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Written by George Cassady
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Who Do You Work For?Travel nurse employment is a lucrative, ongoing opportunity that many people are taking advantage of. Those who have the qualifications (which differ from one company to the next) are able to do much more than work in a hospital or to attend to nursing home patients at home. For nurses who want to make more money, and who do not mind traveling around the world, will do well in this type of employment. Though there are several opportunities available to the travel nurse today, each opportunity is unique in what it pays, what your tasks are and how the process works.
Finding The Right Company To find the right travel nurse company to work with, ask questions and get answers. Before you apply you should be able to read through information provided by the company or you may be able to contact the company directly to get answers to your questions. Here are some common questions asked.
How Long Is An Assignment? Travel nurses will move from one assignment to the next, with varied degrees of assignment length. The company has the right to provide you with assignments anywhere in their agreed upon range, depending on what the company offers. An RN will expect to see assignments on a regular basis from a company that is well established. Assignment lengths could be as short as just a few weeks, or as long as several months. The most typical assignment ranges from 8 weeks to 13 weeks. Some are shorter based on the company's need. Often times, there is a need to extend the stay, too, which may allow you to work at the same location for several months to a year.
How Much Work Do You Do? Each company is different, but the travelling RN nurse will see employment on a regular basis. The companies will vary in the number of hours you work, but in a typical sense, you can expect to work between 40 hours a week and 60 hours per week. With some companies, you do get guaranteed hours, which means you are paid for that amount of hours even if for some reason you work fewer. In addition, when you do work over the 40 hours, you do get paid overtime pay for it. This is one of the reasons so many nurses enjoy this type of work: the pay is very lucrative especially with overtime compensation.
Where Will You Work? Travel nurse employment can take you anywhere. Some companies are worldwide, but most are located within the United States. The travel nurse position may be somewhat of an option for you. Some companies will take into consideration any location where you may want to go, perhaps because you have family in that area. Other companies do not provide you with this option. You also should consider how flexible you are when you apply. If you are very limited in the locations you will work in, chances are the company will overlook your application.
In many situations, nurses want to do specific types of work. For example, some people do better in an emergency where others do better with children. Most companies do take this area of expertise or preference into consideration when you apply. It is important to note that the company most likely cannot guarantee one position over another, unless there is a licensing or skill difference that must be taken into consideration. Many of the travel nurse companies do give you options and will allow you to float from one area to the next whenever possible, to provide exposure and experience for you.
What Are The Benefits Of Working As A Travel Nurse? A travel nurse is someone who is needed, someone whose skills are necessary to have in an area of the country that is in short supply. Most work in hospital settings, saving lives every day. Other nurses are able to provide services to those who are unable to come to a hospital. You will receive many personal benefits by working as a travel nurse.
There is also lucrative compensation available. The pay for travel nurse employment ranges widely from one company to the next, especially for those who are RN's with special skills or those who have advanced degrees. You can expect to make a good amount of money, above what you would make working in your position locally. In addition, most nurses will receive full medical and dental insurance as well as retirement plans. Find out what other benefits the company may offer. |
