc. Sometimes you will stay for an extended time in a single place but separate assignments with breaks in between them.

The duration of your shifts is another critical consideration. This aspect is also dependent on different factors, but an average day for a travel nurse or travelers can include shifts starting at 7:00 am and lasting until 3:00 am the next day. Although, again, this depends on the assignment and your employer and can even be negotiated before signing your contract.

Life of a Travel Nurse

The most often cited reason by travel nurses for choosing their line of work is the opportunity to visit different parts of the country (and even the world) while doing the job they enjoy through short-term assignments. This perk, coupled with the higher salaries and meeting new people, are probably the most attractive parts of being a travel nurse.

Another reason for travel nurses to take assignments is the opportunity to practice at some of the most prestigious healthcare facilities in the United States and abroad. The fact that they can potentially visit several of these in a single year allows them to build quite a reputation and resumé for themselves before seeking a high-paying permanent position. You can go from one large teaching hospital one month to a more intimate and rewarding rural clinic the later. Still, it should go without saying that a travel nursing career can be a demanding job for all of its benefits and excitement.

Travel nurses not only need to be intelligent, skillful, and patient but should also be emotionally strong to handle being away from home for months at a time. The need for inner focus is especially true if you consider how often you will be moving, meeting new people or teams, and dealing with new cultures as well as organizations.

A travel job can be a very rewarding and unforgettable experience each time, but only if you love the lifestyle. Also, while it’s true that being a travel nurse does not require much more education than being a regular staff nurse, some institutions or assignments will require you to have a specific degree or training program before even considering you for a position.

Working Conditions

Aside from the regular working environment that you can expect from nursing, travel nurses’ conditions depend on the agency they signed with. Many travel nurses can face a steep learning curve to adapt to their new employer, which can be compounded by the fact that they might have signed for longer days.

Still, challenging as it can be, being a traveling RN leads to many personal and professional rewards that cannot be overlooked. As in virtually all other jobs out there, it’s a trade-off between what you can stand and what you want to get out of it.

Higher Pay and Benefits

Travel nurses usually receive higher pay rates and much better benefits or compensation packages than other employees in similar but permanent positions within the same hospital. In most cases, travel nurse salaries will be higher than the national average of staff nurses or peers, and they will have no extra education required; for example, an ICU travel nurse can make between $ 60k and $ 150k a year. This higher pay is on top of the added travel nursing benefits like tax-free housing stipends, transportation, life insurance, retirement plans, travel reimbursements, and even health coverage options.

Benefits of Travel Nursing

• Freedom and Flexibility
• Diverse Practice Environments
• Near-Endless Job Security
• Save For Your Retirement Easily
• Competitive Salaries
• Plentiful Growth Opportunities
• Learn Skills Beyond Nursing
• Try As Many Towns As You Want Before Settling Down

Becoming a Travel Nurse

“What does it take to become a travel nurse?” The short answer is that there are no hard-and-fast requirements for becoming a traveler; however, certain factors will make your transition more manageable than others.

Educational Requirements For Travel Nurses

According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AAP), a bachelor’s degree in nursing is not required for someone to become a licensed nurse practitioner. However, they do suggest that “graduating from a university is helpful.” Still, it helps!

Some nurses have completed their bachelor’s degree and earned their state certification to become dual-certified nurses. This double certification means they can practice independently within the US and their home state (regular CNPs are not usually allowed to practice outside of the state they are licensed).

Regarding the educational paths to becoming a nurse, the American Nurses Association (ANA) recognizes two different nursing degrees: The BSN and ADN.

ADN Degree

The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is closer to what people recognize as traditional nursing practices like ICU care or operating room nursing. Completing an ADN will allow students to understand many medical procedures and allow nurses to focus on specific fields, such as surgery or anesthesia. Frequently it is necessary to have an ADN concentration with a general focus before students are eligible to take the national board certification exam.

Admission Requirements

The admission requirements for an ADN vary by school, but they mostly include:

• Writing an application essay.
• Writing a career statement.
• Going through an in-person interview.
• A minimum GPA of 2.75.
• Academic and professional recommendations.
• High ACT or SAT scores.
• Getting a passing score on the HESI Admission Assessment Exam.
• Pass the Essential Academic Skills (ATI TEAS) assessment test.
• Pass the National League for Nursing Pre-Admission Examination (NLN-PAX) standardized entrance exam for prospective nursing students.

Program Curriculum

Prerequisites and nursing classes make up the ADN. Exact titles and requirements vary, but each school must meet the criteria outlined by the state’s nursing board. The ADN curriculum is made up of several prerequisite classes and nursing-related classes. While the exact courses and their titles may vary by program, each school must meet the requirements outlined by the state’s board of nursing of their respective state.

Time to Complete

The ADN is considered the quickest option for those getting started in a registered nursing career. An accredited Professional Nursing ADN program can be completed in as few as 18 to 24 months. The next step would be to pass the NCLEX-RN exam. Then, after you meet all your state licensure requirements, you become a registered nurse able to work in a plethora of healthcare settings.

Skills Learned

You will be taught all the basic nursing skills during your rotations, which should start in your second or third semester. These will include performing tasks like sterile dressing changes, suctioning, bathing, and using O2 tanks. Then, as your abilities grow, you will also learn how to work with IVs, administer medications, routing the patient, inserting NG tubes and catheters, and much more. Of course, for a precise list of all the skills you will develop, be sure to investigate the nursing board governing the state in which you want to become licensed.

BSN Degree

Considered a higher level of education than the ADN, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree allows individuals to enter the profession as nurse practitioners. A nurse with a BSN degree can be in charge of small health clinics, diagnose patients, and treat illnesses using prescription medications, amongst other methods.

Admission Requirements

Considered a higher level of education than the ADN, a BSN degree allows individuals to enter the profession as nurse practitioners. A nurse with a BSN degree can be in charge of small health clinics, diagnose patients, and treat illnesses using prescription medications, amongst other methods.

Program Curriculum

Prerequisite coursework is completed during the first two years of the traditional BSN program then the student can apply to nursing school for the last two years. The BSN program begins with two years of prerequisite coursework, after which the student can apply to nursing school for the remaining two years of the program.

Time to Complete

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program typically takes 4 years to complete for a nurse who is pursuing their initial nursing education. This duration may vary based on the specific program structure, any transfer credits, and whether the student is studying full-time or part-time.

Skills Learned

Since this is the longest out of the two programs, the skills and education of a BSN-educated nurse also include the basic nursing skills that an ADN provides, but also goes much further in many areas, allowing you to specialize in many medical fields and to advance your career down the line quickly.

Pass the NCLEX Exam

The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) is an exam that determines if it’s safe for you to practice as an entry-level nurse after graduation from your program. Unlike nursing school exams, which are knowledge-based, the NCLEX-RN is applied based on critical thinking to make accurate judgments about many nursing situations.

Certifications and Credentials

You need to be CPR certified. Usually, this is taken care of when you attend nursing school. It is also recommended that you take your boards while in school in order to have them ready once you graduate.

You will have to be licensed by the state in which you will be working as a nurse, requiring licensing tests or an application process (which includes time limits on how long you can be out of state, such as six months).

You will also need a multistate license.

The eNLC Multistate License

The eNLC (Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact) is, as the name suggests, the enhanced version of the NLC—which was active until 2018. The eNLC was streamlined and added licensure standards that were lacking in the original.

The eNLC is an agreement between states that allows nurses to practice in other states within the pact while holding only one license, which is why it’s called a multi-state license. You can find an up-to-date list of eNLC members here.

Requirements For A eNLC Multistate License?

The requirements for an eNLC Multistate License as outlined by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) are as follows:

1. Meets the requirements for licensure in the home state (state of residency)
2. a. Has graduated from a board-approved education program; or b. Has graduated from an international education program (approved by the authorized accrediting body in the applicable country and verified by an independent credentials review agency)
3. Has passed an English proficiency examination (applies to graduates of an international education program not taught in English or if English is not the individual’s native language)
4. Has passed an NCLEX-RN® or NCLEX-PN® Examination or predecessor exam.
5. Is eligible for or holds an active, unencumbered license (i.e., without operational discipline).
6. Has submitted to state and federal fingerprint-based criminal background checks.
7. Has not been convicted or found guilty, or has entered into an agreed disposition, of a felony offense under applicable state or federal criminal law.
8. Has no misdemeanor convictions related to the practice of nursing (determined on a case-by-case basis).
9. Is not currently a participant in an alternative program.
10. Is required to self-disclose current participation in an alternative program.
11. Has a valid United States Social Security number.

Online Travel Nursing Programs

One of the best ways to see what travel nursing is all about is to sign up for an online travel nursing program. This option will allow you to transition into the industry, and continue your education if you so wish. The skills you can learn from this experience are invaluable, as are any new certifications you pick up along the way if you want to further your career.

Becoming an International Travel Nurse

Usual Assignment Locations:

When it comes to traveling abroad, you will find that assignments will most commonly take you to Australia, New Zealand, China, and the Middle East. These areas are prone to high rates of disease and natural disasters that create a demand for rapid-response nurses to care for patients in the aftermath, which can be a very valuable nursing experience that helps you compete back home. However, it’s important to note that an agency will rarely send nurses to countries where they don’t speak the language. They will expect you to have at least a working knowledge of the local language before considering you for a nursing role in a foreign country.

Educational Requirements for International Travel Nursing:

No matter where you go, you will need a valid license and have a degree from an accredited school to practice anywhere abroad. If everything is in order, the specific requirements will vary depending on your country, city, and hospital (pretty much like in the US). That will allow you to find work as an RN, APRN, or LPN.

Compensation and Benefits:

The only way to know for sure what your benefits package will include is to ask your agency or employer directly. You will usually receive hourly wages, housing, stipends for meals and travel, and even insurance, as well as paid time off. Not too different from back in the US most of the time, but it’s better to be sure beforehand.

Licensing and Certification Requirements For International Travel Nurses

The requirements for licensure in the country where you’ll work need to be met in full. These requirements could go from taking a short test to completing an entirely new nursing program. Also, you might be required to take a test demonstrating that you speak the country’s primary language (this is true even in countries where the primary language is English for work visa purposes).

A passport, visa, and work permit are all necessary, and in some cases sponsorship is required. Carefully check what documents you need for each country, as all packages are different. The process can seem slow, and it sometimes takes up to a year to complete, depending on your situation.

Living Abroad as a Travel Nurse

Depending on the contract you are under, you might be allowed to bring along a significant other when working abroad. Still, you can also travel with another nurse on assignment to share living expenses and provide companionship for each other. Pets are another choice, but remember that the rules that apply to them vary from one country to another. Don’t forget to study about the country where you’ll be staying. Anything you can learn from the local culture before arriving there can be invaluable during your stay.

Finding Travel Nursing Jobs

There are a variety of options to find the perfect travel nursing job you want. The key to success is to keep your options open and to try different avenues before deciding on which route to take. You will see that some options are more appealing than others, depending on your preferences. Here are some of the most popular choices.

Using Traditional Recruiters or Travel Agencies

Nurse recruitment is, essentially, a sales job. The function of a travel nurse agency is to be an intermediary between healthcare providers and travel nurses, meaning they will be your link each time you need to deal with your employer before and during an assignment. On top of that, the responsibility of a travel nursing agencies include:

1. Handling paperwork.
2. Talking to the hospital for you.
3. Providing you with housing, among other things.

Using Online Platforms

Using an online niche platform to find job opportunities as a nurse can be a blessing or a curse, depending on your outlook. Here are a few pros and cons of going at it yourself in the nursing job market.

Using Blended Online Platforms with Support

You may also opt to use a combination of online and real human connections. Here are some pros and cons of this blended option.

The Ultimate Pros and Cons List of Travel Nursing

Suppose you are starting to consider becoming a travel nurse; congratulations! That’s the first step towards a fantastic period of your career — and even your life. However, it should be noted that not all nurses can just become travel nurses for one reason or another. It might be because they’re not eligible for licensure in some states, or because they simply don’t like the “globetrotting” aspect of this profession. So before you make any binding commitments, go over these pros and cons that will show you the good and not-so-good aspects of travel nursing.